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• Madden Bows Out

  By Ross Ramsey Nov. 14, 2011

  State Rep. Jerry Madden, R-Plano, won't seek an 11th term in the Texas House, he told the Tribune this afternoon. Full Story 

• Inside Intelligence: About that Memory Lapse...

  By Ross Ramsey Nov. 14, 2011

  For this week's version of our nonscientific survey of political and government insiders in Texas, we asked about Rick Perry's chances — before and after "Oops." Full Story 

• Memo to Voters: There's No Free Lunch

  By Ross Ramsey Nov. 14, 2011

  Voters clearly want good schools and nice roads and low taxes. It's a political and policy question straight out of a business textbook: What's the right balance of price and quality? Full Story 

• TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

  By Ross Ramsey Nov. 12, 2011

  Ramshaw and Root on the debate that dominated the nation's political news, Tan and Ramshaw on how it will affect Rick Perry's campaign, Philpott on what "oops" might mean for Perry in South Carolina, Root on what it means in Iowa, Dehn with the latest Weekend Insider video, Galbraith on the split fates of water-related constitutional amendments, Grissom on an arrest in a 1986 murder case, Hamilton on UT-Arlington's efforts to control tuition costs and M. Smith, Murphy and Gerdau on West Texas schools raising money with wind farms: The best of our best content from November 7 to 11, 2011. Full Story 

• Perry Proves the Maxim: The Big Leagues Are Hard

  By Ross Ramsey Nov. 11, 2011

  In and of itself, Rick Perry's latest debate gaffe really was just a human moment. Might have happened to anyone. But it’s not a lone symptom: Perry has been failing at this presidential thing almost since he started. Full Story 

• Inside Intelligence: Oops, Before and After

  By Ross Ramsey Nov. 10, 2011

  Rick Perry's "oops" moment was costly in our survey of political and government insiders, and we also took soundings on third-party candidates, court-drawn political maps, and the strength of the Tea Party. Full Story 

• Campaign Chatter

  By Ross Ramsey Nov. 10, 2011

  No endorsement yet, but the foreshadowing from Texans for Lawsuit Reform is pretty obvious in San Antonio's Senate race; they're for the challenger. Full Story 

• What Do Voters Want?

  By Ross Ramsey Nov. 10, 2011

  Texas Republicans are playing with the old Milton Friedman line: There is no such thing as a free lunch. Full Story 

• Perry Defending His "Human Moment" Gaffe in Republican Debate

  By Ross Ramsey Nov. 10, 2011

  Gov. Rick Perry is trying to overcome his embarrassing debate gaffe in which he couldn't remember the third federal agency he has vowed to eliminate by reminding supporters that other candidates have stumbled — and still become president. Full Story 

• Campaign Roundup: The Week's Political News

  By Ross Ramsey Nov. 9, 2011

  Expect to see some heavy artillery in the state Senate race in Central Texas. Full Story