A Clear and Present Danger to Kids What to know: It’s time to stop the assault on young people’s mental health coming from their smartphones. The TPPF take: Social media has warped how we view the world. That’s especially true of children. “We’re checking our phones hundreds of times a day and spending the equivalent...
The Future of Energy What to know: Speaking at the East Texas Energy Summit in Tyler last week, TPPF’s Courtnie Bagley explained that Texas schools aren’t successfully connecting students to programs that could lead to high-paying careers in the oil and gas industry. The TPPF take: The oil and gas industry directly employs more than...
Austin and Affordability What to know: Home prices are coming down in Austin. Does that mean the city is becoming more affordable? Probably not. The TPPF take: A dip in home prices is only a drop in the bucket of housing affordability. “Part of the reason for high housing prices is the fact that local zoning...
Getting Good Numbers What to know: The Texas Public Policy Foundation has established the National Center for Energy Analytics, bringing together some of the top data scientists in the country. The TPPF take: The NCEA will produce credible, unbiased research on energy issues. “Our goal is to provide sober-minded, fact-based, emotion-free perspectives in energy domains. There...
Still They Come to Texas What to know: In a piece that doesn’t sound anything at all like sour grapes, the New York Post is reporting that New Yorkers who move to Florida and Texas aren’t saving quite as much money as they were before, as home prices rise. The TPPF take: Home prices aren’t the only...
The EPA is Coming for Your Car What to know: The EPA has adopted strict new “tailpipe” rules that could regulate your car out of existence. The TPPF take: Americans don’t want—and can’t afford—new electric vehicles, no matter what the Biden administration does to stimulate demand. “No matter how many subsidies and regulations the federal...
A Surprising Coalition What to know: A coalition of both the left and the right are pushing for more housing—and reducing regulations. The TPPF take: Lot size restrictions are among the biggest culprits behind housing unaffordability. “Smaller lot sizes can help reduce the costs of purchasing a home first by reducing the amount of actual...
Trainwreck Ahead What to know: The city of Austin’s shady rail scheme could be derailed eventually given ongoing litigation and the faults found by the Texas Attorney General’s office. The state’s top law enforcement officer recently determined that the city cannot “funnel for unlimited duration a portion of its maintenance tax for a billion-dollar capital...
Talking Parent Empowerment What to know: TPPF’s Robert Henneke spoke with the Hill Country Community Journal about parent empowerment and school choice. The TPPF take: It’s time to ensure that every Texas child has access to the right educational option for them—as determined by their parents. “Private schools would have to be accredited with recognized...
No Place for Politics What to know: One of Texas’ largest public school districts, Round Rock ISD, was recently caught “teaching that immigration law amounts to the oppression of minorities.” The lesson plan smacks of indoctrination and Marxist thinking. The TPPF take: Political agendas have no place in the classroom. “Public schools are supposed to...
Waking Up from Woke What to know: In Great Britain, the National Health Service is halting all puberty-blocking treatments for children, citing a lack of research on their safety or effectiveness. The TPPF take: Researchers have known for some time that gender dysphoria does not put teens at greater risk of suicide than teens suffering...
Voters Want to Empower Parents What to know: Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Corey DeAngelis says the tide has turned, and even rural Republican voters support empowering parents with school choice. The TPPF take: The Republican primaries put Texas one step closer to empowering parents. “While voters still mostly prioritize border security, public safety,...