Nearly 60 years ago, then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan delivered a line that animates and inspires patriotic Americans to this day: “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction.” Throughout history, intrepid individuals have pushed back against the excesses of government, putting self aside in sacrifice for the posterity...
This Sunday evening (Sept. 17) will bring the end to another Constitution Day. The question facing America is whether we are also reaching the end of constitutional democracy: Do we still believe in the “self-evident truths” of equality and inalienable rights? If it seems strange even to ask such a question, consider the principles of...
Nearly 70% of Texas university professors are not recommending Texas to their colleagues in other states, and more than a quarter are considering leaving next year, according to a new poll by the American Association of University Professors. Texas professors told surveyors their dissatisfaction stems from “political interference and widespread dissatisfaction with the state of...
The once-sleepy topic of accreditation continues to take shape as perhaps the most important front line in the higher education reform battles. For those that aren’t familiar with accreditation, a previous piece provided a short summary: On paper, accreditors are private entities that review the quality of colleges. They serve as one of the three...
UPDATE: The city of Austin has announced it will postpone the tree’s removal while it “reviews additional considerations.” The Celebration of Life has also been postponed. Every once in a while, the city of Austin does something so batty that you have to do a double take. Like the time its Equity Office proposed renaming...
It was early morning. The sound of a plane woke me up and I thought to myself, “that plane must be flying very low.” I was staying at the (now demolished) Hotel Pennsylvania, across from the Madison Square Garden, midtown Manhattan. I looked at the clock and decided it was time to get up—it was...
On Wednesday night, September 6, 2023, ERCOT had its first emergency energy alert (EEA) since the winter storm in February 2021 and its first summer EEA since August 2019. While the mainstream media continues to misdirect the public toward the preferred talking points of wind and solar lobbyists, examining the real reasons behind why this happened points us...
Austin’s policy failures on homelessness are bordering on criminal negligence. Heading into the downtown area, tents are visible under overpasses. A bit further from immediate view is evidence of more densely populated camps. A recent video from Save Austin Now shows just one of these encampments on the West Bouldin Creek trail. As those recording...
As the idea of a 1984 society becomes less conspiratorial, cancellation based on false information has taken new heights. While the threat of big government looms, one of the world’s most successful companies now holds a key to consumer control. Three months ago, an engineer at Microsoft was digitally exiled from his Amazon-run home. The...
Dallas County, the second most populous county in Texas, is threatening taxpayers with a double-digit tax hike. On Sept. 12, county commissioners will convene a special meeting to discuss next year’s tax rate, which is proposed at $0.215718 per $100 of value. If adopted, the proposed rate would mark a very minor decrease of 1%...
The city of Bryan looks like it will soon hammer homeowners and businesses with a major tax increase. On Tuesday, the Bryan City Council gave its unanimous approval to a $503.7 million budget for fiscal year 2024, which begins on Oct. 1. To support all of this spending, city council also considered and preliminarily approved...
The CCP is accelerating coal-fired power plant construction — while we remain blind to the danger of the nation’s ‘environmental’ claims. The Biden administration has placed tremendous importance on cooperating with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But based on new reports out of China, when it comes to their...