politics

Texas Standard: June 11, 2018

Singapore for the win? Leaving flustered allies in his wake, Donald Trump begins what some think could become a “Nixon in China” moment. The story today on the Standard.

Tomorrow, the world’s media landscape could change in an instant. So say many closely watching a decision expected in Texas-based AT&T’s planned takeover of Time Warner. We’ll hear why the stakes are considered so high.

Is there life on Mars? A skeptical Texas scientist says even she’s surprised by new findings which suggest the answer may be yes.

The family of a former Longhorn sues the NCAA. Why the case could become a landmark over the issue of head injuries. All those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard.

Texas Standard: June 8, 2018

Never before has help been more readily available and yet suicide numbers continue rise. What’s going on? We’ll explore. Also, the disappearance of 43 Mexican college students in 2014 is considered an international scandal. Now a court has ordered a new impartial investigation and a truth commission to get to the bottom of it. It’s a move some are calling historic, we’ll hear why. Also, remember the lore of lopping off a rattlers head to kill it? That wasn’t enough for a Texas man, who barely survived getting bitten by the snakehead. What you’re really supposed to do in the event of a snake encounter. Plus actor musician Kevin Bacon and his brother Michael stop by the studios, the week in Texas politics and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: June 6, 2018

It was the biggest primary day so far. On the day after, what do the numbers tell Texas about the shape of the midterms to come? We’ll explore. Also, there’ve been lawsuits and noisy protests against school boards across the state as some districts move to replace failing schools with charter partnerships. What’s behind the controversies, and what do they tell us about how Texas is dealing with the issue? And, pain and profit. A year long investigation by the Dallas Morning News reveals how Texas had dropped the ball regulating health care for the state’s most vulnerable. And as the full moon approaches, the mystery of the Texas stonehenge, revealed? Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: June 1, 2018

Governor Abbots plan to fight gun violence includes a proposal from a Texas Democrat. Could a Red Flag Law stop a school shooter? We’ll explore. And gimme a T for Texas, T for tariffs too. How new White House duties on imports could help or hurt matters in our own backyard. Plus, hello hurricane season! Are we better prepared than we were this time last year? Three Harvey survivors look back on their experiences and lessons learned from last years storm. Also the story of the Abilene High football team that went all the way to state and on to Hollywood. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: May 25, 2018

The Lt. Governor mocked after the Santa Fe shooting for claiming Texas schools have too many entrances and exits, but is he right? After the Sandy Hook school massacre, the old building was raised and a new more secure building built in its place. One of the experts involved says Texas schools should reconsider their architecture too. And another year another season of glitches for Texas’ standardized public school testing scheme. Now penalties for the company behind the tests, and a reprieve for many students who didn’t pass, we’ll take a look. All that and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: May 23, 2018

Lupe Valdez is the Democratic gubernatorial nominee. We’ll take a look at what she faces as she sets her sights towards the November Election, and Greg Abbott. Plus, we’ll break down the runoff results and hear from the political experts about which races surprised them and which could be clues to what could happen next Election Day. We’ll also look at the conversation from the Governor’s first roundtable on how to prevent school shootings like the one that devastated Santa Fe. And we’ll fact-check some of the claims that came out in the wake of the shooting. Also, drought conditions in Texas are causing some ranchers to take dire measures. We’ll talk to one. Those stories and so much more, today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: May 18, 2018

A shooter situation at a school in Galveston county. Santa Fe High School goes on lockdown, we’ll have the latest from our reporting partners. Also, what could be an important moment in U.S. Mexico relations: a televised debate in the contest for the presidency of Mexico. The front runner? One way to think of him is as a Trump of the left. And a wildfire in the panhandle spawns a rare phenomenon that creates more fires from above the story behind an unusual pyro cumulus cloud formation. Also, they called him the Tex Mex Elvis, now Freddy Fender’s daughter is fighting to preserve her father’s legacy. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

In 15 Minutes, Barbara Jordan Built A Legacy

Andy Warhol summed up our modern, technology-driven world: “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” But Barbara Jordan turned this idea on its head. In 15 minutes, she delivered a speech that gave her lasting, worldwide fame.

She was only 38 when she, on national television, argued for the indictment of Richard M. Nixon for high crimes and misdemeanors. Surrounded by more senior members of the House Judiciary Committee, mostly men with far more experience in government and law, Jordan gave a speech that was so brilliant, she stunned the committee and mesmerized those watching on television.

Here is how she opened:

“Earlier today, we heard the beginning of the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States: ‘We, the people.’ It’s a very eloquent beginning. But when that document was completed on the seventeenth of September in 1787, I was not included in that ‘We, the people.’ I felt somehow for many years that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. But through the process of amendment, interpretation, and court decision, I have finally been included in ‘We, the people.’ Today I am an inquisitor. An hyperbole would not be fictional and would not overstate the solemness that I feel right now. My faith in the Constitution is whole; it is complete; it is total. And I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction, of the Constitution.”

Jordan’s Watergate speech is flawless in its eloquence. Few people ever reach these persuasive heights – you find it in Lincoln, and Kennedy and Martin Luther King. And you find it here in Barbara Jordan, a rare talent for setting logic on fire.

She was persuasive because she was anchored in the Constitution rather than anger or political posturing. Many worried at the time that agreeing to file articles of impeachment was the same as throwing Richard Nixon out of the White House without due process. She opens the constitution and teaches:

“It is wrong, I suggest, it is a misreading of the Constitution for any member here to assert that for a member to vote for an article of impeachment means that that member must be convinced that the President should be removed from office. The Constitution doesn’t say that.”

Jordan had a beautiful blend of legal and common language, a style that the man on the street can follow and be moved by. She tried to allay these fears by explaining, in Constitutional terms, that all the House can do is vote for impeachment, which is an indictment. The Senate must have the trial and decide guilt or innocence – and punishment.

She again follows the technical explanation with a simpler one:

“The framers of this Constitution were very astute. They did not make the accusers and the judgers — and the judges the same person.”

She follows this razor-like rationale, guided only by the Constitution, to this conclusion:

“Has the President committed offenses, and planned, and directed, and acquiesced in a course of conduct which the Constitution will not tolerate? That’s the question. We know that. We know the question. We should now forthwith proceed to answer the question. It is reason, and not passion, which must guide our deliberations, guide our debate, and guide our decision.”

Nixon resigned a few days later. I don’t think he cared to face this inquisitor.

And it wasn’t just Jordan’s infallible logic that supporters admired and opponents feared. It was her divine voice and impeccable diction that animated that logic, seeming to place it beyond rebuttal.

I have a friend, Dr. Juliet Garcia, who served on a bank board with Jordan. She says Jordan “could read the agenda and make it sound profound.”

When Barbara died in 1996, having devoted her life to serving Texas, Ann Richards remembered her this way. “There was simply something about her that made you proud to be a part of the country that produced her. And she forever redefined what it meant to be a Texan in the eyes of this nation.”

Jordan’s life was truly a succession of firsts: first African-American woman to serve in the Texas State Senate, first African-American Texan elected to Congress, first woman to deliver a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, first woman to have a statue erected in her honor at UT Austin, and – this makes me smile – even in death she achieved another first. She was the first African American to be buried in the Texas State Cemetery. I do miss her. We sure could use her voice, and her logic, today.

Texas Standard: May 4, 2018

Smuggling across the border with Mexico. You might be surprised what’s in that duffel bag, border agents certainly were. We’ll have the latest. Also, do you remember Jade Helm? A U.S. military operation that was seen by many on the right as a kind of blueprint for a Federal takeover? Now hear this: an allegation that Jade Helm was really a beta test for Russia messing with the 2016 elections. We’ll hear more. Also, in what is arguably the gun-friendliest state in the union, a weekend long celebration of gun rights as the NRA holds its annual convention in Dallas. We’ll have a view from the ground zero. Plus the week in Texas politics and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: April 27, 2018

Can the Governor force a disgraced ex Congressman to compensate taxpayers for the costs of a special election to replace him? We’ll explore your questions. Also, the National Rifle Association is coming to Dallas for its national convention next week. A writer for the Dallas Morning News says its coming full circle in a sense, since two texans turned it into the group it is today. We’ll hear how and why. Plus, an idea to get more future teachers to turn their sights to rural Texas. And an unlikely pick from an unlikely place: football’s Cinderella story from San Antonio. Also, the man convicted of murder who’s helping the wrongly accused get of jail. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: April 25, 2018

The governor calls for an emergency election in a Harvey hit district that’s also lost its Congressman. Does the maneuver pass muster? By November 6th, voters in Texas 27th district will have one, two, three chances to cast a ballot for their representative to the US.. House. Confusing? We’ll walk you through it. Also a new ruling on DACA and a blow to President Trump. We’ll hear what the decision means for young undocumented immigrants and the program designed to protect them from deportation. And the man president Trump wants to pardon, they called him the Galveston giant. We’ll have the view from Jack Johnson’s hometown and so much more on todays Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: April 20, 2018

Look! In the skies over Galveston. It’s a bird, it’s a plane… No, it’s a plane. And it just might be the next Concorde. NASA’s mission- today on the Standard.

There’s a new policy for meetings at city hall in Amarillo. If you’re caught clapping you might get thrown out. An unusual policy to be sure—but is it constitutional? An SMU legal scholar raises a red flag.

Remember the Alamo? Sure you do. But never like this. Virtual reality comes to the cradle of Texas liberty.

Also why a Texas city ranks #1 for black homeownership. You might be surprised which city it is. Plus the week in Texas politics and more.

Texas Standard: April 13, 2018

Though you may have heard about James Comey’s book, have you heard how the president may be planning to fire back? The scoop on Scooter today on the Texas Standard.

Long before President Trump claimed to be the target of a witch hunt, the ally of a powerful Texan complained he too was the target of one. Why Dick Cheney’s onetime teammate Scooter Libby is making headlines.

Also, you’ve heard of the calm before the storm, what about the storm that follows the storm? Why Texas lawmakers are worried about economic blowback post-Harvey.

And one of the best known actors in Hollywood keeps his heart and his home in Texas. Matthew McConaughey talks about Wooderson, guns and the samurai way.

Texas Standard: April 12, 2018

California and Texas may be miles apart philosophically but when it comes to troops at the border, there may be more in common that you think. The story today on the Standard

A New York Times reporter, embedded with Texas forces at the border, tells us what he’s seeing about military operations. And how this show of force is staying largely invisble to residents.

Women working as reporters tell their own stories to Texas researchers, and the findings point to physical dangers and an impact on the news. We’ll hear how and why.

And what if they threw a party, and it changed an iconic Texas city? It happened 50 years ago- and its ripples are still felt today. Those stories and much more, we’re just getting started.

Texas Standard: April 11, 2018

Texan Kevin Brady may not be a household name in the rest of the US, but after a surprise announcement on Capitol Hill that could quickly change.

What House Speaker Paul Ryan’s unexpected decision to retire from congress may mean for Texas. Kevin Diaz of the Houston Chronicle joins us.

Also, with the Facebook CEO set for more congressional questions, why the interrogation from a Texas senator yesterday is being called one of the more interesting moments.

You Tube Kids-just how safe for youngsters?

And what a massive new study tells us about the implications of holding schoolkids back a grade, come counterintuitive conclusions.

Texas Standard: April 10, 2018

A case of clerical error? A peer reviewed journal questions conventional wisdom on the record setting number of maternal deaths in Texas. Details today on the Standard.

Are military cuts causing more US military flyers to lose their lives? A first of its kind investigation connects the dots between cutbacks and crashes.

Lubbock drawing national attention post-Parkland- for what may be a revolutionary way to spotlight mental health needs among students.

And the “decade of malaise” they called it, what’s it got to do with Donald Trump? A presidential scholar says more than we might think. Grab your platform shoes and crank up that Hi-fi….because it’s time for the national news show of you know where.

Texas Standard: April 9, 2018

A congressman leaves Washington well ahead of schedule. What are the options for a short term replacement to represent his Harvey hit part of Texas? The story on the Standard.

After a scandal involving a teacher convicted of domestic abuse, the University of Texas orders employees to report all future arrests –and the dispositions of their cases. Does it strike the right balance between safety and worker privacy?

Also, why state parks are going dark this week.

TXDOT issues a warning for roadside picture takers during bluebonnet season. But wait- who put those bluebonnets there in the first place? We’ll find out…and a whole lot more.

Texas Standard: April 6, 2018

There aren’t enough people willing to work, so say’s Texas shrimpers. Now the Texas agriculture commission is asking the Feds for help. We’ll hear what he’s hoping for. Also: a year ago, nearly 250 people were laid off from a factory in Ft. Worth. Now they’re being asked to come back and the factories on the rebound. A locomotive company rediscovers it mojo and what it means. Plus the week in Texas politicism, and so much more, today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: March 30, 2018

Through hail and high water, communities in Texas stand again because the weather is NOT gonna keep us down. Join me for a virtual tour. We’ll hit Refugio, Port Arthur, Austin and even Washington DC. Plus, the bombs that destroyed the facade of racial harmony: we’ll tell you more. And who exactly is Ronny Jackson? And can he manage a 200 billion dollar budget? Also oil, cattle-ranching, big hair and Cadillacs. Nothing better than a good soap opera! Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: March 23, 2018

It’s been more than half a year since harvey and is anyone testing the water near Houston? Some reporters just did, and what they’re finding is alarming, we’ll explore. Also, much is being made of why officials aren’t calling the Austin bomber a terrorist. We’ll hear an explanation. And after a church shooting that stunned the world, Texas offers grant money for recovery. How will the millions help Sutherland Springs. Also, the often overlooked coastal safe rooms that may have saved hundreds of Texans lives, plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and much more today on the Texas Standard: