There can be no denying that the technology industry plays a significant role in Texas’ economy, but our state Legislature and governor’s office have not evolved to properly handle technology issues, write Ron Yokubaitis and Shane Menking of Data Foundry.
Robert Inks
Robert Inks was the night news editor at the Tribune from 2015 to 2018. Before joining the Tribune, Robert copy edited for several newspapers in and outside Texas. He also was a writer and editor for online global affairs website Stratfor and a project manager for newspaper publisher GateHouse Media. Robert is an Austin native and a UT-Austin graduate.
New in TribTalk: Trump and executive action
It is incumbent on conservatives to uphold their principles and speak out against actions that violate the country’s most cherished constitutional precepts — regardless of the occupant of the White House — writes state Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth.
New in TribTalk: Fixing health care
The Affordable Care Act, a sweeping law full of crushing regulations and burdensome mandates, has accomplished exactly the opposite of what President Obama naively promised while shattering the confidence of millions Americans in the process, writes U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe.
New in TribTalk: Border security under Trump
With a Trump presidency and Republican-controlled Congress committed to securing the border, the question must be asked: Why should the Texas Legislature be in the border security business at all? It shouldn’t, writes Republican political consultant Ted Delisi.
New in TribTalk: Honoring veterans
The least we can do is to ensure that our government does everything it can to provide the medical care and support services our veterans require after completing their service, write U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and state Sen. Brian Birdwell.
New in TribTalk: School finance stigma
Recapture. The infamous, intimidating, complex school finance policy often referred to as “Robin Hood.” But, asks Ray Freeman of the Equity Center, why does the term impart such a sense of negativity?
New in TribTalk: The future of the State Board of Education
No government body will ever be perfect, but the State Board of Education has made strides to become representative of all Texans, writes outgoing Vice Chairman Thomas Ratliff.
New in TribTalk: Politics vs. principles
Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, ponders whether Republicans have exchanged their moral compass for political expediency.
New in TribTalk: East Texas and Trump
A new poll shows East Texans are supporting Donald Trump, but at lower rates than they supported Mitt Romney four years ago, writes UT-Tyler Associate Professor Mark Owens.
New in TribTalk: Judicial restraint in the U.S. Supreme Court
After the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, the U.S. Supreme Court found success by endeavoring to build bipartisan coalitions and resolve cases on narrow grounds rather than trying to establish far-reaching categorical rules, writes Austin lawyer Anya Bidwell.


