If the rainbow flavors of the Tea Party feature a common taste, it’s that of fiscally restrained government — and the anti-Washington and pro-state fervor that comes along with it. Not coincidentally, that was the overwhelming theme of the GOP’s recent convention, setting the tone — as the Democrats did in their state gathering — for the November general election.
Greg Abbott
Posted inState Government
The Brief: June 30, 2010
Tension — as if it wasn’t already thick — is mounting between Gov. Rick Perry and Bill White.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Last Call
Tonight is the legally imposed reporting deadline for the next round of campaign finance reports, which is big deal for two reasons: Candidates want to show momentum and credibility at mid-year, and they love having an excuse to ask supporters to pony up before the clock strikes midnight. Hurry, hurry, hurry!
Posted inState Government
The Party Line
This weekend, some 14,000 true believers will congregate in Dallas for the state Republican convention, the largest such gathering in the nation. Other than electing a chairman, the main event will be developing a platform — a manifesto meant to be the ideal vision for the future of the Texas GOP. Just don’t ask them all to agree to it. If they did, “it’d be a very dull convention and a very short document,” says Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson.
Posted in
Politics
The New Tenthers
Conservatives in Texas are invoking the 10th Amendment at every whistle-stop. But what rights does it actually protect?
Posted in
Politics
The Polling Center: Location, Location, Location
At this point, anti-incumbent sentiment in Texas appears to be dwarfed by party identification and opposition to the national Democratic Party.
Posted in
University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polls
Perry Up by 9 in New UT/TT Poll
Gov. Rick Perry leads his Democratic challenger, former Houston Mayor Bill White, 44 percent to 35 percent in the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, which was conducted May 14 to 20. Fifteen percent of the 800 registered voters surveyed are undecided about which of the gubernatorial candidates to support, while 7 percent prefer “someone else.” Perry leads among men, women and Anglos. White leads among African-Americans and Hispanics. In five other statewide races polled, each Republican leads his Democratic opponent by a double-digit margin.
Posted in
Health care
Health Care, Conservatives and 2011
When they return to Austin for the next legislative session. lawmakers will confront, for the first time as a group, federal health care reform. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports on how some conservative activists and politicians think Texas should respond.
Posted in
Health care
TribBlog: AG: Chances of Stopping Healthcare Bill “Pretty Good”
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott says he feels “pretty good” that the coalition of states suing to halt health care reform will triumph, partly due to concerns raised during “HillaryCare” in the 1990s.
Posted in
Health care
TribBlog: Texans Strongly Back Repeal of Health Care Reform
53 percent of Texans strongly favor a repeal of federal health care reform legislation, while 24 percent strongly oppose repeal, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll.
