- High schooler pulled from musical over Texas’ anti-DEI law sues, alleging discrimination.

- Harris County, Texas AG’s office reach agreement on removal of get-out-the-vote ad tags.

- Texas elections aren’t official until they get certified. Here’s how it works.

- Panhandle Republican group wants all Texas ballots hand counted in the Nov. 3 election.

- Group behind trans mailers must answer questions under oath, Travis County judge rules.

- A conservative senator reshaped Texas colleges. He wants the rest of the country to follow.

- Carney Commits Canada to Becoming European Union’s First ‘Associate Member’.

What is a Broker? What types exist? What rules govern them?

These questions stem from the following article: 


- Your phone knows you’re at the doctor, and data brokers are profiting from it.

More than 92 percent of patients in a 2022 American Medical Association survey said they thought their health data should not be available for purchase. But many people might not realize that when they are sitting in a hospital, an abortion clinic, or an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in a church basement, the location data emitted from their mobile phones isn’t covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which protects patient privacy.

That worries Eric Ellsworth, director of health policy and innovation at the Center for the Study of Services, a nonprofit focused on delivering consumers reliable information on local medical services and health care professionals.

“Data brokers typically are just hoovering up data from the open web and then buying it from anybody,” he said.

The U.S. government has begun to penalize some companies that track Americans when they visit health facilities and places of worship. But privacy and legal experts don’t think actions against a few companies will stop an entire industry built on scooping up Americans’ private data. They’re calling on more states or Congress to ban advertisers from tracking Americans’ locations via their phones.

But progress has been fitful. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, on Sept. 27 vetoed a bill that would have blocked the sale and sharing of location and other sensitive personal data, saying it went “a step too far.” And a recent study from Stanford University showed that only 9 percent of data brokers are adhering to an existing California privacy law that gives consumers the right to delete their data, correct personal information and learn what personal records the business is selling.

In January, Consumer Reports released model legislation giving state lawmakers a framework to ban or limit the sale of geolocation data, which uses GPS to identify a person’s movements in real time. Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon and Virginia have already banned the sale of precise geolocation data. But digital advertisers have also lobbied states to block such proposed limits.


Related Questions: 

- What is a data broker?

- What is a broker? What types exist?

- Outline the development of brokers as a profession.

- What laws govern how brokers operate? Provide a timeline for how these evolved. 

- Breakdown the laws covering brokers into national, state, and local.

- What licenses are necessary in order to work as a broker? What groups over see them?

For 2305: 

- Describe the political power of the brokerage industry.

- What is the basis of the political power of the brokerage industry?

- Does the brokerage industry favor Democratic or Republican candidates, or does partisanship matter?

A question asked in class: What is Presidential Immunity and does it violate the checks and balances?

- What is immunity? 

- What is presidential immunity? Describe recent controversies.

- What impact did Trump v United States 2024 have on presidential immunity?

- Outline and contrast the opinions written in Trump v United States 2024.

- Does presidential immunity violate the checks and balances?

From the New York Times: Third-Party Spoilers, Long Fueled by Both Parties, Could Matter This Year

There is a long history of this strategy being used to pull votes away from competing candidates.


- Click here for the article.   

With modern elections often decided by extremely thin margins and billions of dollars sloshing through campaigns, both parties have ample incentives and opportunities to gain an edge through mischief involving third parties.

The jockeying around spoiler candidates is widely considered a legal yet shadowy part of political campaigning that has gone on for decades. The Sullivan episode in Alaska is far from the first time that multiple candidates with the same name have run for the same office, with the lesser-known one often deliberately trying to confuse voters. There was even an Eddie Murphy movie in 1992 based on the concept of his character’s winning a seat in Congress previously held by a deceased politician with the same name.

Usually the actors propping up spoiler candidates are careful enough about wiping away their fingerprints that they do not get caught in the kind of uproar that Mary Peltola’s Senate campaign now faces in Alaska. After a New York Times report detailing how allies of Ms. Peltola, a Democrat, had recruited little-known candidates to try to stack the ballot, Gov. Mike Dunleavy of Alaska ordered an investigation into whether the Peltola campaign should face criminal charges or civil penalties, and President Trump demanded that she be removed from the ballot. Neither suggested a specific law that had been violated.

“Ghost voters are a bad phenomenon, but it’s a phenomenon that’s been in American politics for decades,” said Benjamin Ginsberg, a prominent Republican election lawyer. “At this point there’s no legal violation. Coming when it does, it’s purely up to Alaska voters, who, after all, put both Dan Sullivans on the ballot with their votes.”


Related: 

- Provide a timeline of the use of minor parties to split the votes of major parties. How often is this strategy successful?

- Does the Libertarian Party in Texas pull votes away from the Republican Party?

- Has a Libertarian Party candidate helped swing an election towards the Democratic Party candidate in any election across the United States?

- Does the Green Party in Texas pull votes away from the Democratic Party?

- Has a Green Party candidate helped swing an election towards the Republican Party candidate in any election across the United States?

For 10.30.2026:

- What does political psychology research tell us about how people process political information? 

- What does research tell us about how much people know about politica and government? What do people generally not know?

- How much does political party identification impact a person's opinions about politics and government?

What is an Immigration Court? Does the president have too much control over it?

From the Washington Post: - Democrats demand reform after judge says DOJ ordered her to reverse rulings.

Congressional Democrats have again demanded urgent reforms to the country’s immigration court system after The Washington Post revealed a veteran judge’s allegations that she was ordered to reverse rulings and urged to conduct sham bond hearings.

Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Dick Durbin of Illinois, both longtime critics of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, renewed calls this week to pass a bill that would remove immigration judges from the authority of the executive branch.

They spoke out in response to the story of Karen Donoso Stevens, a former Homeland Security prosecutor who joined the bench in 2016. After persistent interference by Justice Department officials, Donoso Stevens alleged, she was pulled from court mid-hearing, demoted and eventually fired.


Related questions: 

- What is an immigration court?

- What is a federal administrative tribunal?

- What is a administrative adjudication?

- Outline the development of immigration courts in the United States.

- What current controversies involve immigration courts?

- What jurisdiction does Congress have over immigration courts?

- What legislation has been introduced recently to change immigration courts?

- Are state and local governments ever litigants in proceedings before immigration courts?

- Provide a timeline for the development of the federal courts.

- Provide a timeline for the development of the courts in Texas.

- Provide a timeline for the development of local and municipal courts in Texas and Harris County.

From the Washington Post:

- We studied 180 voter-fraud cases. Many charged cite honest mistakes.

- Your phone knows you’re at the doctor, and data brokers are profiting from it.

- - What is a data broker?

- Democrats demand reform after judge says DOJ ordered her to reverse rulings.

- - Provide a timeline for the development of immigration courts in the United States.  

- Why headlights seem more blinding than ever.

 

For 10.28.2026

- Provide a timeline of voter turnout for midterm elections.

- What factors explain why some people turnout to vote while others do not?

- What efforts are being made to impact voter turnout in the 2026? Are any efforts being made to discourage people to vote?

Does the "Right to Information" exist within a loose readings of the U.S. Constitution?

- Is there a right to information contained in the Bill of Rights?

A few random articles regarding current elections.

- Trump’s Attacks on Voting Raise Fears He Will Try to Challenge Midterm Results.

- On Trump’s Order, Justice Dept. Seeks to Block Alaska Vote if Republican Loses.

- The New Worst-Case Scenario for Election Officials: Federal Interference.

- Israel’s High-Stakes Election: What to Know.

 

From Harris County: Election Manual 2026 - 2027.

- Click here for it.  

- Election Workers. 

From the New York Times: How a Legal Backlash Against Big Tech Is Forcing Big Changes

Public policy can be shaped by the courts as much as it can be shaped by the legislature - maybe more so.

- Click here for the article.  

From ScotusBlog

The previous term of the Supreme Court included a large amount of cases involving President Trump's expansive use of executive power. This one looks to be the same.

- The Trump Term?

- Another Trump Term? 

- What are the principal ways the campaigns seek to influence and manipulate public opinion?

- What current attempts are being made to influence public opinion during the 2026 campaign?

- What impact are social media influencers having on the 2026 campaign so far?

- American Influencer Association.

- The American Influencer Council.  

- List the dominant influencers paid to promote the Republican Party and/or Republican candidates.

- List the dominant influencers paid to promote the Democratic Party and/or Democratic candidates.

- How are social influencers recruited and compensated for working for political campaigns?

- Do any influencers work solely for either major party in Texas?

- What are the powers of the Texas Governor? How has its power increased over recent decades?

- Compare the powers of the Texas Governor with the President of the United States.

Greg Abbott

- What is the political background of Greg Abbott? 

- How has Greg Abbott used the power of the governor?

- What are the principal sources of funds for Greg Abbott?

- Describe Greg Abbott's campaign organization.

Gina Hinojosa

- What is the political background of Gina Hinojosa?

- How might Gina Hinojosa use the power of the governor?

- What are the principal sources of funds for Gina Hinojosa?

- Describe Gina Hinojosa's campaign organization.

From the New York Times - 10.26.2026

- Lula Wins Brazil’s Presidency, in Stunning Blow to Latin America’s Right.

- Israeli Jews Across the Spectrum Face an Election of Fears.

- Anthropic Reveals 14-Fold Increase in Growth as It Prepares for Blockbuster I.P.O..

- Who’s winning the race for Congress?

- On Trump’s Order, Justice Dept. Seeks to Block Alaska Vote if Republican Loses.

A few questions regarding polling . . .

- Explain how election polls work. How reliable are they? What problems do pollsters encounter?

- What are polls telling us about the races for political office in Texas?

- What are polls telling us about the race to control the 120th U.S. Congress? How about the 90th Texas Legislature?

- What do polls in Texas tell us about the possible results of races for the Texas Judiciary?

- United States Courts. 

- Court Website Links.

In the New York Times - 10.20.2026

- Trump’s Super PAC Unleashes Deluge of Ads on Facebook and Instagram.

- - What is MAGA Inc.?

- - What laws govern SuperPACs?

- - How has the rise of social media impacted campaigns? How is it being used in the 2026 campaign?

- Trump Pushes to Evict the Press From the White House.

- - Do journalists have a constitional right to access to elected officials? to the President?

- - Has Congress ever passed laws related to journalists of journalism?

- Trump’s Attacks on Voting Raise Fears He Will Try to Challenge Midterm Results.

- - How often are election results challenged in the United States? How often are they successful?

- - What are the most common types of election fraud?

From the Texas Tribune: Federal judge to weigh Texas bid to dismiss 15-year-old suit seeking foster care system reform

- Click here for the article.  

For 10.20.2026

- Outline the process by which states eliminated property requirements for voting. Do any still exist?

- Discuss the struggle over the implementation of the 15th Amendment.

- Outline efforts to undermine the intent of the 15th Amendment.

- Discuss conflicts in Texas over the placement of voting centers on college campuses.

- From the Texas Legislature Online: Registration and Suffrage Bills introduced in 89R. 

- Ad Fontes Media.

From the New York Times: I Teach at a Business School. It’s Time to Shut Them Down.

- Click here for the article.  

For GOVT 2305 UH - 10.19.2026

- The Fiscal Size-Up. 

- What relationship exists between campaign contributions and government contracts?

What is the public mood?

To kick of our discussion of the political institutions. 

- What is the public mood?

- What factors help determine the public mood?

- What factors are helping determine the public mood prior to the election of 2026?

From the New York Times: 3 Charts That Explain the Economy as Voters Head to the Polls.

From The Washington Post: Power struggle erupts in Trump’s White House as midterm losses loom

- Click here for the article.  

- Describe the power structure in President Trump's first White House.

- Describe the power structure in President Trump's second White House.

- Describe the evolution of the White House Chief of Staff.

- Who is Susie Wiles? How did she become President Trump's Chief of Staff?

For GOVT 2306 UH - 10/15/2026

- What political interests have dominated the 2026 campaign?

- What issues were on the agenda during the 2024 election that are not on the agenda now?

- List the mega donors involved in the current campaign. What do they stand to gain or lose in the upcoming election?

- What interests support the expansion of data centers? What interests oppose it? Describe their respective strategies.

- What interests support crypto currency? What interests oppose it? Describe their respective strategies.

- What is crypto currency?

Brazoria County Elections Department

- Click here for it.  

- Precinct Maps. 

- Sample Ballots.

From Renu Khator: 2026 State of the University

- Click here for it. 

- Describe recent campaign efforts by the Republican Party to maintain control of Congress following the 2026 election. 

- Describe recent campaign efforts by the Democratic Party to win control of Congress following the 2026 election.

For GOVT 2305 10.13.2026

- What is the federal bureaucracy?

- What is the civil service? Provide a timeline of its development. 

- Describe how patronage worked prior to the passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act.

- Wikipedia: Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act.

- Outline the extent of the civil service across all agencies of the federal government.

 

- Click here for the source.

For UH GOVT 2306 - 10/12/2026

- What major factions or interest groups dominated politics in the United States from 1607 to now.

- Describe how factions and interests were organized into political parties over the history of the United States from 1607 - now.

- Who were the earliest influential families in colonial America? What was the source of their influence?

- Describe the evolution of commerce in the United States America from 1609 to now.

- How has social media impacted the organization of political parties in the United States?

- How has the rise of SuperPACs impacted the strength of political parties?

- How has the rise of Artificial Intelligence impacted the strength and organization of political parties?

For UH GOVT 2305 - 10/12/2026

- What is the White House Staff? Outline its evolution over time. 

- What are the most effective tools the president has to efficiently govern? How have these evolved over time?

- Outline the evolution of the relationship between the legislative and executive branches over time.

- How do political parties impact the relationship between the legislative and executive branches on the national level?

You Tube: The election of George Washington was weirder than you think

- Click here for it.

- The Military Explodes Bombs on This Beach. Is It Following the Law?

- Trump Officials Ramp Up Investigations Into Voter Registration Groups.

- Guam.

- Democrats Look Strong in Polls. They Have These Groups to Thank.

- History for 89(R) HB 431 by Cortez.

- Snapshots of Federal Judicial History, 1790-1990.

- Sample Ballot - Harris County 2026. 

- Texas Tribune: Here's your 2026 Texas ballot for the November election.

- 89th Regular Session - General Subject Index: Artificial Intelligence.

- James Madison: Vices of the Political System of the United States.

- Treaty of Paris 1783.

- Describe the major laws passed by the 119th Congress so far.

- What is the one Big Beautiful Bill?

- What is Budget Reconciliation?

- What federal policies have no impact on the federal budget?

- Describe the federal budget making process.

- Describe the federal budget appropriations process.

- Trump’s opponents are planning efforts to reverse his changes to presidency.

- 6 things to watch in the Supreme Court’s new term.

- Court declines to hear cases on “Let’s Go Brandon” sweatshirts, felons’ Second Amendment rights, COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and other notable issues.

- Half a billion dollars in GOP spending does little to move polls.

For 10.7.2026

- Provide a timeline of the key political disputes during the American colonial period.

- How did factions organize during the American colonial period?

- How soon did political parties emerge in the United States? Were parties active during the colonial period?

- Who were the principle political figures during the colonial period? Provide a timeline of them. What were their principle accomplishments?

The first three cases argued before the U.S. Supreme Court this term.

From Oyez: 

- Suncor Energy (U.S.A.) Inc. v. County Commissioners of Boulder County.

- Johnson v. United States Congress.

- Anderson v. Intel Corporation Investment Policy Committee.

H.R.9497 - Water Resources Development Act of 2026

An example of internal improvements.

- Click here.  

This bill authorizes and modifies certain water resource infrastructure projects and programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and makes related requirements. For example, the bill authorizes and modifies various water resources feasibility studies and projects of the Corps of Engineers, such as studies or projects to:

- maintain ports and harbors,
- make certain waterways more navigable,
- reduce flood and storm damage,
- restore aquatic ecosystems and protect fish and wildlife,
- protect shorelines,
- address harmful algal blooms,
- rehabilitate dams,
- manage recreational sites and facilities,
- support water supply and storage projects, and
- support other water resources infrastructure.

The bill also directs the Corps of Engineers to establish an Office on Alternative Delivery Methods in order to accelerate project delivery of infrastructure.

In addition, the bill directs the Corps of Engineers to issue a rule that establishes categorical permissions for certain harbor or river improvements that will cause only minimal adverse environmental effects.

- What subgovernment surrounds the financial industry?

- How, in a practical sense, does one become a federal judge?

- How much 2026 campaign money is being spent on bot farms? How about troll farms?

The Activities of the First Congress

A good look at how the early governing institutions were developed.

- ChatGPT: Describe what happened between the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and the convening of the First Congress.

- ChatGPT: Describe the election to the first Congress of the United States.

- ChatGPT: Describe the campaigns for offices in the first Congress.

- ChatGPT: Describe the rules regarding suffrage in each of the original states at the time of the election to the First Congress.

- Wikipedia: 1788–89 United States House of Representatives elections.

- Wikipedia: 1788–89 United States Senate elections.

- Wikipedia: 1788–89 United States presidential election.

- Wikipedia: First United States Congress. 

- What are the top institutional contributors to the local economy?

- What percentage of the greater Houston economy stems from the energy sector? How much oil and gas? How much renewables?

- What is the value of the University of Houston to the local economy?

- What lobbying strategies are used by the Port of Houston?

- Is organized criminal behavior more likely to develop at the local level than either the state or national level?

- What activities in Congress are related to the establishment and maintenance of supply chains?

- What is a supply chain? Describe one in depth.

- Who had access to capital during the American colonial period?

- 

Dear ChatGPT: What happened to the property of loyalists following the revolutionary war?

Despite Madison's call for the protection of property rights, this did not seem to exptent to loyalists. 

He would likely respond that property was conficated by state governments, not the national government - which did not effectively exist at that time. 

- Click here for the answer. 

- Also: Provide a timeline for when the property of loyalists was confiscated. Also state what entity did the conficating. Provide references and additional readings.

For background; 

- Who were the loyalists? 

- How were their interests served by maintaining a relationship with Britain?