In a few short weeks, a virus with origins in China has brought the American economy to a near-halt. Public health officials, 16.5 million health-care workers, and tens of thousands of scientists are working overtime to reduce the fatalities, heal the sick, and find a cure. Congress reacted as only it knows how—by spending more than...
Late last month, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven urged people to take responsibility and follow the government’s recommendations, AFP (Agence France-Presse) reports. “Those include working from home if you can, staying home if you feel sick, practice social distancing, and stay home if you belong to a risk group or are over the age of 70.”...
“Social distancing” isn’t easy in jails and prisons. Many states and localities are issuing orders to release inmates in an effort to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus. But while it makes sense to release some first-time and low-level offenders, some states and counties are going about it in a way that puts the public...
Two weeks ago I warned that Mexico was dangerously unprepared for a coronavirus outbreak and that once it hit, it would spread quickly, overwhelming a weak and corrupt Mexican state and a woefully inadequate health-care system. Despite warnings from health officials that an outbreak was inevitable, the Mexican government had done almost nothing to prepare and refused...
Who is “essential,” and what does that mean? I’ve been thinking about that lately. I get a lot of email these days; I’m sure we all do. It’s basically of three varieties: hey, we’re still open, please get take-out; hey, we’re closed, please buy a gift card; and, hey, COVID19 is going to affect our...
On Tuesday, the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finalized what is likely their most impactful and controversial rulemaking to-date during the Trump administration, the Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles rule. The SAFE rule modifies the 2012 Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, standards, reducing the projected overall industry average required fuel economy for model...
As COVID-19 continues to spread across the United States, some electric companies may ask high-skilled workers to temporarily live on-site. Facing the real prospect of staffing shortages, power plants desperately need to keep their employees healthy and keep the lights on for the rest of the country. The alternative — losing access to the electricity we...
Women’s History Month offered 31 days to acknowledge the courage and sacrifices of women in history, celebrate the accomplishments they’ve made, and seize the opportunities available as a result of their advocacy and dedication to the advancement of women. Historically, the “Roaring Twenties” was a decade of women’s independence, and the new Roaring Twenties looks...
As cases of coronavirus rise, local governments are making hard decisions about which functions are essential to maintain during the crisis. Many counties are choosing to postpone hearings in which important decisions about reuniting children in foster care with their families are made — effectively delaying their return home. Such decisions are revealing about our...
It is March 2020 and every schoolroom in Texas is practically empty. Earlier this month, with the COVID-19 virus spreading so quickly, Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster in Texas, resulting in all Texas school districts being temporarily closed. During a Town Hall event on March 19, the governor made it clear that despite school...
Texans are incredibly resilient in the face of a crisis. We can beat COVID-19, and we can recover from the blow the virus has dealt to our economy. Government can help with thoughtful, carefully considered policies — which mostly involve getting out of the way. California has shown us how not to do it. It...
We’re being presented with a false dilemma. We’re told we can either stay at home and limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, or we can get to work and try to limit the damage the virus and the shutdowns are doing to our economy. It’s like being told that to win the war, we must...