Austin’s NGO machine isn’t breaking any rules. That’s the problem. Since October 2023, the City of Austin has paid $1.58 million to a progressive nonprofit with deep ties to Democratic socialism: the Workers Defense Project (WDP). Curiously, three councilmembers who oversee that spending—Vanessa Fuentes, José Velásquez, and Mike Siegel—won their seats with support from a political committee run by WDP’s own affiliate. Curiouser still, the organization’s lobbyists have worked city hall continuously...
Every Friday morning, I join the Cardle and Woolley show on 1370 Talk Radio in Austin to discuss the week’s Winners & Losers. While the Texas Big 3—Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows—get a big thumbs up for telling state agencies to trim their budgets by 3%, here’s who...
Texans paid nearly $105 billion last year to support public schools. They expect that money to go towards providing students with a quality education, not to merely employ adults or line the pockets of outside consultants and contractors. If Texas wants a school system that is focused on effective education and not the appearance of...
Matthew Bernard wanted to build a home. He bought a small lot in Oakland, California, and began clearing several diseased and fallen trees that the local fire department had identified as hazards. The result was a $915,000 “mitigation fee” from the city of Oakland—nearly five times the value of the lot itself. Under Oakland’s tree ordinance,...
ChinaTube — that’s the name my classmates at Texas A&M gave our 8 a.m. Comparative Politics class. That’s because instead of receiving instruction in comparative politics, we spent most of our class time watching YouTube videos about the history of China. Our instructor couldn’t communicate the material effectively in English. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced last week that he wants to prohibit Texas public schools from employing teachers on H-1B visas. This was the latest step...
Your Grade is [REDACTED] What to know: Freshmen at the University of Michigan next year will get a semester-long break from having letter grades appear on their transcripts as school officials look for new ways to combat the “mental health crisis” affecting higher education. The TPPF take: It’s a transcript witness protection program because the University of Michigan has...
Working 9-5 What to know: Professors at Texas A&M-Victoria are outraged by an “abrupt policy change” that requires all full-time faculty to spend 40 hours a week on campus, as dictated by Senate Bill 2615, passed last legislative session. The TPPF take: It wasn’t that abrupt. Senate Bill 2615 passed the Texas Legislature on May 30, 2025. “When the...
Trim the Fat What to know: The University of Houston announced that the Board of Regents has cut 40% of its core curriculum classes, in alignment with Gov. Abbott’s directive to develop a three-year degree option. The TPPF take: Few could argue these courses were integral to a college education. “Almost all the media reported that classes...
The EPA’s 2025 decision to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding is being called one of the largest deregulatory actions in US history. But what exactly is the Endangerment Finding, and why do supporters say this change matters for American families and businesses? In this Fast Facts breakdown, we explain the 16-year history of greenhouse gas...
Since it has been unable to pass new gun restrictions through the legislative process, President Biden’s Administration is intentionally ignoring and misinterpreting well-established law to shut down lawfully operating gun dealers. TPPF Senior Attorney Matt Miller breaks down how this backdoor scheme works and explains TPPF’s lawsuit to restore Americans’ legal right to purchase firearms.
Illegal activity that harms the U.S. is coming from Mexico in much the same way as it does from other corrupt individuals in other countries the U.S. currently sanctions. Texas should compile a list of corrupt Mexican elites and request the federal government to deny them entry to the U.S. or revoke their visas. Read...
People often ask me how I made it to the right side — the sunny skies of Texas conservatism — after spending my early professional years on the progressive left. It is a long story (I am writing a book), but one of the reasons is Gloria Steinem, who passed away on Wednesday. I know...
Every Friday morning, I join the Cardle and Woolley show on 1370 Talk Radio in Austin to discuss the week’s Winners & Losers. While the Texas Big 3—Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows—get a big thumbs up for telling state agencies to trim their budgets by 3%, here’s who...
Winners & Losers is calling an end to our summer break. The Almanac says the last 8 p.m. sunsets in the central region of Texas will occur next week, so the days are getting shorter, and we can no longer stand by and let so many winners and losers go by unacknowledged. Here’s who is...
It is more than a little ironic that in the middle of the Celebration of 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, one of the nation’s oldest historical organizations, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), voted down an effort to ban men who say they are women from membership. If men live in a...