The Squeeze is On

The Squeeze is On

What to know: A cost-of-living crisis is gripping the nation. In fact, “Americans are defaulting on their credit cards and auto loans at levels not seen since the financial crisis—and the struggle to pay their bills is poised to get worse as interest rates rise and the moratorium on student loans expires.”

The TPPF take: Government is the problem.

“Washington D.C.’s reckless handling of fiscal and monetary policy has damaged the middle class and demolished those on fixed incomes. So much so that many Americans can’t afford to pay their bills today,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “The road to economic recovery is long and arduous, but it begins with this: a recognition that government isn’t the solution to the problem, but rather, government is the problem.”

For more on the cost of living, click here.

Breaking the Drought

What to know: Texas is suffering from an energy drought—caused by an overreliance on wind and solar power that do not produce electricity 24/7.

The TPPF take: Our tight grid conditions highlight our problem with subsidizing unreliable energy.

“One way to help achieve this rebalancing of the market and improve reliability is to require all generators, including wind and solar, to pay for the cost that their variability imposes on the system,” says TPPF’s Brent Bennett. “This essential market reform will help control the rising costs of variability that are impacting Texas consumers and direct investment from more variable to less variable generation.”

For more on the Texas grid, click here.

Fire at Homeless Encampment

What to know: Another fire broke out at an Austin homeless encampment; locals and business owners say the city is getting more dangerous.

The TPPF take: Homeless encampments in Austin are a threat to public safety.

“While Austin’s policies are an example of what happens when laws go unenforced, there are other cities that are taking this issue seriously,” says TPPF’s John Bonura. “Recently, Dallas has allocated money for clearing and cleaning these camps, while also putting up fences as a deterrent for areas prone to attracting homeless camps, such as overpasses and areas outside immediate visibility.”

For more on homelessness, click here.