In this episode of The Right Idea, host Derek Cohen sits down with Jose Melendez, campaign director for TPPF’s Government Reform & Oversight Coalition (GROC) and Taxpayer Protection Project.

They dig into why Texas property tax bills keep rising despite state-level relief, how local governments spend taxpayer dollars, the push for real spending limits, transparency reforms, and why banning taxpayer-funded lobbying is the key that unlocks almost every other conservative priority in the 2027 session.

Jose also breaks down Grok’s top priorities, the role of the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TRIO), housing affordability, and what everyday Texans can do to hold lawmakers accountable.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 – Intro & welcome to Jose Melendez
• 0:58 – TPP vs. GROC: Money vs. structure
• 2:27 – What local leaders are saying ahead of 2027
• 5:16 – Why tax relief isn’t enough without reform
• 7:31 – How GROC was born & its portfolio
• 10:21 – Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO/DOGE)
• 14:42 – Bringing efficiency audits to local government
• 17:13 – Local spending caps (population growth + inflation)
• 19:25 – Why transparency still fails taxpayers
• 22:49 – Senator Middleton on open records & the “roaches”
• 24:46 – What taxpayer-funded lobbying really is
• 26:21 – $111 million spent on lobbyists last session
• 29:59 – Chairman Vasut on banning taxpayer-funded lobbying
• 31:13 – Why 2027 looks different
• 33:46 – GROC’s top 3 priorities for next session
• 35:37 – How listeners can get involved

Listen on all major podcast platforms and visit TexasPolicy.com for more research and model legislation.

Texas property taxes keep rising despite billions in state relief. In this episode of The Right Idea, Derek Cohen sits down with James Quintero, Policy Director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, to break down why relief isn’t enough and what real reform looks like.They discuss local spending limits, the sales tax swap idea, voter-driven tax cuts, the “Death Star Bill” (Texas Regulatory Consistency Act), and how to rein in runaway local government spending in cities like Austin.

Key topics covered:
* Why property taxes continue climbing despite $18B+ in cuts
* Local spending caps tied to population + inflation
* Sales tax for property tax swap proposal
* Allowing voters to directly cut tax rates via referendum
* Expanding the Death Star Bill / field preemption
* Fixing deceptive local tax ballot language

Timestamps:
* 00:08 – Welcome & Introduction
* 00:44 – Hot Take: How to Beat the Texas Heat
* 02:51 – The History of Property Tax “Reform” in Texas
* 06:10 – Relief vs. Real Reform: Why Billions Haven’t Fixed the Problem
* 10:02 – Rep. Cody Vasut on Local Spending Limits
* 10:56 – Why Texas Needs Local Government Spending Caps
* 12:53 – Austin’s Out-of-Control Priorities
* 15:47 – Rep. Jeff Barry on the Sales Tax Swap for Property Taxes
* 22:22 – Voter Power: Tax Cut Elections & Referendums
* 29:54 – The “Death Star Bill” (Texas Regulatory Consistency Act) Explained
* 33:01 – Enforcement Challenges & Next Steps
* 36:55 – Expanding Field Preemption
* 38:18 – Closing Thoughts

If you’re a Texas homeowner tired of rising property taxes, this episode gives you the clearest picture yet of the solutions on the table for the next legislative session.

TPPF's Derek Cohen and Kate Bierly break down the biggest challenges and solutions in Texas K-12 education.

They cover everything from pushing back against the "college for all" myth with strong Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, to fixing teacher certification barriers for trades, addressing rural workforce needs, combating gender ideology in teacher training, and tackling screen time with cell phone bans and Chromebook policies.

Kate (Campaign Director for TPPF's Next Generation Texas initiative) shares insights from her experience in elite education programs, real classroom stories, and practical policy fixes to better serve Texas students and families.

In this episode of The Right Idea, Derek Cohen sits down with Carson Clayton, TPPF Life Powered Campaign Director, to break down the controversial 765 KV transmission lines (Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan / STEP).

Texas lawmakers and activists are sounding the alarm over a $33 billion plan to build massive ultra-high voltage transmission lines across the state — cutting through pristine Hill Country and farmland — instead of addressing the root cause: Texas’ broken energy market that over-subsidizes intermittent wind and solar while under-building reliable dispatchable power.

Featuring powerful clips from Senator Kevin Sparks and Representative Brad Buckley.

Key Topics:

• Why the Permian Basin — one of the most energy-rich regions in the world — needs power imported from Central Texas
• How federal subsidies, ESG pressure, and ERCOT’s energy-only market are distorting investment
• The massive cost to ratepayers and landowners
• What real market reform looks like to prevent blackouts and unnecessary transmission boondoggles

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Welcome & Introduction to the 765 Lines Controversy
• 01:23 - What Are the 765 KV Transmission Lines?
• 02:41 - Senator Kevin Sparks on the Permian Basin Plan
• 04:40 - Why Wind & Solar Boom Created a Reliability Crisis
• 08:37 - Senator Sparks on ERCOT Market Failures & Subsidies
• 09:39 - How the Energy-Only Market Rewards Unreliable Power
• 12:19 - Federal Policy, ESG, and Renewable Credits Driving the Problem
• 15:12 - Rep. Brad Buckley: Pause the Project & Reform the Market
• 17:02 - Proposed Market Reforms (SB 715 & Reliability Standards)
• 20:01 - The Coming Reliability Cliff & Why Transmission Is Just a Band-Aid
• 21:22 - How Much Gas Generation Would Make the 765 Lines Unnecessary?

If you care about Texas energy independence, affordable electricity, property rights, and keeping the lights on, this is a must-watch.

Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne joins The Right Idea to discuss some of the biggest issues shaping Texas and America: border security, immigration enforcement, H1B visa fraud, AI-driven energy demand, data centers, and the rise of the creator economy.

Hosts Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen also break down the latest Senate race developments, GOP turnout questions, and why Texas continues to lead the nation in economic growth and energy production.

Congresswoman Van Duyne explains why Texas stepped in during the Biden-era border crisis, discusses the fight over SB 4 and state sovereignty, details allegations of H1B visa fraud in North Texas, and shares why she launched the Congressional Creators Caucus to support digital creators, podcasters, YouTubers, and independent media entrepreneurs.

01:11 - Hot Take: Texas Primary Election turnout
03:35 – Introducing Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne
04:30 – SB 4, border security & states’ rights
08:48 – Immigration enforcement under Trump vs. Biden
12:05 – How Congress can codify border security reforms
15:00 – Investigating alleged H1B visa fraud in North Texas
17:20 – Texas energy dominance & economic growth
18:15 – AI, data centers & ERCOT’s energy strategy
21:50 – The Congressional Creators Caucus explained
24:15 – AI content theft & protecting creators
26:00 – The future of independent media & influencers

Texas is taking a bold stand against excessive regulations. In this episode of The Right Idea, Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen sit down with Jerome Greener, Director of the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO), to discuss the state’s aggressive new push to cut red tape and boost economic freedom.

The team breaks down TREO’s first major findings — nearly $120 million in potential savings from just the initial review of 11 agencies — and how they’re using AI to make government work better for Texans. From licensing reforms for electricians, plumbers, and HVAC techs to modernizing outdated rules, this is one of the most ambitious regulatory reform efforts in the country.

Plus: The growing focus on government fraud and waste, why Texas needs this office despite its pro-business reputation, and how everyday Texans can help shape the next round of cuts.

01:08 – Hot Take: Government Fraud & Waste in 2026
04:16 – Guest Introduction: Jerome Greener, Director of Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO)
06:22 – $123 Million in Potential Savings Explained
07:53 – Why Texas Still Needs Major Regulatory Reform
08:49 – How TREO Differs from the Sunset Process
09:59 – The Massive Texas Administrative Code: 20 Million Words & 274K Restrictions
10:23 – What Makes a Regulation Too Burdensome?
11:30 – TREO’s Review Process & Multi-Layer Accuracy Checks
13:04 – How the Public Can Submit Regulations for Review
14:17 – How Texas Compares to Virginia & Florida
15:55 – Meet “Sam” — Texas’ Powerful AI Regulatory Chatbot
17:59 – A One-Stop Tool for Licensing & Rules
20:00 – Transparency, Agency Follow-Through & Future Savings
21:39 – Long-Term Vision: Billions in Savings & Millions of Words Cut
23:22 – Creating Government to Cut Government? Addressing Conservative Concerns
25:02 – Working with the Texas Legislature on Statutory Changes
26:47 – Real Examples of Regulatory Modernization
29:26 – Future Plans: Taking on Local Government Regulations?
30:40 – Balancing Safety, Freedom & Prosperity
31:55 – How Texans Can Engage with TREO

TPPF's Derek Cohen talks with Chance Weldon, Director of Litigation at the Center for American Future, to break down a new lawsuit challenging the federal machine gun ban.

Second Amendment aside, does Congress even have the constitutional authority under the Commerce Clause to ban machine gun possession? Find out how a win could reshape federal regulation far beyond firearms.

1:09 – Overview of the Fifth Circuit case & Judge Willett's unique concurrence
1:52 – National Firearms Act (NFA) structure: bans, taxes, registration
2:22 – Why this challenge is Article I / Commerce Clause (not Second Amendment)
4:41 – What the Commerce Clause actually allows (channels, instrumentalities, substantial effects)
5:58 – Post-New Deal expansion & pushback: Lopez (1995), Morrison, Raich
7:42 – Substantial effects test & aggregation (Wickard wheat example)
10:05 – Would Texas residents suddenly buy machine guns? State vs. federal power
12:16 – Government's strongest counterarguments & old Fifth Circuit precedent
14:23 – Why this Supreme Court might limit Commerce Clause overreach (Thomas, Gorsuch, Alito, Roberts)
17:19 – Broader implications: eviction moratorium, OSHA vaccine mandate, corporate reporting
18:51 – Why non-gun owners should care: unlimited federal power threatens liberty & federalism

In this episode of The Right Idea, Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen sit down with Sarah Steeby, Executive Director of the Neapolitan Institute, to unpack the massive Democratic primary turnout surge in Texas (first time in 24 years Democrats outvoted Republicans — ~2.3M vs ~2.16M votes), the hype around James Talarico's Senate bid, Republican challenges uniting the base, and whether Texas is really "turning blue" in 2026.

Sarah shares unbiased polling insights on the economy, immigration, Hispanic voters, transgender issues in sports/bathrooms (77% Texas opposition), the 10-10-80 voter split, and why fundamentals — not vibes — win elections. We also cover open statewide seats, school choice, border security, moms/young families as a key demographic, and national trends like Iran and the economy heading into November.

Is the Democratic enthusiasm real, or will Republican turnout rebound in the general? Don't miss this data-driven breakdown of Texas politics in 2026!

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Welcome
• 01:13 – Hot Take: March Madness VERY Early Previews
• 05:27 – Sarah Steeby joins: Neapolitan Institute polling trends & Is Texas turning blue?
• 06:05 – Fundamentals that matter: Economy, immigration, cultural issues
• 07:40 – Democrat exuberance vs. Republican apathy — independent factors?
• 09:01 – Trump base energy, traditional GOP voters, and party unity challenge
• 10:24 – James Talarico effect: Charm vs. policy reality
• 12:32 – Early polling traps & why November changes everything
• 14:54 – California transplants, misunderstood Hispanic voters & strong borders
• 18:02 – Empowering parents: "Who decides?" messaging for Hispanics & beyond
• 20:45 – Top issues for open seats: Economy, personal finances, national security
• 23:30 – Moms of young families as a rising force in Texas politics
• 25:51 – Reaching the 80% in the middle: Common-sense, respectful solutions
• 30:22 – True moderates in politics — can anyone crack the code?
• 34:10 – Why common sense doesn't raise money + media/data misalignment
• 36:04 – Open statewide races, Democrat legislative records exposed
• 44:46 – Prospects for substantive policy debates in 2026
• 46:22 – National outlook: Economy, Iran, and midterm risks for Republicans

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