Advocates of historic preservation talk about preserving our heritage. They claim that the way to do this is to protect old buildings, usually through ordinances and other regulations. But a discussion of the issue must consider the full context, and that means a careful examination of what constitutes our heritage. Heritage refers to that which…
Each legislative session, government school financing is one of the most controversial issues on the agenda. And each legislative session, nearly every party involved—legislators, parents, teachers, and taxpayers—walks away unhappy. The controversy and dissatisfaction will continue unabated until fundamental reform of the educational system is enacted. About 90 percent of all children in Texas attend…
With low taxes and fewer regulations, Texas is known as a business friendly state. But it really depends on what business you are in. This was evident in the 2017 legislative session when law makers imposed new restrictions on small breweries. Craft brewers who produce more than a specified amount of beer and sell directly…
During the 2017 Texas legislative session, protecting property rights from violations by local governments was a recurring subject and the source of great controversy. Legislators introduced bills to rescind local ordinances pertaining to plastic bag bans, tree removal, short-term rentals, and more. Gov. Gregg Abbott called a special session largely for the explicit purpose of…
In an article titled “Why We Need Compromise,” former U.S. Representative Lee Hamilton wrote: The responsibility of our politicians is to make the country work, to provide stability and an environment in which Americans can live in freedom and achieve their goals. In a nation as big and diverse as ours, in which people hold…
Many Americans view history as little more than a collection of semi-interesting stories. History, they believe, has little bearing on contemporary life. They believe that that was then, and this is now. Times have changed. Viewed properly, history is an intellectual laboratory. We can trace the intellectual causes and motivations of events, movements, and individuals….