Texas Politics

HoustonChronicle - Dewhurst may hire lobbyist for top staff job Lobbyists will more overtly control Texas government

Filling Rep. Ken Bentsen's shoes - Bell is high on ambition, low on Capitol savvy

Bell grew up in a Republican bastion within Dallas' upscale neighborhoods. His parents and wife are Republicans, although they supported Bill Clinton to protest the emergence of the GOP's right wing.

Armey exits stage left? Retiring lawmaker may help ACLU

A conservative Texas Republican with a libertarian bent, Armey says he is considering consulting with the ACLU on privacy issues. "The Dick Armey of circa 1984 would not have considered coming within an inch of his life" of the ACLU, said Armey.

Would be a shocker except for his recent fight against Ashcroft's TIPS program.

Get ready for government meddling

Lawmakers already are removing from storage some long-stymied priorities of social conservatives, including bills to encourage silent prayer in schools, prohibit recognition of same-sex marriages and restrict abortion.

Much of the right wing's social agenda promotes unnecessary governmental meddling in private lives, something that conservatives usually claim to abhor -- unless, apparently, they think they can use government to force their own moral beliefs on others.