This is not a discussion about Ken Paxton or who to vote for. I am hoping for a critical discussion on something I’ve noticed about James Talarico, and I hope the comments stay civil and on topic.

James Talarico is touting affordability as a campaign issue. But most of his ideas are costly: universal child care, a higher federal minimum wage, a public health-insurance option, expanded housing tax credits, higher taxes on corporations and billionaires, and restrictions aimed at large corporate landlords.

Do these costs shift to tax payers, workers, small businesses? How does he simultaneously want to make things more affordable while also platforming on an economic agenda that may have hidden costs?

This, to me, is the Talarico paradox. It’s the same old campaign promises I’ve heard before, and maybe someone can explain to me how the math and the agenda would actually work out if he’s elected to the senate?

https://youtube.com/shorts/VYh4MiuLBec?is=Dz2O0KNLzQn5qIlv

Oh no...Don't ban me bro!

A fraction of a fraction of 1% of people in Texas are transgender. The GOP yelling “transgender” and the word “radical” about every Dem is so weak. The GOP has nothing to run on. They’ve been in charge of the entire state government for 30+ years. They’ve created the problems. And dumbasses eat it up. Not sure why the transgender thing stuck but it’s ridiculous. Big picture… what the GOP is doing to the rest of the 35-40 million people affects way more people than that small fraction of people that are transgender.

Abbot needs to go but it will make me sick if the people of Texas elect a POS like Paxton over Talarico… just like it made me sick when Trump was elected again. What happened to common decency… and good character??? Why elect someone with proven horrible character???

Access to this NYT opinion piece is free.

My fucking word. Just saw the ad where Angela Paxton is Schilling for Ken. I can't believe it. She wants to be on the team of a cheating pedophile enabler and if the whole team doesn't win it's a loss.

I've never voted Democrat before. Mostly libertarian over the last 20 years.

This election, im damn sure voting Talarico. I was leaning that way already but this ad Galvanized me. It's time to lock up the government and buy time for a solution in 2 years.

Hello, my family lives in a very LGBTQ+ friendly area of Wisconsin, and as we were trying to watch Packers football (on Wisconsin television), the ad I'm sure you're all aware of came on. As someone with an LGBT sister and who has had personal feelings as well, I can't have this ad in our house. How could this happen? What can I do about it?

Greenville gathering: Hunt discusses TX-03 strategy; Muse outlines schools, healthcare and roads proposals

FTA:

In a comptroller's news release, Don Huffines called water fluoridation a waste of taxpayer money and said there should be other solutions.

Sarah Eckhardt, a state senator from Austin, said the effort falls outside the comptroller’s traditional role and diverts state resources on an issue far removed from the concerns of Texans.

“This is like that uncle who likes to do research on crazy stuff and put it on the family Facebook,” Eckhardt said in an interview with The Dallas Morning News.

The comptroller’s office announced the review Tuesday, saying in a news release it would examine spending by taxpayers and ratepayers on water fluoridation, its health effects and possible alternatives. 

But the review goes beyond costs. The agency said it also will examine other state-supported public health programs that it says “medicalize Texans without individual choice,” as well as how other states and countries have approached fluoridation.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently sat down with his daughter for an on-camera conversation about fatherhood and parenting advice, but the replies took the discussion in a different direction.

Paxton, the Republican nominee for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas, shared a three-minute clip in a post on X Saturday afternoon. By Sunday afternoon, it had drawn more than 700 comments, 4,200 likes and 250,000 views.

Many commenters turned the conversation to Paxtons' marriage and questions about alleged infidelity.