A Conservative Icon

What to Know: Esteemed economist and political commentator Walter E. Williams has died.

The TPPF Take: Williams was a champion for economic liberty.

“Walter Williams’s journey from the projects of Philadelphia to a professorship in economics at George Mason University—and becoming one of the most recognized and respected conservative voices of our time—was remarkable,” said TPPF’s Kevin Roberts. “His great gift was communicating complex economic principles in everyday language. Always a cheerful combatant—yet one who would ‘Suffer No Fools,’ as the title of a documentary about him pointed out—Walter was an effective advocate for freedom.”

A Clean Slate

What to Know: More and more states are considering “clean slate” laws that will help former inmates begin new lives.

The TPPF Take: Clean slate laws can help reduce recidivism.

“Transformation on the part of the incarcerated individual must be met with restoration on the part of society,” says TPPF’s Scott Peyton. “The hope of restoration—of someday being a part of the community again—is a key incentive for reform.”

A Big Texas Welcome 

What to Know: Hewlett Packard Enterprise is packing up and moving to Texas from California.

The TPPF Take: California continues to drive out businesses and residents with its sky-high taxes and regulatory burdens.

“If California’s anti-jobs policies, its high taxes, capricious regulatory enforcement, and blackout-inducing energy policy can chase out the company that launched Silicon Valley, is any business, large or small, immune from pressure to move?” asks TPPF’s Chuck DeVore. “Unless a company must directly serve the California market, such as a fast-food chain, the answer is a resounding no.”