Commentary | Hill Country News

Commentary: Reading more books is good for America

When I read about the “silent book club” trend, it filled me with instant calm and hope. As it goes, in 2012, two friends in San Francisco came up with the idea for a non-formal … more

By Tom Purcell, Guest Columnist | 4/11/24

Commentary: What’s with all the big stuff?

After years of trying to develop what he called a “premium” hamburger, McDonald’s CFO Ian Borden surprised no one the other day by announcing that the company's new focus is not … more

By Peter Funt, Guest Columnist | 4/11/24

Commentary: Am I overthinking slang?

As a writer, I can’t deny harboring an appreciation for the richness of slang, metaphors, similes and colloquialisms. And yet…there’s something not quite rational about the … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 4/4/24

Commentary: Big pharma’s song and dance

The earworm “1-8-7-7 Kars 4 Kids” always struck me as a stellar example of how insufferable advertising can be when its creators really put their minds to it. The organization behind the … more

By Peter Funt, Guest Columnist | 4/4/24

Commentary: I help seniors get health care. Shouldn't I be able to afford my own?

As a federal customer service representative, I help seniors access the health care they need through Medicare. I often handle hundreds of calls per day to sign people up, answer their questions, … more

By Christina Jimenez, Guest Columnist | 3/28/24

Commentary: To win, the GOP needs to say what its for, not against

Republicans are never going to impeach Joe Biden. I wish more Republicans would beat that fact into their skulls. Just as Democrats weren’t able to impeach Donald Trump because they … more

By Michael Reagan, Guest Columnist | 3/28/24

Commentary: Texas off base to go after Catholic halfway house

When Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro engaged in a legal battle with the Little Sisters of the Poor over their refusal to subsidize birth control for their employees, I got very angry. As a … more

By Christine Flowers, Guest Columnist | 3/24/24

Commentary: More for them, less for us

In his State of the Union address, President Biden called out “massive executive pay” and vowed to “make big corporations and the very wealthy finally pay their share” of … more

By Sarah Anderson, William Rice and Zachary Tashman, Guest Columnists | 3/21/24

Commentary: Sunshine Week: Taking a stand against public information blackouts

Shining light on our government through public information helps us ask questions of elected officials — and hold them accountable. Sunshine Week, taking place March 10-16, recognizes the … more

By Kelley Shannon, Guest Columnist | 3/14/24

Commentary: What does spring break mean to you?

You probably crave a break from my patented “sour grapes” routine, but we must face facts: spring break (a.k.a. Easter break, a.k.a. mid-term break, a.k.a. “unwind, rejuvenate, have … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 3/14/24

Commentary: Will forgiving college debt win or lose votes?

President Biden recently sent an email to 153,000 student-loan borrowers reminding them to vote for him this autumn. Actually, his email said that he is going to put America into even more hock … more

By Tom Purcell, Guest Columnist | 2/29/24

Commentary: Still waiting for Trump to condemn Putin over Navalny death

I try and avoid writing about Donald Trump, even though I voted for him twice. But sometimes you cannot avoid the elephant in the room, literally. As a preface, I have to admit that I … more

By Christine Flowers, Guest Columnist | 2/29/24

Commentary: Empowering Lago Vista and beyond: A call for local economic reinforcement

This past November, I was honored to be sworn in as a Councilman in Lago Vista after a decade of serving as a staffer in the Texas Legislature. Perhaps few know how much legislative staffers get to … more

By Shane R. Saum, Guest Columnist | 2/22/24

Commentary: Drug prices should be controlled

Pharmaceutical companies are angry with Bernie Sanders. The Vermont senator has vowed to force pharma CEOs to publicly answer for why their drug prices are so much higher in the United States than in … more

By Sonali Kolhatkar, Guest Columnist | 2/22/24

Commentary: This Black History Month, fight for the freedom to learn

A little over a year ago, the College Board unveiled its long-awaited draft AP African American Studies curriculum. What happened next was sad — and all too predictable. Florida officials, … more

By Svante Myrick, Guest Columnist | 2/15/24

Commentary: Turning down food assistance for poor children is shockingly callous

This plot line could have come from one of Charles Dickens’ novels about upper-class depravity: “Miserly governors refuse to provide gruel for poverty-stricken ragamuffins.” … more

By Jim Hightower, Guest Columnist | 2/15/24

Commentary: It's not 'inflation' — we're just getting ripped off

Many Americans are still experiencing the sticker shock they first faced two years ago when inflation hit its peak. But if inflation is down now, why are families still feeling the pinch? The … more

By Lindsay Owens and Elizabeth Pancotti, Guest Columnists | 2/8/24

Commentary: About a lack of pride, and therefore a lack of shame

The other day, I was walking through the bookstore and ended up in the sports section. Perusing the football biographies but deftly avoiding anything that shouted “Eagles” because … more

By Christine Flowers, Guest Columnist | 2/8/24

Commentary: Will border crisis accelerate or come under control?

Around financial markets, the conventional wisdom is to “let the trend be your friend.” What happens in the market on one day will also likely occur on the following. Investors, the … more

By Joe Guzzardi, Guest Columnist | 1/31/24

Commentary: Do you suffer from the 'stillgottas'?

Despite my best preventive measures, I have spent decades enduring the "stillgottas.” If you are unfamiliar with the medical terminology, it’s the … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 1/25/24

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