Forfeiting our liberties is not inevitable. The pandemic, however, has moved us to a state in which a longer-lasting loss of freedom is more possible and more likely than before.
In 1999, when the Florida legislature was first considering a meaningful school choice program, opponents predicted the worst. Governor Bush’s plan to offer vouchers to students in failing schools would “kill public education,” according to Leon Russell, then the chairman of the Florida Chapter of the NAACP.
On Wednesday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) announced that he is extending his state’s gas tax holiday through Sep. 12 by executive order.
The Illinois legislature, which is dominated by Democrats, voted almost unanimously in favor of suspending the 1% sales tax on groceries in April. Part of a package deemed the “Family Relief Plan,” Illinois’ budget for this year also includes a pause on increasing the state’s gas tax, tax rebate checks of $50-$100 per person, $520 million in property tax credits for homeowners, and an expanded sales tax holiday for school supplies and clothing.
All in all, the legislature did the abortion issue right and we are seeing the fruit of their labor today. The now-effective Human Life Protection Act is true to pro-life principles, will keep women from prosecution, and represents Alabama’s conservative values well. It is a morally just law of which our state ought to be proud. It was not a haphazard political stunt but a good and thoughtful policy that considered what implementation might look like if the ban were ever allowed to go into effect.
Starting this upcoming school year, families in Tennessee will be able to enroll in a school choice program that allows eligible students to use taxpayer dollars to attend private schools. On Wednesday, a Tennessee court lifted its injunction against the Education Savings Account program, which was originally signed into law in 2019. As a result, Governor Bill Lee announced that the program would be active starting this fall.
According to ancient Greek philosopher Plato, it is the great philosophers who are best suited to govern society. Known as “philosopher kings,” they use wisdom, Plato says, to determine how society should operate. Ours is not a country governed by philosopher kings. The Founding Fathers, instead, predicated our government as one of the people. And it is Congress, the gathering of popularly elected representatives, which is given that weighty law-writing authority.
The head of a conservative think tank that seeks to expand school choice has won the runoff race for the Republican nominee for State Superintendent in South Carolina.
Mississippi, like Alabama and other states, has seen a windfall of tax dollars due to high spending and federal stimulus funds. While Alabama legislators have largely determined to spend that money to increase state government, other states like Mississippi are making meaningful tax cuts.