December 2015 - The Texas Observer

Most Recent in Politics:

1What a Ban on Insurance for Abortions Means for Women with High-Risk Pregnancies

2Trans Texans, Advocates Swarm Texas Capitol to Oppose ‘Bathroom Bills’ (Again)

3Dems: Dan Patrick’s Senate Speed-up Is ‘Subverting’ the Democratic Process

4Activistas Adolescentes Interpretan Quinceañeras en Protesta contra SB 4 en el Capitolio

5Trump DOJ: Trust Texas to Fix Racist Voter ID Law Without Court Oversight

6Lawsuit Filed Against New Texas Abortion Law

Most Recent in Environment:

1Dancing with Denial

2‘The Hour of Land,’ Terry Tempest Williams’ Love Letter to National Parks

3Susan Combs, Fierce Critic of Endangered Species Act, Tapped for Agency in Charge of its Implementation

4Report: Loopholes Allow Polluters to Get Away With Worsening Air Quality

6Getting Wise to Bad Air: North Texans Take Smog Monitoring Into Own Hands

Most Recent in Border:

1Activistas Adolescentes Interpretan Quinceañeras en Protesta contra SB 4 en el Capitolio

2Teenage Activists Stage Quinceañera-Themed Protest of SB 4 at Texas Capitol

3Trump Administration Preparing Texas Wildlife Refuge for First Border Wall Segment

4Greg Abbott’s Latino Problem

5Prying Eyes: Border Sheriffs to Use Iris-Scanning Tech in Push for ‘Virtual Wall’

6Despite Push from Democrats, Harris County is Staying out of the SB 4 Lawsuit

Most Recent in Criminal Justice:

1Why We Hired a Civil Rights Reporter

2Five New Laws that Will Likely Get Texas Sued (Or Already Have)

3Protecting Immigrant Families: A Call for an Economic Boycott of Texas

4Después de SB 4, Línea Telefónica de Consulados Mexicanos Presenta un Incremento de Casi 700 por ciento en Texas

5State Attorneys: Senate Bill 4 Is ‘Moderate’ Compared to Arizona’s ‘Papers, Please’ Law

6Attorney: Matt Rinaldi’s Call to ICE Will Likely Be Used Against SB 4 in Lawsuit

Most Recent in Education:

1Dan Patrick Accuses Joe Straus of Ponzi Scheme Ahead of Special Session

2Critics Fear New Texas Law Giving SBOE Wide Discretion Over Textbooks

3After Freedom Caucus Kills Her Legislation, Lawmaker Announces Anti-‘Lunch Shaming’ Campaign

4Texas’ ‘Lunch Shaming’ Problem and the Fight to Fix It

5CPS Caseworker: Lawmakers Are ‘Shifting the Blame’ by Privatizing Child Welfare System

6‘Academic Freedom’ Bill Provides Cover to Teach Creationism, Climate Denial in Classrooms

Most Recent in Health Care:

1What a Ban on Insurance for Abortions Means for Women with High-Risk Pregnancies

2Lawsuit Filed Against New Texas Abortion Law

3Texas Bill Would Revoke Medical Licenses of Doctors Who Perform Abortions

4Texas Mother ‘Deathly Afraid’ of Medicaid Cuts Under GOP Health Plan

5The GOP Health Plan Would Give Governor Greg Abbott Power Over Your Coverage

6This Week: Texans’ Health Under Attack by Republican Lawmakers

Most Recent in The Interview:

1The Interview: Joaquin Castro Says Texas Democrats are Poised for a Comeback

2The Interview: Beto O’Rourke on Trump, the Border and How to Revive the Democratic Party

3The Interview: Tom ‘Smitty’ Smith

4The Interview: Lupe Valdez

5The Interview: Paul Quinn College’s Michael Sorrell

6The Interview: Judge John Dietz on Texas’ School Finance Crisis

Most Recent in Books:

1‘The Hour of Land,’ Terry Tempest Williams’ Love Letter to National Parks

2Announcing the Seventh Annual Observer Short Story Contest

3At Home in the In-Between

4‘The Potlikker Papers’ Wants You to Eat Your Grits with a Side of Discomfort

5We Were the Safety Net

6‘Cornyation’ Celebrates San Antonio’s Most Fabulous Fiesta Tradition

Most Recent in Postcards:

1Ride Like a Girl

6Feathering Their Nest

Most Recent in Essay:

1Protecting Immigrant Families: A Call for an Economic Boycott of Texas

2Cut from the Same Cloth: Wearing Hijab in Houston, Post-Trump

3Going It Alone

4The Observer’s Founding Editor: ‘Bring the Fight Back’ to Texas Politics

5A Texan’s Political Guide to Resisting Trump

6The Resistance Against Donald Trump Begins in Texas

Most Recent in Eye on Texas:

1Eye on Texas: Runners Take on 170-Mile Race in Big Bend

2Eye on Texas: Liberty Hill Hosts Texas Firearms Festival

3Eye on Texas: TX Open Swim

4Eye on Texas: Blessing of the Hands in San Antonio

5Eye on Texas: Austin’s Chapels

6Eye on Texas: Portico Tejas

Most Recent in Poetry:

1Parallel Planes

3Poem: ‘Resistance’

4Poem: ‘Screenplay for a Homemade Movie’

5Poem: ‘To Be One with the All’

6Poem: ‘Whitewashing’

The Magazine: December 2015

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March 2015, Texas Observer cover

COVER STORY

Homeland Insecurity

by Melissa del Bosque and Patrick Michels

Mon, Dec 7, 2015 |

What good are more boots on the ground if the men and women wearing them also work for the cartels? What benefit is an 18-foot wall when criminals can bribe their way through the gate?Read More

In this Issue

Political Intelligence

Dan Patrick Finds The One

by Christopher Hooks

WilCo Candidate Won’t Settle ‘Religious Test’ Lawsuit

Bonding Behind Bars

by Alexa Garcia-Ditta

News

State of Texas: What Obamacare Has Done for Texas

by Alexa Garcia-Ditta and Hannah McBride

Strangest State: Errant Emus, a Reading Dog and a Giant Chair

by Patrick Michels

CULTURE

Our Blue Period

Postcard from the Incredible Electric Oyster Reef

by Hannah McBride

Eye on Texas: Family Detention

by Ilana Panich-Linsman

Poem: Chris Yan’s ‘How I Love You In This House Today’

Dramas of Family and State Unfold in ‘All the Houses’

Columns

What California Can Teach Us About Texas

by Christopher Hooks

Greg Shames the Sheriff

by Andrea Grimes

State of Texas

State of Texas: What Obamacare Has Done for Texas

by Alexa Garcia-Ditta and Hannah McBride

Eye on Texas

Eye on Texas: Family Detention

by Ilana Panich-Linsman