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Connecting today’s news with the research & opinion you need.

Have Yourself A Merry…

What to Know: At least someone is in the holiday spirit. Taylor Swift dropped a new song, “Christmas Tree Farm,” along with a video.

The TPPF Take: Take that, Canton, Michigan! The township’s grinchiness (and harassment of two would-be Christmas tree farmers) will not prevail!

“The First Amendment protects plaintiffs who file constitutional claims against the government,” says TPPF’s Chance Weldon. “But Canton has doubled down on its threats and fines levied against the brothers. It’s time for the courts to put a stop to this, and for a little more holiday spirit.”

This is How It’s Done

What to Know: Texas physicians are demonstrating how price transparency can help bring down health care costs.

The TPPF Take: Prices matter, and the more transparency there is in health care, the better for patients, providers and families.

“An important question here is whether price transparency affects the way a patient—the consumer—chooses services provided by a physician or hospital—collectively the provider,” says TPPF’s David Balat. “The evidence is clear. The more knowledge we have, the better for everyone in the decision-making process.”

Free College

What to Know: Democratic plans for “free college” at public universities is a terrible idea, says David L. Bahnsen in National Review.

The TPPF Take: Free college schemes don’t address the real cause of rising costs—federal funding and federal enablement of runaway administrative costs.

“A massive influx of federal funds certainly won’t do anything to contain costs at colleges and universities, and students will still graduate with degrees that have little application outside academia,” says TPPF’s Tom Lindsay. “Congress should work with the Trump administration to reform our nation’s system of higher education, to ensure that every American has the opportunity to succeed.”