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  • Voting with their Middle Fingers

    By Ross Ramsey

    It's embodied in the Tea Party movement, in this week's runoff election results from Lubbock and Plano, in last month's primaries, in Gov. Rick Perry's embrace of state's rights and the 10th Amendment, even in Barack Obama's campaign against the status quo in 2008. Voters aren't happy, and politicians are doing their best to get in line, to accommodate the movement, or to get out of the way. Full Story 

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Ross Ramsey

    Grissom on the fall of Norma Chávez; M. Smith and Ramsey on the runoffs, the results, and the aftermath; Hu on the Tea Party's birthday party; Thevenot and Stiles on the path between schools and prisons; Ramshaw on prosecutors' reaction to helping hands from Austin; Hamilton on self-appointed lawyers; Galbraith on property rights and power lines; Aguilar and Grissom sit down with the mayor of Juárez to talk about his crime-ridden city; Kraft on telling the stories of Texans and other Americans who died in Vietnam; Ramsey on slots and horses and casinos; and Hamilton goes on a field trip with Jim Hightower to hear the history of populism. The best of our best from April 5 to 9, 2010. Full Story 

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  • The Middle-Finger Vote

    By Ross Ramsey

    It's embodied in the Tea Party movement, in this week's runoff election results from Lubbock and Plano, in last month's primaries, in Gov. Rick Perry's embrace of states' rights and the 10th Amendment, even in Barack Obama's campaign against the status quo in 2008. Voters are furious, and politicians are listening. Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacqueline Mermea

  • The Last Populist

    By Reeve Hamilton

    Like his hero Little Richard, Jim Hightower knew how to scream and piss off the establishment. As a tour of his archives led by the man himself reveals, his is the story of a Texas-style progressive movement that peaked before the young Texans of today can even remember. Full Story 

    Jim Hightower viewing his archives at the Wittliff Collections.
    Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller

  • TribBlog: New GOP Group "a Little Undemocratic"?

    By Evan Smith

    Karen Hughes, a communications advisor to Speaker Joe Straus, told our TribLive audience this morning that it was "a little undemocratic" of the newly formed Independent Conservative Republicans of Texas not to invite every Republican in the House and Senate to join. Full Story 

    April 15, 2010. Karen Hughes speaks in Austin, TX.
    Credit: Bob Daemmerich

  • 2010: Hey, Wait a Minute

    By Morgan Smith

    Late last night, Rick Green took to his Facebook page to dispute comments attributed to Debra Lehrmann claiming he had pledged to have his supporters back her in the general election campaign. Full Story 

    Rick Green and Judge Debra Lehrmann at a Young Republicans debate in San Antonio.
    Credit: Morgan Smith

  • Memorial Mission

    By Rachel Kraft

    Thanks to the fundraising prowess and strategic guidance of two prominent Texans, a new effort to share the stories of the more than 58,000 Americans — including 3,416 Texans — who died in Vietnam is underway. Full Story 

    Mockup of the Education Center to be built under the Vietnam Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.

  • Thanks, But No Thanks

    By Emily Ramshaw

    Depending on whom you ask, Dallas District Attorney Craig Watkins’ repeated refusal to allow Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott into a local corruption investigation is either bold or stupid. Either way, it’s unusual. Abbott has offered prosecution assistance to local district attorneys 226 times since 2007, when lawmakers first gave him permission to do it. In all but 16 cases, he’s been invited in. And Watkins didn't decline politely. Full Story 

    Greg Abbott (left), Craig Watkins (right)

  • Anatomy of a Meltdown

    By Brandi Grissom

    A consummate campaign organizer who fought first and compromised later — if ever — Norma Chávez time and again won over voters in her central El Paso district, who first sent her to the Texas House in 1996. But over the past two years, her fighting turned to bullying, and the devolution cost Chávez her job. Full Story 

    Norma Chavez