How to Cause a Dysfunctional Government
On RFK Jr., Trump v. Slaughter, and the serious flaw of the right’s unitary executive theory.
Supreme Court
Texas Legislature Votes to Seize Immigration Authority from Feds
A major U.S. Supreme Court case could be on the horizon as the Lone Star State takes international matters into its own hands.
‘Civil and Human Rights Disaster’: Texas Wants to Seize Immigration Authority from Feds
House Bill 4 would turn local police into border enforcers—with new unchecked power.
Chaplains in Schools Test the Boundaries of the First Amendment
When counselors are in short supply, should these religious figures be allowed to fill the gap?
A Possible Reprieve for the Mentally Ill on Death Row
Scott Panetti was deemed incompetent for execution. What does this mean for other prisoners?
Bigotry Is Bigger in Texas
52 bills, and counting. This current legislative session is Texas’s most brazen attempt to eradicate our state’s LGBTQ+ community.
Ag Commissioner Sid Miller Doubles Down on Transphobic Dress Code
Legal experts told the Observer that the policy could open the Texas Department of Agriculture to discrimination lawsuits.
Get the newsletter
Before ‘Lawrence’: From Sodomy to Queer Liberation
Wesley G. Phelps’ new history book reveals how gay persecution in the Lone Star State spurred the struggle for LGBTQ+ civil rights nationwide.
Is Gay Marriage Safe?
There are many reasons to hope that the freedom to marry victory remains secure—even while there is reason, of course, to fear.
The Supreme Court Lets SB 8 Stand, But Allows Abortion Providers Their Day in Court
In an 8-to-1 ruling, the Justices ruled that lawsuits against Texas’ anti-abortion law could proceed, but left women in the state to suffer its consequences in the meantime.