Federal funds that go directly to Texas’ political subdivisions affect the Texas economy as a whole. But regulation of Texas’ economy is, under the U.S. Constitution, a power that belongs to the state government, not the federal government. The Texas state government needs to take a full reckoning of federal grants sent directly to local governments, because these funds are never “free”—they come with federal requirements that build spending requirements into the system.
Higher Education
UT-Austin Puts the “Core” Back in Core Curriculum
For decades, the American university has been drifting away from its most important purpose: giving students a common education in the knowledge and principles they need to become educated citizens. The core curriculum was supposed to provide that common ground. Instead, it became a collection of distribution requirements—a little History here, a little PoliSci there,...
September 9, 2026