Furor over whether Coal India Ltd. can meet domestic demand for coal misses a bigger problem: While existing power plants face insufficient fuel supply, the supply and offtake uncertainty has caused a whole cohort of new power plant projects to be scrapped. "The obvious inefficiencies at Coal India that lead to insufficient coal production have turned up the volume of observers calling for the company’s domestic monopoly to be removed," writes Russell Green. The best solution would be to dramatically ramp up domestic coal production by pushing for faster regulatory clearances for key coal projects.
The Texas Legislature did not pass legislation to ban and prevent the existence of "sanctuary cities" for undocumented immigrants in Texas during the 2011 May-June special session. Political science fellow Mark P. Jones examines whether the demise of this legislation was the Republican leadership's preferred outcome.
House Bill 12, the "sanctuary cities" bill that would have effectively banned cities providing safe have to illegal immigrants in Texas, died in the Senate's Transportation and Homeland Security Committee in May of 2011. Political science fellow Mark P. Jones explains how Gov. Rick Perry managed to promote the agenda of the conservative wing of the Republican Party without diminishing his support among Hispanics.
Watch a short video about understanding the nuclear tragedy in Japan, featuring fellows and scholars from the Science and Technology Policy Program and the Baker Institute Energy Forum.
The 2010 Census data indicates that more than one-third of the Houston metropolitan region is Hispanic; however, the creation of a second Hispanic-majority district is unlikely. Political science fellow Mark P. Jones offers four reasons why redistricting will not yield a new Hispanic-majority district.
On Jan. 11 the Texas House of Representatives will elect a new Texas House speaker. Political science fellow Mark Jones compares prospective candidates along an ideological liberal-conservative spectrum.
