Texas-Sized Opportunities

Republican Congressman Will Hurd’s announced retirement sent shockwaves from his home state of Texas all the way to Washington. Three more Texas Republicans have since announced their retirements, bringing to four the number of Lone Star state House Republicans hanging up their spurs. Hurd’s announcement comes at the very moment […] Read more »

America holds onto an undemocratic assumption from its founding: that some people deserve more power than others.

… There is a homegrown ideology of reaction in the United States, inextricably tied to our system of slavery. And while the racial content of that ideology has attenuated over time, the basic framework remains: fear of rival political majorities; of demographic “replacement”; of a government that threatens privilege and […] Read more »

Americans Largely Support Gun Restrictions To ‘Do Something’ About Gun Violence

After the mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, gun control is again at the forefront of the political conversation. President Trump has expressed openness to a federal red flag law and for “meaningful” background checks. “Frankly, we need intelligent background checks,” Trump told reporters Friday. He added, […] Read more »

On Guns, Public Opinion and Public Policy Often Diverge

Polls show that public support for tighter guns laws is rising. Alone, that doesn’t mean Congress is going to expand gun control anytime soon. Public opinion and public policy on guns have seemed to be at odds for decades. Measures like universal background checks often attract the support of more […] Read more »