Feb 15, 2022Beat the primaries, restore democracy.At no point on the political calendar is our democracy more imperiled than primary season. Campaigning toward the middle can be hard (and humbling). — Almost exactly a year ago, as Texas emerged from a lethal combination of freezing temperatures, failed infrastructure, and the culmination (I hope) of bad governance, I made the following observation: The question we face in Texas is echoed in communities across the country. What do we want our elected and…Primary Election6 min readPrimary Election6 min read
Nov 8, 2021On the passing of Pike Powers.Earlier this week, I sent the USTomorrow community my thoughts on the passing of Austin legend Pike Powers. The response has been overwhelming and a true testament to the man and his work. I’m re-sharing it with the larger community here. Feel free to share your story in the comments. — When Pike Powers, visionary Texan and co-founder of modern Austin, passed away last week, our community lost a tireless advocate and collaborator.Economic Development2 min readEconomic Development2 min read
Sep 11, 2021They Can’t Destroy America’s PromiseTwenty years ago, our country came together to grieve, assess, and prepare what we all knew would be a new path for the United States and the world. The horror we witnessed delivered a fleeting moment of national solidarity, compassion, and self-examination. Since then, louder voices and lesser nature have…2 min read2 min read
May 5, 2021Leadership and winning elections aren’t always the same thing.I rarely focus on municipal politics here, preferring to focus on the trends that are driving our electorate either (1) forward or (2) apart. When you examine local politics too closely, it’s sometimes too easy to mis-identify a neighbor as a threat. Last weekend, Austin held its regular bi-annual May…Elections2 min readElections2 min read
May 5, 2021Bridge the gap, don’t widen the divide.Like many places around the country, the Texas Legislature continues to fuel an increasingly hyper-partisan discussion on the state of politics and governance in the Lone Star State. I won’t go so far as to say it’s a strategy, but the noise certainly draws attention away from recent (and long…Workforce Development2 min readWorkforce Development2 min read
May 5, 2021Politicians: You’re going to miss me when I’m gone.In one of the more bizarre moments during the election security debate currently underway in Texas, Governor Abbott said that Texas business interests ‘need to stay out of politics.’ Seriously? Senator Mitch McConnell said the same thing to business leaders last week: “Stay out of politics.” What? Political interests are…Business3 min readBusiness3 min read
Apr 6, 2021The Evolution of a Threat.From November 3 to January 6 to January 20 to today, we’ve watched election security evolve to become the biggest wedge issue of them all. — Last week, I expressed my disappointment in the Texas Legislature’s focus on revising election laws in what appear to be attempts to put a thumb on the scales of American democracy. The response was incredible but also reinforced a troubling reality. A couple of examples which illustrate the point follow…Hyper Partisanship2 min readHyper Partisanship2 min read
Mar 28, 2021Up or Down? We Need More Americans Voting Not Fewer.Across the country, hyper-partisan strategists are writing restrictive voting laws to restore confidence in a secure electoral system that they themselves fabricated a narrative to undermine. Up is down, down is up, fairness is slipping off the board, and exhausted voters are expected to let it slide. In 2017, I…Politics3 min readPolitics3 min read
Feb 25, 2021Anger To ActionThe disaster that followed the cold weather in Texas was preventable and predicted. Join the discussion. Many of us witnessed, up close and personal, a broken system and it’s up to us to fix it. But what are we working to change? The politics? The policies? The people? The parties? All of it? In America today, these questions apply to almost every challenge we face. Starting…Texas2 min readTexas2 min read
Feb 22, 2021Is Texas the canary in the U.S. coal mine?The recent tarnish on the Texas Miracle is the result of monopoly governance and small politics. It should serve as a warning to Texans and the nation. — In the same week that NASA successfully delivered a helicopter to Mars, many Texans were without food, water, electricity, communications, and heat, enduring sustained, sub-freezing temperatures alone and in the dark. How did this happen? My answer:Texas2 min readTexas2 min read
