John Barry IV
John Barry IV writes from rural Jack County, Texas, about civic process, public records, resource stewardship, and practical ways communities can make clearer, better-informed decisions.
Where Do County Rules Live?
A county record can prove a decision was made. But can the next commissioner, county employee, or resident find the rule when they need it?
After the Fireworks, the Work Ahead
The work of self-government gets real when we start asking where the decisions live, how people find them, and how we build better records for the future.
250 Years Later, the Work Is Still Ours
Two hundred and fifty years ago, a group of imperfect people put their names, their safety, and their futures behind an idea bigger than themselves. That idea said government gets its power from the people. It said liberty is worth defending. It said public decisions should answer to the people
From Good Neighbor Policy to Texas Resource Stewardship
Skew the Future is now live.
That feels good to say. We launched the first version of the site with a simple starting point: a place for practical civic stewardship from rural Texas, built around clear records, useful frameworks, and better ways to think through the decisions that affect all of us. The site is still
From Corpus Christi, Heading North
I’m starting Skew the Future from Corpus Christi, looking out over the Gulf before I head north through Texas. This feels like the right place to begin. This project begins with movement, not perfection. A coast. A road. A rural home waiting at the other end. And a state