Research Library

Lax regulation exposed electricity producers — and their customers — to failures that killed off all four of Texas’ top generating types: natural gas, wind, coal and nuclear. In this commentary experts from the Center for Energy Studies look at each technology to show what failed.

Ten months after the pandemic began, partisan division is severely inhibiting the United States’ COVID-19 response. The health consequences of the continued political divide could not be clearer, as the pandemic has grown beyond many experts’ worst predictions.

In late July, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar delivered a bleak economic outlook for the state’s economy: the amount of general revenue funds available for the current biennium is expected to be $11.5 billion less than originally estimated. Should the state tap into its rainy day fund to offset the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and facilitate a stable recovery?

Energy fellow Mark Finley assesses the future of international oil companies given the tremendous pressure they've experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged. Using a football analogy, he suggests that although business leaders are rightly focused on winning the game, they can’t ignore the condition of the playing field.

Public finance fellow Joyce Beebe examines a new approach that states have been exploring to secure additional revenue during the Covid-19 pandemic — imposing excise taxes on sports betting and daily fantasy sports. Baker Institute Blog: https://bit.ly/3jNT85Z

In a post for the Baker Institute Blog, Joyce Beebe reviews current developments in state and federal paid sick leave policies, and examines key arguments of proponents and detractors.

To offer insight into what might happen in the final 90 days before the 2020 presidential election, political science fellow Mark P. Jones answers key questions about the race, including how Biden’s choice of running mate — Sen. Kamala Harris — will impact his campaign, which states will be major battlegrounds and more. Read more in the Baker Institute Blog.

Read the Baker Institute Blog for the latest updates on the spread of Covid-19 and the best defenses against it.

While Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling temporarily protects the DACA program, its fate now rests with the November presidential election.

Political partisanship is strongly influencing the United States’ response to Covid-19, potentially leading to a suboptimal balance between reopening the economy and protecting public health. Read more at the Baker Institute Blog.