Does election fraud happen on a coordinated, wide-scale basis or “at the local level from time to time” or not at all? Contrary to the protestations of some in the media and pundit class, election fraud does occur. The concerns are, how pervasive is it? Does it change election outcomes? And should we be concerned...
The Tax Foundation recently published a map of the country illustrating the property taxes paid in each state as a percentage of owner-occupied housing value in 2018. Of all 50 states, Texas had the seventh highest property tax burden in the country, with an effective rate of 1.69% of occupied housing value. This burden is...
The protests that have rocked communities since the death of George Floyd were perhaps the defining reality of our summer. Mass action in the streets has become a major feature of civil discourse. It is by no means over. The question is whether it has all constituted protest in the American tradition — peaceful, constructive,...
With just over a month until the election, many concerns exist as to how Americans will vote. Will voters vote at the polls or by using mail-in ballots? President Trump has already expressed concerns how voters will vote in the election. It is possible ballots will be sent to individuals who have never voted before...
On Sept. 23, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a speech to the Wisconsin State Senate warning of the Chinese Communist Party’s influence operations targeting state and local officials. Pompeo began by highlighting an odd incident from February when Wisconsin Senate President Roger Roth received an email from an official in China’s Chicago consulate. The email included language...
At a time when Texas officials are talking about trimming the state’s budget to deal with serious revenue shortfalls, one medical organization is instead pushing the state to expand Medicaid, via the Affordable Care Act. But that’s the wrong prescription for what ails America’s health care safety net for the poor. Instead of expanding Medicaid’s...
I gathered with the entire student body of Wyoming Catholic College on Sept. 17, 2019, for a mandatory celebration of Constitution Day. We began with the Pledge of Allegiance, witnessed a lively panel discussion between professors on the history and modern relevance of America’s founding principles, and concluded by singing patriotic songs. If you are a student at...
The Austin City Council is playing politics with public safety. Now some are calling for the statehouse to step in. In a bid to appease far-left radicals, City Hall last month cut millions from the Austin Police Department’s budget and redistributed the money to other social justice causes, such as easing abortion access ($100,000), boosting urban trails...
The city of Austin wants voters to approve a massive bond proposition this November to help fund a $7 billion transportation plan that features a downtown subway system, light rail, and more. But some recent remarks have Austinites asking whether the plan will even work. The controversial comments came from Zach Baumer, the city’s climate...
Despite the suffering and sacrifice of ordinary taxpayers, it seems that some North Texas governments are continuing to tax and spend like normal. For example, Tarrant County officials just approved a budget with “3 to 6 percent salary increases” for county employees. Elsewhere, Fort Worth and Arlington ISDs are asking voters to support massive tax...
The Census Bureau’s annual reports on poverty in America were released on Sept. 15. The reports provide three salient observations. First, that the largest reductions in poverty in the past 10 years occurred in 2019, as American employment and wage growth was particularly strong in minority communities in the wake of President Trump’s economy-boosting tax cuts and...
There are competing goals in the rioting and protesting we see all over the country. The prevailing narrative remains the peaceful expression of outrage against perceived injustices committed by the police. However, it has become clear that protests have been hijacked by those whose intent is anything but peaceful. Some media networks are desperate to cling to...