​Are we really in control of our government—or is it hiding in plain sight?

In this eye-opening episode of the Let People Prosper Show, I interview John Hart, CEO of Open the Books, to expose the hidden costs of big government and the vital need for transparency in public spending. We explore how real-time data, civic engagement, and digital accountability are reshaping the conversation around fiscal responsibility before it’s too late. We cover everything from the infamous Bridge to Nowhere to Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative.

This conversation is for you if you care about liberty, limited government, and making every dollar count.

For more insights, visit vanceginn.com. You can also get even greater value by subscribing to my Substack newsletter at vanceginn.substack.com. 

(0:00) – Introduction to Transparency in Government
(4:51) – Why Open the Books was founded
(10:00) – Transparency as a constitutional principle
(14:49) – Bridge to Nowhere and wasteful spending
(20:04) – Storytelling as a tool for reform
(23:00) – Budgeting techniques and zero-based budgeting
(26:54) – Entitlement reform challenges
(28:49) – Elon Musk and DOGE's government potential
(30:52) – Real-time accountability and public trust
(35:58) – Growth, spending, and economic freedom

​Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation released five papers that together form a responsible strategy for the state’s immediate and long-term economic growth.

“These five approaches make for good economic policy anytime,” said TPPF Chief Economist Vance Ginn, Ph.D. “But they are especially important as the state recovers from government-imposed shutdowns. Together, these strategies will help return Texas to the prosperity we saw before COVID-19 and help get us there fast.”

The Five-Step Strategy is:

1. Pass a Conservative Texas Budget
2. Reduce Government Spending
3. Reduce Regulatory Burdens
4. Reject Increased Taxes
5. Use the Rainy Day Fund Responsibly

“During the shutdown, the state suspended some rules and regulations, proving they weren’t essential for health and safety in the first place,” said Rod Bordelon, TPPF’s Policy Director for the Remember the Taxpayer Campaign. “Instead of waiting for the crisis to end to re-evaluate these regulations, we should repeal them now and review others in an ongoing basis so that Texans aren’t held back by unnecessary restrictions.”

The Responsible Recovery Agenda also stresses that budget writers should avoid seeking additional state revenue through increased fees and taxes.

“Raising taxes is a costly endeavor — even more so in a recession because it distorts behavior at a time when the economy is weak, delaying recovery and leading to even greater economic stress,” said Benjamin Priday, Ph.D., Economist at TPPF. “Legislators should close budget gaps first by strategically employing the Rainy Day Fund and by trying to find ways to reduce spending.

The Responsible Recovery Agenda is a comprehensive approach to addressing the budget challenges Texas faces in the wake of COVID-19 shutdowns while also preserving the success of the Texas Model, which has strengthened the state’s economy.

​For a historical look at the budget and other ways to improve the budget process, the Foundation also released The Real Texas Budget report.

In this Let People Prosper episode, we discuss local government transparency and efforts to rein in progressive policies like government-mandated paid sick leave, state reforms to the criminal justice system, and the failure of the Texas House to pass a Conservative Texas budget...but there was a good discussion about property tax relief! 

​#letpeopleprosper

In this Let People Prosper episode, we discuss how to unveil government excess whether it be with pension obligation bonds, bail (register for upcoming TPPF event), occupational licensing burdens reduced for military spouses, TRS pension structural problems, and the Texas House budget that increases  far more than the average taxpayer's ability to pay. 

#letpeopleprosper

In this Let People Prosper episode, James Quintero, Derek Cohen, and I go over this week's key issues in the Texas Legislature. 

These include issues related to the following:

• Good criminal justice reforms in HB 64, HB 566, HB 691, and HB 1653;
• Good superintendent severance pay limitation in HB 880;
• Sunshine Week for government transparency highlighted in Quintero's Statesman piece;
• Bad bills related to expanding scope of occupational licensing in HB 1311, HB 1520, HB 1523, HB 1670, & HB 1675;
• Good reforms to land use discretion in HB 794, HB 1743, HB 1970, and HB 1978; and
  
• Overview of President Trump's FY 2020 budget that would help rein in government spending.

​#letpeopleprosper