A Texas Treasure
What to know: Texas lost a giant last week, when entrepreneur and philanthropist Red McCombs passed away at the age of 95.
The TPPF take: Red McCombs has left his mark on Texas.
“He had a truly inspiring life story that embodied all the greatness of what it means to be Texan,” says TPPF’s Greg Sindelar. “We remember him as a fighter for liberty and free market principles, contributing significantly to critical public policy issues and conservative causes—without which Texas would be a very different place. In 2021, he was the recipient of TPPF’s highest award, the Sam Houston Award, because he exuded the principles of individual freedom, hard work, and personal responsibility.”
For more on Red McCombs, click here.
Texas or Bust
What to know: California Gov. Gavin Newsom is planning to run for president in 2024, if President Joe Biden doesn’t run for a second term.
The TPPF take: Newsom’s political future could be clouded by the dismal state of his state—as shown by how many people are leaving it for good.
“With all that tax money California collects, you’d think its residents would enjoy great roads and a strong public education system—but California’s thoroughfares rank the nation’s fourth worst due to a big backlog of deferred maintenance while their K-12 public school results are barely better, ranking 40th of 50,” says TPPF’s Chuck DeVore. “For hundreds of thousands of Californians moving out of the state every year now, Newsom’s whiny blamecasting may be the last thing they hear as they cross the border heading east.”
For more on California, click here.
Student Loans
What to know: The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case against President Biden’s student loan “forgiveness” scheme.
The TPPF take: The moral case against student loan debt-shifting (from the beneficiaries to the taxpayers) is clear.
“Student loan forgiveness is wrong because it’s regressive—it hurts the poor and middle class more,” TPPF’s Andrew Gillen says. “Virtually no one thinks that it is appropriate for the government to provide handouts to those with high incomes in the name of charity. Yet, to a disturbing extent, that is precisely what loan forgiveness would do. The reason for this result is that student loan debt is concentrated among high earners.”
For more on President Biden’s student loan scheme, click here.