It’s a shame that Sen. Kamala Harris sought to politicize a celebration of the historic First Step Act at Benedict College in South Carolina last week. Criminal justice reform has benefited millions of Americans — most especially the minorities the Democratic presidential candidate says she advocates for. This reform restores victims, redeems former prisoners and rebuilds communities....
We all care about the quality of the air we breathe, but can we trust the government to correctly assess the science our health depends upon? At the moment, the answer is no, but reform is underway. Last week, in a rare occurrence, the EPA’s Clean Air Advisory Committee (CASAC) voted 4 to 2 against tightening...
(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.) Some 75% of all college grades earned...
(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.) There is a genuine crisis in American...
We don’t have all of the details on the shooting of Atatiana Jefferson in her home by a Fort Worth police officer, and much of what we don’t know might have to wait for the trial of the officer. But what we do know supports a robust defense of the Second Amendment — we all...
Conservatives have long worried about the Bennett Hypothesis. Named for former Education Secretary William Bennett, it argues that the availability of federal financial aid programs leads colleges to increase tuition faster than they otherwise would. Conservatives have been right to worry. But there’s a way to break that link—by changing how we determine aid eligibility....
California is blessed—and cursed—with a Mediterranean climate. The Golden State features long stretches of dry, low-humidity weather, with infrequent thunderstorms (except in its desert regions). Most of the state’s precipitation falls during the winter months. Before the first big late-year Pacific storm, California’s forests and coastal chaparral are often tinder-dry. Richard Henry Dana Jr., in...
We have so many elections—and with campaigning now a year-round activity, it’s tough to tell what we’re voting on. This November, Houston residents will have a ballot before them allowing them to decide on leaders at the local level—the level of government that has the most immediate impact on our lives. “This municipal election is...
A recent headline in The Washington Post informs us that “a record number of colleges” are dropping their “SAT/ACT admissions requirement amid growing disenchantment with standardized tests.” Or is it “growing disenchantment with standards of merit”? Is this what is at the bottom of American universities’ moves to jettison the SAT and ACT tests as a requirement...
Many cities across Texas are racing to max out property tax rates before strong new taxpayer protections take effect early next year. But this isn’t the case in Von Ormy, Texas. That’s because this small town doesn’t collect property taxes. Located south of San Antonio, Von Ormy is flourishing, thanks in large part to its liberty-centric...
Around the world, activists are conducting a “climate strike” on Fridays, walking out of their offices and schools to protest climate change. Some are even blocking busy intersections in Washington D.C. Unfortunately for the strikers, their time and energy won’t achieve lasting change—if any change at all. Blocking roads just leads to more emissions due...
Thousands of ranchers, farmers, trucking companies and other small businesses would be hit hard if the Clean Water Act is expanded to include groundwater discharges, as the Ninth Circuit recently held that it should in the case of County of Maui, Hawaii v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund, et al. For example, many family farming operations in...