In case you missed it…
Media bias
It was still raining in Texas when certain folks in the media began using Hurricane Harvey as a weapon with which to score cheap political points. Perhaps one of the strangest narratives in the last couple weeks is the claim that Houston’s “libertarian-style” zoning and minimal regulation led to the large amount of destruction. However, there’s a far simpler explanation that is far more likely: Hurricanes are damaging. (Read more)
Labor unions
Compulsory union membership is a “menace to [the] rights, welfare and liberty” of workers. But it wasn’t some staunch anti-union politician or policy expert who said that. It was Samuel Gompers, founder of the American Federation of Labor — which later became the AFL-CIO. Of course, things since have changed. And with a potential Supreme Court ruling — in the Janus v. AFSCME case — pending in the near future, all America could effectively soon become “right-to-work.” Labor leaders who’ve long had captive memberships are, naturally, beginning to panic. (Read more)
Modern politics
The ideological divide appears to be growing at an alarming pace — but navigating the political landscape itself is also getting confusing. J.T. Young summarized it nicely in The Federalist last week: “If contemporary politics seems confusing, it is not because of its vagaries. It is because of the basic certainties arising from the conflict between the Right and Left. Not only are the Right and Left unable to reconcile their differences, they cannot even reconcile their own limitations.” (Read more)
NPRI in the news
The Nevada Policy Research Institute isn’t just a resource for Nevadans trying to understand local policy issues — we’re also increasingly a go-to source for media from across the country. With the Oakland Raiders soon to become the Las Vegas Raiders, reporters want to understand the potential risk to taxpayers, the challenges for central planners and the cronyism that drives such giant giveaways. Thus, The American Spectator recently came to NPRI for the policy implications of pouring $750 million of taxpayer dollars into a pro football stadium. (Read the TAS series here: Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five)
Nevada Policy Research Institute’s 26th Anniversary
On behalf of the entire NPRI staff, I want to thank everyone who helped us celebrate our 26th Anniversary last night.
The sold-out event, with Dinesh D’Souza as our keynote speaker, was simply inspiring. At one point, Dinesh explained that defenders of free markets and individual rights are far more powerful than we realize. And, looking around the room last night, I believe he is right.
Together, we have done some amazing things over the years. Your support, your enthusiasm and your engagement have helped us yield real results.
But there’s plenty more to do in the year ahead, and we have big plans for meeting those challenges. We are going to need your support more than ever. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, forward our emails to your friends, and visit NPRI.org to make a donation. After all, it’s your support that makes everything we do possible.
Together, with your help, I am confident we can defend our shared ideals, and keep Nevada free and prosperous.
Again, thank you everyone who helped share the evening with us. It was a truly exciting experience. And don’t forget to look for Dinesh D’Souza’s new book, The Big Lie! Better yet, show your support for NPRI by shopping on Amazon Smile, and choosing the Nevada Policy Research Institute as your preferred charity!