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
Don’t Shrink the Core. Fix It.
Just how bad is American higher education today? Consider this observation on today’s college students from Jessica Wilson, a professor of great books and humanities at Pepperdine: “It’s not even an inability to critically think. It’s an inability to read sentences.” She is not alone. Professors at elite colleges report that many incoming students arrive...
July 31, 2026