A-bsurd
What to know: The city of Austin—which is projecting a $33 million shortfall—spent $1.1 million on a bizarre new logo that some are calling “[c]ompletely unnecessary, ugly, and diverts money away from necessary projects.”
The TPPF take: It’s absurd that officials spent more than a million dollars on a logo when people are losing their homes to tax hikes.
“Austin’s wasteful antics show just how out of touch many local officials are. Many Texans are struggling to put food on the table and yet, leftist local governments are wasting money hand-over-fist,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “City spending is out of control.”
For more on local spending, click here.
Looped In
What to know: Russia’s war on Ukraine is well into its third year, and the fighting continues.
The TPPF take: Ukraine has a secret weapon, adopted from U.S. military doctrine: The OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act).
“This cycle, in which speed in processing information and adapting trumps sheer firepower, has been America’s edge in warfare for decades,” says TPPF’s Chuck DeVore. “In Ukraine, this plays out vividly. Russian forces can observe emerging threats, but they then orient slowly, bogged down by layers of approval. Ukrainians, however, decide and act swiftly, often outsourcing innovations to special ops or civilian-military hybrids.”
For more on Russia, Ukraine and the OODA Loop, click here.
That’s a Win
What to know: The Texas state senator who led the charge to ban DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion policies) in Texas public universities has been chosen to take the helm at Texas Tech University. Sen. Brandon Creighton will be the new chancellor.
The TPPF take: This is a win for Tech students—and all of Texas.
“Creighton has laid down the framework for a return to merit-based achievement and a focus on successful outcomes for every Texas kid — a path to ultimately get rid of the ideological blight that has corroded our university systems,” says TPPF’s Sherry Sylvester. “Texas Tech is a big winner.”
For more on Texas Tech, click here.