Category: op-ed

Listening to Lady Bird Johnson, in Her Own Words

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Nov. 14, Rhonda Garelick, distinguished professor of English and journalism at SMU Dallas, for a column about the newly released Hulu documentary on the late Lady Bird Johnson, “The Lady Bird Diaries,” which focuses on her White House years. Published in the New York Times ‘Face Forward’ column under the heading Listening to Lady Bird Johnson, in Her Own Words: https://tinyurl.com/yx52wdv8 

Lady Bird Johnson embodied contradiction, cloaking her gravitas in Southern charm. Even her name made that clear. From infancy onward, Claudia Alta Taylor (born in 1912) was known to everyone as Lady Bird, a lighthearted, whimsical nickname — invented by her nursemaid — that belied her grit, intellect and ambition. Now, a new documentary on Hulu, “The Lady Bird Diaries,” focuses on her White House years and captures the surprising influence and power that this gentle, smiling woman wielded over her husband.

Based on 123 hours of private audio diaries recorded by Mrs. Johnson (and embargoed until her death, in 2007, at 94), the film is told from the first lady’s point of view, and largely in her own recorded voice — a honeyed Texas drawl — interspersed with contemporaneous news footage. There are, however, virtually no outside perspectives or critiques offered. The film takes us inside Mrs. Johnson’s mind and keeps us firmly there.

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Can a tax credit increase the number of kidney donors?

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Nov. 13, Michael Davis, economics professor at the Cox School of Business, SMU Dallas, for an op-ed advocating that more people donate kidneys to save needy dialysis patients, and explaining the personal and national positive ramifications of doing so. Published in the Dallas Morning News under the heading Can a tax credit increase the number of kidney donors? https://tinyurl.com/3s44jd9f 

I just read a fascinating essay written by a guy who donated his left kidney to a total stranger.

Really.

He had himself examined by a team of super-competent kidney specialists who confirmed that he had two good kidneys and was otherwise in great shape for a surgery. Once he got that news he said, “OK, slice me open, take whichever one you like and give it to whomever needs it.”

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When abusers have guns, everyone is at risk

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Nov. 6, Natalie Nanasi, an associate professor at SMU Dallas Dedman School of Law and co-author Kelly Roskam, director of law and policy at the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, for an op-ed advocating that the U.S. Supreme Court uphold laws prohibiting domestic violence offenders from possessing guns. Published in The Houston Chronicle under the heading When abusers have guns, everyone is at risk: https://tinyurl.com/4b9n5af9 

You wouldn’t want Zackey Rahimi to be your neighbor, much less your boyfriend. In December 2019, he grabbed his girlfriend, knocked her down, dragged her to his car and hit her head on the dashboard while shoving her inside. Just a year later, he fired multiple shots into the home of someone he had sold narcotics to, twice shot at the driver of a car he had gotten into an accident with, shot at a constable’s vehicle, and fired multiple shots in the air after his friend’s credit card was declined at a Whataburger.

Most would also agree Rahimi isn’t someone who should have access to a gun. His girlfriend filed for and was granted a domestic violence protective order (DVPO), which under federal law meant Rahimi was prohibited from possessing firearms. Now he’s claiming it’s unconstitutional to prohibit him, and others subject to DVPOs, from possessing guns. In March 2023, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, and on Tuesday the case went before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Before Goop, There Was Suzanne Somers

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Oct. 16, Rhonda Garelick, distinguished professor of English and journalism at SMU Dallas, for a column on the late Suzanne Somers who launched a career with her sitcom role in “Three’s Company,” from which loyal fans then followed her into fitness and business adventures. Published in the New York Times “Face Forward” column under the heading Before Goop, There Was Suzanne Somers: https://tinyurl.com/5xtmkxpa 

Of all the sunny blondes of the 1970s, Suzanne Somers was the sunniest. She had the face, the figure, the hair, the smile, the giggle, the wiggle, and enough good humor to make her breakout “dumb blond” character on “Three’s Company” lovably watchable rather than cloying or offensive.

Being a bombshell can bring a certain level of success, but it takes a special kind of charisma and drive to remain famous for more than 50 years. Ms. Somers’s alchemy derived from a combination of innocent sex appeal, nostalgia (for the pop culture ’70s fun she represented) and a canny understanding of the American cult of personality.

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Cassidy Hutchinson’s Subtle New Style

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Oct. 8, Rhonda Garelick, distinguished professor of English and journalism at SMU Dallas, for a column on the not-so-subtle changes in style and demeanor that Trump insider Cassisdy Hutchinson manifests now that she’s moved past the Jan. 6 Committee interrogation setting and ventured into the world to publicize her new memoir, “Enough.” Published in the New York Times “Face Forward” segment under the heading: Cassidy Hutchinson’s Subtle New Style: https://tinyurl.com/4htxzkmt 

After Cassidy Hutchinson’s history-making testimony before the Jan. 6 committee last year, threats to her personal safety compelled her to leave Washington, go into hiding and eschew all public appearances. Now she’s back, in a big way, publicizing her new memoir, “Enough.” And for her book tour, Ms. Hutchinson has been refining her style.

On camera during her testimony, Ms. Hutchinson’s style was muted and tailored (she wears the same look on her book jacket). A blowout, blazer, fitted black pants and black top, tiny circle diamond necklace, and a white manicure. Her Zara jacket was white, too — a color associated with purity, the suffragists; the color of the Capitol building that had been breached and sullied on Jan. 6.

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There are 2 sides when it comes to extending the child care tax credit

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Oct. 8, Richard Alm and co-author Michael Davis, both attached to the Cox School of Business at SMU Dallas, for a piece explaining why an apparent spike in child poverty rates reported in U.S. Census data was actually related to pandemic and post-pandemic adjustments in the child care tax credit. Published in The Hill under the heading There are 2 sides when it comes to extending the child care tax credit: https://tinyurl.com/6w5zexdv 

When good economists meet for beers, they never argue about whether the pitcher is half empty or half full. That’s because they know that the same bit of data can often be described in different ways.

Consider the new Census data that showed the child poverty rate was 12.4 percent in 2022.

Shocking! Wasn’t 2022 at least an OK year for the economy? Wasn’t unemployment near record lows? Why can’t we keep kids from slipping into poverty?

Those are good questions. Child poverty is bad in the present and leaves long-term scars.

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SMU celebrates 75 years of pro bono legal clinics in Dallas

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Oct. 4, Mary Spector, professor of law and director of the Civil/Consumer Clinic at Dedman School of Law, SMU Dallas, along with co-author Jason P. Nance, Dean of the law school, for a commentary recognizing and celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the pro bono legal clinics, which now number 10. Published in the Dallas Morning News under the heading SMU celebrates 75 years of pro bono legal clinics in Dallas:  https://tinyurl.com/4eta2ytm 

The Clinical Program at SMU Dedman School of Law celebrates its 75th anniversary this week, and there is much to celebrate. That’s 75 years of free legal services to thousands of real people with real problems and without the means to hire a lawyer. That’s 75 years of ensuring families have safe and affordable places to live, protecting the liberties of those in the justice system, safeguarding seniors’ financial stability, and ensuring that employees obtain the benefits to which they are entitled.

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What We Lose When We Loosen Dress Codes

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 Sept. 22, Rhonda Garelick, distinguished professor of English and journalism at SMU Dallas, for a commentary about the importance of dress codes that was written while the U.S. Senate considered relaxing historic requirements. Published in the New York Times “Face Forward” column under the heading What We Lose When We Loosen Dress Codes: https://tinyurl.com/8emwe363 

Responses to the Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer’s new relaxation of Senate dress codes have so far fallen along partisan lines: Republicans have been deploring it as a lapse in decorum and order. “Most if not all Republican senators think we ought to dress up to go to work,” Mitch McConnell said. Mitt Romney called it “a terrible choice,” and from the House, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene pronounced the change “disgraceful.”

Democrats have tended to dismiss these complaints, insisting that matters of dress are mere distractions in light of the grave matters facing the Senate: On X (formerly Twitter), the Democratic senator Tina Smith wondered how anyone could complain about a dress code when “House Republicans are about to drive the federal government off a cliff.” Senator John Fetterman, famous for sporting shorts and hoodies (and for whose benefit many believe the rules were changed), expressed a similar sentiment in an interview with MSNBC: “Aren’t there more important things we should be talking about rather than if I dress like a slob?”

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A blow to liberty: Hong Kong is no longer No. 1 in economic freedom

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Sept. 21, Robert Lawson, director of the Bridwell Institute for Economic Freedom at the SMU Dallas Cox School of Business, for a commentary about Hong Kong’s slide from the top spot on the Economic Freedom Index. Published in the Orange County Register under the heading A blow to liberty: Hong Kong is no longer No. 1 in economic freedom: https://tinyurl.com/54rya375

​In the late 1980s at the invitation of Milton Friedman and Michael Walker of the Fraser Institute in Canada, I became involved in a project to measure economic freedom. The resulting Economic Freedom of the World (EFW) index, published annually since 1996, provides economic freedom ratings for up to 165 countries and jurisdictions as far back as 1970. In each and every published edition of the EFW index, Hong Kong had been rated as the most economically free economy – that is, until now. The newly released EFW index has downgraded Hong Kong to second place with Singapore now taking top honors.

Hong Kong’s five-decade reign as the most economically free jurisdiction in the EFW index was no surprise to those of us compiling the data. We remember watching Milton and Rose Friedman’s Free To Choose series on PBS in the 1980s that celebrated the territory’s economic freedoms, and the data we collected reflected what we saw on the show.

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New Hollywood blockbuster depicts a triumph for savvy retail investors but it’s just the beginning

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Sept. 20, Christina Sautter, professor of law at Dedman School of Law, SMU Dallas, along with co-author Sergio Alberto Gramitto Ricci (University of Missouri KC), for a piece advocating for retail investors and encouraging them to use their influence by voting their stock. Published in Fox Business under the heading New Hollywood blockbuster depicts a triumph for savvy retail investors but it’s just the beginning: https://tinyurl.com/yx2hb73p

When you watch the movie “Dumb Money,” you realize people now have the unprecedented power to take back the corporate sector. The movie, which opened nationwide Sept. 15, ends with a clear statement: the movement to take on Wall Street has just begun. But the power of the movement goes much further.

The film takes its name from Wall Street’s belittling term for retail investors, who do not have the resources to analyze stocks as do institutional investors. There is nothing dumb about investing money in company shares and then exercising the additional benefit of voting those shares via proxy. That amounts to a retail investor superpower.

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