Editorial
The High Cost of Hays County’s Decision to Keep Prosecuting Low-Level Marijuana Cases
Power Steering
The most interesting story in American politics in the coming year isn’t in Iowa, but on the outskirts of Houston and Dallas.
For years, the question asked of Texas politics has been whether or not the state would “turn blue” during a presidential election or high-profile statewide...Read More
Loon Star: Trump University, Department of Mendacity
Ben Sargent's latest 'toon takes on Trump's "truth."
Ben Sargent To see more political cartoons from Ben Sargent, visit our Loon Star State section, or find Observer political reporting here....Read More
‘Consider What the Most Powerful Least Want You to Do, and then Do That’
In her keynote speech at the Observer’s 2019 MOLLY Prize dinner, Rebecca Traister argued that women’s anger has been silenced throughout history — and that daring to speak out is a powerful, subversive act.
I want to start by saying thank you to the Texas Observer for inviting me here to give this speech tonight, and thanks beyond measure both to the journalists wh...Read More
I’m a Teen Activist in Texas, and I’m Tired of Being Ignored by Politicians
It is no longer acceptable for youth, especially people of color and those in the LGBTQ community, to be dismissed by our elected officials.
In an expression of dissent earlier this year, I got one of the state’s most powerful Republicans to show off an “Abolish ICE” / “Impeach Tr...Read More
Yes, I am a Sorceress
Representative Jonathan Stickland has brought the dark truth at the heart of pediatric medicine to light.
Last week, Baylor pediatrician-scientist and vaccine advocate Dr. Peter Hotez pointed out on Twitter that vaccination rates in some Texas schools have fallen be...Read More
Loon Star: Thanks for the Little People
And their sales taxes.
Ben Sargent To see more political cartoons from Ben Sargent, visit our Loon Star State section, or find Observer political reporting here....Read More
What the Texas Observer Has Taught Me
Almost everything I know about journalism, and much about life, I’ve learned from the editors, writers, designers, readers, sources and cranks who make up the Observer family.
When I first picked up a copy of the Texas Observer I was an undergraduate at UT-Austin, working in the periodicals section of the LBJ Library. Back in the earl...Read More
Loon Star: The Paxton Defense
Ben Sargent on the latest Paxton family incident.
Ben Sargent To see more political cartoons from Ben Sargent, visit our Loon Star State section, or find Observer political reporting here....Read More
Instead of Building Family-Friendly Jails for Migrants, We Should Just Stop Jailing Them
The processing centers are jails by another name, where men, women and children are kept in large group cells with no access to beds, full meals or even adequate drinking water.
While immigration politics play out on the national stage, El Paso is once again becoming a testing ground for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. As part...Read More