The Democratic Party that is defending the Affordable Care Act before the U.S. Supreme Court next month is the very same Democratic Party that is proposing even bigger changes to our health care system. Though former Vice President Joe Biden prevailed in his party’s presidential primary, he was the last remaining proponent of former President Barack Obama’s...
The political pundit class is abuzz with claims that President Donald Trump’s reelection effort is getting crushed by a massive early voting turnout by supporters of Vice President Biden. But is that really the case? In Florida, one of 19 states featuring both voter registration by party affiliation and reporting of early voting numbers, Democrats jumped out to a 490,000-voter lead...
It comes as no surprise former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris are campaigning on promises “to end our gun-violence epidemic.” The leftward drift of the Democratic Party on most policy questions, including lawful firearm ownership, has been made explicit in its 2020 party platform. The presidential nominee’s campaign “issues page” takes it several...
The expanded Early Voting period has begun here in Texas and questions persist—is this the safest way to vote? That depends on your criteria for safe voting. Is it the ability to vote without the threat of COVID-19? Or is it ensuring that your vote counts in what has already been a contentious election season?...
Today, the Houston City Council will consider adopting a property tax rate of $0.561840 per $100 of taxable value, which is very small decrease from the prior year but will still cause bills to grow given the appraisal increase. If adopted, the tax rate is expected to increase city taxes on the average homestead by...
One of the most widely cited explanations for rising college prices is that state and local governments have been cutting funding for higher education for decades. According to this view, universities raise tuition to make up for the lost funding. This type of observation has been repeated so frequently that it is accepted as gospel....
In 2020, COVID-19 has made things complicated. Voting and elections, especially in Harris County, are no exception. And as many have realized a mere 30 days from the election, the pandemic has caused a shortage in poll workers and volunteers across the state of Texas. This is because historically, most poll workers have been seniors...
There is no shortage of polls or pundits predicting the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. But “outcomes” include more than simply election results. Who is gaming out how America — and the world — will respond? We are. While national polls suggest an edge for former Vice President Joe Biden, the winner isn’t determined...
Too many Texans, one out of five adults, struggle with basic literacy. Far more, three of five, would fail the U.S. citizenship exam. Beyond civic literacy and literacy itself, Americans also have poor economic and financial literacy. Too many of us make terrible decisions, fail to budget, and run up our debt. With so many...
Our desperate lack of civic literacy and understanding of the principles of our U.S. Constitution is never greater than when the Second Amendment is involved. That brings us to the current U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearing. Liberals, if taken at their word in desiring a more just and equitable body of law, should embrace Judge Amy Coney...
For some reason, the Lone Star State and its 38 Electoral College votes is considered to be a battleground—never mind that neither Vice President Joe Biden, nor his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, have made one visit to Texas this year. President Donald Trump leads in Texas by 4.4%, according to the Real Clear Politics average...
Most people and institutions are held accountable, however imperfectly. We all know of a charlatan who has yet to be exposed, or a shady institution that is coasting on its reputation, but eventually, the truth wins out. With any luck, that moment has arrived for higher education. Last fall’s publication of the most comprehensive college...