Texas is unlike our nation’s federal government in many ways, not the least of which is our balanced budget. But just because a budget is balanced doesn’t mean it’s fiscally responsible. With the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 crisis, and especially the steep decline in oil and gas production, Texas will be in for...
In what seems like a lifetime ago, state government finances across the nation were moving in divergent directions, with 28 states having replenished their fund balances above what they held before the onset of the recession in 2007. Meanwhile, states such as Pennsylvania and Illinois were dangerously low on fiscal reserves, with each state having...
The American economy was booming prior to the lockdowns stemming from the current pandemic. Similarly, many of our nation’s prisons and jails were beginning to improve conditions of confinement, in ways ranging from ending the shackling of pregnant women to reining in the use of solitary confinement. However, the trend away from prolonged solitary confinement...
Some Americans are angry. On Wednesday, thousands of Michigan residents — in their vehicles — brought traffic in Lansing to a standstill. A spokesperson for Operation Gridlock said there’s a clear message for the governor who has locked down the state: “Instead of talking about what’s essential and nonessential, let’s talk about what’s safe and...
This month we celebrate the 155th anniversary of the surrender of Robert E. Lee to General Grant at the Appomattox Court House—marking the effective end of the Civil War. Over half a million Americans lost their lives in the struggle to fulfill our country’s founding principle that all men are created equal. While the human toll is a...
A recent report from Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth stating that six cases of suspected severe child abuse came through the hospital last week has led to speculation that stress from the COVID-19 outbreak is fueling a spike in incidents of abuse. While it is critical for communities to remain vigilant for signs that...
Next week, the Supreme Court of Texas will hear the case of a father seeking to vindicate his fundamental rights from being forced to share custody of his daughter with her mother’s former boyfriend. This case, known as In Re C.J.C., has profound implications for all Texas families. It centers on a provision of Texas custody law that...
As the Trump Administration continues to issue an unprecedented number of regulatory waivers and rules to allow the medical professionals in our health care system to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress goes about its business of creating unintended consequences. The well-intentioned policies of eliminating cost-sharing for patients testing positive for the COVID-19 virus coupled with the...
During my reelection campaign for Congress in 2012, I traveled throughout my expansive district and knocked on many doors. Some people I met responded, “I’m sorry, I’m not a citizen so I don’t vote.” This was puzzling since I was knocking on their door precisely because their name was on a voter registration list provided...
Government in the United States is taking measures at the federal, state, and local levels to reduce the spread of coronavirus as well as to negate its effects. But are officials forgetting that our government’s primary role is to protect the liberties of its citizens, and not just the citizens themselves? After law enforcement put a stop...
In a time when millions have been laid off in the wake of the coronavirus and too many families are struggling to make ends meet, the Trump administration’s new vehicle emission standards are a step in the right direction that America needs. The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule will cut the average price of new vehicles...
Holy Week has taken on new significance for many of us this year. Social distancing, loneliness and worry about the health and well-being of our families have oppressed us. We don’t know if our shuttered businesses and shattered economy will ever be the same. We reach out to our friends and extended family, but texts...