Hooks on Politics
It’s Time to Blow Up the Democratic Party
Just When Ken Paxton Thought He Was In the Clear…
We'd reached a plateau in the long-broiling ethics scandal around Attorney General Ken Paxton. But in the last week, things are starting to heat up again....Read More
In the Wee Hours, a House Budget is Born
After 16 hours of continuous debate, the House budget passed Wednesday. There weren't many real divides between members, but a Senate showdown is coming....Read More
Ted Cruz, Manchurian Candidate
How the junior senator from Texas helped precipitate a milestone in the growth of the Chinese state.
Last year, Ted Cruz tanked a carefully worked-out deal to reform the International Monetary Fund. This month, the chickens came home to roost....Read More
How Senate Republicans Saved the Franchise Tax
Freshman hazing is a tradition in the Legislature, but Troy Fraser took it a little further on Wednesday.
Today, Dan Patrick's passed his beloved tax cuts through the Senate. But an unusual rift between tea partiers and their colleagues threatens disunity....Read More
President Ted Cruz? Meh.
Ted Cruz is running. Will Cruzmentum set the world on fire? Probably not, but he could make a hell of a mess of the GOP's Texas primary next year....Read More
Committee Hears Bill to Allow Ken Paxton to Toss Local Ballot Initiatives
A bill authored by state Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford) would allow the attorney general to disallow local ballot initiatives at his discretion....Read More
Dan Patrick’s Inexplicable & Contradictory Budget Proposals
Dan Patrick from last week, meet Dan Patrick from this week.
Dan Patrick, in an attempt to find money for his tax cuts, proposed to weaken the "spending cap" just last week. Now, he's out to strengthen it. Huh?...Read More
Open Carry Activists: Not Your Daddy’s Gun Nuts
Gun rights activists just aren't what they used to be....Read More
Dan Patrick’s New Website is Pretty Weird
Texas officeholders have .gov websites where they push out statements and list contact info for constituents. Dan Patrick's does a little bit more....Read More