Texas lawmakers must address the misuse of anticipation notes — short-term debt securities used to raise money for public projects, writes John Diamond, the Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance. Since they don’t require voter approval, politicians could use them to fund unwanted projects, he explains.
Next year’s political elections could bring major change to Argentina’s oil- and natural gas-rich Vaca Muerta — and companies with operations in the shale formation should pay close attention.
The most recent price tag for Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan is an estimated half-trillion dollars or more. Will higher inflation be another cost?
Three key Texas runoffs in the Texas Democratic congressional primaries demonstrate the ongoing battles between establishment and progressive wings of the Democratic party, writes the author, and the outcomes will either enhance or undermine Democratic efforts to retain control of the U.S. House in the 2022 midterms. Read his opinion on the Baker Institute Blog.
This opinion originally appeared in The Hill on May 24, 2022.
Three of Argentina's provinces are the largest oil and gas producers in the country. In each one, the governor's political power took a blow in last Sunday's primaries.
Argentina's September primaries thwarted the plans of MPN party leaders in Neuquén province, home to the Vaca Muerta shale play. With the current elections, power in the region may be shifting.
The leader of Argentina's most influential oil and natural gas workers union is handing off the reins to a more combative successor. The government and energy firms active in the Vaca Muerta are concerned. Read more in Mark Jones' Forbes post on the Baker Institute Blog.
Texans served by regulated electricity markets, especially by electric cooperatives, were much more satisfied with their providers’ performance during Winter Storm Uri than those in deregulated markets. In this post for the Baker Institute Blog, the authors offer possible explanations for the contrast in favorability.
Mark P. Jones, Pablo M. Pinto, Renee Cross, Kirk P. WatsonMay 11, 2021