(cross-posted at Blue Dot Blues)<

One of the loudest arguments we're hearing in favor of Proposition 4 is that if the state of Texas has more Tier One research universities, the quality of higher education will improve. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni has been working on a project, the results of which appear to contradict the idea that research universities provide an inherently superior education to students.

I've held back on this because I wanted to give readers a chance to read the initial analysis of Proposition 4. There are a lot of arguments out there in favor of it (the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has their endorsement here). I think you need to know, Prop. 4 is a bad idea.

Ordinarily, I'd take Harvey Kronberg's theories lightly, but this one has given me a considerable amount of "hmmm"s in the last hour, so I thought I'd post about it. Earlier this evening, HK posited the theory that Gov. Perry could appoint State Senator Dan Patrick to KBH's empty US Senate seat (assuming, of course, it becomes vacant).

As of right now, there are 61 days left in the 81st legislative session. Not much time to get our act together to defeat bad legislation, and in particular, the monstrous local option tax bill known by it's more apt name in some quarters as the "Transportaxation bill."

A bill preventing appraisers from skipping over foreclosed property passed the House this week (CSHB 1038 by Paxton). This is a great move, as it helps ensure that all available information is being used in appraisals. From the committee analysis:

Tomorrow across the country, groups will be gathering to hold "tea parties" in conjuction with the National Chicago Tea Party movement. The point of which is, of course, to show our opposition to the out of control spending coming from the federal government (see my earlier post on this here).

While the federal government enters into an unprecedented glut of spending, back here at the state level, the Texas Senate is wrestling with, among other things, out-of-control tuition prices in our public universities. The Senate Finance Committee has been conducting hearings on university spending for the last couple of weeks, and what has been revealed in that time should shock you.

The UT College Republicans and the University Democrats are getting together tonight to oppose tuition deregulation, a policy enacted by the Texas legislature in 2003 that allows public universities sole discretion in setting tuition prices.  They are hosting State Senators Juan Hinojosa (D-McAllen) and Dan Patrick (R-Houston) to discuss their efforts to overturn the policy this legislative session.

It may come as no surprise to anyone who followed former state representative Fred Hill's career in the Texas House.  As chairman of the (now defunct) Local Ways and Means Committee, Hill saw to it that legislation protecting citizens from greedy local governments never saw the light of day.  Champion of organizations like the Texas Municipal League and the Texas Association of Counties, Hill argued that he was for local control - that is, for local government control, and not necessarily putting c

The State of the State speech is today; sadly I will have to read a transcript, not having the capability to watch from here (also, if you're on Twitter, there will be a liveTweet here).

The thing is, every inauguration is historic, and I'm proud of my country every day. Not always proud of our leadership, I'll grant you, but always proud of my country.

Quorum Report is reporting that the Anybody-But-Craddick legislators (corrected to say "Republicans") have their consensus candidate for speaker of the Texas House, and it's Rep. Joe Straus (R-San Antonio).

QR is also reporting that 11 of the candidates who have filed have pulled out, except for current Speaker Craddick and Rep. Dan Gattis (R-Georgetown).  All this happened just after Rep. Brian McCall (R-Plano) got in the mix earlier this evening.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and that plans to celebrate the New Year are well under way. While we were all catching up on sleep (well, I was!) and eagerly celebrating Christmas last week, it seems the Texas House of Representatives was silently brewing new surprises for us all.  Of course, like most such gifts, it wasn't really a surprise so much as a confirmation of reality; the Democrats despise Speaker Tom Craddick, a bunch of Republicans don't know what to make of him, and January 13 will be a long day for political junkies, House staffers, and political media.  

Nearly a month after the election, officials in State House District 105 are conducting a vote recount for the HD 105 race.  Currently held by State Rep. Linda Harper-Brown (R), this Dallas-area seat is being watched carefully, as the possible fate of the Texas House rests in the outcome.  

Now that the national election is over, most people are settling back into their routines, getting ready for the Christmas season and ignoring the pundits' arguments and pronouncements concerning the incoming administration.  Politics is a seasonal hobby for some, a passion roused only every four years, and every eight if they're particularly lucky.