Yellowstone (and King Ranch)
What to know: The Paramount series “Yellowstone” continued to break records with its mid-season finale last weekend. Fans were left with several cliffhangers.
The TPPF take: Like the Yellowstone Ranch, the King Ranch in Texas (a model for the show) is also besieged—but here, the threat is from the unsecured border.
“From its founding in 1852, the Texas icon has weathered droughts, wars, booms and busts,” says TPPF’s Ken Oliver. “This new threat, however, is of a different sort entirely. Like most in the Rio Grande Valley, King Ranch workers don’t see migrants as the villains in the piece; they’re victims, too. It’s the ruthless Mexican drug cartels—and the Biden administration’s feckless border policies—that are causing all the trouble.”
For more on the border crisis, click here.
Policy Priorities
What to know: When the Texas Legislature convenes next week, taxpayers expect their pocketbooks to be a top priority.
The TPPF take: Texans are eager for policymakers to deliver a conservative state budget and the biggest tax cut in Texas history.
“A slowing national economy and rampant inflation is on the minds of many Texans. The incoming legislature can ease concerns by holding the line on new spending and returning most of the surplus back to taxpayers,” said TPPF’s James Quintero. “The eyes of Texas taxpayers are upon them.”
For more on legislative priorities, click here.
Preparing for War
What to know: China is preparing for war, a retired U.S. general warns.
The TPPF take: China’s intentions are clear; the Chinese Communist Party isn’t focused on climate.
“At the G-20 meeting in Indonesia in November, President Joe Biden met with the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping,” says TPPF’s Chuck DeVore. “But while Biden focused on climate change, the Chinese have been cloaking their preparations for war as a green energy push.”
For more on China, click here.