Friday, July 3, 2009
The Sharpest Tool in the Box
In 1998, John Sharp -- Comptroller and former Railroad Commissioner, Senator and House member -- narrowly lost to Rick Perry in a very close Lieutenant Governor's race. Sharp ran for Lieutenant Governor again, in 2002, and lost to multimillionaire David Dewhurst (whose tenure as Lieutenant Governor has been less than stellar).Sharp is running again, this time for the U.S. Senate seat likely to be vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchison. Sharp is our guest today on Texas Politics Today. We also interview some Texans old and new about what Independence Day means to them.
Texas Politics Today airs every Friday from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central time on KOOP, Austin's community radio station. KOOP can be heard at 91.7 FM in Austin and live over the Web at http://www.koop.org/. Tune in, and have a Happy Independence Day!!
Friday, January 2, 2009
I Didn't See That One Coming
TEXAS POLITICS TODAY has been eager to cover Speaker politics. In Texas, politics is a full-contact sport, and nowhere does it get bloodier than on the floor of the Texas House. At the end of the last session, a full-blown insurgency paralyzed the House during the last four days and provided the best show in town, whether you sat in the House Gallery or watched it on cable TV.
Tom Craddick and his parliamentarians, Terry Keel and Ron Wilson, held off the insurgents with a novel theory of parliamentary procedure: that the Speaker has the right to refuse r
ecognition to any member for any purpose, even if that member is making a so-called "privileged motion," which to ordinary mortals means IT MUST BE ALLOWED, CONSIDERED AND VOTED UPON.
I don't know if parliamentarians get together for conferences, the way lawyers or engineers or accountants -- updates on the latest developments in the profession, with some night life in a fun place like New Orleans or Las Vegas thrown in. But if they did, you can bet all the conference this last year or so have had a seminar on "The Craddick Rule."
In any case
, the insurgency did not die and has re-emerged since the November election. Tonight, 11 ABC ("Anybody But Craddick") Republicans announced that they'd agreed upon an alternative to Craddick: two-term House member Joe Straus from San Antonio. Straus seems an unlikely choice: he joined the House less than four years ago, elevated in a special election. He's not distinguished himself in the House, although he seems popular and serious.
On the plus side, he is wealthy and, through his family, very well-connected in Republican circles. He's not a winger, though -- he supports stem cell research, among other transgressions. He's probably pretty representative of the Alamo Heights district he's from.
The ultimate question is, can he translate the consensus among the 11 ABCs into a majority? Will the 64 members of the Democratic caucus who've pledged not to support Craddick "under any circumstances" hold together and, better yet, jump in with Straus? If so, then he's right at the 75 votes he needs. We may see a stampede this weekend or the first part of next week.
Tom Craddick and his parliamentarians, Terry Keel and Ron Wilson, held off the insurgents with a novel theory of parliamentary procedure: that the Speaker has the right to refuse r
ecognition to any member for any purpose, even if that member is making a so-called "privileged motion," which to ordinary mortals means IT MUST BE ALLOWED, CONSIDERED AND VOTED UPON.I don't know if parliamentarians get together for conferences, the way lawyers or engineers or accountants -- updates on the latest developments in the profession, with some night life in a fun place like New Orleans or Las Vegas thrown in. But if they did, you can bet all the conference this last year or so have had a seminar on "The Craddick Rule."
In any case
, the insurgency did not die and has re-emerged since the November election. Tonight, 11 ABC ("Anybody But Craddick") Republicans announced that they'd agreed upon an alternative to Craddick: two-term House member Joe Straus from San Antonio. Straus seems an unlikely choice: he joined the House less than four years ago, elevated in a special election. He's not distinguished himself in the House, although he seems popular and serious.On the plus side, he is wealthy and, through his family, very well-connected in Republican circles. He's not a winger, though -- he supports stem cell research, among other transgressions. He's probably pretty representative of the Alamo Heights district he's from.
The ultimate question is, can he translate the consensus among the 11 ABCs into a majority? Will the 64 members of the Democratic caucus who've pledged not to support Craddick "under any circumstances" hold together and, better yet, jump in with Straus? If so, then he's right at the 75 votes he needs. We may see a stampede this weekend or the first part of next week.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Health Care in Texas -- this week on TPT
Did you know that …
· Over 5.8 million Texans do not have health insurance?
· Texas leads the nation in the percentage of its population without health insurance?
· 84% of uninsured Texans live in households where at least one person works?
This week on Texas Politics Today, we continue our examination of crucial challenges
facing Texas as the Legislature heads back to Austin. This Friday, we’ll be visiting about how health care is delivered in Texas – who gets it, and who pays for it. Our guests are Aus
tin’s own State Representative Elliott Naishtat, a former chair of the House Human Services Committee, and Bee Moorhead, executive director of Texas Impact, a faith-based advocacy group for social justice.
Also this Friday: a review of the top political stories of the week and a calendar of upcoming political events.
Texas Politics Today airs every Friday from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central time on KOOP, Austin’s community radio station. KOOP broadcasts at 91.7 on the FM dial and streams live over the Web at http://www.koop.org/. Texas Politics Today is hosted by longtime Capitol insider DeeceX and Austin community activist David Kobierowski.
· Over 5.8 million Texans do not have health insurance?
· Texas leads the nation in the percentage of its population without health insurance?
· 84% of uninsured Texans live in households where at least one person works?
This week on Texas Politics Today, we continue our examination of crucial challenges
facing Texas as the Legislature heads back to Austin. This Friday, we’ll be visiting about how health care is delivered in Texas – who gets it, and who pays for it. Our guests are Aus
tin’s own State Representative Elliott Naishtat, a former chair of the House Human Services Committee, and Bee Moorhead, executive director of Texas Impact, a faith-based advocacy group for social justice.Also this Friday: a review of the top political stories of the week and a calendar of upcoming political events.
Texas Politics Today airs every Friday from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central time on KOOP, Austin’s community radio station. KOOP broadcasts at 91.7 on the FM dial and streams live over the Web at http://www.koop.org/. Texas Politics Today is hosted by longtime Capitol insider DeeceX and Austin community activist David Kobierowski.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
This Week: The Future of Texas Education
This week on Texas Politics Today, we continue our examination of the major issues facing Texas today, and how they will be addressed -- or not -- by the Legislature when it comes back to town next month. Our focus this time is on education.
Our guests are State Representative Donna Howard and Eric Hartman. Representative Howard was a Eanes ISD school board member and former candidate for the State Board of Education before being elected to represent her northwest Travis Coutny district in 2006. Eric Hartman is the legislative director of the Texas AFT (American Federation of Teachers). They'll discuss the state of Texas education, and highlight issues the Legislature will be addressing in January.
Also: this week's big political stories and the community calendar.
Texas Politics Today air on Fridays from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central time on KOOP, Austin's community radio station. KOOP airs at 91.7 FM and streams live over the Web at www.koop.org. Texas Politics Today is co-hosted by Deece X and David Kobierowski.
Our guests are State Representative Donna Howard and Eric Hartman. Representative Howard was a Eanes ISD school board member and former candidate for the State Board of Education before being elected to represent her northwest Travis Coutny district in 2006. Eric Hartman is the legislative director of the Texas AFT (American Federation of Teachers). They'll discuss the state of Texas education, and highlight issues the Legislature will be addressing in January.
Also: this week's big political stories and the community calendar.
Texas Politics Today air on Fridays from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central time on KOOP, Austin's community radio station. KOOP airs at 91.7 FM and streams live over the Web at www.koop.org. Texas Politics Today is co-hosted by Deece X and David Kobierowski.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
What, Another Election? The Speaker's Race in Detail
Last week's elections were very important, and millions of us participated. But there's another election coming soon, one that will affect each and every Texan, and only 150 people can participate.
Unlike statewide officials, the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives is elected by his colleagues. Nevertheless, the Speaker is one of the most powerful people in state government. Tom Craddick (pictured at left) has served as Speaker of the Texas House since 2003 -- the first Republican since Reconstruction to do so. Craddick's strong will and determined organization have made him a powerful Speaker; his governing style has also made him many enemies. And so it is that a lively, no-holds-barred Speaker's race is already underway.
This week on Texas Politics Today, we look at the crucial role of the Speaker in the Texas House of Representatives and examine the unfolding Speaker's race with two months to go until the 81st Texas Legislature convenes.
This week on Texas Politics Today, we look at the crucial role of the Speaker in the Texas House of Representatives and examine the unfolding Speaker's race with two months to go until the 81st Texas Legislature convenes.
Former Speaker Pete Laney will talk about the role of the Speaker and what a Speaker
's race looks like from the inside. Pete Laney (pictured at right) represented his West Texas district in the House for over 30 years and served as Speaker of that body from 1993-2003.
Former Speaker Laney then join Texas Monthly President and Editor Evan Smith and Austin American-Statesman political writer Laylan Copelin in an entertaining and absorbing analysis of the current Speaker's race.
Texas Politics Today airs every Friday from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central time on KOOP 91.7 FM, and streams live over the web at http://www.koop.org/. Tune in early this week to hear journalist Jeremy Scahill on privatization, US foreign policy, and the next presidential administration on People United at 1:00. Allan Campbell hosts, with a regular commentary by Rahul Mahajan ("Only in America").
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Kick-Off Episode In New Time Slot
This week, Texas Politics Today expands to a new day and time -- Fridays from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central time. Join us in our new time slot as we bring you more information, insight and inspiration on Texas state and local politics.
And what a week to kick it off! We had an historic election this week, elevating Senator Barack Obama as our nation's first African-American President. Here in Texas, Democrats gained one, and perhaps two, seats in the Senate and gained three seats in the Texas House. An election contest pending in Irving may yield another seat for the Democrats, creating a 75-75 partisan tie in the House. The changes have already triggered a challenge to Speaker Tom Craddick's hold on that office.
This week on Texas Politics Today, we unpack the elections and talk about the implications for America and for Texas. First, pollster Jeff Smith of Opinion Analysts discusses what the national and state turnout numbers tell us. Then, a distinguished panel of political practitioners and observers discuss the presidential campaign:
And what a week to kick it off! We had an historic election this week, elevating Senator Barack Obama as our nation's first African-American President. Here in Texas, Democrats gained one, and perhaps two, seats in the Senate and gained three seats in the Texas House. An election contest pending in Irving may yield another seat for the Democrats, creating a 75-75 partisan tie in the House. The changes have already triggered a challenge to Speaker Tom Craddick's hold on that office.
This week on Texas Politics Today, we unpack the elections and talk about the implications for America and for Texas. First, pollster Jeff Smith of Opinion Analysts discusses what the national and state turnout numbers tell us. Then, a distinguished panel of political practitioners and observers discuss the presidential campaign:
- Jeff Eller, President and CEO of Public Strategies and former Media Affairs Director in the Clinton White House;
- David Beckwith, Communications Director for U.S. Senator John Cornyn and former communications director for Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst; and
- Ross Ramsey, editor and publisher of Texas Weekly, a widely-read and much-respected political newsletter.
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