No Surprise Here

What to know: Texas newspapers are aghast that Gov. Greg Abbott would open Texas (which includes lifting mask mandates), effective next Wednesday. The Houston Chronicle, for example, says the move “plays politics with Texans’ lives.”

The TPPF take: On the contrary, opening Texas will allow Texans to safely return to their jobs, schools, and individual lives.

“The pandemic and subsequent government-induced shutdown has taken a tremendous toll on all Texans, not just with the health challenges but also the massive disruption to the social, educational, and economic welfare of our state,” says TPPF’s Kevin Roberts. “TPPF commends Governor Abbott for stewarding Texas through this difficult time and making the decision to fully open our state.”

For more on the governor’s order, click here.

Where are the Children?

What to know: Thousands of students are simply “missing”—meaning they haven’t reported to their online schools, districts admit.

The TPPF take: The COVID pandemic highlights need for more choices in education.

“Public education will have to change,” says TPPF’s Erin Valdez. “We have an opportunity now to ensure that it changes for the better — that Texas schoolkids can learn in the way that suits them best, whether it’s in a traditional classroom, or online, or even through an innovative apprenticeship. We can give families more choices.”

For more on the pandemic and public education, click here.

Puerto Rico’s Power Grid

What to know: The Biden administration is seeking to send more aid for Puerto Rico’s failing power grid.

The TPPF take: Puerto Rico needs reliable power, not Green New Deal dreams.

“Puerto Rico has an ambitious goal of 3,500 megawatts of renewables by 2025. That is enough energy to power the entire island on a sunny and windy day,” writes former Trump energy official Juan Caro in a guest column for The Cannon Online. “But when the sun goes down and the wind stops blowing, people tend to return home from work, creating a peak in demand: AC units ramp up, lights turn on, and families gather around the television. Energy storage technology is decades away from being practical and cost-competitive.”

For more on Puerto Rico and its power grid, click here.