Unconventional Wisdom

Texas is a great state, but there’s a lot of work to do, and it starts with the public — and what Texans really want. The political class isn’t going to do this on its own. Full Story 

Texas political leaders usually settle for caution. The big stuff is risky, but it’s also possible — and even inspiring — to see leaders ignoring the small stuff and aiming higher. Full Story 

Performance reviews of state government are an exercise in separating the operation of government — how things work — from the direction of government — what, in broader terms, government should do. The nuts and bolts on one hand, the vision thing on the other. Full Story 

Politicians are always listening to voters — but the ones who actually select the state’s elected officials have a lot more clout than those who stay home. You can see it in the way lawmakers govern. Full Story 

Texans who don’t vote in primaries and primary runoffs are missing a chance to choose who goes to Congress and the Texas Legislature. Thanks to the political maps drawn by lawmakers last year, only a handful of those contests will be competitive in November. Full Story 

The Texas ban on abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy effectively makes abortion illegal for most pregnant people — but not for those who can afford out-of-state travel. Full Story 

Like other states, Texas found out during the pandemic how critical high-speed broadband is for school, work and medicine. And the state is working to expand it — but it’s going to be at least a year before Texans start to see results. Full Story 

Public education in Texas — like everywhere in the country — is hurting after more than two years of pandemic. But many in the political class are preoccupied with reforms that have more to do with social issues than with education. Full Story 

Candidates hardly ever talk about improving the safety net for kids — unless the holes in the safety net have become big enough to get the attention of voters. Full Story 

The results of the state’s $3 billion border security effort don’t match the up-front promises, and Gov. Greg Abbott is flipping the political script with loud opposition to a change in federal border policy. Full Story 

The next session of the Texas Legislature is months away, but by the time it actually starts, a lot of the work will already be done. Lawmakers are working on early versions of their legislation right now — before some of them have even been elected. Full Story 

A new Texas Lyceum poll finds the state’s voters in a sour mood — particularly around economic issues. That’s useful information for candidates during this election year, and for the officeholders who’ll be trying to put things in order after the elections. Full Story 

Texas got a temporary reprieve on Medicaid funding from the federal government. But that won’t solve underlying problems with high numbers of uninsured Texans and the plight of hospitals in the state — especially those in rural areas. Full Story 

The good news is that no rural hospitals in Texas have closed in the last two years. The bad news? They’re still in crisis mode, and the state government is still struggling to find a remedy. Full Story 

State lawmakers will tell you they hate property taxes as much as anyone. But the state itself doesn’t levy the tax — local governments do. And lowering it in a meaningful way would require state officials to raise taxes or cut programs. For them, talking about it is easier than doing something. Full Story 

Texas, unlike all but 11 other states, hasn’t expanded its Medicaid program. And it also hasn’t addressed the problem that’s supposed to help solve: The state’s worst-in-the-nation ranking for people without health insurance. Full Story 

After last winter’s near-statewide electric blackouts, Texas lawmakers went after regulators they deemed responsible but tiptoed around the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas. Now voters have a chance, if they want it, to send the state a message. Full Story 

After 2021’s winter storm electric blackouts, Texas lawmakers worked to shore up the state’s electric grid. But they’re not finished, despite what you might hear from campaigning politicians. Full Story 

Lucky for them, Texas officials probably can’t be prosecuted for bullying under the state’s education laws. The gist of those laws, however, is crystal clear, and so is the effect of their actions and rhetoric about gender-affirming health care. Full Story 

Texas has loaded its election and voting laws with obstacles — and also has remarkably low voter turnout. Maybe those two things are connected. Full Story 

Texas voters can get some guidance for sorting through the political noise of campaigns from an unlikely source — a comforting tale for children. Full Story