Criminal Justice

Smart action to stop the spread of the coronavirus in prisons and jails can save lives and money

As the U.S. continues to grapple with COVID-19, we can’t lose sight of the pandemic’s impact on the criminal justice system. All 10 of the top clusters for the virus are in correctional institutions. Beyond the wrenching human toll on individuals incarcerated and the staff who work in jails and prisons, corrections departments are incurring hundreds of...

August 22, 2020

Family

Case dismissed, ‘abuser’ label remains

It’s been over a year since Child Protective Services (CPS) wrongfully removed Ashley and Daniel Pardo’s youngest son, Drake, due to an unsubstantiated allegation of medical abuse. The case, which drew widespread media attention and public outrage, culminated with the Supreme Court of Texas ordering CPS to return Drake to his family. Sadly for the...

August 20, 2020

Health Care

Biden Doubles Down on Obamacare’s Broken Promises

When the dust had settled in the Democratic presidential nomination contest of 2020, the last remaining defender of the Affordable Care Act, Joe Biden, had won. And though his more progressive opponents had succeeded in pushing Biden toward expanding Medicare, his policy goal remains to “protect and build on” the ACA. What the other Democratic candidates agreed upon, though,...

August 20, 2020

Health Care

When Obamacare fails families

The Democratic National Convention is resurrecting the Affordable Care Act as the centerpiece of the party’s healthcare policies. One speech featured healthcare activist and cancer survivor Laura Packard, who credits the ACA and its rules on preexisting conditions for her survival. Yet there are other stories that should be told, stories about the families that “Obamacare” failed....

August 19, 2020

Economy

Texas’ COVID-19 Testing Conundrum

Most signs point to an improving COVID-19 situation in Texas—unless you consider the recently questionable elevated test positivity rate that’s keeping us from reopening. On Aug. 13, Texas reported 6,879 hospitalized COVID-19 patients statewide, the lowest number since June 30. And on that day, the Texas Medical Center in Houston had its 27th consecutive day...

August 18, 2020

Economy

Let Entrepreneurs Solve COVID-19

Until now, governments in America have never shut down society like they did due to COVID-19. Unfortunately, the destruction by the novel coronavirus and the lockdowns have devastated lives and livelihoods. But we must consider not only the effects we can see such as the number of cases and deaths reported, but also the unseen...

August 18, 2020

Energy & Environment

New Methane Rule: Right for Americans, Environment

Last Thursday, the EPA announced the adoption of new environmental standards that will reduce overburdensome regulations on methane emissions from oil and natural gas operations. While the climate alarmists will scream that the end is near, the EPA estimates the new regulations will increase methane emissions by only a few percent over the next 5 years. And...

August 18, 2020

Higher Education

How and why a proper education in American history would inspire patriotism

For decades, America has failed to instill a love of country in its younger generations, with a recent poll finding that only 51 percent of young Americans are proud of America, while only 40 percent would be willing to sacrifice for their country. Along the same lines, most Americans do not know even the basics...

August 16, 2020

Economy

Overview of Executive Action on Enhancing Unemployment Benefits

On Saturday, August 8, President Donald Trump signed four executive actions in response to a Congressional stalemate on the next round of COVID-19 relief. This brief covers the memorandum allocating federal Disaster Relief Funds (DRF) to enhance state unemployment insurance (UI). Background on UI: The federal-state UI system was created in 1935 as a form...

August 14, 2020

Other

Overview of Executive Action on Deferring Employee Payroll Taxes

On Saturday, August 8, President Trump signed four executive actions in response to a Congressional stalemate on the next round of COVID-19 relief. This brief covers the memorandum deferring some employees’ payroll taxes to Social Security without affecting the program. Background on payroll taxes: There are two types of payroll taxes: Social Security rate is...

August 14, 2020

Criminal Justice

On Defunding The Police, Austin Asks, “Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Who’s The Wokest Of Them All?”

In America’s season of unrest, calls for police reform have too often been met with sloganeering rather than considered debate illuminated by fact and data. Unfortunately, one major city in Texas isn’t immune to this phenomenon: Austin. Of Texas’ six most-populous cities, five plan to increase their law enforcement budgets: Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth,...

August 14, 2020

Criminal Justice

Right on Crime: Habitual offender laws hurt Louisiana’s offenders, taxpayers

To quote Right on Crime’s director, Derek Cohen, “prison is for the people we’re scared of, not the people we’re mad at.” However, this is not always the case in Louisiana, where a person who commits multiple felony offenses can lose their freedom for extended periods of time — even life — regardless of how...

August 13, 2020