NEWS
An 8% Victory
Only 8% of the state’s 12.9 million registered voters took part in the constitutional ballot election. That’s not a healthy sign, given how important those amendments are. It’s shocking that 92% of the registered voters didn’t have an opinion on property tax reform, eminent domain abuse or new funding schemes for public universities.
Conservative Democrats Join the Republican Party in Texas
As Republicans are taking over the State governments of Virginia and New Jersey, many Texas Democrats are leaving their party and joining the Republican Party.
Obamapalooza wasn’t so fun after all
Less than a year ago, President Obama’s “hope and change” refrain train hit Washington to fanfare probably not experienced since VE-Day. There’s no point parsing every word, analyzing every speech, and interpreting every nuance that lead to his overwhelming victory.
Stimulus jobs: when does the counting stop?
The Obama Administration is touting the jobs “saved or created” because of the $787 billion stimulus plan passed earlier this year. One independent assessment of the total is 650,000; the White House puts the number closer to one million.
More on health care fraud
The Congressional Budget Office has tagged the recently-announced Pelosi health care nationalization plan at a little over $1 trillion. Given the history of inaccurate scoring of the long-term government health care costs, the Pelosi Plan (if passed) could be closer to $2 trillion over the next ten years, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Higher Ed. Commissioner Parades is confused about work
Texas commissioner of higher education, Raymund Parades, wrote a commentary published by the Austin American Statesman in which he extolled President Obama’s speech at Texas A&M and its focus upon “community service”
Kelo Protection
There is a fair amount of angst regarding Prop 11, designed to address the very real problems presented by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Kelo v New London decision. In that case, the Supreme Court eviscerated our property rights by allowing local government to take one person’s property and give it to another in the name of economic development or tax revenue growth. The only exception is if the particular state where the action occurs prohibits such takings. Texas currently does not.
Taxpayers deserve meaningful school measurement
The story begins with: “Texas is one of several states that have set a low bar for determining whether their students are proficient in math and reading, according to a new study from the federal government’s National Center for Education Statistics.”
When will Big Government advocates take a deep breath?
Today, two news reports should — but won’t — give proponents of the health care nationalization plan serious pause about what they are intent on doing.
Strong Fumes Cost Taxpayers
Potter County officials may have spent too much time researching the object of their latest desire. Exposure to heavy fumes is the only way one can reasonably explain the purchase of $450 per gallon paint.
Wentworth’s Award for Appropriating
It is one thing for legislators to get an award they’ve earned — such as the Taxpayer Champion and Advocate Awards we present to those working to protect our economy. But it’s more than a little unseemly when a group created, and funded, by government is handing out awards to a legislator who seemed to buy the honors with our money.
Embarking On Waste
The news in the past 24 hours highlights the contradictions unfolding in the debate over the nationalization of health care.