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Fiscal conservatism works, lacks leadership
House Appropriation Chairman Jim Pitts speaking to the Tribune early this month admitted that the 82nd legislature made the right decisions on K-12 funding. This, despite liberal claims, echoed...
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GOP establishment distress finds its way to the Chronicle
The GOP establishment is in an uncomfortable spot. On the one hand, they want to give the lobby everything it asks for. On the other, they want lobby legislaotrs reelected. If only those darn...
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Another tiresome “Save Texas Bureaucracy” rally
Two years after their first rally, Save Texas Schools will again descend on the capitol this weekend. Let’s take a look at what the establishment media failed to report in 2011: Whether or not these...
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Socialists shine at weak Save Our Schools Rally
The International Socialists were runaway stars of the Save Our School Rally, fairly earning for themselves substantial ownership of this issue in the 83rd Legislature. Saturday’s rally attendance was...
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Chris Christie, gambling, and the New Republican
Governor Chris Christie is currently charting a path for the New Republican that the establishment is pushing for. The New Republican effusively praises, even in the most critical electoral moments,...
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Defensive Representatives Fend Off Transparency
Yesterday Republican members of the State Affairs Committee screeched loudly about a bill that would force them to disclose the government contracts that they and their family members have. And...
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Cook/Hildebran anti-transparency two-step
Representatives Hildebran and Cook tried hard to shift a call for greater government transparency onto transparency for private entities, including new media who hold them accountable. Representative...
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Fetal Pain bill strong, Alliance for Life MIA
The fetal pain bill, introduced yesterday in the legislature yesterday after much political build-up, should be strong this session. Unsurprisingly, pro-choice legislators, like Democrat Jessica...
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Straus using Texas pride to sell ObamaCare
Speaker Straus is leading the way on Lone Star capitulation to ObamaCare. “Come on, cowboys and cowgirls. We do things the Texas way. We ain’t gonna spread ObamaCare like all the other yella states...
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Weak gambling propaganda
Stephen King once said the trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool. Gambling cronies are hoping Texas has enough trusting tools in it that they can pass scary pro-gambling legislation. Jim...
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Updated: Anti-transparency legislators get calls into district
In February the State Affairs Committee attacked Giovanni Capriglione over his government transparency bill. His bill would bring needed transparency to government contracts with elected officials and...
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Hilderban’s words bounce back on him
“There’s a concern you’ve got bad motives.” This is what State Representative Harvey Hilderbran said to Giovanni Capriglione during a committee hearing last month. The subject? Capriglione’s bill to...
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Gambling expansion push damaging advocates
Pro-gambling interests are taking a beating in Texas, the Texas political media is exposed with them, and the Texas Lottery Commission is very likely to take on water in the process. Last week the...
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Snapshot of a bad political cycle
A Triblive discussion with three freshmen legislators gave a good snapshot of what a conservative state government run by moderates looks like in a liberal national political cycle. When asked about...
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Team Shameless
In Texas today, Democrats are only relevant when Republicans empower them. With so little attention on them, it is easy to forget why Texans have given them so little authority. However, they’ve done...
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The Texas ruling class goes “grassroots”
“Keep Texas Working” is a new confuse-the-grassroots business lobby initiative who want Republicans as a base, but who aren’t ruling out supporting Democrats too, according to Capitol Insider. Run by...
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Despite crony blitz fundamentals still good in Texas
America is in a liberal political cycle, which means outcomes everywhere are mostly disappointing for conservatives. However, things could be much worse here in Texas, which is a testament to our...
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Legislative accounting fraud
The Texas Legislature is going commit accounting fraud against the Texas taxpayer, if the state budget that comes up on the floor tomorrow doesn’t change. For 20 years money taken in by hospitals...
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Rep King works for Straus, both men fumble ORR
Last week Capitol Insider reported on a pair of open records requests submitted by AgendaWise to the offices of Speaker Joe Straus and Representative Phil King. These requests have been filled, with...
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TAB are not fiscal conservatives
This morning some members of the Texas political media are trotting out Texas Association of Businesses (TAB) support of gambling expansion as some kind of proof conservatives support this. This is...
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