Countdown to Policy Orientation 2020

What to Know: Democratic presidential candidates are pledging to simply erase student loan debt for many Americans.

The TPPF Take: Wiping out student loan debt, even if feasible, would do nothing to solve the real problem—college affordability.

“Texas has already shown how to make college affordable,” says TPPF’s Tom Lindsay. “In February 2011, then-Gov. Rick Perry called on Texas’ public four-year universities to craft affordable bachelor’s degrees, what the governor called, ‘$10,000 degrees.’ The first Texas Affordable Baccalaureate Degree was launched by Texas A&M-Commerce and South Texas College. The new program commenced with seven students and grew to over 300 students and 121 program graduates by 2016.”

College affordability will be a topic of discussion at Policy Orientation 2020.

Making History, Not In A Good Way

What to Know: Dallas ISD could soon ask voters to approve “the largest school district bond in state history.” Initial estimates cost estimates range between $2.7 billion to $3.7 billion.

The TPPF Take: DISD’s student enrollment has dropped for six consecutive years.

“Dallas ISD wants billions in new debt even while its student population declines. How does it make sense to spend billions more when you’re teaching thousands less?” said TPPF’s James Quintero. “This addiction to debt must be brought to an end.”

A Royal Conundrum

What to Know: Are Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, split from the Royal Family over climate change? One report says that might be the case.

The TPPF Take: Really?

“The most privileged members of the most privileged generation in human history—enjoying the longest, healthiest, wealthiest, and most comfortable lives men and women have ever lived—think the world is collapsing around us,” says TPPF’s Jason Isaac. “It is unfortunate that climate alarmists can’t see how far we’ve come — or how bright humanity’s future can be.”