The Texas Caliphate
What to know: Islamists in Texas are building their “largest stronghold in the US with hundreds of mosques, networks linked to Hamas, and powerful sources of income,” a new report says.
The TPPF take: In light of this Islamist threat, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has called for legislation prohibiting public schools from accepting foreign money or partnering with foreign governments.
“There is nothing inherently wrong with learning Arabic or studying another culture,” says TPPF’s Kate Bierly. “Foreign-language education can be valuable. But there is a profound difference between learning about another civilization and allowing a foreign organization to shape how that civilization is presented to American children.”
A HOT Time in the Old Town Tonight
What to know: Central planners spend hotel occupancy tax (HOT) revenues on projects and programs intended to boost tourism. Arguably, there are better ways to invite people over for a visit.
The TPPF take: Communities interested in attracting tourists should use market mechanisms, not government-directed incentives, to get the job done.
“Texas’ hotel occupancy tax is poorly configured and unproductively used, making it practically indefensible,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “The current iteration of the tax should be eliminated entirely. It is wasteful and invites cronyism. Absent abolition, strong, new reforms should be considered to require regular performance audits, restrict HOT funding to critical infrastructure and tax relief, and remove barriers that make it difficult for private actors to organize and market their communities.”
Surrogacy Problem
What to know: Even the New York Times admits that the U.S. has a “surrogacy problem.”
The TPPF take: This “surrogacy problem” is really a crisis in human dignity.
“Transforming pregnancy into a service, and unborn children into products that can be bought or sold, inherently debases human dignity,” says TPPF’s Eric Oldfather. “On the surface, it’s just consenting adults signing a contract with stated terms for monetary compensation. In reality, in these contracts, mothers are treated as leased incubators, while children are treated as manufactured goods subject to quality control, return policies, and the changing preferences of commissioning buyers.”