Commentary

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Commentary Archive

Forced Annexation & Texans

In Texas, a city can annex any adjacent land without respect for the will of the people. Senator Donna Campbell filed SB 715 to bring much needed reform to annexation by cities in Texas. SB 715 passed the Texas Senate.  Upon passage, Speaker Joe Straus referred this...

Your Local Officials Really Hate You

Texans across the political spectrum have been clamoring for property tax reform, so it shouldn't be a surprise that the taxers are unified in opposing it. But the contemptuous language being used to describe taxpayers demonstrates just how worried local...

Killing Abbott’s Agenda

A quick visit to the Texas Capitol yielded some interesting news today, with lawmakers saying that House Speaker Joe Straus’ key lieutenants are whipping Republicans against the special session agenda of the governor. Specifically, State Reps. Chris Paddie (R-Center)...

It’s Time for Constitutional Carry

The Republican Party Platform was voted on by Texans, from all over the state, at the Republican Convention. Of all of the issues discussed, the top priority of Texans was the passage of “Constitutional Carry,” changing state law such that all law-abiding Texans could...

Texas Press Ignores Facts of Privacy Issues

There’s a huge gap between the Texas media’s view of proposed privacy legislation and the views of the majority of Texans. A recent University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll showed that—after weeks of negative news reports filled with predictions of a statewide economic...

Misguided Pit Bull Bans Demonstrate Need for Preemption

As the gears on the special session bus begin to turn, many opponents of Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda are firing attacks from their respective cities demanding that state lawmakers stop preempting their “local control." Unfortunately for city and county officials, the...

What is a Special Session?

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has officially proclaimed that he will be bringing lawmakers back to Austin for a special session to address issues left undone during the regular, constitutionally proscribed session. Under the state’s constitution, the Texas Legislature meets...

Get Rid Of The Table

Cronies and liberals end up in the same place: growing government at the expense of the citizenry. Recently I was quoted in a rambling article in The New Yorker by Lawrence Wright, one of their liberal Austin writers. I found out the article was coming only when I was...

Rep. Biedermann: 85th Regular Session Re-Cap

I am not a career politician and one of the things I find most distasteful in politics are politicians who say one thing during the campaign yet do another once elected. I am pleased to announce that last week I was independently ranked as the 8th most conservative...