Research

Public discourse is no longer about conversation. That is a real shame. We have gotten used to speeches and sound bites. Even when individuals with opposing views appear on TV or the radio, they tend not to talk with each other. They simply talk near each other.

Trends favoring cable over local news make it conceivable that citizens will increasingly know more about races in distant states where they’re unable to vote than races that will appear on their Nov. 2 ballot, but you can beat the information gap by accessing local election news online.

Americans are angry with the state of U.S. political affairs. Two sets of these angry Americans are the Tea Party supporters and those who see the federal government as utterly dysfunctional. On Election Day, can the second set of folks check the anger of the first?

The United States is the most affluent nation — and has the largest military — in the history of the world. Might those two facts be connected? Might that question be relevant in foreign policy debates?

The upcoming elections are the first time that corporate funds can be legally used to expressly advocate the election or defeat of specific candidates.

In the Texas gubernatorial race, Bill White is considered the most viable Democratic candidate since Ann Richards. Despite the anti-incumbent atmosphere, Rick Perry — with his 10-year tenure in the governor’s office — leads White by a short margin in the polls. Early voting remains crucial in this tight race.

As a part of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs Leadership Lecture Series, Texas Senator Leticia Van de Putte shares her thoughts on her comadre style of leadership and the issues that influenced her to run for office.