Causes of the Texas Blackouts, Biden’ s Next Steps on Afghanistan, and More

March 10, 2021

In today’s Brief, we discuss what led to the recent dangerous energy situation in Texas. Additionally, we highlight our scholars’ reactions to Biden’s reported plans on Afghanistan and Democrats’ move to cover pensions in the American Rescue Plan.

Despite two “once-in-a-lifetime” storms in Texas over the past decade, state policymakers have failed to address the fossil fuel industry’s grip on energy policy and regulation. Colby Galliher, Kelsey Landau, and Julia Bourkland discuss the factors that led to the Texas blackouts and explain what must change to avoid future disasters.

“Do we stay or do we go? We believe that the correct answer is to stay. As difficult as it is to remain in this longest war, the most likely outcome of pulling out of Afghanistan would be very ugly, including ethnic cleansing, mass slaughter and the ultimate dismemberment of the country,” argue Madiha Afzal and Michael O’Hanlon in their latest op-ed.

Democrats are using the budget reconciliation process to allocate around $80 billion of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan to preserve pensions, forgoing bipartisanship on major pension legislation for the first time in recent memory. Joshua Gotbaum explains how the issue became partisan and why Democrats are going it alone now.

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