“Monthly state sales tax collections solidly exceeded collections from last March,” said Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar, announcing a 5.8% increase over March 2023. “Collections from sectors that have been increasing, compared with a year ago, continued to show strength, and receipts from some sectors that had been lagging saw gains," Hegar said. Sales tax is the largest source of state funding for the Texas State Budget, accounting for 57% of all tax collections.
A “rush to legislate” is almost always a bad idea – and we can see the evidence of such efforts in too many areas of everyday life. It’s better to let new innovations and technologies play out, and only then regulate or legislate if discrete problems have become obvious. Otherwise, we run the risk of letting precaution get in the way of innovation. Perhaps the best example of this today is the concerns and fears about Artificial Intelligence, or AI.
Books have been written about Leftist's & Liberal Democrat's "philosophy." They have an entire "world view" – and it's had repercussions wherever its been applied. Your average Democrat voter doesn’t understand it, and would probably disagree with most of it if they knew the truth of it. So here's what Leftists believe, and the consequences their beliefs will have on America the deeper they take root. Barack, Joe and others know EXACTLY what they're doing – and why.
We recently saw our brave Texas National Guardsmen overrun at the border by invading illegals. A few weeks ago, U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) announced that 189,922 illegal immigrants were encountered at the Southern Border in February – the highest number ever during February. Joe Biden is allowing thugs, rapists, murderers, gang members, drug cartel & human traffickers to waltz into our communities. Here's a list of the most concerning that have come across the border in the last couple of weeks.
Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps created by the Biden White House’s refusal to secure the border. Governor Greg Abbott met last week with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Governor’s Mansion in Austin and discussed the need to hold President Biden accountable for his disastrous policies. Gov. Abbott also urged the Speaker to stand strong in passing Border Security Legislation that helps stop illegal crossings along the Southern Border.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc., after reoccurring issues with certain airplane parts provided to Boeing. Spirit AeroSystems, “one of the world’s largest manufacturers of aerostructures for commercial airplanes,” according to the company, produces the fuselages for Boeing’s 737 jets. On certain models of the 737, apparent manufacturing defects have led to numerous concerning or dangerous incidents, some of which occurred in-air.
"I call upon all Americans to join us in lifting up the lives and voices of transgender people throughout our Nation," said President Biden in an official proclamation declaring Easter Sunday "Transgender Visibility Day." Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves blasted the proclamation and Mr. Biden, calling it "an intentional attempt to insult and mock Christians across America." Freedom of religion is our nation's Foundational Freedom, and we're no doubt living in a nation that's under attack.
"It is quite shocking – in the midst of a crisis at our Southern Border and an unprecedented crime wave – that the Biden Administration has chosen to expend tax dollars and vital law enforcement resources on a program that risks bloating state voter rolls with ineligible and non-citizen voters. It is not proper for the Federal government to push partisan groups into the voting process in Mississippi, or any other state," said Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson.
According to U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) data, in 2023 Border Patrol Agents apprehended 10,021 aliens illegally crossing the Northern Border – including 2,229 apprehensions in the first four months alone. In the first four months of 2024, through January 2024, Border Patrol has already apprehended 4,772 individuals along the Northern Border, a 114% increase from the first four months of 2023.
In 2006, Gazans voted for Hamas to rule them – and Hamas summarily executed its Palestinian Authority rivals. Hamas canceled all scheduled elections, established a dictatorship, and diverted hundreds of billions of dollars in International Aid to build its underground military installation tunnel system. Prior to October 7th, there were roughly 2 million Arab citizens in Israel, but no Jewish citizens in Gaza. And now Joe Biden promises to give more aid to Gaza after the Hamas massacre than before Hamas's attack?
Hunter Biden and his legal team have yelled & bawled for months that he wanted a Public Hearing to "clear his name." But last week when the time came to appear at such a hearing, Hunter was nowhere to be found. Two of Hunter's former associates did testify though (one from prison!) and from their sworn testimony we learned: The Bidens didn't sell any legitimate Good or Service, just the Biden "Brand"; Hunter committed perjury during his deposition; and, Joe Biden was intimately involved.
Interstate I-27 will run from the South Texas border city of Laredo, all the way north through West Texas and the Panhandle, up through Colorado, Oklahoma & New Mexico, and ultimately all the way up to Canada. TXDOT conducted a comprehensive study of the "Ports-to-Plains Corridor," and found that upgrades to this highway will result in a 76% return on investment – as well as $3.4 billion in annual travel cost savings, 17,710 new jobs, and a $2.2 billion annual increase in Texas state GDP.
"The State of Texas stands with Israel and the Jewish Community, and we must escalate our efforts to protect against antisemitism at Texas colleges & universities all across our state. Antisemitism is never acceptable in Texas – and we will do everything we can to fight it," said Gov. Greg Abbott, signing an Executive Order that requires all higher education institutions in Texas to review their free speech policies, and establish and enforce appropriate punishments to address the acts.
“The Texas Legislature designed the the Jobs, Energy, Technology & Innovation Act (JETI) Program to encourage and unleash potential research, development, and manufacturing of high-tech equipment across the state – such as projects that strengthen the state's power grid and others – all while boosting statewide employment,” said Comptroller Glenn Hegar, announcing that JETI succeeds the Texas Economic Development Act, more commonly known as the Chapter 313 site selection and competitive tax-incentive program.
These are hard times for the professional "Never Trumpers." Donald Trump's winning this election, they’re not getting the attention they used to, and Bidenflation's made pool boy rates simply outrageous. The poll numbers showing Trump leading across the country – particularly in the crucial & all important Swing States – should be understood as a total repudiation of the jerks, because they are. There are a lot of reasons to want to see Trump win, but among the Top 5 is seeing these goofs cry.
While pollsters may give us insights into how people will vote, voters actually participating in a Primary Election offers hard evidence as to how they have voted. So far this year, Republicans & Democrats have held Primary Elections in three out of the six states that decided 2020’s Presidential Election (Arizona, Georgia & Michigan.) Thus far, Trump has yet to lose and his turnout has defeated Biden's handily in all three – by an average margin of over 150,000 votes. Why is this significant?
With a majority of Mainstreet businesses in Texas grappling with an uncertain economic climate and the deadline to file this year’s taxes, we could use another round of common sense, pro-innovation tax policies. And in a Congress that's taken few steps forward on legislation of any kind, "The Tax Relief for American Families & Workers Act of 2024" provides a glimmer of hope. Many Texans could use some relief from the economic woes they’ve endured under the Joe Biden White House.
Accidental opioid overdoses are on the rise in Texas. In fact, 1-in-4 Texans has personally experienced an opioid overdose – or knows someone who has. Emergency Room visits for opioid misuse among seniors rose 220% in 2021, and Veterans of Iraq & Afghanistan are at increased risk of being prescribed opioids for pain. Since the best time to break a habit is before it starts, it’s been encouraging to see Congress heed the call to make non-opioid pain medications more available & affordable.
