The “administrative state” has been in the news of late. Few Americans can define it though. The administrative state describes a form of government that uses an extensive professional class to provide oversight over government, the economy and society. It stands in stark contrast to a representative democracy with limited powers and reach. The...
Occurring largely behind the scenes, President Trump’s most significant contribution to a more prosperous America is also his least understood: his assault on the administrative state. The administrative state is the manifestation of a form of government that invests power in an unelected bureaucracy that can write the rules, enforce the rules and sit...
Every year, Americans spend about $750 billion dollars for gasoline and electricity—about 4 percent of the economy—with roughly equal amounts spent to fuel vehicles vs. keeping the lights on and running our factories. Where you live significantly affects how much you pay for these basic energy commodities. Excepting Alaska and Hawaii due to their...
California’s rush to impose harsh government mandates cutting carbon dioxide emissions in the generation of electricity is raising the electricity bills of families and businesses across the state. Poor families are suffering the most. In sharp contrast, Texas is successfully taking a free-market approach that is increasing the use of clean renewable energy and lowering electricity...
The Austin Independent School District (AISD) in Central Texas serves a city that has consistently been one of America’s fastest growing large metropolitan areas for a decade. Yet, in spite of being in the heart of this thriving city that has grown by more than 100,000 people in the past five years, AISD has...
Once again, California has the highest poverty rate in the nation, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report. A little more than 1 in 5 Californians—20.4 percent—live in poverty. The national average is 14.7 percent according to the Supplemental Poverty Measure which accounts for regional cost-of-living differences, out-of-pocket medical expenses and other items, unlike...
Liberal California and conservative Texas are different in many ways – including their poverty rates. California’s poverty rate is 20.4 percent and the Texas rate is only 14.7 percent, based on the Supplemental Poverty Measure, which accounts for the regional cost of living, out-of-pocket medical expenses and other items. Why the dramatic difference in poverty...
This commentary was originally featured in Forbes on August 24, 2017. The U.S. Census Bureau’s Supplemental Poverty Measure, rolled out in 2009 and updated in 2013, addresses the weaknesses of the Official Poverty Measure. Moreover, the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) shows many interesting statistical connections to economic and public policy variables, unlike the Official Poverty...
This commentary was originally featured in Forbes on August 22, 2017. By the official definition of poverty in America, New Mexico has the nation’s highest poverty rate, 21.8 percent, while New Hampshire has the lowest, 6.6 percent. But a newer, more comprehensive measure of poverty by the U.S. Census Bureau tells a different story, with California having the highest poverty...
This commentary was originally featured in Forbes on August 8, 2017. States With the Highest Rate of Opioid Overdose Deaths in 2014 Earlier this year the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a report that suggested a significant number of opioid related deaths were incorrectly attributed to pneumonia and other infectious diseases...
Had Ms. Hubler looked beyond the ubiquitous Lone Stars, she would have seen something else: liberty – the kind that doesn’t require other people’s money.
This commentary originally appeared in Forbes on June 31, 2017. The public school district in Austin, Texas has seen declining student enrollments for years. Austin, America’s 11th-largest city is also one of the nation’s fastest growing, adding some 25,000 residents annually. Losing students in this environment is remarkable. Officials at the Austin Independent School District...