Change to Scale Will Let Free Market Drive New Power Generation
Allowing the PUC to modify the Operating Reserve Demand Curve will actually cost consumers little and help the state maintain a supply of reliable energy to match Texas’ rapid growth.
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Yes, the state’s share of education funding is dropping, and the victims are our kids
We can invest in all students and provide property tax relief. But we can’t impose tax limits that handcuff local officials and jeopardize public services, as the governor, lieutenant governor and TPPF propose. The effective way to lower property taxes is for the state to increase its share of education funding.
Vaccines and the price of opting out
Legislators of Texas, in the midst of ever-increasing vaccination exemptions, consider drafting legislation to eliminate exemptions of conscience. And parents, with the flu season upon us, I implore you to vaccinate your children. The lives of our kids are invaluable. Without this lifesaving preventative medicine, the next victim of this unforgiving killer could be yours.
The foster care-to-prison pipeline
Continued reform and overhaul, better education for foster parents and providers and addressing the level of incarceration discrimination in our society would help fight the injustice of imprisoning children who are abandoned not only by their families, but by the systems that were created to protect them.
A free-market “yes” to Texas high-speed rail
High-speed rail projects in California are as different from the Texas Central Rail project as California is from Texas. Our private high-speed rail system will be up and running while California’s government-funded boondoggle drags California into insolvency.
Remembering a “regular guy”
President Bush was different than most dignitaries I met. Although they were cordial, not all were friendly, as though they were better than everyone else. President Bush, (and First Lady Barbara Bush) was the exception.
For me, immigration to the U.S. meant “winning the lottery”
The stereotypical immigrant/refugee to the U.S. — someone from Mexico or Central America — is only a part of the picture. Although Albanians like me don’t look like the “caravan” nomads clamoring at our southern border these days, I understand their desire for a better future and believe in their quest. It is no different than mine.
Don’t let the Legislature waste your time
Hundreds of bills have already been filed for the 86th Legislature, with more being added each day. With BillsUpNow, advocates, lobbyists and policy enthusiasts can easily stay up to date on every bill that matters to them.
Read news of the border with a critical eye
Irresponsible news stories about the border impact people’s views of it — especially those of people who are farthest away from the border. These stories impact our general perception of immigrants and Latinos, which in turn impacts how we handle matters in border regions.
What’s next for Texas?
Texas' prosperity and growth were not the result of dumb luck. They were cultivated deliberately over decades. Local and state policy makers and business leaders worked together to plan and make strategic public investments that allowed our economy and our communities to thrive. But there are signs that Texas is entering an era of diminishing returns.
I looked up to him. He turned out to be a serial killer.
When I parted ways with David, it seemed like he was headed for greater things and I was on the wrong path. Funny how things work out sometimes.
Ditch the tax breaks: Better policies would attract companies to Texas
I share the skepticism of many of my fellow urbanites about the benefits of our cities bribing companies like Amazon to set up shop in our backyard. However, as a native of a town of 1,600 who transplanted to the city less than a decade ago, I know first hand the urge to move to the city to pursue personal and professional longings.
Preserving the legacy of George H.W. Bush at Texas A&M
After helping the nation say goodbye to George H.W. Bush, Texas A&M University will now play a role in preserving and growing the legacy of President George H.W. Bush.
Two progressives, the Austin lobby and the SD-6 special election
Regardless of the runoff outcome, in February a progressive Democratic senator will be sworn in to represent SD-6, with the only question being the extent to which that senator will start with stronger or weaker ties to the Austin lobby.
R.I.P., the Texas Public Information Act
Unless there is a political price to pay for denying Texans their right to an open government, that government will be open only for special interests and the interests of the officeholders themselves, not for the Texas public. The rest of us will be cut out.
Republicans and Democrats, Texas and California
Along with the general incivility of the recent election, there was an increasingly inappropriate and misguided theme of attacking California. Our nation’s largest state was portrayed as a far-left enclave with a faltering economy, whose residents were either homeless or leaving the state in droves.
inLieu: Give the gift of giving back.
inLieu…a mobile first app that enables users to donate inLieu of giving material gifts.
Stop making hatred a political issue
Rather than remaining preoccupied with whether President Trump is to blame for the problem of rising incidents of anti-Semitism and racism, let’s move beyond partisanship and emphasize that hatred — and finding ways to ameliorate it — should not be about politics.
Clarifying terminology crucial in transgender debate
When people disagree, as we inevitably will, we can at least achieve greater understanding on all sides — liberal defenders of the transgender movement, conservative critics of those policies, and radical feminist critics of patriarchy — when we define terms the same way.
To Texas Democrats: Choices have consequences
Texas Democrats who support Dennis Bonnen for Speaker of the House have lost sight of what the immigrant community and people of color who supported them need and want. We need politicians who will not apologize for our existence, who will stand with our values.