Baker Briefing

14: Tesla, Taxes and Texas

As more and more Texans switch from gas- to battery-powered vehicles, state policymakers are grappling with the implications of broader electric vehicle ownership. From infrastructure investments, roadway maintenance, and levying a new tax for EV owners, this discussion breaks down the key issues surrounding EVs and consider legislation policymakers in Texas may consider this session.  This discussion was recorded in front of a live audience on April 4, 2022 at Rice University in Houston, Texas.  Discussants include. The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy John Diamond, Ph.D., Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance and Director of the Center for Public Finance, Baker Institute for Public Policy; Adjunct Professor of Economics, Rice University; and CEO, Tax Policy Advisers, LLC Edward M. Emmett, Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy

13: Drilling Down on the OPEC+ Cuts

OPEC+, which is led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, announced this week that it is cutting oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day starting in May. This amounts to removing roughly 1% of oil from the global market. Our experts discuss the far-reaching consequences of this move for U.S. gas prices, American energy security, and U.S.-Saudi relations.  Discussants:  The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy Mark Finley, Fellow in Energy and Global Oil, Baker Institute for Public Policy Jim Krane, Ph.D., Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies, Baker Institute for Public Policy Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Ph.D., fellow for the Middle East, Baker Institute for Public Policy  

12: Texas Political Roundup

March 10 marked the deadline for filing bills in the 2023 Texas legislative session. Now, Texas state lawmakers are gearing up to discuss property taxes, school safety and other issues that have emerged as high-priorities for the House and Senate. Here, we discuss what bills are expected to cause friction and make expert predictions on outcomes from the current session. This episode was recorded in front of a live studio audience on March 21, 2023 at Rice University in Houston, Texas.  The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy Edward M. Emmett, Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy Mark P. Jones, Ph.D., Fellow in Political Science, Baker Institute for Public Policy; Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies and Professor, Rice University

11: 20 Years After the US Invasion of Iraq

On March 20, 2003, U.S. air and ground forces invaded Iraq under the direction of former President George W. Bush. Ambassador Satterfield discusses lessons learned from the U.S. diplomatic and military strategy following the tragic events of 9/11 that led to the invasion of Iraq 2003. Discussants include: The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Ph.D., Fellow for the Middle East, Baker Institute for Public Policy

10: Mexico’s Rule of Law

In March 2023, four U.S. citizens were kidnapped at gunpoint in northern Mexico; two were found dead and two others were rescued following a manhunt. The incident quickly became an international crisis and renewed U.S. focus on violence south of the border. This conversation explores the binational relationship between the U.S. and Mexico and growing tensions regarding Mexico’s approach to clamping down on violence and crime.  Discussants: Joe Barnes, Bonner Means Baker Fellow, Baker Institute for Public Policy Tony Payan, PhD, Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and Director of the Center for the United States and Mexico at the Baker Institute for Public Policy 

9: Curbing the Opioid Epidemic in Texas

In the United States, drug overdose deaths are on the rise. In 2022, CDC researchers reported that 110,236 people died from an overdose in a single 12-month period, setting a new record. Synthetic opioid overdose deaths, primarily due to fentanyl, increased nearly 7.5-fold from 2015 to 2021. In Texas, the number of fentanyl-related deaths rose dramatically — from 883 deaths in 2020 to 1,672 deaths in 2021. While Republican lawmakers in Texas have previously opposed harm reduction policies, many have signaled a desire to take policy action to combat the crisis in the 2023 legislative session. In this episode, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, fellow Katharine Neill Harris, and fellow and former Harris County Judge Ed Emmett discuss policy approaches to the rise in fentanyl-related deaths. They explore strategies that have been successfully adopted in other states and what policies could receive support from Texas legislators. Discussants: The Honorable Edward M. Emmett, Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Baker Institute; Former Harris County Judge The Honorable Ed Gonzalez, Sheriff, Harris County Katharine Neill Harris, Ph.D., Alfred C. Glassell, III, Fellow in Drug Policy, Baker Institute The Honorable Kim Ogg, District Attorney, Harris County The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute and Edward P. Djerejian Center for the Middle East; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

8: Consumer Trends and the Post-Pandemic Economy

The pandemic spurred a rollercoaster of quick, subsequent economic events in three years that might normally occur across three decades: record unemployment, a brief recession, federal assistance, highest inflation since the 1980s, interest rate increases, and in 2023, concerns regarding a looming recession. Some U.S. consumers have dealt with the aftermath of this whiplash by shifting their spending and saving behaviors. Our experts discuss U.S. consumer trends since the pandemic—what’s stayed the same, new phenomena, and notable policy developments.  Discussants:  The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy Joe Barnes, Bonner Means Baker Fellow, Baker Institute for Public Policy Joyce Beebe, Ph.D., Fellow in Public Finance, Baker Institute for Public Policy John Diamond, Ph.D., Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance and Director of the Center for Public Finance, Baker Institute for Public Policy; Adjunct Professor of Economics, Rice University; and CEO, Tax Policy Advisers, LLC Related research:  Issue Brief: Reflecting on the Budget Control Act of 2011 and Its Relevance Now by John W. Diamond and Autumn Engebretson Issue Brief: Recent U.S. Consumer Trends: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed — Should We Be Blue? by Joyce Beebe

7: Is the Texas Power Grid ‘Fixed’?

The Texas power grid is infamously disconnected from the rest of the U.S.. Its status as an “energy island” can bring both advantages and disadvantages. Two years ago, Winter Storm Uri knocked out power across Texas for days and exposed major reliability concerns. Here, we discuss changes made in the two years since Winter Storm Uri. Is the Texas grid “fixed?”  Discussants:  The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy Edward M. Emmett, Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Baker Institute Peter R. Hartley, Ph.D., George A. Peterkin Professor of Economics, Rice University; Rice Faculty Scholar of Energy Economics, Baker Institute for Public Policy Julie A. Cohn, Ph.D.,Research Historian, Center for Public History at the University of Houston; Nonresident Scholar, Baker Institute for Public Policy

6: Maternal Mortality in Texas

Maternal health is widely seen as a key indicator of a society’s overall well-being. But two new reports out of Texas paint a concerning picture. America has the worst maternal death rate of any wealthy nation, and Texas ranks eighth worst state in the nation for maternal mortality. Here, we discuss the scope of the maternal mortality crisis in Texas, how it is unfolding in communities unevenly across the state, and potential policy responses amid broader public concern on maternal health issues.  Discussants:  The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy Rola El-Serag, M.D., L.E. and Virginia Simmons Senior Fellow in Health Policy, Director of the Center for Health & Biosciences, Baker Institute for Public Policy Elena M. Marks, J.D., M.P.H., Senior Fellow in Health Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy McClain Sampson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston; Fellow in Maternal and Reproductive Health, Baker Institute for Public Policy  

5: The Unfolding Tragedy in Turkey and Syria

On Monday, February 6, 2023 a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria. It is the world’s deadliest earthquake in more than a decade. The latest reports from the two countries put the death toll at 22,375, with thousands more injured. Rescue workers are now racing against time to pull survivors from the rubble of collapsed buildings in freezing winter conditions‚ but hopes are fading.  As the world watches this tragedy unfold, the death count is increasing daily. David Satterfield, now Director of the Baker Institute, served as U.S. Ambassador to Turkey from 2019 to 2022 and worked extensively in Northern Syria. Here, in conversation with Judge Ed Emmett, he shares his perspective on the events unfolding in Turkey and Syria.  Discussants The Honorable David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy Edward M. Emmett, Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy