Weekly Writers Round-Up: Tax Day, Cuts to Legal Immigration, and Lessons from the Notre Dame Fire

Each week, we’ll be featuring the work of the alumni and current participants of AF’s Writing Fellows Program. A few highlights from the past week are below. The application deadline for the Summer 2019 session is approaching soon (April 26)! See here to learn more or apply.

Tax Freedom Day Highlights Advantages of the Texas Economic Model by Vance Ginn (Spring 2019) in The Hill
We economists love a good object lesson for the vague principles and theories we discuss. That’s why the Tax Foundation’s “Tax Freedom Day” is so useful — it provides a clear, concrete example of how tax policy (which is boring) affects every American’s paycheck (which is very not boring).

Tax Freedom Day is the date upon which American workers will finish working to pay down taxes at all levels of government. This year, according to the Tax Foundation, that date is April 16, or 105 days into the year…

Republican Senators Introduce Bill To Cut Legal Immigration in Half by Billy Binion (Spring 2018) in Reason
A trio of Republican senators reintroduced the Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy Act (RAISE) Act last week, which seeks to reduce legal immigration by 50 percent.

Spearheaded by Sen. Tom Cotton (R–Ark.) with support from Sens. David Perdue (R–Ga.) and Josh Hawley (R–Mo.), the bill would establish a merit-based point system that prizes those with lucrative job offers, U.S.-recognized college degrees, domestic financial holdings, and English language skills. It also aims to undercut White House Adviser Jared Kushner, who has pushed a plan in recent months that would give temporary visas to migrant workers…

These Landmarks Could Be Gone Next if We Don’t Take Preservation Seriously by Erin Dunne (Fall 2018) in The Washington Examiner
As Notre Dame burned on Monday, the universal significance of the cathedral drew outpourings of support. As the ashes settled, hundreds of millions of dollars were quickly pledged for repairs to rebuild the iconic Parisian landmark.

But Notre Dame needed funding for repairs even before her roof and towering spire collapsed in flames. Limestone crumbled to the touch, the roof needed extensive repairs, the flying buttresses supporting the heavy stone façade were far from stable, having eroded over the centuries. Before it went up in flames, finding the money to fix the cathedral was far from an easy task. Bureaucratic questions of responsibility and a reliance on public appeals to raise funds led to delays in repairs and left the building more vulnerable…