President Obama delivered an impassioned defense of his jobs plan in Mesquite — and strong rhetoric against his GOP critics.
Economy
Get the latest on jobs, business, growth, and policy shaping the state’s economy with in-depth reporting from The Texas Tribune.
Video: Perry “Welcomes” Obama to Texas
Rick Perry’s campaign has released a video in anticipation of President Obama’s scheduled visits to Dallas and Mesquite today. The video mocks the president’s 2009 stimulus plan before highlighting Perry’s “four core principles” for creating jobs.
In Perry Territory, Obama to Promote Jobs Plan
President Obama, scheduled to push his jobs plan today in Dallas, is stepping into politically hostile territory to challenge Gov. Rick Perry on what the Perry campaign believes is the Texan’s strongest issue: job creation.
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson on the shrinking of state government, Aguilar on the controversy over in-state tuition for the children of undocumented immigrants, Galbraith on Rick Perry vs. the EPA, Grissom on a startling development in a 25-year-old murder case, Hamilton on Ken Starr’s first year as president of Baylor, Ramsey on what inmates have to do with redistricting, Ramshaw on the state’s crisis in insurance coverage, Root on Perry’s presidential grind dance and Smith on obstacles to addressing childhood obesity: The best of our best content from Sept. 26-30, 2011.
On the Records: Fact Checking Perry on Texas Economy Claims
The Tribune loves infographics, including the recent one posted by the Perry campaign called “State of Texas Economy.” But like all claims made by a political campaign, it deserves the scrutiny of a fact-checking exercise.
Interactive: Texas’ Shrinking State Government
Anticipating the $15 billion in budget cuts lawmakers passed during the legislative session, state agencies have been dropping employees for more than a year. This table shows employment changes at state agencies from May 2010 to May 2011.
Anticipating Budget Cuts, State Agencies Shrink
The numbers prove it: State government is shrinking. Many attribute the drop in state jobs to the budget cuts lawmakers passed last legislative session. But agencies had been preparing for the deficit by dropping employees for more than a year.
Protesters Gather for Boehner Reception
Protesters gathered outside the Headliners Club in Austin to urge U.S. House Speaker John Boehner and Congress to pass the American Jobs Act. Boehner was in Austin to attend a reception with several GOP congressmen from Texas.
Texas Reports Increased Jobless Rate
The shining Texas jobs miracle that Gov. Rick Perry is touting on the presidential campaign trail may be dimming, according to statistics released today by the Texas Workforce Commission. Texas lost 1,300 jobs in August, marking the first month of employment decline in Texas in almost a year.
Smith Pushes to Mandate Use of E-Verify Nationwide
U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, took his efforts to require nationwide use of the electronic employment verification program, known as E-Verify, before his committee today. “Yes, E-Verify is a jobs killer, but only for illegal workers,” he said.


