The Right Idea

Brian and Derek review the incredible week’s events at TPPF’s annual Texas Policy Summit, featuring highlights from Governor Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Patrick, House Speaker Burrows, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Congressman Chip Roy and so much more!

Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen tackle the top headlines of the week, from Valentine's Day decorum, to property tax relief, to the lies and damn lies surrounding school choice.

2:17 Hot Take: How long can you date someone and NOT have to buy them a Valentine’s Day gift?
6:50 Property Tax Relief Update
17:17 DOGE cuts nearly $1 billion from Department of Education
22:25 NIH caps non-research funding
25:36 Some in Texas want their own statewide DOGE
29:14 Should Texas be reimbursed for Operation Lone Star?
32:13 Survey Says!
32:46 Taxpayer funded lobbying
34:09 Housing affordability 
35:29 Texas State Border Security Agency
35:47 Nuclear Power
36:21 Bail Reform (the numbers appear split)
39:40 Lies, Damn Lies & Statistics - School Choice Myths
45:08 What’re you watching?

This week, Brian Phillips and TPPF’s Vice President of Policy, Andrew Brown, discuss Governor Abbott’s State of the State address, in which he outlined his top priorities for the 89th Legislative Session.

1:46 Hot Take: Best / Worst Trades in Sports History
9:06 Property Tax Relief
16:08 Water
22:07 Education
31:09 Bail Reform
35:06 The Texas Cyber Command
43:57 Survey Says: GOP & American public on the same page
51:55 What’re you watching?

Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen tackle the top headlines of the week, from the NFL cheers, jeers and tears to the State’s 89th Legislative Session and the quick moves Trump has made nationally in merely two weeks since his inauguration.

7:03 Hot Take: Who will win the Super Bowl… and who cares?
10:24 Governor Abbott announced that he will give his State of the State address on Sunday, where he will reveal his top priorities for the 89th Legislative Session
21:16 Lieutenant Governor Patrick announced his top 40 priorities
29:07 School Choice is Winning!
39:13 Border Security
48:07 Trump swiftly downsizes the federal workforce

Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen are joined by TPPF’s Secure & Sovereign Texas Campaign Director, Selene Rodriguez, to dive into President Trump’s Executive Orders and other plans to secure our southern border.

1:24 Hot Take: Who would be your unexpected band to headline YOUR inauguration party?
6:13 What are President Trump’s border security oriented Executive Orders?
30:11 Survey Says! U.S. leaders’ approval ratings
34:59 Lies, Damn Lies & Statistics: Public school employment is up while enrollment is down
41:09 What to watch for

Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen are joined by the State of Texas’ Comptroller of Public Accounts, Glenn Hegar, to discuss the current and future state of Texas’ financial integrity.

1:17 Hot Take: What’s your favorite rumor or myth about the Texas Capitol? 
4:53 Guest Interview: Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar
29:17 Survey Says: America has lost ground over the past four years
35:46 Lies, Damn Lies, Statistics: Squatting in Texas
46:53 What to Watch For

Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen discuss the upcoming Texas Legislative Session and the key issues that lie ahead with TPPF’s Vice President of Policy, Andrew Brown.

1:24 Hot Take: New Year’s Resolutions
5:55 Parent Empowerment
8:34 Water
10:55 The Economy
12:37 Property Taxes
16:59 School Choice/Parent Empowerment
25:11 The Border
30:40 Energy
34:36 Higher Education / DEI
36:14 Housing Affordability
40:10 Technology Policies
43:12 Survey Says! Healthcare!
49:33 Lies, Damn Lies & Statistics: Gambling In Texas
59:24 What to watch for

Brian and Derek are joined by The Texan’s Senior Reporter, Brad Johnson, to take a fun look back at 2024 and reflect on the year’s highlights, lowlights and even lower lights, typically stemming from AT&T Stadium.

1:27 Hot Take: The O.H.I.O. Sportsmanship Act would make planting a flag in the center of Ohio Stadium a felony. Overreach much?
4:37 Overall Year In Review
6:32 2024’s Biggest Wins
14:32 2024’s Biggest Disappointments
23:18 2024’s Biggest Stories
31:35 The Year’s Biggest Surprises
43:11 Politician of the Year
47:17 Texan of the Year
57:44 What are we looking forward to?

In this “In Depth” episode, Derek Cohen and Texas State University professor Matt Logan discuss Matt’s upcoming criminal justice paper in City Journal and how criminal justice policy at the state and federal levels might change following recent election results.

In this “In Depth” episode, Brian discusses the cultural battles being fought from Washington D.C. to Main Street, U.S.A. for and against the nuclear family and the institution of marriage with the Washington Examiner’s Conn Carroll.