Latest Contributions

• Feeding the Bears

  By Ross Ramsey March 31, 2003

  And now, a non-surprise: If you keep doing things that are interesting to prosecutors, prosecutors will stick around. If prosecutors are hanging around, people will begin to talk about it, and start noticing things that might be interesting to prosecutors. The same dynamics drive good soap operas. You soon have an environment where everything looks like it might be a piece of the puzzle and where everybody is lurking about, talking to each other, trying to fit pieces together. Full Story 

• Sinking the Titanic

  By Ross Ramsey March 24, 2003

  A rules-breaking private meeting upended a massive rewrite of Texas' tort laws, leaving supporters of the effort scrambling to get back on schedule. The bill was well on its way to passage in the House. But after two days of debate, Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco, called a point of order to say that bill was fatally flawed by a secret meeting after a committee hearing. The bill was discussed out of public hearing by more than half of the committee. After two hours of private consultation, House Speaker Tom Craddick announced he would leave the decision to a vote of the House. But after more confused consultation and some speechifying by members, he decided to sustain Dunnam's objection. Full Story 

• R.I.P., CHIP?

  By Ross Ramsey March 17, 2003

  Supporters of the Children's Health Insurance Program must feel like kids on a hotel balcony with Michael Jackson: Odds are against actually being dropped, but a safety net would be nice. Full Story 

• Dan Morales Indicted

  By Ross Ramsey March 10, 2003

  Former Texas Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Dan Morales was indicted on federal charges related to his handling of the state's tobacco lawsuit and settlement when he was AG. He was also accused of converting campaign money to his personal use, lying on a federal income tax return, and lying on a loan application. Full Story 

• Chicken Little Economics

  By Ross Ramsey March 3, 2003

  The details are always tougher than the general idea of budget-cutting when you're talking about government programs that have a direct effect on people's lives. That's why discussions about health care in any form–Medicaid, CHIP, whatever–eventually come to fit the headline above. Full Story 

• Get 'em While They're Hot

  By Ross Ramsey Feb. 24, 2003

  You can't keep weeds out of buffalo grass. Beer and soda pop taste better when cold. Somebody prominent always gets arrested when the Legislature is in Austin. And if the state deregulates college tuition, it'll go up. Full Story 

• Bumps on the Fast Track

  By Ross Ramsey Feb. 17, 2003

  The newest obstacle to medical malpractice liability legislation is this question: Would limits on liability increase the availability and number of abortions done in Texas every year? Full Story 

• Dark Clouds Over Sherwood Forest

  By Ross Ramsey Feb. 10, 2003

  Gov. Rick Perry has said on several occasions that he thinks school finance ought to be rebuilt during his administration, which lasts four years, but that he doesn't think the Legislature has either enough experience or enough time to do it during this legislative session. Full Story 

• Key Change: From Minor to Major

  By Ross Ramsey Feb. 3, 2003

  The last time the House got committees, Texas had a different speaker who was in his fifth term in office, running a chamber where his party had been in control for over 100 years. Turnover in the membership was slight, and the changes in committee assignments were slim. Full Story 

• The Other Kind of Political Fundraising

  By Ross Ramsey Jan. 27, 2003

  The three guys at the top of Texas government are all sworn in and official, and they are scratching around for cash. The state's current budget is flowing red, and the next budget mismatches declining revenues with increasing costs. Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, and Speaker Tom Craddick started off with a letter to state agencies asking for the equivalent of 7 percent of their current year budgets. Some programs won't be touched: public school funding, acute care Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program and debt service (which can't be cut without defaulting). Full Story