One of President Trump’s most important accomplishments in office has been the energy revolution that has led to sharply increased oil and natural gas production and job creation in the U.S. But our days of energy insecurity and dependence on other nations in unstable areas of the world to meet our energy needs will return...
As of Friday, Texas reported more than 3.2 million tests for the active COVID-19 virus had been completed. These tests are vital on several levels: for individuals, for those treating the sick, for first responders, for the health care system and for policymakers. But this unprecedented testing effort hasn’t been quickly reported and analyzed, leaving our state...
The Hollywood scene used to be filled with Joe Rogans — free spirits who spoke their minds. Sure, liberals dominated the world of entertainment, but non-liberals, at least those who had already made it or who possessed a certain level of moral courage, could, and did, speak out. The era of free speech has come to a close in...
Every year, the U.S. Census Bureau publishes estimates on state and local revenue and spending. The most recent estimate is for 2017. The top five states in per capita state and local revenue collection, including federal transfer payments to state and local government (mostly Medicaid) are New York, Alaska, Wyoming, California, and Hawaii. In the case...
Universal theories can have a certain tidy attraction. In science, they can result in revolutionary breakthroughs — Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity comes to mind. In the messy realm of human affairs, however, universal theories have a tendency to fall apart. Ruy Teixeira, of the leftist Center for American Progress, provides a textbook example of...
In a soon-to-be-released book, Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says when President Obama called him during the 2015 riots in Baltimore, he expected the president to offer federal assistance. Instead, Obama urged Hogan to back off. Hogan ignored Obama’s advice about the violence following the death of Freddie Gray, and worked to restore order to the...
Texas is in the news, and not in a good way, over an increase in COVID-19 cases over the past four weeks. There’s quite a bit of speculation over why the virus, which largely bypassed the Lone Star State until the end of May, suddenly seemed to become more pernicious. Some point to a lack...
When, on May 9, Tesla CEO Elon Musk registered his frustration, via Twitter, over California’s COVID restrictions making it impossible to build cars, he wrote, “Frankly, this is the final straw. Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately.” He then added, “Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA.” Musk’s...
There’s been a yearslong political fight over the issue of mail-in ballots in Texas. This struggle has taken on a new intensity in the wake of the coronavirus from China and the feeling that Texas’ shift from red, if not to blue then at least purple, is one election cycle away. Texas law on mail-in...
George Floyd’s death is properly the responsibility of the senior arresting officer on the scene. Had that officer’s training been better, Floyd might be alive today. Had the officer been disciplined or fired for prior improper behavior, Floyd might be alive today. Had the Minneapolis City Council, mayor, and local district attorney done a better...
With the coronavirus still infecting and killing people, particularly the old and infirm, there have been increasing calls to move America to an all-mail-in ballot for this November’s election. This campaign is being advanced through legislation — the economic recovery package the House passed two weeks ago dubbed the HEROES Act, which would allocate $3.6 billion...
With the coronavirus and now the urban unrest battering the economy, a large dose of unexpected good economic news crossed the wire this morning from the Bureau of Labor Statistics: the economy added 2.5 million nonfarm payroll jobs in May versus the forecast consensus of another steep decline of 7.5 million jobs. The unemployment rate fell...