During his trip to Europe, President Trump criticized Germany, Europe’s most populous democracy and pivotal NATO ally as being “totally controlled by Russia.” And, if that wasn’t clear enough, he reiterated this by saying, “Germany, as far I’m concerned, is captive to Russia … So we’re supposed to protect Germany, but they’re getting their energy...
The shale revolution in the Permian Basin of far west Texas is breaking record after record for oil and gas output. The Permian’s energy breakthrough in shale is right now transforming global energy markets and fueling economic growth in the United States. Perhaps even more importantly, it’s beginning to lessen the dependence of not just...
This Monday, commissioners on the Matagorda County Commissioners Court will consider subsidizing Peyton Creek Wind Farm. The Court should consider the cost to residents and the benefit they will receive in return. Experience from those already living in the shadow of wind turbines indicates that the costs usually outweigh the benefits. Chapter 312 of the...
The principle of innocent until proven guilty is a bedrock of America’s criminal justice system. However, the favor that courts and prosecutors continue to lavish upon pretrial detention and our bail system has eroded that same bedrock of our justice system, and imposed significant costs to local taxpayers. What does pretrial detention entail, and what...
Right on Crime’s National Director of Reentry Initiatives John Koufos shared his story of how he became dedicated to prison reform on Freedom to Flourish. Koufos was a thriving New Jersey attorney that was hiding a battle with alcoholism when he made a life-altering mistake. He drove drunk, hit someone, and ran. After being sentenced to...
Texans pay state and local taxes in one form or another. Given Texans desire prosperity and liberty, an optimal tax system creates the least burden on economic activity while funding limited government spending. While the details of taxation can get complicated quickly, core principles of sound taxation include a tax that’s simple, flat, and broad-based....
“The best lack all conviction, While the worst are full of passionate intensity.” – William Butler Yeats This week, Americans will celebrate our independence from Britain—and, if our patriotism hasn’t been sabotaged by revisionist history — all the good that America has done since 1776. But lurking amid our backyard festivities will be a much more...
This Fourth of July, many Americans are spun up, protesting against President Trump with a long list of grievances – most recently his plans to appoint a conservative justice to the Supreme Court, as well as his immigration policies, his foreign policy, his trade policy, his tweeting … his everything. Calls for the president’s impeachment...
These are tough times for newspapers, particularly local papers that are still an integral part of their communities. They serve many vital functions, because no 24-hour news channel and no national political website will likely keep track of the varsity boys’ basketball scores or the proposed teachers’ raise that the school board is discussing. What’s...
Although never explicitly codified in the Constitution, the axiom that a person is considered innocent until he or she has been proven guilty of a crime is a bedrock principle of our justice system. Indeed, the Supreme Court held in 1987 that while it is sometimes necessary to jail defendants before their trials — e.g.,...
People come to the United States to build a better life. A large part of that is the opportunity to earn a living in a land where hard work can pay off – literally. Ohioan Rustem Kazazi learned that first-hand. At the age of 64, and after many years of hard work, he decided to...
Hello. I'm Kara Belew. One of the most important responsibilities we have is to make sure our kiddos are getting a good education. We should ask ourselves, "can they read and do math at grade level?" Across Texas, the quality of education varies from school to school. And the truth is many children are not...