Color Me Shocked What to know: Waste, fraud, and abuse are rampant throughout the city of Austin. For example, the city committed taxpayer resources to creating an adult coloring book featuring a drag queen who crows: “Quitting tobacco has allowed me to be the best performer that I can.” The TPPF take: If Austin has enough money to create comics...
Live Within Your Means What to know: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently announced a slate of 2027 local government tax and spending reforms, aimed at helping taxpayers and improving affordability. The governor explained one reason for this effort is that: “Local governments must live within their own means—just like you have to live within your means.” The...
An End to the Shutdown What to know: The U.S. Senate has voted to end the nation’s longest-ever federal government shutdown. The TPPF take: Senate Democrats’ shutdown surrender was a gift to the Republican Party. “Progressives bet the farm on voter backlash, but while the shutdown likely boosted the vote in the odd-year election in Virginia and New...
Big Win? What to know: Many in the media are celebrating last week’s off-year elections as a big win for Democrats. The TPPF take: They’re not entirely wrong. “In the rest of the country, Democrats and their progressive left-wing alliance ran the table, taking both of the gubernatorial races that were up, electing a socialist as mayor of...
Changing of the Guard What to know: It’s official—former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won’t seek re-election to the seat in Congress she has held for nearly 40 years. The TPPF take: Pelosi’s brutal partisanship did much to damage our civil discourse. “Her decision to tear up President Trump’s first State of the Union address when he handed it...
Bought and Paid For What to know: The Justice Department has arrested two Mississippi sheriffs and 12 officers for providing protection for people they believed worked for drug cartels. The TPPF take: The cartels and China continue to make inroads into the U.S., even as leftist judges attempt to block law enforcement efforts. “The most dangerous battles now unfolding...
A Special Problem What to know: A new Houston Chronicle report is highlighting a big and growing problem for Texas taxpayers—special purpose districts. As the article notes: “The number of special purpose taxing districts has nearly doubled since 1998, reaching 2,300 last year and far outpacing the state’s population growth.” With each new taxing unit created, the burden...
A Win for Texas What to know: Texas voters approved Proposition 1 on the November ballot to provide a funding stream for Texas State Technical College. The TPPF take: Texas voters gave the green light to power up our workforce by approving Proposition 1, creating a permanent endowment for the Texas State Technical College System (TSTC). “This victory strengthens...
Iberian Blackout What to know: A spring blackout on the Iberian Peninsula was caused by excess voltage, the EU says. The TPPF take: Could the same thing happen in Texas? “The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) identified problems in Spain that apply to Texas and other parts of North America: insufficient voltage regulation, poor tolerance of inverter-based resources...
U-Turn What to know: After being threatened with a loss of funding, the city of Laredo finally voted to “cover up a 5-year-old anti-border wall street mural” that was criticized for pushing politics on public property. The woke message read: DEFUND THE WALL – FUND OUR FUTURE. The TPPF take: At last, Laredo recognizes that public roads...
Not Human What to know: In a new lawsuit filed by distraught parents, a company that designs artificial intelligence claimed that its AI bots have First Amendment rights. The TPPF take: Humanity is at an inflection point. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers boundless promises while also presenting critical challenges to civilization. “Industry and legislators must balance technological innovation with...
Scary Socialism What to know: New York City voters seem to be embracing socialism, as they cheer mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. The TPPF take: Socialism leads to frightening results. “As the mayoral race continues, there’s no shortage of love for government programs and centralized power,” says TPPF’s Austin Prochko. “This is, of course, not surprising—socialists and communists love...