Tag: Derrick Max
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Collective Bargaining Will Only Further Divide Virginia’s Universities
by Derrick A. Max Cardinal News ran my guest column this morning warning that collective bargaining at Virginia’s public universities will only further deepen the political divides that are undermining Virginia’s once esteemed system of higher education. The push to unionize university workers in Virginia is not about increased pay, better working conditions, or fairness. Beneath…
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The Death of Fair Representation
Every partisan-drawn map is an insult, but Virginia’s is the most insulting. by Derrick A. Max There is a difference between redistricting and rigging. One is a constitutional necessity. The other is political temptation. Right now, Virginia stands at the crossroads between the two. On April 21st the voters will decide which way we turn. Using current…
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Stacked Local Taxes Make Virginia Less Affordable
by Derrick Max — Virginia’s restaurant and lodging sector is still in a fragile post-COVID recovery, yet local governments across the Commonwealth are piling on new and higher taxes that make affordability worse for families and survival harder for small businesses. A new statewide analysis of meals, lodging, and related sales taxes across all 133…
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Congratulations to Governor Spanberger…
… and a call for collaboration and principled debate. by Derrick Max Today, the Thomas Jefferson Institute congratulates Governor Abigail Spanberger on her historic inauguration as the 75th governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia — and the first woman in the nearly 250-year history of the Commonwealth to hold this office. Her assumption of the…
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Voting in Ignorance
Voters go to the polls today without seeing the candidates debate critical issues ranging from redistricting to the energy crisis. by Derrick Max With election day now upon us, Virginia voters were short-changed this election cycle while Democracy is literally being threatened! Virginians were limited to one, short, poorly controlled debate for Governor, one equally…
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Why Harvard and the UDC Should Keep Their Tax Exemptions
by Derrick Max Every taxpayer dollar sent to any university or private entity should be closely scrutinized. In the case of the billions sent to Harvard University and other elite schools, the probe being imposed by the Trump administration is long overdue. The research grants which make up the majority of Harvard’s non-medical federal funding,…
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Virginia is Ready to Take Full Control of Education
by Derrick Max Last night, as promised repeatedly during the campaign, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education (the Department). The order also ensures the continued delivery of essential services such as federal student aid and…
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Voters Will Decide Virginia’s Future Direction
by Derrick Max In two weeks, the people of Virginia will decide on two competing visions for the future of Virginia. Will they elect a General Assembly favoring Governor Glenn Youngkin’s more freedom-oriented policy vision, or will they elect a General Assembly returning the Commonwealth to the statist policy vision of former governors Terry McAuliffe…
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Virginia Hits Highest Labor Force Participation Rate in a Decade; Unemployment Decreases
(First published today by the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy.) by Derrick A. Max Work isn’t just about a paycheck. At its core, work is about freedom, accomplishment, respect, human dignity, and even companionship. Work gives purpose and is essential to a thriving community, and thriving communities are essential to a thriving state. That is…