The latest defense of Obamacare isn’t a defense at all, it’s just the claim that Republicans don’t have an alternative and should therefore stop trying to get the landmark health insurance law overturned by the courts. But now, the House of Representatives’ Republican Study Committee has stepped up with its own plan, “A Framework for Personalized, Affordable Care.”...
Henry Ford once said “a customer can have a car painted any color—so long as it’s black.” The automobile was new to the market, and Ford wanted his factories to run so efficiently that the cost could be low enough “that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one.” Once competitors...
While the United States is getting out of the Paris Climate Accord, some cities have decided to stay in. To date, more than 400 U.S. cities have committed to fulfill the Paris Climate Accord — despite the president’s announcement. This coalition got an international boost last week when New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a...
A war of words has broken out between conservative state lawmakers and liberal local officials, with each side questioning the other’s motivations and character. These sometimes-caustic exchanges are not new to Texas politics, but the barbs are usually traded behind closed doors and inside committee rooms, not aired openly. The harshness of the public squabbling...
Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas – once a rising star in the crowded field of Democratic presidential hopefuls – withdrew from the race Friday after belatedly realizing he couldn’t become president simply by attacking President Trump without offering a better alternative. Although he joined the chorus of Democrats denouncing Trump with ever-growing ferocity and embraced full-blown Trump Derangement...
Two new solar farms are being proposed in Wharton County. The two projects – Hecate Energy Ramsey LLC and Louise Solar, LLC – are both seeking significant tax breaks in return for bringing their investment to the area. Hecate Energy Ramsey’s application was posted in March of this year, and Louise Solar’s was just posted in July....
American employers added 128,000 jobs last month, far above the expected 85,000. In addition, 95,000 more people were hired than initially estimated in August and September. This means that after revisions, monthly nonfarm job gains have averaged 176,000 over the past three months. These gains were seen in the face of employment declining by 42,000 in...
Texas has the most competitive electricity market in the world. Why this matters to Texans is because the competitive market has blessed us with a reliable and affordable supply of electricity. Unlike some other states over the last few years, when we hit the switch the lights have come on without breaking the bank. To...
Wherever you go in rural Texas today, you are likely to run across a new wind farm or solar farm being constructed. And why wouldn’t they be? Taxpayers and consumers are currently paying more than $2 billion annually to renewable energy companies operating in Texas. And with the threat that eligibility for the biggest renewable...
San Antonio’s City Council recently approved revisions to its mandatory paid sick leave ordinance, which is set to go into effect in December. But these changes don’t improve an ordinance that was already bad for local business. The original version required smaller businesses with six to 15 employees to provide up to 48 paid sick...
(Author’s note: In response to my 10/29/19 Forbes piece, “Death to Merit —College Admissions Process Descends Into the Abyss,” a number of readers asked me to expand on a subject I mentioned in the course of that piece—grade inflation. What follows distills my research over the years on this subject.) In an honorable attempt to arrest grade...
(Author’s note: In response to my 10/29/19 Forbes piece, “Death to Merit —College Admissions Process Descends Into the Abyss,” a number of readers asked me to expand on a subject I mentioned in the course of that piece—grade inflation. What follows distills my research over the years on this subject.) Why should we care that 45% of...