It should be safe to say that the United States is finally starting to move past Covid-19 as herd immunity nears closer and closer. The debate over whether lockdowns were a good pandemic response has been raging since day one with each side attempting to grasp at whatever immediate evidence is available.
The overwhelming evidence at this point seems to suggest that after controlling for various outliers, most sweeping policy responses like stay-at-home orders and business closures have very little correlation with stopping Covid-19. After factoring in the economic and social damage of lockdown policies, the case for their long-term use becomes untenable. This fact has been hinted at almost since the beginning of the pandemic and increasingly confirmed by the latest data.
/PRNewswire/ The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) releases today, the 14th edition of Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic.
Minnesota ranks in 46th place in terms of economic outlook and economic competitiveness, according to survey mesabitribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mesabitribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
AP Photo/Eric Gay
A few weeks ago, I pointed out a piece of legislation that the Texas House of Representatives was pushing one which multiple conservative groups warn would raise taxes.
The bill, HB 2889, would alter travel tax liabilities so that the consumer would essentially be paying more. It has the opposition of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), and others. However, House Republicans in Texas still appear likely to push ahead and pass the bill.
A reminder from the piece I wrote on April 14:
If Republicans are concerned about the budget and state fiscal issues, look for cuts. In a state like Texas, there needs to be a really good reason to raise taxes, and it seems very strange to make travel and hotel reservations through third-party sites like Expedia and Travelocity the hill to die on.