The United States is the only country founded, not on the basis of ethnic identity, territory, or monarchy, but on the basis of a philosophy – a philosophy of representative, democratic, limited government. That philosophy, moreover, is spelled out explicitly in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and earlier works they echo, such as Locke’s Two Treatises of Government (a “little book on government” that is “perfect as far as it goes,” in Thomas Jefferson’s words). Those documents reveal the ideas on which the Founders built this nation. They also reveal how far we have strayed from those ideas.
Local Government
Examining Local Government Spending Trends From 2014 to 2023
City and county spending has outpaced growth in population and inflation, leading to an increase in the tax burden on Texan taxpayers. Key points: Local government spending continues to outstrip increases in both population and inflation. From 2014 to 2023, local government spending rose by 61.2%, whereas population and inflation increased by only 42.7%. Elevated...
March 6, 2026