The Brief: March 30, 2010
Children are taught that if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. This rule is not followed in the media world — just ask the politicians. Full Story
Children are taught that if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. This rule is not followed in the media world — just ask the politicians. Full Story
Lawmakers are reeling from the bruising political battle over health care reform and are loath to take on another divisive issue and additional risky votes. So the prospects remain dim for legislation that would improve border security, provide a pathway to citizenship for millions and crack down on unscrupulous employers — but that doesn't mean everyone's forgotten about it, as the hundreds of thousands of advocates who marched on Washington, D.C., last weekend can attest. Full Story
Detainees with mental impairments lack proper medical evaluation when they enter the federal immigration detention system and don't get adequate medication and access to social services, according to a new study. Full Story
The former secretary of state talked foreign policy, partisan politics and the national debt at an event co-presented by the Tribune, the Center for Politics and Governance at UT's LBJ School of Public Affairs, and the LBJ Library. Full Story
Your afternoon reading. Full Story
It’s easy as 1,2,3…yadda, yadda, yadda…25 million. So why aren’t more Texans doing it? Full Story
The U.S. Census Bureau recently launched an interactive map that makes it easy to track participation in the decennial count of households. The map application, which relies on the Google Maps API, visualizes the participation rates by color — orange for higher rates, and blue for lower rates. Full Story
He has 31 weeks to make his case that we should fire Rick Perry and hire him instead. But when should he introduce himself to voters? When should he start attacking the governor? When should he spend his millions? Democratic strategists Glenn Smith and Keir Murray and blogger Charles Kuffner answer those and other pressing questions for the Democratic gubernatorial nominee. Full Story
As of Friday, three-quarters of Texans hadn't returned their census forms. Only five states have a worse rate of participation so far. Full Story
As part of a class assignment, a Tarleton State University theater student decided to direct an award-winning play in which the son of God is heralded as the "King of Queers." Then came the protests and threats of violence and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's press releases, and suddenly it was curtains for the whole production. Full Story
It's money versus geography and name ID in the race between the two top finishers in the five-way GOP primary in this conservative-leaning congressional district. The winner will face U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco. Full Story
In politics, the crayon is mightier than the ballot. A political mapmaker can do more to change the power structure than a herd of consultants with fat bank accounts behind them. And 2011 will be the Year of the Mapmakers. Full Story
Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, sent a congratulatory note to Brian McCall, the challencellor-apparent of the Texas State University System. Wentworth was also in the running for the job. Full Story
The president's nominee for commissioner of Customs and Border Protection gets the job without Senate confirmation. Full Story
Brian McCall will apparently be the next chancellor of the Texas State University System. The board of regents picked the state representative, a Plano Republican, as the sole finalist to replace Charles Matthews in that job. They made the announcement on Monday. Full Story
Grissom on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to stay Hank Skinner's execution, Thevenot on the myth of Texas textbook influence, Rapoport on the wild card who was just elected to the State Board of Education, Ramshaw on the price of health care reform, Philpott on the just-enacted prohibition on dropping kids from the state's health insurance rolls, M. Smith on the best little pole tax in Texas, Ramsey on the first corporate political ad and the reality of 2011 redistricting, Stiles on the fastest-growing Texas counties, Aguilar on the vacany at top of Customs and Border Protection at the worst possible time, Galbraith on the state's lack of renewable energy sources other than wind and its investment in efficiency, and Hu and Hamilton on the runoffs to come in House districts 52 and 127. The best of our best from March 22 to 26, 2010. Full Story
Rick Green and Debra Lehrmann face-off. And Green finds inspiration for a new campaign slogan — from The Texas Tribune. Full Story
A recount showed state Rep. Al Edwards lost his primary race by eight votes, but Edwards wants to be absolutely sure. He's filed an election contest in district court. Full Story
The Lieutenant Governor reviews, in advance, a 26-year-old theatre student's choice of a school play: "Hated it!" Full Story
Say farewell to Joe Pounder, the KBH campaign's indefatigable communications aide. He's headed to Florida, to work for Marco Rubio. Full Story