Latest news with #Republican-run
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Editorial: Bible lesson in Austin: Texas Ten Commandments bill is lawsuit-bait
The Republican-run Texas House of Representatives has passed a bill mandating the placing of a minimum 16-by-20-inch framed display of the Ten Commandments in each public school classroom in the state. The measure will now go to the GOP Senate, which is expected to pass it after signing off on an earlier version of the legislation and then to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. But the real audience of the law are the nine justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. The bill could not have been better designed to violate the First Amendment's Establishment Clause; as a law school practice problem, it would have been considered a little ham-fisted. State legislators and Abbott's administration are practically salivating over the prospect of the matter getting into court, where they can defend their godliness against the heathens trying to prevent the good people from exercising their faith. This is a twisted view of the language of the First Amendment that takes it to be not a firewall between church and state but a shackling of the state's ability to regulate religious expression, even when it is being mandated. Even if they lose in court — and they really should, quickly — Texas GOP policymakers still win. A court loss gives them the ability to campaign and fundraise off the fact that they were foiled by 'liberal judges' who will be framed as taking the commandments out of the classroom as opposed to reasonably blocking their inclusion in the first place. They're also counting on, frankly, editorials much like this one, as they take scolding from civil society as the marker of a job well done. It's a good racket. There is some irony that the lawmakers working on the bill with preliminary votes on both Saturday and Sunday, the Jewish Sabbath and the Christian Sabbath, violated the commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy. That's just one more indication that this isn't about the genuine exercise of religious belief, but about the amassing of power, using the government to signal that one ideology isn't not only protected but dominant and waging the never-ending culture war that the modern Republican Party has taken upon itself to wage incessantly. We have to wonder what this legislature is neglecting in spending its limited time and energy on these inane and performative fights. They certainly seem to be less concerned with the very real threat that the Trump administration wants to subjugate significant aspects of state control and cut the government programs that the health and safety of Texans depend on. How focused are students going to be in the classroom if and when the federal government cuts SNAP to the bone and lets some of those kids go hungry? If Texas lawmakers are so worried about K-12 education, perhaps they should instead focus on the fact that more than half of students are below grade level in math and nearly half in reading, remaining below pre-pandemic levels. Having the Ten Commandments prominently displayed in classrooms is not going to do all that much when students are having a hard time figuring out what the words mean. ___
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Las Vegas Sands drops bid to open $4B casino complex at Nassau Coliseum site
Las Vegas Sands has withdrawn its planned bid to open a $4 billion casino complex at the site of the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. The gaming giant's announcement Wednesday caught some casino industry insiders by surprise. 'Crazy,' one industry source said. Sands had the strong political support of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and the Republican-run legislature — but there was some hard-core opposition led by nearby Hofstra University and residents living near the Nassau Coliseum hub in Uniondale. 'Hofstra University is pleased with Las Vegas Sand's decision to abandon their application for a license to build a casino at the Nassau Coliseum. Over the past 90 years, Hofstra has been deeply invested in the future of this region, and we are eager to be a part of planning for development in the Nassau Hub that would promote, sustainable economic growth, enhance the quality of life for all who live and work here, and serve the true needs of Nassau County and Long Island,' Susan Poser, Hofstra University President, said in a statement to The Post. In a statement, Sands said it wanted to focus its financial resources elsewhere and expressed concern about legislation introduced in New York to legalize internet or i-Gaming. 'For Las Vegas Sands, we believe the highest and best use of our capital in the near term is to purchase Las Vegas Sands and Sands China shares,' the gaming company said. 'Accordingly, Sands has decided not to bid for a casino license in New York.' While headquartered in Vegas, all of Sands' gambling operations are in Asia — with five in China-controlled Macao and one in Singapore. Sands' withdrawal comes at a time of a tariff war between the US and China, putting the gaming giant in a difficult position with so much of its business dependent on licenses overseen by the communist country, one industry source said. Last April, a top Sands Casino official ripped New York gaming regulators for a 'confusing' years-long review process to bid for a casino license. Las Vegas Sands was founded by billionaire Sheldon Adelson, a major Republican donor who died in 2021. His family still owns the gaming company. The state gaming commission is expected to approve up to three casino licenses in the New York City region by year's end. Sands has entered into a lease arrangement with Nassau County to build a casino-entertainment complex at the Nassau Coliseum hub. In its statement, the company said it would try to 'secure an agreement' from a third party to bid for a casino at the site. Blakeman said he will see if another developer wants to develop the Coliseum site — with or without a casino. 'County Executive Blakeman has been aware of certain pressures that have factored into Las Vegas Sands' rethinking of land-based brick and mortar casinos in the United States. The County Executive is grateful that Las Vegas Sands is committed to the development of the Coliseum site with or without a casino,' a spokesman for Blakeman said. 'There is strong interest from gaming organizations, which have been in confidential discussions with Nassau County in taking the place of Las Vegas Sands in the licensing application process. Nassau County will crystallize within the next 30 days whether or not to entertain a casino component or develop the site without. 'In either event, there will be an exciting new development that will create jobs and positive economic activity,' the rep added. Sands' exit could boost the odds of other bidders bordering Nassau, including Mets owner Steve Cohen's plan with Hard Rock to open an $8 billion casino complex next to Citi Field, and the Genting Resorts World slots parlor at Aqueduct race track, which is seeking to obtain a gaming license to offer table games. Among the other bidders vying for a gaming license include the Wynn NYC- Related Companies casino proposal for Hudson Yards; SL Green/Caesar's Entertainment/Jay-Z Roc Nation pitch in Times Square; Thor Equities consortium's push to erect a casino in Coney Island and Bally's proposed casino next to its golf course in the Bronx's Ferry Point.
Boston Globe
06-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
In Beacon Hill budget debate, how much to give MBTA emerges as sticking point
The dueling proposals also land at a high-stakes time for the transit agency. Officials said the MBTA is burning through its reserve funds, and could face a The circumstances have prompted state lawmakers to commit substantial — in some cases, record — amounts of new money. They just Advertisement 'We believe this is enough money. It's very, very significant investments in the MBTA,' state Senator Michael Rodrigues, the chamber's budget chief, said Tuesday of the Senate's budget proposal. In all, the Senate is proposing to dedicate at least $820 million to the T's operating budget. That includes a $500 million infusion in the primary budget proposal, which it will add to and debate later this month, plus another $320 million in a separate bill backed by a Advertisement Rodrigues, a Westport Democrat whose district isn't serviced by the T's core subway system, said the Senate also wants to ensure there is 'regional equity' in how it spreads tax dollars. The chamber's budget proposal would commit $214 million to the state's other regional transit agencies, $10 million more than the House. 'We want to ensure that they have resources to provide transportation services for [those residents] also,' Rodrigues said. The funding for the T, however, would fall far short of what passed the House, where its speaker, Quincy's Ron Mariano, and budget chief, the North End's Aaron Michlewitz, directly represent those who use the MBTA's subway system every day. The House passed legislation in recent weeks dedicating at least $1.35 billion that could go toward operating costs at the T. That includes $637 million in its Taken together, the chambers are offering visions for the T that are $530 million apart. There's no shortage of other challenges. The Senate's proposed bottom line hews closely to that of the House, hiking spending 6.3 percent over the budget the Legislature passed last year and funneling billions of more dollars into the state's Medicaid program. Advertisement Rodrigues said the Senate is proposing to dedicate $120 million to fund the Like the House, Rodrigues said the Senate's initial version isn't building automatic contingencies into its plan amid the uncertainty in federal help. President Trump's administration has already withheld or cut 'If they make significant reductions in Medicaid reimbursements, all bets are off,' said Rodrigues, who conceded that this year's budget cycle is 'probably the most challenging one' he's handled in the six years as the chamber's ways and means chair. 'The drama is going to be in and around the fiscal [debate], in the numbers.' Senate President Karen E. Spilka said that challenge is rooted directly in the uncertainty about how much financial pain a Republican-run Washington could inflict on traditionally blue Massachusetts. 'The federal government might decide to punish this state financially for being who we are,' the Ashland Democrat said. 'That, to me, is among the worst punishments possible.' This is a developing story and will be updated. Matt Stout can be reached at
Sydney Morning Herald
06-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Welcome to Starbase: The world's richest person is making his own city
While the vote will not give Musk free rein to adopt any regulations he wants, city officials will be able to do things such as close roads during rocket launches and build new housing for SpaceX staff. The company has complained of being prevented from building enough housing for the hundreds of workers who want to live near the headquarters. A recent attempt to build more accommodation was rejected by local county officials. In addition to the incorporation, locals elected Bobby Peden, a 36-year-old SpaceX employee who has worked at the company since 2013, as the town's new mayor alongside two city commissioners. Little is known about the town's new leaders, who are all connected to SpaceX and ran unopposed with no campaigning. An X account was created for the new city shortly after the results emerged. In its first post, it said: 'Becoming a city will help us continue building the best community possible for the men and women building the future of humanity's place in space.' Musk is not the only tech billionaire looking to create his own new enclave. Marc Andreessen, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist known for inventing Netscape, and Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, are among the backers of California Forever, a real estate company plotting a new city after buying more than 20,000 hectares of land near San Francisco. PayPal tycoon Peter Thiel was one of the first investors in Seasteading, a libertarian project aimed at building floating cities in the middle of the ocean. Crypto entrepreneurs have also tried to create their own utopia in Puerto Rico. Victory for Musk's SpaceX was widely expected given that almost all the 283 eligible voters in the area were employees and their families. Despite this, the vote did face protests amid concerns SpaceX would be granted the power to shut down access to the town's public beach whenever it wanted. The bust of Musk was last month defaced by vandals. Loading Rene Medrano, who grew up going to the Boca Chica beach, told the Texas Tribune: 'It's just such a disgrace on what's happening out here. There's a lot of upset community people who are seeing there's a great chance that we may lose this beach.' Musk has recently relocated many of his companies and headquarters from California to Texas as he seeks out more favourable regulation in the Republican-run state. He recently bought a $US35 million ($54 million) compound in Texas, which is designed to house 11 of his 13 children by different mothers. County officials will canvass the results of the vote in the next fortnight before the official incorporation is declared by a judge. However, Remi Garza, the elections administrator for Cameron County, said: 'It's officially statistically impossible for the measure to fail. Cameron County is about to have a new city.'
Sydney Morning Herald
05-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Welcome to Starbase: Elon Musk to get his own city in Texas
While the vote will not give Musk free reign to adopt any regulations he wants, City officials will be able to do things such as shut down roads during rocket launches and build new housing for SpaceX staff. The company has complained that it has been prevented from building enough housing for the hundreds of workers who want to live near the headquarters. A recent attempt to build more accommodation was rejected by local county officials. In addition to the incorporation, locals elected Bobby Peden, a 36-year-old SpaceX employee who has worked at the company since 2013, as the town's new mayor alongside two city commissioners. Little is known about the town's new leaders, who are all connected to SpaceX and ran unopposed with no campaigning. An X account was created for the new city shortly after the results emerged. In its first post, it said: 'Becoming a city will help us continue building the best community possible for the men and women building the future of humanity's place in space.' Musk is not the only tech billionaire looking to create his own new enclave. Marc Andreessen, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist known for inventing Netscape, and Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, are among the backers of California Forever, a real estate company plotting a new city after buying tens of thousands of acres of land near San Francisco. PayPal tycoon Peter Thiel was one of the first investors in Seasteading, a libertarian project aimed at building floating cities in the middle of the ocean. Crypto entrepreneurs have also tried to create their own utopia in Puerto Rico. Victory for Musk's SpaceX was widely expected given that almost all of the 283 eligible voters in the area were employees and their families. Despite this, the vote did face protests amid concerns SpaceX would be granted the power to shut down access to the town's public beach whenever it wanted. The bust of Musk was last month defaced by vandals. Loading Local Rene Medrano, who grew up going to the Boca Chica beach, told the Texas Tribune: 'It's just such a disgrace on what's happening out here. There's a lot of upset community people who are seeing there's a great chance that we may lose this beach.' Musk has recently relocated many of his companies and headquarters from California to Texas as he seeks out more favourable regulation in the Republican-run state. He recently bought a $US35 million ($54 million) compound in Texas, which is designed to house 11 of his children by different mothers. County officials will canvass the results of the vote within the next fortnight before the official incorporation is declared by a judge. However, Remi Garza, the elections administrator for Cameron County, said: 'It's officially statistically impossible for the measure to fail. Cameron County is about to have a new city.'
