Bait-and-Switch
What to know: President Biden’s new initiative on crime is mostly about gun control.
The TPPF take: The president is using rising crime rates as a pretext for gun control.
“It should be clear to everyone that guns do not commit crimes, criminals do,” says TPPF’s Randy Petersen. “But framing the tidal wave of violent crime as “gun violence” (especially as an epidemic of the same) gives the left an opening for them to act. It is easier to scare the public about the existence of a gun that has no serial number than it is to explain why leftwing prosecutors release criminals without concern to risk or refuse to prosecute them at all.”
For more on the president’s plan, click here.
Things that Go Well Together
What to know: Texas lawmakers passed a bill this session that will limit how much the state budget can grow.
The TPPF take: Setting budget limits and cutting the budget can both be achieved at the same time.
“The truth is that budget limits and budget cuts aren’t mutually exclusive—they’re a perfect pairing,” says TPPF’s Vance Ginn. “Budget limits tell budget writers, ‘This much, and no further.’ Budget cuts are an opportunity for those writers to demonstrate real fiscal conservatism by reducing the size and scope of government.”
For more on budgets, click here.
Anti-Human Investing
What to know: The Securities and Exchange Commission says it’s looking into issues with environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing.
The TPPF take: The ESG movement is anti-human.
“What if, instead of apologizing for needing fossil fuels, we instead celebrated the role of affordable, reliable energy in ending poverty around the world?” asks TPPF’s Jason Isaac. “After all, if banks and investment firms want to prioritize investments that provide the most benefit to society, they can surely do no better than oil, gas, coal, and nuclear. Nothing improves human lives like access to affordable, reliable energy.”
For more on ESG investing, click here.