- Government requests to withhold information from public rise sixfold since 1998 – Chuck Lindell, Austin American-Statesman
- Schools dispute conservative group's claim of 1-to-1 administrator-teacher ratio – Eva-Maria Ayala, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Whether one calls it administration or overhead, the ratio is out of whack. - Education reform must advance, not retreat – Sandy Kress, Austin American-Statesman
- Federal Health Reform Clear Antagonist At House Hearing – Emily Ramshaw, Texas Tribune
- Rick Perry: National Review cover boy – Wayne Slater, Trail Blazers Blog
- Perry hints to National Review why he's not running in 2012 – Jason Embry, Postcards
- This bill could make a difference – Lisa Falkenberg, Houston Chronicle
For true believers in the power of government, there’s always one more bill or one more regulation that will fix everything. - Calling All Nominations for the Official State of Texas Gun – The Right Side of Austin
- Trivia Tidbit of the Day: Part 924 — There Is Still A Land Of Opportunity In America, And It's Called Texas – WILLisms
Iconoclast roundup (18 March 2011)
- RedState.com to Texas Republicans: “Grow a spine” – Paul Burka, BurkaBlog
The Dean of Texas political media explains why the Rainy Day fund had to be tapped to close the current budget gap, taking to task the following blog post (but neglecting to link it)…. - Texas Republicans: Grow A Spine – Melissa Clouthier, Red State
- Perry takes “Rainy Day” literally – Paul Burka, BurkaBlog
Burka’s first commenter makes a good point. - Texas battle begins over rainy day fund – Enrique Rangel, Amarillo Globe-News
- A rarity in area, Hurst-Euless-Bedford district will avoid teacher layoffs – Sarah Bahari, Fort-Worth Star-Telegram
- Strama bill would end state tech fund grants to startups – Laylan Copelin, Austin American-Statesman
- Textbooks are next in Texas budget battle – Gary Scharrar, Houston Chronicle
- Lawmakers look at cutting $128 million prison school system – Mike Ward, Austin American-Statesman
- Federal Health Reform Clear Antagonist At House Hearing – Emily Ramshaw, Texas Tribune
- Brewpubs hope to sell their beer in stores, but the Legislature’s reception might be frosty – Wayne Slater, Dallas Morning News
Nonsubscribers don’t get to read this story. The Dallas Morning News once aspired to be so much more than a community newspaper. - National higher ed experts skeptical of 'breakthrough solutions' from conservative Texas think tank – Patrick Brendel, Texas Independent
“Newsish,” Colorado-model organization conveniently finds two critics of policies it doesn’t like, hopes to get legitimate media to pick up on it as “news.”
Iconoclast roundup (17 March 2011)
- Old College Try – Paul Burka, Texas Monthly
Rick Perry is waging a quiet war against our current system of higher education, which makes him a lot like some previous governors. He may win, but we’ll lose.
The first part sounds about right. The second part, not so much. Higher education could stand reform. What sort of reform? Worth debating. - Lower ed – Paul Burka, BurkaBlog
- UT System Reassigns O’Donnell: “We’re Listening” – Reeve Hamilton, Texas Tribune
- Panel to hunt for nontax revenue – Patricia Kilday Hart, San Antonio Express-News
- Bill limiting POA solar panel bans blazes through Senate committee – Jessica Meyers, Trail Blazers Blog
- Governor Perry States Texas is Land of Opportunity – Pondering Penguin
- Perry chats with Facebook’s Randi Zuckerberg – Emily Ramshaw, Texas Tribune
If Rick Perry were a Democrat, the state’s political media would be falling all over themselves to spread the word of his social media savvy. But he’s not…
Iconoclast roundup (16 March 2011)
- Rainy-day deal announced: Perry OK with using up to $3.2 billion – Robert Garrett, Trail Blazers Blog
- So much for the budget deal working out – Paul Burka, BurkaBlog
- Perry's change of heart. Texas got musta got a lot rainier in two weeks – Todd Gillman, Trail Blazers Blog
The state’s political media sometimes get so EXCITED over the perception of a “gotcha” involving Gov. Perry that they can’t even write an error-free headline. - Riddle: Hard-pressed taxpayers 'have said the bank account is empty' – Robert Garrett, TrailBlazers Blog
The topic of waste and the perspective of taxpayers are not just underrepresented in legislative hearings. Look at most of the mainstream media political reporting in the state. - Where Does Lt. Governor Dewhurst Stand on Rainy Day Fund Deal? – The Right Side of Austin
- 'Choose Life' license plates get OK – Mike Ward, Postcards
- Election Contest Committee Sides With Howard – Aziza Musa, Texas Tribune
- Texas Tribune protects protest image – Weston Hicks, AgendaWise Reports
- Starting to worry about redistricting – On The South Steps
- Federally-paid National Guard troops to leave U.S.-Mexico border by June 30 – Stewart Powell, Texas on the Potomac
- TWIA's alleged bungling of Hurricane Ike claims detailed for legislators; insurance chairman Rep. John Smithee ponders dismantling – Mark Lisheron, Texas Watchdog
- Texans not very outraged about cuts – David Jennings, Big Jolly Politics
- What just happened? RDF dizziness – Weston Hicks, AgendaWise Reports
- Additional Thoughts on Yesterday's Budget Kabuki – Nolan Hicks, Hearst Texas Politics
If the intern can’t avoid comma splices, perhaps it’s not quite time to take the training wheels off and let him try political analysis. - New execution drug chosen – Mike Ward, Postcards
Afternoon Update
Iconoclast roundup (15 March 2011)
- TribLive: Straus on Taxes, Abortion, Guns and Birthers – Texas Tribune
- Perry renews opposition to gambling in a statewide phone chat with Texans – Dave Montgomery, PoliTex
- Governor Perry Touts "Loser Pay" in Houston – Bill Stamps, KUHF-88.8 News
- Ogden mulls corporate income tax to replace business tax – Kate Alexander, Postcards
- Guest Column: How About a "Pro-Life" Budget? – TX Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., Texas Tribune
In recent years, Democrats have advanced the bizarre notion that pro-life conservatives should favor the wealth redistribution policies of Liberals. Here’s an example of the genre. - A $4B windfall! We’re saved! Oh, wait, we’re not – Paul Burka, BurkaBlog
- The 'unconscionable' practice that Texas can't quit – Jason Embry, Austin American-Statesman
- Bill in Texas Legislature aims to reform eyewitness identification in criminal investigations – Melody McDonald, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
- Texas state legislators make big bucks off TWIA windstorm agency: Houston Chronicle overview following up on Texas Watchdog reports – Mark Lisheron, Texas Watchdog
Afternoon Update
- Texas state Sen. Eddie Lucio’s proposed soda tax 6 times the tax on same amount of beer – Mark Lisheron, Texas Watchdog
An example of Sen. Lucio’s “pro-life” tax-and-spend agenda? - Perry making robo calls to pressure lawmakers – Gary Scharrer, Chron Texas Politics
WAY too much editorializing from “reporter” Scharrer in this post. But that may be the least of the problems…. - Hearst-Austin attacks citizen engagement – Daniel Greer, AgendaWiseReports.com
- Governor Rick Perry, the rehab table, and me – 5KsAndCabernets
- Texas Democratic Party calls for Bexar chairman to resign – John Gonzalez, San Antonio Express-News
- Bexar County Dem Chair Dan Ramos likens Stonewall Democrats to Nazi Party – San Antonio Current Newsmonger
Iconoclast roundup (14 March 2011)
- Lawmakers fast-track taxpayer fund to lure big events to Cowboys Stadium – Wayne Slater, Trail Blazers Blog
- Is a North Texas sports commission viable? – Pete Alfano, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
- Tax hike is posing as a spending cut – Lan Bentsen, Houston Chronicle
We so tire of the notion that perverse federal incentives to increase the size of local government (and the burden on taxpayers) represent a self-evident argument for doing so. - The News with Cruz: The Texas Senate candidate explains his campaign’s rationale – National Review Online
- Can repealing tax exemptions save the budget? – Paul Burka, BurkaBlog
- Steering tea party to the mainstream – Brian Chasnoff, San Antonio Express-News
Is “avuncular and warm in conversation” the new “articulate?” - RNC gives "Perry for President" new life – On the South Steps
Having grown bored with the Governor’s twitter blocks, the state’s political media can obsess over this tired topic some more. - Fire investigator in spotlight as Willingham review nears end – Chuck Lindell, Austin American-Statesman
- Democrats seek to remove school districts from 'sanctuary city' bill – Tim Eaton, Austin American-Statesman
- State Rep. Todd Hunter files bill to outlaw texting-while-meeting, SLAPP suits – Jennifer Peebles, Texas Watchdog
- Powell does damage control – Paul Burka, Burkablog
- Thousands Protest Education Cuts At Texas Capitol – Morgan Smith, Texas Tribune
- Effort to Draft Tommy Lee Jones is "Absolutely Serious" – Reeve Hamilton, Texas Tribune
We have no doubt that a far-left Pacifica radio host is serious. Whether normal people should take that seriously in an absolute sense is a different matter, however.
Afternoon Update
- Democrats look to flex muscle on rainy day fund – Peggy Fikac, San Antonio Express-News
The views of the ineffectual minority party in the state sure get a lot of play from Fikac, week after week. Playing to her strengths? - Combs adds $300M to her revenue estimate for this year – Robert Garrett, Trail Blazers Blog
- PBS and NPR Throw SXSW Party on Taxpayers Dime – The Right Side of Austin
- Special Adviser at UT System Sparks Concern – Reeve Hamilton, Texas Tribune
Iconoclast roundup (12 March 2011)
- Hundreds turn out for anti-Perry rally – David Jennings, Big Jolly Politics
- A Texas Businessman, Ralph Isenberg, Fights for Immigrants’ Rights – Julia Preston, NYTimes
- Bill White’s Opinions on Budget Crunch – KRIV-26 News
Someone tell Bill White for Texas the 2010 gubernatorial race is over, and he lost. - Texas Supreme Court will revisit open-beaches ruling – Allan Turner, Houston Chronicle
- Lawmakers fast-track taxpayer fund to lure big events to Cowboys Stadium – Wayne Slater, Trail Blazers Blog
- Texas isn’t stealing California jobs, workers or wealth, UCLA study finds – Alana Semuels, LA Times
- Bi-winning – Sideline Bombthrower
- State windstorm insurer TWIA doled out bonuses to vice president weeks before his firing and to agency head, set to be replaced – Steve Miller, Texas Watchdog
- Tommy Lee Jones for Texas? – David Catanese – POLITICO.com
- Mike Leach seeks legislature’s help in case against Tech – Jason Embry, Postcards