Realism from an American Conservative

America Will Be Affordable Again

Ellen Leyrer — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 16:25:36 GMT

Hi friends,

Conservatives know what every working family knows: America is still too expensive.

We must stay engaged and we MUST get out the vote. President Trump’s policies are working. This ship is turning around, but you don’t undo years of bad policies in 18 months.

Time to focus on keeping the administration strong and keeping the power of Congress to continue the wins.

Affordability

A trip to the grocery store costs too much. Filling a tank costs too much. Families who work hard deserve better. They are concerned. We must meet that concern honestly.

No president, Congress, or governor can erase years of accumulated price increases overnight. A lower rate of inflation does not mean that prices immediately return to where they were. We did not get into this problem in a day, and we will not get out of it in a day.

But that is not an excuse for inaction. It is a reason to keep moving in the right direction.

The conservative answer to affordability is not another government check, another bureaucratic program, or another promise that Washington can manage every detail of family life. The answer is to make America less expensive to build in, produce in, work in, and live in.

That begins with energy.

Gasoline prices are not simply a number on a roadside sign. Higher fuel costs raise the price of food, freight, farm inputs, construction, travel, and nearly everything delivered to a store shelf. The uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz is a reminder that energy security abroad reaches directly into the American household budget. We can’t change that overnight either.

America cannot control every foreign conflict. But we can control whether we are prepared for one.

We should produce the energy we need here at home. Check! We should build the pipelines, refineries, transmission, storage, and infrastructure needed to keep the country running. Check! We should pursue reliable power, including oil and gas, nuclear energy, and other sources that can strengthen the grid without making families hostage to foreign instability. Check!

Energy abundance is not merely an economic issue. It is a national-security issue and a family-security issue.

Housing is another affordability test. We need more starter homes, more manufactured housing, more responsible development, and faster, fairer permitting.

But conservatives also require that growth respects property rights. The answer to high costs is not to steamroll ranchers, farmers, homeowners, and rural communities for the benefit of politically connected developers. Infrastructure projects, data centers, pipelines, transmission lines, and industrial facilities must be transparent, properly sited, accountable for water and road impacts, and respectful of landowners’ rights.

We can build more without surrendering local control. We can strengthen the economy without sacrificing the people who steward the land and produce our food.

That is the conservative difference.

We believe in work, ownership, family, local communities, and the dignity of self-government. We believe that a stronger economy is built from the ground up—not imposed from Washington down. We believe a family should keep more of what it earns and face fewer obstacles when it tries to build a life.

The road back to affordability will take persistence. It will require discipline in spending, serious regulatory reform, reliable energy, stronger domestic production, and a willingness to measure results rather than celebrate slogans.

But the direction matters.

Every unnecessary permit removed, every home built, every reliable source of energy brought online, every dollar kept out of Washington’s wasteful machinery, and every property right defended moves us closer to an America in which ordinary people can again afford an ordinary, decent life.

Never stop fighting for freedom. Fight, fight, fight!

References:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/investments/ (Some present, some promised)

BEA reported that new foreign direct-investment expenditures totaled $232.2 billion in 2025, up $76.8 billion—or 49.5%—from 2024.

Texas Comptroller’s Economic Development and Analysis

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind. This Substack is provided for informational and commentary purposes only. All claims or statements are based on publicly available sources and are presented as analysis and opinion, not legal conclusions.

No assertion is made of unlawful conduct by any individual, company, or government entity unless such claims are supported by formal public records or verified legal documents. The views expressed here reflect my personal perspective on property rights and land use issues.

While I strive for accuracy and transparency, readers are encouraged to verify all details using the official sources and references provided. Any references to third-party material are included solely for your consideration and do not necessarily reflect my views or imply endorsement.

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Please share your thoughts in the comments. Or email me, and let’s have a problem-solving conversation. I welcome ‘letters to the editor’ type emails and may publish yours. I hope we can create a caucus with positive, back-to-the-founders’-dream-for-America results. Have a topic you want to know more about?

Some housekeeping…

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Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

USDA, SBA Announce Partnership to Fight Weaponized Regulations

Ellen Leyrer — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 01:29:07 GMT

Hi friends,

American Stewards of Liberty does fantastic work for property rights and freedom.

American Stewards of Liberty executive director Margaret Byfield joined administration officials and other stakeholders at a lawfare roundtable last week in Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Small Business Administration announced a partnership to combat regulatory lawfare that targets farmers, ranchers, private property, and small businesses.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines lawfare as the use of administrative, legal, and legislative government systems to adversely impact farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers, usually motivated by extreme environmental and progressive agendas. In an agricultural context, it typically involves excessive red tape and permitting; unwarranted litigation by private and public entities to deter favorable outcomes for property owners; excessive civil and criminal penalties; and the use of eminent domain to inhibit agricultural production.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on July 2 between the two agencies gives producers a direct line portal to report regulations and enforcement actions they believe constitute lawfare. It also allows USDA and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to identify recurring regulatory patterns that could lead to broader deregulatory reforms. (The portal can be accessed here.)

In announcing the memorandum, USDA secretary Brooke Rollins said that, for years, farmers and ranchers who believed they were victims of abusive regulation often had only two choices: either absorb enormous legal costs or fight lengthy court battles against federal agencies. For too long, she said, a network of government agencies, radical environmentalist NGOs, and activist groups have targeted American farmers and ranchers, forcing producers to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, give up prime grazing land, and even sell and stop farming on generational properties.

That approach is changing, Rollins said.

“Producers and ranchers who feed the nation should never face the full power of government alone,” she said. “This partnership with the SBA creates clear pathways for redress, ensures fairness in enforcement, and demonstrates that Washington stands with, not against, the hardworking Americans who sustain our country. Through the USDA Lawfare Portal and interagency collaboration, we are delivering real protection under the Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework.”

The Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework is a comprehensive, four-pillar plan to protect, preserve, and partner with American agriculture to end what the Trump administration calls onerous regulations and the weaponization of government against American farmers and ranchers. The partnership announced last week advances Pillar 4 of the framework by building a government-wide shield against lawfare.

Under the memorandum, USDA will oversee the portal, through which farmers and ranchers and small business owners can submit complaints against federal agencies. The agency will share those submissions with the SBA’s Office of the National Ombudsman for case management. Complaints involving USDA will be handled through that department, while the SBA will refer complaints against other agencies to the appropriate entities for resolution.

The MOU also authorizes SBA to analyze complaint data to identify recurring lawfare practices and enforcement or regulatory issues that may be disproportionate, inconsistent, or abusive, helping inform potential deregulatory action for broader reform. Rather than addressing each dispute independently, USDA and SBA officials say they are working to create a permanent infrastructure to serve as an early warning system for identifying systemic regulatory problems.

Byfield said American Stewards of Liberty (ASL) stands ready to help the administration find ways to help the Administration.

“This is the first time that Cabinet level officials have taken a personal interest in helping America’s small landowners when unjustly targeted,” she said. “Secretary Rollins and Administrator Loeffler are the courageous leaders we have needed to defend all American’s right to securely own and use their property.”

ASL has been spearheading a set of policies that would provide long term protections for landowners with other partner organizations, the USDA and the House Oversight Committee.

“This is something much bigger than an agreement between two agencies,” Byfield said. “It reflects an effort to build a government-wide response to regulatory lawfare, not only helping producers challenge alleged abuses, but also identifying recurring enforcement patterns that can drive broader reforms.”

SBA administrator Kelly Loeffler also lauded the pact, saying farmers and ranchers do some of the hardest and most essential work in America while facing a growing burden from costly federal regulations. Those regulations, Loeffler says, have crushed multi-generational family businesses that often lack the time, money, and legal resources to fight back.

“With our MOU, the SBA and USDA now offer America’s producers a direct line to report lawfare, with a new infrastructure to deliver lasting regulatory reform,” she said.

Another key administration official involved in the effort is John Rich, Trump’s Special Envoy for American Landowners, whom Trump tapped to serve as a leading advocate for America’s farmers, ranchers, and private landowners.

Rich said the cumulative effect of over-regulation and zealous prosecution—from grazing permits to irrigation to endangered species litigation to federal easements, and more—has been to place extraordinary financial and legal burdens on America’s agricultural producers.

“For too many ranching families, lawfare has become just another cost of doing business—except it’s one no hardworking producer should ever have to bear,” Rich said. “I’ve traveled across this country and met families who have spent years fighting bureaucrats instead of tending their cattle, working their land, or passing their operations on to the next generation. This partnership sends a clear message: the federal government is done standing on the sidelines while producers are buried in red tape and abusive enforcement. We’re standing up for the people who feed America.”

Early successes

The administration points to several examples it considers evidence that the initiative is already producing results.

One of the earliest successes halted the federal prosecution of Charles and Heather Maude, a South Dakota family with a small cattle and hog operation. The family endured what Rollins says was a senseless and politically motivated prosecution waged by the Biden administration over 25 acres of federal land.

The dispute began when U.S. Forest Service alerted the Maudes that fencing on their property blocked access to the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, and, in good faith, the family agreed to a survey of the property lines. After the survey, what had been a routine property dispute escalated into what the administration characterizes as an unnecessary criminal prosecution, which the Trump administration dropped.

Government resources for prosecution should be focused on true criminals, not a family farm trying to make ends meet, Rollins said.

“The Maudes are not criminals,” she said. “They have worked their land since the early 1900s, and something that should have been a minor civil land dispute that was over and done with quickly turned into an overzealous criminal prosecution on a hardworking family that was close to losing their home, children, and livelihood. Not in this America, not under President Trump.”

The USDA has also protected a family farm in New Jersey from condemnation, ended a disputed Forest Service easement claim in Tennessee, challenged California proposals involving agricultural land redistribution, opposed ESG demands affecting dairy producers, and halted federal funding for solar projects on productive farmland.

At the roundtable last week, the USDA highlighted numerous cases involving families still facing administrative delays and land-management disputes, as well as the arbitrary application of environmental laws and potential due process violations. Attendees told heart-felt stories about their struggles, ranging from litigation over irrigation practices in Montana to grazing permit delays in Arizona to proposed solar developments replacing prime farmland in New York.

While each dispute is unique, Byfield says they embody a common theme: the government has increasingly laid down a gauntlet of regulatory and legal obstacles that threaten multigenerational agricultural operations and private property. USDA officials also say disputes often originate not only in the federal bureaucracy but in aggressive lawsuits brought by environmental groups to pressure landowners into costly settlements or operational changes.

Over the coming weeks, Liberty Matters will examine those cases and stories, exploring both the regulatory disputes and the broader questions they raise about the relationship between government and the people who work the land.

The MOU agreement builds on earlier administration initiatives, including right-to-repair reforms for agricultural equipment and the elimination of certain diesel emissions requirements, in addition to dozens of regulatory rollbacks and revisions to agency guidance intended to reduce administrative burdens on agricultural producers.

In addition to Byfield and ASL, administration officials, and affected producers and ranchers, U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyoming) also attended the roundtable, representatives from leading legal organizations, including the America First Policy Institute, Institute for Justice, Texas Public Policy Foundation, Pacific Legal Foundation, and Mountain States Legal Foundation.

Source: https://americanstewards.us/usda-sba-announce-partnership-to-fight-weaponized-regulations/

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

From Texas to the Moon

Ellen Leyrer — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 01:10:02 GMT

Hi friends,

One of the themes that keeps appearing in my research is that whether we’re talking about AI data centers in Texas, new manufacturing plants in the Midwest, or a research station on the moon, the question is increasingly the same: Where will the reliable electricity come from? The moon may be 240,000 miles away, but the lesson is surprisingly close to home. Energy isn’t just supporting the future anymore—it’s becoming the foundation of it. Energy is the common denominator behind economic growth, technological leadership, and national security.

When I first saw the headline that NASA and the Department of Energy plan to build a nuclear reactor on the moon, I wondered what problems would that solve.

If you’ve been following my articles over the past year, you’ve probably noticed that almost everything we’ve talked about keeps coming back to energy.

AI data centers need it. New manufacturing plants need it. Water systems need it. Hospitals need it. Military bases need it. And now… even future moon missions need it. Different locations and purposes. Same challenge.

The moon actually helps explain the problem better than Earth does. A lunar night lasts about 14 Earth days, so solar panels alone can’t keep everything running. There are no power lines to plug into and no neighboring utility to call if something goes wrong.

NASA’s answer? A compact nuclear reactor that can quietly produce electricity around the clock for years.

We’ve spent months discussing AI data centers, the strain they’re placing on our electric grid, and why companies are suddenly interested in nuclear power again. Whether it’s a server farm outside Dallas or a research station on the moon, the need is remarkably similar: dependable electricity every hour of every day.

That’s why we’re hearing more about nuclear energy lately. It’s about solving energy needs. Our economy increasingly depends on reliable, continuous power.

It also reminds us that energy is becoming America’s most important infrastructure.

Infrastructure has always been thought of as roads, bridges, airports, and railroads.

Today, without reliable power, AI stalls, manufacturing slows, communications fail, and even space exploration becomes impossible.

Reliable energy is becoming a strategic advantage, even national security.

The big question is ‘Where will the reliable electricity come from?’

Sources:

NASA – NASA, Department of Energy to Develop Lunar Surface Reactor by 2030
Official announcement of the NASA–DOE partnership, timeline, and goals for deploying a lunar fission reactor by 2030.
NASA, Department of Energy to Develop Lunar Surface Reactor by 2030 (NASA)

NASA – Fission Surface Power
Overview of the technology, why nuclear power is needed on the Moon, technical specifications, and long-term plans for Moon and Mars missions.
NASA Fission Surface Power Program (NASA)

U.S. Department of Energy – U.S. Department of Energy and NASA to Develop Lunar Surface Reactor by 2030
DOE’s announcement of the joint initiative and its role in developing, fueling, and preparing the reactor for launch.
DOE Announcement: Lunar Surface Reactor by 2030 (The Department of Energy’s Energy.gov)

NASA – Lunar Surface Technology
Overview of the technologies NASA is developing for long-term lunar operations, including nuclear power, robotics, and surface infrastructure.
NASA Lunar Surface Technology (NASA)

Reuters – NASA shifts toward permanent lunar infrastructure
A news overview of NASA’s broader Artemis strategy, including the move toward a permanent lunar base and nuclear power. (Reuters)

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

Texas’ Massive 765-kV Transmission Plan

Ellen Leyrer — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:20:27 GMT

Hi friends,

If you’ve been following my posts on Texas’ proposed 765-kV transmission lines, there’s been another important development—and it’s becoming clear this debate is about much more than where power lines will be built.

It’s about who gets to decide Texas’ energy future.

Recently, a coalition of organizations that support the transmission project publicly opposed lawmakers’ request to pause the project until the Texas Legislature can review it during the 2027 session.

Supporters of the project argue that delaying construction will increase costs and make the electric grid less reliable. Their position is that Texas’ rapid growth requires long-term planning and that these transmission lines are essential to meet future demand.

On the other side are a growing number of landowners, policy organizations, and state legislators who are asking for something that sounds fairly straightforward:
Before Texas builds more than 1,200 miles of new extra-high-voltage transmission lines across private property, should the state first take a closer look at the alternatives?

That question has become the heart of the debate.

One of the biggest concerns raised by critics is that the current plan assumes Texas will continue relying heavily on wind and solar generation in the future. They argue that other options—particularly new natural-gas generation located much closer to where electricity is needed in the Permian Basin—were never fully evaluated before moving forward with the transmission plan.

That question has become even more interesting in light of recent announcements showing major companies investing in local power generation for large industrial facilities in West Texas. While those projects don’t prove transmission isn’t needed, they do demonstrate that generating electricity closer to where it will be used is a viable approach that deserves careful comparison.

The controversy has now moved beyond technical engineering discussions. It has become a broader policy debate about planning priorities, property rights, costs, and reliability.

A Key Date to Watch

The next major milestone is July 29, when the Texas Senate Business & Commerce Committee will hold an interim hearing titled:

Assessing the State of the Texas Electric Grid, and Managing the Impacts of 765-kV Transmission Lines on Private Property.

This hearing is significant because legislators will hear testimony not only from utilities and technical experts, but also from landowners, advocacy organizations, and ordinary Texans affected by the proposed transmission corridors.

Interim hearings don’t create new laws, but they often shape legislation for the next legislative session. The discussion on July 29 could influence how lawmakers approach transmission planning, property rights, and electric-grid policy in 2027.

Every Texan Has a Stake

No matter where you stand on the issue, every Texan has a stake in this conversation.

These decisions could affect:

electric reliability,
future electric rates,
private property rights,
the location of major infrastructure,
and how Texas powers its continued growth.

As I’ve continued researching this topic, one question keeps coming up:

Before Texas commits to hundreds of miles of new transmission corridors, have policymakers fully compared long-distance transmission with local power generation, considering cost, reliability, water use, and impacts on private property?

It’s an important question—and one that deserves a transparent answer before decisions with decades-long consequences become permanent.

If you want to know more, here is an email from True Texas Project with details and action items:

Hello, True Texans!

Next week we have an important opportunity to speak out about an issue that should concern everyone in Texas. Please plan to take action as you are able:

July 29, Senate Business and Finance Committee - Assessing the State of the Texas Electric Grid, and Managing the Impacts of 765kv Transmission Lines on Private Property

Most Texans are anxious about the reliability of the electric grid, and the newly proposed 765kv transmission lines are of great concern due to private property rights, environmental safety for people and animals, higher electricity rates for all ratepayers, and the long-term effect of these lines. There are also questions about the Public Utility Commission’s rushed timelines that do not give adequate time for public input.

Background on 765kv

In 2023, the legislature passed HB2023 which was intended to expand electric services in the Permian Basin, where oil & gas development and other industries’ demand are outpacing supply. But ERCOT and the PUCT have now expanded that into a plan that uses these extremely high-powered transmission lines to bring power all the way from East Texas to far West Texas. (Towers that are 14 stories high, carrying 765 THOUSAND volts of electricity)

American Stewards of Liberty has produced numerous articles and studies on the potential dangers of these high-powered lines, as well as the property rights issues involved. Land is being taken up by eminent domain, and no compensation provided for damage to adjacent land. Land owners in the path of the power lines have been given very little time to provide public input because ERCOT is rushing the process.

Some state lawmakers have asked for a pause in the project so that alternative solutions can be examined, and the efficacy of the proposed lines can be verified (or not).

For more information on the issue, Texas Scorecard has written multiple articles about the 765kv lines. Take a moment to check them out.

On July 29, the Senate Business and Commerce Committee will take public and private testimony on the 765kv power lines. This is a golden opportunity for citizens to weigh in on this issue. Several groups will be at the Capitol coordinating testimony, including American Stewards of Liberty, and Ratepayers First Texas. Ratepayers First has a helpful web page with instructions and details for attending the hearing. They will also be set up in the legislative conference center (1 floor below) all day to help and advise.

ACTION ITEMS

Attend the hearing and give testimony: July 29, starting at 9:00 am, Room E1-012. Register to speak at the computer kiosk outside the meeting room. The earlier you register, the earlier you will get called when public testimony begins. It will probably be an all day and into the night situation. This is particularly important if you are a land owner that is affected by the position of the proposed lines, but it’s an issue that will affect everyone who pays electric bills. Tell how this issue will affect YOU, your family, or your business.
If you are not able to attend, send emails to the Committee Members. Click here for a list of Committee Members. Use their state email address firstname.lastname@senate.texas.gov. Example: Charles.schwertner@senate.texas.gov. See the Schedule Display for a description of the agenda items. Public testimony is limited to 2 minutes.
Also send comments to the Committee Clerk, Annika.Vandayar_sc@senate.texas.gov
You can also send messages to the Public Utility Commission of Texas. There are 5 Commissioners. PUCT is the group that makes rules and oversees these expansion line. Click here for the Commissioners’ names. Email them using the state email address Commissionerlastname@puc.texas.gov. (Example: CommissionerJackson@puc.texas.gov)

These Interim Hearings are important opportunities for the Committee members to hear not only from the experts and professionals, but hear from the citizens on how these decisions affect our everyday life. There’s no particular legislation to consider at Interim Hearings, but the information gathered often affects how laws are implemented, and how new legislation for the following session is crafted. Please speak up and voice your concerns!

Thanks for staying engaged!

Fran Rhodes, President
True Texas Project

Sources:

PUCT Interchange – Legislators’ Amicus Brief
https://interchange.puc.texas.gov/Documents/59029_465_1656879.PDF
PUCT Interchange – Docket Search
https://interchange.puc.texas.gov/Search/Filings
Oncor – Bell County East–Big Hill 765-kV Project
https://www.oncor.com/content/oncorwww/us/en/home/about-us/transmission-systems/current-transmission-line-projects/bell-county-east---big-hill-765-kv-transmission-line-project.html

Texas Public Policy Foundation – Legislators Urge PUC to Delay 765-kV Facilities
https://www.texaspolicy.com/press/texas-legislators-urge-puc-to-delay-vote-on-765-kv-transmission-facilities/
Texas Public Policy Foundation – Economic Assessment of the STEP Plan
https://www.texaspolicy.com/an-economic-assessment-of-the-765-kv-strategic-transmission-expansion-plan/
Texas Scorecard – Lawmakers Join Push to Pause Transmission Lines
https://texasscorecard.com/state/lawmakers-join-push-to-pause-transmission-lines/
Texas Scorecard – Overabundance of Wind and Solar Drives Permian Basin Energy Controversy
https://texasscorecard.com/state/overabundance-of-wind-and-solar-drive-permian-basin-energy-issues/
Texas Scorecard – Transmission Coalition Opposes Lawmakers’ Request to Delay Project
https://texasscorecard.com/state/transmission-coalition-opposes-lawmakers-request-to-delay-765-kv-line-project/
KXAN – Landowners Fight Massive Transmission Line Project at Austin Hearing
https://www.kxan.com/energy-crossroads/texas-landowners-fight-massive-transmission-line-project-at-austin-hearing/

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

Perspective

Ellen Leyrer — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 16:36:24 GMT

Hi friends,

America is undergoing a big change. That’s not news to you I’m sure.

It doesn’t happen overnight. While President Trump’s policies are working, and many improvements have already occurred, the transition has some difficulties.

To Make America Great Again takes time and effort.

Each of us must play a part. We must vote in the November election.

In order for President Trump’s policies to have time to come to fruition, Republicans must retain Congress. If Democrats control the House, impeachment (lawfare) will be their weapon. If Democrats control the Senate, confirmations will be difficult, if not impossible, and the Senate will kill any good bills from the House.

The big issues are 80/20 - 80% of Americans want secure borders, lower crime, industry and jobs, plentiful and secure energy (oil and gas, grid stability), and less debt. The catch is that we must vote to make our voice heard.

The few minutes it takes to vote are a huge investment in our country and the future.

Be encouraged that America is heading in the right direction!

Trump is not on the ballot but his economic and national security policies are. See below.

Promethean Action

Overview

The U.S. dollar remains the world’s leading reserve currency. It is still the foundation of much international trade, global finance, and central bank reserves. No other currency currently offers the combination of stability, liquidity, and investor confidence that the dollar provides.

Under the Trump administration—there has been a renewed emphasis on strengthening America’s economic resilience. Policies encouraging domestic manufacturing, expanding energy production, securing critical mineral supplies, rebuilding industrial capacity, and reducing dependence on geopolitical rivals all aim to make our economy less vulnerable to overseas disruptions.

Many companies are also bringing production back to the United States or moving it to trusted allies. You’ll hear terms like reshoring, near-shoring, and friend-shoring, but they all point toward the same goal: making supply chains more reliable.

This stronger supply chain will mean fewer shortages, more dependable access to products, and greater national security.

America has enormous strengths: abundant natural resources, world-class innovators, productive workers, deep financial markets, and an entrepreneurial spirit that remains the envy of much of the world.

We must continue investing in our own people, industries, and resources, and the future will be one of renewed strength.

Democratic Socialists are on the rise. Have you seen the DSA platform? The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has released a new platform which calls for abolishing the U.S. Senate, the presidency, and the Supreme Court to replace them with a parliamentary-style system where the executive and judiciary are subordinate to Congress. Advocates for the abolition of ICE and the prison system, and universal amnesty for undocumented immigrants.

Includes replacing the Electoral College with ranked choice voting, expanding the House of Representatives, and granting voting rights to noncitizens and people with criminal convictions. Abolish capitalism through the social ownership of major industries, nationalization of banks, and imposing maximum wage limits. Demands a second constitutional convention to draft founding documents for a new “socialist democracy.”

Economic and Social Policies prioritize Medicare for All, tuition-free higher education, a 32-hour work week, and extensive rent control. In foreign policy, the DSA calls for withdrawing from NATO, closing all overseas U.S. military bases, ending sanctions on countries like Cuba and Iran, and supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

Their site reads like Utopia, total fantasy. No borders, no citizenship, no law enforcement, little ‘work’, and no bills. I think your common sense will ask ‘Who pays?’ and ‘What about crime?’

God bless you and God bless America.

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

Don’t Just Read the News.

Ellen Leyrer — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:54:13 GMT

Hi friends,

Below I’ve tried to capture the essence of Vivify Mariposa’s 7/8/2026 Substack.

I believe this perspective is really valuable. We know ‘news’ leaves a lot to be desired. Looking at the broader picture and putting some of the puzzle pieces together sure presents a different story.

Who Holds the Pen?

We usually read the news one story at a time: a tariff change, a new regulation, a tax bill, a court fight, a speech. But sometimes the more important question is whether those stories are part of a larger pattern. Who holds the pen? Who writes the rules, defines the words, controls the resources, sets the price, and makes the decisions?

As America celebrates 250 years of independence, that seems like a particularly important question.

Food and Fertilizer

America grows enormous amounts of food, but farmers still depend on fertilizer and other inputs that can come through fragile foreign supply chains. A country is not fully food-secure if war, political conflict, or shipping disruptions can suddenly make it much harder or more expensive to grow crops. The issue is bigger than one tariff decision. It is about whether America controls enough of what it needs to feed itself.

Building Things Again (Permitting Rules)

Politicians have talked for years about bringing manufacturing back to America. But factories, mines, roads, power plants, and major infrastructure projects can spend years trapped in permits, studies, lawsuits, and regulatory delays. You do not have to ban industry if you make it almost impossible to build. So the real question is not whether leaders say they support American manufacturing, but whether Americans are actually allowed to build again.

Words Become Policy

The fights over words like “woman,” “sex,” and “gender” are not merely arguments over language. Once government changes the official meaning of a word, that definition affects schools, sports, prisons, military policy, civil-rights rules, grants, and statistics. Whoever controls the definition often shapes the policy before most people realize what happened. Words have power because government acts on the words it chooses to recognize.

Follow the Money

Tax debates can become so complicated that most people tune out. A simpler question is: Which direction is the money moving? Are workers, families, retirees, and small businesses keeping more of what they earn, or is more money flowing upward into government and large institutions? That does not answer every tax question, but it is a useful way to cut through the noise.

Who Gets to Tell America’s Story?

America’s 250th birthday is also a struggle over how we see ourselves. One vision emphasizes independence, the Constitution, sacrifice, achievement, freedom, and the duty to preserve what earlier generations built. Another focuses on division, failure, instability, and whether the country’s existing political and social order needs to be fundamentally changed. The argument is not just about history. It is about whether Americans still see their country as something worth preserving.

Control of Shipping Routes

Food, fuel, medicine, machinery, raw materials, and thousands of everyday products have to get from one place to another. If those routes are blocked, controlled, or made too expensive, the effects can quickly spread through the entire world’s economy. The real question is this: Who can keep goods moving, who can stop them, and who gets to set the terms?

Owners or Debtors?

Many young Americans begin adulthood with student loans, car payments, credit-card debt, and little or nothing they actually own. That creates a very different relationship with the economy than beginning with even a small share of productive assets. People who own part of the economy tend to think differently from people who only owe money into it. Broadening ownership may be one of the most important ideas hiding inside what otherwise looks like a small policy proposal. (To give children a financial start, Trump Accounts, the tax-advantaged children’s investment accounts created in last year’s tax law.)

The Pattern

Taken separately, these stories may seem unrelated: fertilizer, permits, definitions, taxes, history, shipping, investment accounts. Together, they raise a much bigger question about independence.

Can a country feed itself, build what it needs, define its own laws, preserve its own history, protect essential trade, and give ordinary citizens a real ownership stake in the future?

That doesn’t mean every policy is wise or every action will succeed. Political promises should always be measured against what is actually signed, funded, built, enforced, or changed.

But perhaps, as America marks 250 years, we should ask these questions more often:

Who holds the pen? Who controls the resource? Who defines the word? Who collects the money? And what actually changed?

Don’t just read the news—an endless stream of disconnected puzzle pieces, but view it as a record of whether the American people are becoming more independent or less.

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

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America at 250: Can We Still Be One Nation?

Ellen Leyrer — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 20:01:36 GMT

Hi friends,

Happy Independence Day!

It’s a great time to reflect on our blessings as individuals and as a country.

And it’s a critical time to refresh our patriotism and remember that freedom must be fought for in every generation.

America at 250: Can We Still Be One Nation?

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, it is worth asking an uncomfortable question:

Are we still the country our Founders created?

Historian Victor Davis Hanson recently reflected on that question, and while some of his conclusions are sobering, they are ultimately hopeful.

When the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence pledged their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor,” they were not signing a symbolic document. They were risking everything.

Had they failed, they would likely have been executed as traitors. Their families would have lost their property, their reputations, and their futures. Yet they signed anyway because they believed liberty was worth that sacrifice. And still had many personal losses.

That spirit of duty helped build a nation unlike any other.

For generations, Americans didn’t simply share a government—they shared a civic culture. Children learned American history, civics, and ethics. They recited the Pledge of Allegiance, sang patriotic songs, studied the Constitution, and were taught that freedom also required responsibility.

People came to America from every corner of the world, bringing their languages, foods, music, and traditions. But there was an understanding that becoming an American meant embracing America’s founding principles: liberty under law, constitutional government, equal justice, and personal responsibility.

Assimilation wasn’t viewed as oppression. It was viewed as becoming part of something larger than oneself.

Today, many Americans believe that this common civic identity has weakened.

Our schools spend little time teaching civics and American history. Patriotism is sometimes viewed with skepticism or disdain instead of gratitude. Immigration laws have frequently gone unenforced, while millions have entered the country without the orderly legal process that maintains a nation’s sovereignty. The debate is no longer simply about how many immigrants America should welcome, but whether newcomers should be expected to fully join the American civic culture.

At the same time, our politics have become increasingly divided—not just over policy, but over fundamental ideas about the role of family, faith, community, individual responsibility, and government itself.

Many Americans now feel that we are becoming two different countries living under one Constitution.

That should concern all of us, regardless of political party.

History teaches that republics survive only when citizens share enough common values to govern themselves peacefully. The Founders understood this. They designed our Constitution to protect liberty, but they also assumed an informed, engaged, and morally responsible citizenry.

The encouraging news is that America has overcome serious crises before.

We survived a Revolution, a Civil War, world wars, economic depression, and periods of deep political division. Each time, Americans eventually rediscovered the principles that united us.

Perhaps that is where hope lies today.

We don’t need despair. We need renewal. Renewal of principles, of duty, of Judeo-Christian values.

Renewal begins in our homes by teaching our children American history. It continues in our communities by participating in local government, supporting strong families, volunteering, and standing up for the things that have made America the most desired country in the world.

It also requires enforcing our laws fairly, expecting citizenship to carry both rights and responsibilities, and remembering that freedom cannot survive without civic virtue.

As Winston Churchill famously observed, Americans “can always be trusted to do the right thing... after they have exhausted all the alternatives.”

Let’s hope he’s right once again.

America’s 250th birthday must not simply be a celebration of our past; it must be a rededication to the principles that made this remarkable experiment in self-government possible—and to ensuring that the next 250 years are worthy of the sacrifice made by those who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

One last thought: I always hear we need to preserve America for our children and grandchildren, but I seldom hear the word ‘posterity. That was also a commitment of our forefathers. America is worth saving for the whole world and for all time.

Sources:

Is America Collapsing as It Celebrates 250 Years? Why Victor Davis Hanson Is ‘Very Worried’

The Declaration of Independence (National Archives)

The U.S. Constitution (National Archives)

America250 (Official U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission)

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

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State of Play: The Infrastructure of Artificial Intelligence Is Taking Shape

Ellen Leyrer — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:38:59 GMT

Hi friends,

The list of questions and concerns has grown. I’m not saying no to data centers. I think that ship has sailed. We do need to be informed and stand up for transparency and control, especially about energy, land and water issues.

The Infrastructure of Artificial Intelligence Is Taking Shape

For the past year or so, much of the discussion surrounding artificial intelligence has focused on the technology itself—chatbots, image generators, automation, and the race for AI leadership.

But a different part of the story is taking the lead.

The real challenge is no longer simply building better AI systems. It is building the physical infrastructure needed to support them.

And that infrastructure story is growing more complex - and concerning - by the week.

Several developments this week reveal an important shift. AI infrastructure is no longer just a local land-use issue. It involves cities, utilities, regulators, investors, energy companies, and communities across the United States and around the world.

The conversation is moving beyond:

“Should we build data centers?”

to:

“Who decides where they go, how they are powered, how much water they use, and who pays for the infrastructure they require?”

That is a much bigger discussion.

One of the clearest signals comes from a new international effort being launched during London Climate Action Week. Mayors from approximately 40 cities—including London, Melbourne, and Phoenix—are joining a Global Urban Data Centres Pact focused on the impacts data centers can have on electricity systems, water resources, land use, urban planning, noise, and community quality of life.

This development demonstrates that concerns about AI infrastructure are no longer limited to rural counties or isolated citizen groups. Large cities are now organizing around many of the same questions.

Whether the issue is water use in Arizona, electricity demand in Texas, or noise concerns near residential areas, local governments increasingly see data centers as public infrastructure issues rather than simply economic-development projects.

At the same time, investors are moving in a different direction.

According to Reuters, some data-center investors are now purchasing or partnering with power developers in order to gain greater control over electricity supplies. One example is DigitalBridge’s reported $1.1 billion acquisition of ArcLight Capital.

This trend is significant because it suggests that AI companies and their investors are becoming less interested in simply buying electricity from utilities. Instead, they are increasingly looking at owning, financing, or controlling the infrastructure that produces electricity.

In other words, the industry is becoming more vertically integrated.

The implications extend far beyond the data centers themselves.

A power plant serving a data center may require natural-gas supplies, water resources, transmission infrastructure, substations, roads, permits, environmental reviews, batteries, and long-term operating agreements. What starts as a technology project will likely become an energy and infrastructure project too.

A good example is the recently reported Chevron-Microsoft project in Reeves County, Texas.

The proposed 2.67-gigawatt power plant would reportedly serve Microsoft’s AI operations directly and may use brackish water and treated oilfield wastewater rather than potable water supplies.

That approach could potentially reduce pressure on freshwater resources. However, it also raises important questions regarding treatment standards, disposal practices, permitting, future grid connections, land impacts, and local oversight.

The lesson is not that the project is necessarily good or bad.

The lesson is that infrastructure decisions are becoming more complicated.

Meanwhile, the most important decisions may be occurring in places that receive very little public attention.

In Texas, ERCOT’s upcoming “Batch Zero” process will help determine how large new electricity users connect to the grid. Utility Dive recently reported that Texas is facing approximately 438 gigawatts of large-load requests, nearly 90 percent of which are associated with data centers.

Most of those projects will never be built. But the numbers illustrate the scale of interest. The key questions are no longer simply whether Texas can generate enough electricity.

Increasingly, the questions are:

Who receives access to limited grid capacity?
Who pays for upgrades?
How are costs allocated?
How should reliability be protected?

Those are utility-law questions.

And utility law is becoming one of the most important battlegrounds in the AI infrastructure debate.

The same pattern is now appearing nationally.

On June 18, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) directed regional grid operators outside Texas to update or justify their approaches to handling large-load interconnection requests.

Again, the central question is not technology. The central question is governance. Who gets electricity first? Who pays for upgrades? Who bears the risk?

Water remains part of the story as well.

The new city coalition is focusing heavily on water use and drought resilience. At the same time, projects such as the Great Springs initiative between San Antonio and Austin highlight a growing realization that protecting water resources increasingly involves protecting land, aquifer recharge areas, and long-term infrastructure planning.

Takeaways from this week’s developments:

AI infrastructure is becoming vertically integrated.
Data-center investors are moving into power generation.
Cities are organizing around infrastructure impacts.
Grid operators are developing new rules.
Regulators are stepping in.

Bottom Line: AI infrastructure is becoming vertically integrated, data-center money is moving into power generation, cities and regulators are trying to catch up.

Sources:

Global Urban Data Centres Pact (Cities Organizing Around Data-Center Impacts)

Reuters (June 22, 2026)
City mayors from London to Melbourne seek to curb data centre burden on power, water
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/cop/city-mayors-london-melbourne-seek-curb-data-centre-burden-power-water-2026-06-22/

C40 Cities – Global Urban Data Centres Pact
https://www.c40.org/news/the-global-urban-data-centres-pact/

Associated Press (June 22, 2026)
40 mayors worldwide endorse a pact to shape data center development
https://apnews.com/article/37df5184ad4f28ea084082563182e1ea

Data-Center Investors Moving Into Power Generation

Reuters (June 22, 2026)
Data center investors buy up power developers in race to build
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/data-center-investors-buy-up-power-developers-race-build--reeii-2026-06-22/

DigitalBridge / ArcLight Announcement (May 27, 2026)
DigitalBridge and ArcLight Announce Strategic Combination
https://www.digitalbridge.com/news/2026-05-27-digitalbridge-and-arclight-announce-strategic-combination-to-form-a-leading-alternative-asset-manager-at-the-convergence-of-power-ai-and-digital-infrastructure

Chevron / Microsoft / West Texas AI Power Project

Houston Chronicle (June 23, 2026)
Chevron plans massive Texas power plant for Microsoft, eyes oilfield wastewater as water source
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/chevron-microsoft-permian-gas-produced-water-22315265.php

Midland Reporter-Telegram (June 23, 2026)
Chevron, Microsoft sign 20-year deal for Pecos data center
https://www.mrt.com/news/article/pecos-tx-chevron-microsoft-data-center-22315597.php

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

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A Small Nuclear Reactor Just Reached a Big Milestone

Ellen Leyrer — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 02:52:31 GMT

Hi friends,

While easy and dependable nuclear energy is on the horizon, the below is credible information that it may be nearer than we expected.

President Trump’s Executive Order 14301, Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy, May 23, 2025 helped move this forward. (He had already issued Executive Order 14156, Declaring a National Energy Emergency, on Inauguration Day.)

America’s energy future may have taken another important step forward this week.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced that Valar Atomics’ “Ward 250” advanced reactor successfully completed what is called a “zero-power fueled criticality demonstration.” That sounds complicated, and maybe even a little alarming, but in plain English it means this: the reactor’s nuclear core successfully “started” in a controlled way.

The reactor is not yet producing electricity for homes, businesses, factories, data centers, or military bases. But it is still a very important milestone.

To understand why, it helps to know a little background.

For decades, nuclear power has been one of America’s most reliable sources of electricity. Traditional nuclear plants are large, expensive, heavily regulated, and take many years to build. They also provide steady power around the clock, unlike wind and solar, which depend on weather and time of day.

Now, due to energy support by the Trump administration, a new generation of companies is working on much smaller nuclear reactors. These are often called microreactors or advanced reactors. Microreactors are simple and compact reactors capable of producing thermal energy used directly as heat or converted to electric power. The goal is to build reactors that are smaller, safer, faster to deploy, and useful in places where reliable power is hard to provide.

That could include military bases, remote communities, disaster relief areas, mining sites, industrial facilities, space missions, and eventually high-demand users like data centers. As artificial intelligence, manufacturing, and advanced technology grow, America will need much more dependable electricity. Nuclear power is one of the few options that can provide large amounts of steady power without depending on the weather.

That is why this recent announcement matters.

The Department of Energy’s Reactor Pilot Program was created to speed up the testing of advanced reactor designs. The goal was to reach criticality for at least three advanced reactor concepts outside of national laboratories by July 4, 2026, America’s 250th birthday.

Valar Atomics’ Ward 250 is now the second reactor in that program to reach this point. Antares Nuclear’s Mark-0 reactor reached criticality earlier in June.

So what does “criticality” mean? In nuclear engineering, “criticality” does not mean ‘critical’. A reactor achieves criticality when the nuclear chain reaction is able to continue on its own in a steady, controlled way.

Think of it like starting an engine. When your car engine turns over and begins running on its own, that is a key step. It does not mean you are driving down the highway yet. It means the engine started and is operating as designed.

That is similar to what happened here. The reactor reached the point where its nuclear reaction could sustain itself, safely and as expected, under controlled conditions.

The “zero-power” part is also important. It means the reactor reached criticality at a very low level. It was not producing meaningful power for the grid. It was more like an engine idling, not a truck pulling a heavy load.

This kind of test allows engineers to confirm that the reactor behaves the way they expected. It helps prove the basic physics of the design. It also gives them information they will need before moving toward power production.

That is why this progress is worth celebrating.

Microreactors are not ready to solve America’s energy problems next week. They still have to go through more testing, safety reviews, fuel supply questions, siting decisions, cost evaluations, and real-world operating experience.

At the same time, we should not miss the significance of what is happening.

For years, America has talked about advanced nuclear power as something promising but always far off in the future. Now we are seeing young American companies build and test real reactors under federal authorization. That is progress.

It is especially encouraging at a time when America faces rising electricity demand from artificial intelligence, data centers, manufacturing, defense needs, and population growth. Reliable energy is not optional. It is the foundation of a strong economy, national security, and modern life.

Communities will need honest information. Citizen concerns should be respected. Safety must remain a top priority. Costs must be evaluated. Regulators should protect the public without smothering innovation.

But this milestone is still good news.

America needs more energy. We need reliable power, not wishful thinking. We need innovation that strengthens the country, supports industry, protects national security, and gives communities real options.

Valar Atomics’ Ward 250 reaching zero-power criticality does not finish the race. But it shows the race is moving.

As of June 20, 2026, two reactors have reached this milestone under the program; DOE still anticipates additional advanced reactors may go critical by the July 4 goal.

That is excellent progress, and it gives us good reason for hopeful expectations about America’s next generation of nuclear energy.

Sources:

U.S. Department of Energy — “Department of Energy Celebrates Second Advanced Reactor Achieving Criticality”
June 18, 2026
https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-celebrates-second-advanced-reactor-achieving-criticality
U.S. Department of Energy — “U.S. Department of Energy Reactor Pilot Program”
https://www.energy.gov/ne/us-department-energy-reactor-pilot-program
White House — “Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy”
May 23, 2025
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/05/reforming-nuclear-reactor-testing-at-the-department-of-energy/
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission — “Criticality” glossary definition
Page last reviewed/updated February 15, 2023
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/criticality
Idaho National Laboratory — “What does ‘reactor criticality’ mean?”
https://inl.gov/nuclear-energy/reactor-criticality/
U.S. Department of Energy — “Department of Energy Celebrates First Advanced Reactor Criticality”
June 2026
https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-celebrates-first-advanced-reactor-criticality
Reuters — “Trump’s lightning reactor build program ignites nuclear sector”
July 31, 2025
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/trumps-lightning-reactor-build-program-ignites-nuclear-sector-2025-07-31/

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

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Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

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Texas Regulators Pause Massive 765-kV Transmission Buildout

Ellen Leyrer — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:52:47 GMT

Hi friends,

Good news that the many concerns that have been expressed are being taken into consideration and more research will be done to address the possible issues.

Texas Regulators Hit Pause on First Segment of Massive 765-kV Transmission Buildout

For months, Texans concerned about the state’s proposed 765-kV transmission buildout have been told the project was moving forward as planned.

This week, something changed.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) voted to postpone consideration of the first segment of the proposed Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan (STEP), a massive network of extra-high-voltage transmission lines designed to move electricity across large portions of Texas and into the Permian Basin.

The decision does not stop the project. It does not cancel the project. But it does signal that regulators are willing to slow down and take a closer look before moving forward.

That alone makes this one of the most significant developments in the 765-kV debate to date.

What Is STEP?

The Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan (STEP) is part of the broader Permian Basin Reliability Plan approved by the PUCT in 2025.

Supporters argue that major transmission investments are needed to meet growing electricity demand and improve reliability in West Texas, particularly in the Permian Basin.

Critics argue that the plan has grown far beyond what lawmakers originally authorized and that Texans deserve a more thorough review before billions of dollars are committed and thousands of acres of private property are affected.

According to research from the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Life: Powered initiative, the approved 765-kV projects could cost approximately $33 billion to build and approach $100 billion in lifetime costs.

The Debate Has Changed

When this issue first surfaced, most of the attention focused on routing.

Landowners wanted to know where the lines would be built, whether eminent domain would be used, and how their farms, ranches, homes, and businesses might be affected.

Those concerns remain.

But over the last several months, the debate has expanded dramatically.

Questions now being raised include:

Are the lines actually necessary?
Were alternatives fully considered?
Could additional generation be built closer to where power is needed?
Were affected landowners given adequate notice and opportunity to participate?
What are the long-term impacts on private property, ratepayers, and rural communities?

These questions have transformed what began as a routing dispute into a much broader discussion about energy policy, property rights, government process, and infrastructure planning.

A Growing Coalition

Opposition to the project is no longer limited to individual landowners.

American Stewards of Liberty recently asked the PUCT to delay deciding whether several of the proposed transmission segments are actually needed until additional proceedings are completed.

The Texas Public Policy Foundation has published research arguing that alternative approaches—including additional natural gas generation in West Texas—could potentially reduce or eliminate the need for portions of the 765-kV buildout.

Most notably, 43 Texas legislators—34 members of the House and 9 members of the Senate—recently filed an amicus brief urging regulators to slow down and fully evaluate the project’s need before irreversible decisions are made.

Their concerns include ratepayer costs, private property impacts, and whether the current plan represents the best solution available.

Good News

Perhaps the most important shift is this: The central question is no longer simply where the lines should go.

The question increasingly being asked is whether all of the proposed lines should be built at all. That is a very different debate. Transmission lines move electricity. They do not generate it.

Critics argue that Texas should carefully examine whether other options could improve reliability while reducing costs and minimizing impacts on private property.

Supporters maintain that the transmission buildout is necessary to meet future demand and keep power flowing where it is needed.

Reasonable people can disagree on the answer.

But the size of the project, the potential costs, and the long-term effects on Texas landowners suggest that these questions deserve serious consideration.

What Happens Next?

The PUCT’s decision to postpone consideration of the first segment does not resolve the dispute.

Additional hearings, filings, and commission decisions still lie ahead.

However, the pause signals that regulators recognize the interconnected nature of these projects and that the debate surrounding them is far from settled.

Whether the final outcome favors transmission expansion, alternative solutions, or some combination of both, one thing is becoming clear:

The discussion has moved beyond transmission routes.

Texas is now engaged in a broader conversation about reliability, cost, property rights, local impacts, and who should decide how the state’s energy future is built.

Additional sources:

PUC Docket 59475 (Bell County East–Big Hill)
https://interchange.puc.texas.gov/Search/Filings?ControlNumber=59475

Texas Scorecard – Lawmakers Join Push to Pause Transmission Lines (June 16, 2026)
https://texasscorecard.com/state/lawmakers-join-push-to-pause-transmission-lines/

Texas Scorecard – Pro-Landowner Nonprofit Seeks Pause on Determining Need for Transmission Line (June 10, 2026)
https://texasscorecard.com/state/pro-landowner-nonprofit-seeks-pause-on-determining-need-for-transmission-line/

Texas Public Policy Foundation – Legislators Urge PUC to Delay Vote
https://www.texaspolicy.com/press/texas-legislators-urge-puc-to-delay-vote-on-765-kv-transmission-facilities

KXAN – Texas Landowners Fight Massive Transmission Line Project at Austin Hearing
https://www.kxan.com/energy-crossroads/texas-landowners-fight-massive-transmission-line-project-at-austin-hearing/

Oncor – Bell County East–Big Hill 765-kV Project
https://www.oncor.com/content/oncorwww/us/en/home/about-us/transmission-systems/current-transmission-line-projects/bell-county-east---big-hill-765-kv-transmission-line-project.html

Amicus Brief
https://interchange.puc.texas.gov/Documents/59029_465_1656879.PDF

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

The Infrastructure Question

Ellen Leyrer — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 17:40:51 GMT

Hi friends,

We’ve come to a point - in my opinion - ‘between a rock and a hard place’.

Evidence points to the fact that AI is critical to national security. And we’re being told that it must be rushed due to the race with China. That’s a post for another day.

Part 1 was The Resistance Is Building

Part 2 is below.

Part 2 If the first phase of the AI debate was about whether data centers should be built, the second phase is about how they should be built.

That distinction matters.

Because despite the growing opposition, there is mounting evidence that demand for AI computing power is real.

One of the clearest signs came when reports surfaced that Google agreed to pay roughly $920 million per month for access to AI computing capacity through SpaceX. Google already operates some of the world’s largest data centers, yet it was willing to spend billions of dollars to obtain additional computing resources.

That suggests the industry is facing genuine infrastructure constraints.

The AI race is no longer just about software.

It is about electricity, water, land, cooling systems, substations, transmission lines, and computer chips.

In short, it is an infrastructure race.

Supporters argue that America cannot afford to fall behind China in artificial intelligence. They point to national security concerns, economic competition, and the possibility that AI could reshape industries in much the same way the internet did a generation ago. I don’t disagree.

Those arguments do not answer the concerns being raised by communities across the country.

Many Americans are not asking whether AI should exist.

They are asking whether local residents should bear the costs of building the infrastructure that supports it. And even more - transparency and upfront information, not NDAs and behind closed doors deals.

Increasingly, the industry is responding with proposed solutions. But many questions and concerns remain unanswered.

Some developers are promoting facilities powered by dedicated natural gas plants rather than drawing power from the local grid. Others are exploring nuclear power. Some projects propose using non-potable or produced water rather than competing with municipal supplies. Closed-loop cooling systems are being promoted as a way to reduce water consumption.

In Texas, discussion has begun around requiring stronger protections related to water use, power reliability, and infrastructure planning. Policymakers are beginning to recognize that communities want more than assurances. They want enforceable standards.

That may be the most important shift taking place.

For years, the debate centered on whether data centers would bring jobs and economic growth.

Today, the discussion is increasingly focused on conditions.

Should projects disclose expected water use?

Should they provide their own power generation?

Should counties have greater authority to review impacts?

Should facilities be restricted near schools or residential areas?

Should developers be required to contribute to infrastructure upgrades before construction begins?

These are not anti-technology questions.

They are governance questions.

Supporters often point to voluntary commitments from technology companies, including investments in water conservation and energy programs. Such efforts may help - if the commitments are followed and audited. But communities are increasingly asking whether voluntary commitments are enough when the projects themselves involve investments measured in billions of dollars.

For decades, Americans have been told that major infrastructure projects require careful consideration of environmental impacts, land use, water consumption, and community effects. Many citizens are now asking why AI infrastructure should be treated differently.

America does not have to choose between technological leadership and protecting local communities.
It can do both.
But doing both requires honesty.

It requires acknowledging that the concerns are real.

It requires recognizing that the benefits are real.

And it requires establishing the rules before the infrastructure becomes permanent.

The future of AI may depend on computers and algorithms.
But the future of communities depends on something else: whether growth happens with the people who live there—or simply happens to them.

People should be prioritized above big business.

And one basic tenet is being largely ignored: Farmland lost to technology is lost forever. Agricultural land, farms and ranches, means food.

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

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Some housekeeping…

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The Resistance Is Building

Ellen Leyrer — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:04:18 GMT

Hi friends,

We’ve come to a point - in my opinion - ‘between a rock and a hard place’.

Evidence points to the fact that AI is critical to national security. And we’re being told that it must be rushed due to the race with China. That’s a post for another day.

This Part 1 is people are concerned and raising issues.

Part 2 will be about possible resolution, ‘The Infrastructure Question: If America Needs AI, How Should We Build It?’

Part 1 A year ago, most Americans had never given a thought to data centers.

Today, communities across the country are fighting over them.

City councils are debating them. Counties are trying to slow them down. Citizens are organizing against them. Lawsuits are being filed. In California, voters recently approved a permanent ban on new data centers. In Texas, counties are scrambling to understand projects that could reshape their communities for decades.

At first, data centers were presented as a simple economic development story. They would bring jobs, tax revenue, and technological progress. Communities were told they were essential for America’s future and its ability to compete in the rapidly growing field of artificial intelligence.

But as projects have moved from PowerPoint presentations to real-world proposals, many citizens have begun asking questions.

How much water will these facilities use?

How much electricity will they require?

Who pays for the new infrastructure?

Will farmland disappear beneath concrete and steel?

Will local residents have any meaningful say in the process?

Those questions are no longer theoretical.

In Texas, Hill County attempted to pause data center development while officials studied potential impacts. The county later rescinded the moratorium after facing a $100 million lawsuit from a developer. In Georgia, homeowners are fighting transmission-line projects tied to growing power demands. Across the country, residents are increasingly discovering that AI infrastructure is not just a technology issue—it is a land-use issue, a water issue, a power issue, and a quality-of-life issue.

One of the most significant recent developments came from Monterey Park, California, where voters overwhelmingly approved a permanent ban on new data centers. Whether one agrees with the decision or not, the vote demonstrated something important: citizens want a voice in these decisions.

The concerns vary by location.

In some communities, water is the dominant issue. In others, it is power demand, farmland preservation, property rights, noise, or local control. Residents near a Memphis-area facility associated with Elon Musk’s xAI recently filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that power generation equipment serving the project has negatively affected their quality of life and property values.

What ties these disputes together is not opposition to technology itself.

Many of the people raising concerns use AI every day. Many support innovation. Many support economic growth.

What they oppose is the idea that large-scale infrastructure projects should move forward without transparent discussion of the costs and consequences.
Erin Brocovich reports on what she’s learning bout lack of transparency. See the 5-minute CNN clip with Erin Brocovich.

Supporters of data centers often point to projected tax revenue, construction jobs, and national/international competitiveness. Critics point out that some facilities employ relatively few permanent workers once construction is complete. Communities are increasingly asking whether the promised benefits justify the tradeoffs.

The debate has also revealed a deeper issue: local control.

Many proposed facilities are being directed toward rural or unincorporated areas where local governments have fewer tools to regulate development. Residents often feel that major decisions are being made long before they learn the details.

That frustration is becoming political.

What began as a handful of local disputes has grown into a national conversation involving state legislatures, county governments, utility commissions, courts, and voters.

The resistance is building because the impacts are visible.

The question now is not whether data centers are coming.

The question is whether communities will have a meaningful role in deciding how they are built, where they are built, and what protections are put in place.

Because while the resistance is growing, so is the pressure to build.

And that raises an equally important question: If America truly needs this infrastructure, what should responsible development look like?

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

$920 million a MONTH to rent compute capacity

Ellen Leyrer — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:11:31 GMT

Hi friends,

We know AI data centers are a big part of news these days. People are concerned for a variety of reasons, and big business wants the projected profit, and AI is national security.

I just never imagined Google having to outsource for computer power…

Google’s decision to pay nearly $920 million per month to SpaceX for access to 110,000 Nvidia GPUs may be one of the most revealing developments yet in the AI boom.

At first, does it sounds like just another big-tech business deal? But wait, why would Google, of all companies, need more compute capacity? The bigger story is what it tells us about the unprecedented demand for computing power behind artificial intelligence.

Google is one of the world’s largest technology companies. It already owns and operates vast networks of data centers around the globe. Yet according to reports, Google is willing to spend almost $1 billion every month to rent computing capacity rather than wait for additional infrastructure to come online.

That should get our attention.

For months, Americans have been hearing about proposals for new data centers, power plants, transmission lines, substations, water projects, and industrial-scale infrastructure. Many have wondered whether the demand is real or whether the industry is simply overbuilding.

This deal confirms that the demand is very real.

The challenge is that AI requires much more than software. It requires physical infrastructure: computer chips, massive server buildings, electricity, cooling systems, water, networking equipment, transformers, and transmission lines. In many places, the limiting factor is no longer the availability of AI chips. It is whether there is enough power and infrastructure to run them.

I do not believe every proposed data center should be approved. Communities still have legitimate concerns about water use, power demand, noise, land conversion, tax incentives, local control, and property rights.

But it does help explain why the pressure to build continues to intensify.

The AI debate is often presented as a competition between companies or even nations. Increasingly, however, it appears to be an infrastructure race. The companies that secure enough power, computing capacity, and physical infrastructure may gain the greatest advantage.

Personally, I’m not against data centers in general, but PEOPLE must be prioritized over big business. And that must include agricultural land - food - and water.

Whether one supports or opposes the rapid expansion of AI, this deal points out that the “cloud” is not something just floating in the sky. It is built on real land, using real resources, and the demand for that infrastructure appears to be growing faster than many expected.

Source:

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/05/google-to-pay-spacex-920-million-a-month-for-xai-compute-capacity.html

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

America’s Course Correction

Ellen Leyrer — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:08:53 GMT

Hi friends,

Consider this.

Thesis:

America became weaker because manufacturing was outsourced, factories closed, supply chains moved overseas, and Wall Street prioritized finance over production.

Therefore:

The federal government should actively help rebuild American manufacturing capacity, especially in strategic industries.

And therefore:

Trump’s tariffs, energy policies, tax incentives, deregulation, defense spending, and industrial policies are all pieces of a coordinated effort to rebuild America’s productive economy.

America’s Course Correction

America did not arrive at this moment overnight.

For decades, leaders in both parties largely embraced the same economic model: globalization, free trade, outsourcing, financialization, and the belief that markets would naturally place production wherever it could be done most efficiently.

There were ‘benefits’. Consumers enjoyed lower prices. Companies increased profits. Global trade expanded. Technology advanced.

But there were costs as well. It seems we’ve learned the costs outweighed the benefits.

Factories closed. Manufacturing jobs disappeared. Supply chains stretched across oceans. Critical industries moved overseas. Many communities watched their economic foundations erode while Wall Street prospered.

Whether one calls it globalization, financialization, or simply the prevailing economic consensus, a growing number of Americans concluded that something was wrong.

Today, we are witnessing a deliberate shift in direction.

The Trump administration has made rebuilding America’s productive capacity a central goal. Through tariffs, deregulation, tax incentives, energy expansion, strategic investments, and defense procurement, the administration is attempting to encourage more production, manufacturing, and investment within the United States.

The objective is simple: make more things in America, build more things in America, and reduce dependence on foreign competitors for critical goods and materials.

Supporters argue that a nation cannot remain strong if it loses the ability to manufacture essential products, refine critical minerals, build ships, produce advanced technology, or maintain secure supply chains.

This effort extends beyond traditional manufacturing. It includes semiconductors, artificial intelligence infrastructure, energy production, shipbuilding, defense systems, and other industries viewed as vital to both economic prosperity and national security.

At the center of this approach is an old American idea: strong nations build things.

Factories are more than buildings. They create entire ecosystems of suppliers, engineers, skilled workers, transportation networks, research facilities, and supporting businesses. One successful manufacturing facility often generates opportunities far beyond its own walls.

This concept has deep roots in American history.

Alexander Hamilton argued that the young nation needed domestic manufacturing. Later generations built railroads, steel mills, power systems, shipyards, and industrial centers that helped transform the United States into the world’s leading economic power.

Advocates of today’s policies believe America must recover some of that productive strength after decades of offshoring and deindustrialization.

Of course, every course correction carries risks. Can government intervention can sometimes create waste, political favoritism, or investments that fail to deliver promised results? We know it can.

The challenge is balance.

America does not need government directing every aspect of the economy. But neither does it benefit from becoming dependent on foreign nations for critical industries and essential goods.

The goal is to rebuild what has been lost while preserving the innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic freedom that have long been America’s strengths.

Perfection is impossible. Every generation inherits challenges created by the decisions of previous generations. The question is not whether every policy is flawless. The question is whether the nation is moving toward greater strength, resilience, and opportunity.

Can America once again become a nation that not only consumes and finances, but also designs, manufactures, builds, and produces?

There is growing recognition across the political spectrum that a strong America requires more than financial markets and consumer spending. It requires the capacity to create the products, technologies, infrastructure, and industries on which both prosperity and national security depend.

Is this course correction a good thing? Well, in my opinion, America certainly could not have survived on the previous course.

Sources:

https://brianlantz.substack.com/p/the-factory-is-the-product

https://ustr.gov/about/policy-offices/press-office/speeches-and-remarks/2026/hamilton-today-trade-and-us-economic-strategy

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/alexander-hamiltons-manufacturing-message/

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

The Suicide of France

Ellen Leyrer — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:56:02 GMT

Hi friends,

This essay is inspired by Eric Zemmour’s The Suicide of France, but the broader concern is not his alone. France itself has debated “separatism,” assimilation, public order, and whether republican law can hold against parallel societies. Pew, OECD, and French government sources all show that immigration, integration, schools, and national identity are not abstract issues. They are now central questions for every Western nation.

The point is not that every immigrant fails to integrate. Many do integrate. The concern is what happens when a country loses the confidence to require assimilation as a condition of long-term national unity.

The Lesson from France: A Nation Must Believe It Has the Right to Remain Itself

France is giving the West a warning.

Not because France is weak. Not because the French people lack history, culture, courage, or intelligence. Quite the opposite. France is one of the great civilizations of the world. It gave us cathedrals, philosophers, artists, military heroes, political revolutions, great literature, and a deep national identity rooted in language, place, memory, and pride.

That is exactly why its current struggle matters.

The warning from France is not simply about immigration. It is not simply about Islam. It is not about saying every immigrant is a threat or every Muslim is an enemy. That would be unfair and untrue.

The deeper issue is this: Can a nation survive if its own institutions stop believing it has the right to remain itself?

That is the question France has been forced to face.

For decades, many French leaders and cultural elites treated national pride as outdated, borders as embarrassing, assimilation as intolerant, and traditional values as something to apologize for. Schools softened the teaching of national memory. Courts and bureaucracies often seemed more concerned with avoiding offense than enforcing order. Political leaders talked about tolerance but often failed to require loyalty to France’s laws, language, customs, and civic expectations.

The result has not been compassion. It has been confusion.

When a country stops teaching newcomers what it means to belong, it does not create unity. It creates separation. When a country stops expecting assimilation, it does not create peace. It creates parallel societies. When schools stop transmitting history and civic memory, children do not become more enlightened. They become easier to detach from the nation that raised them.

And when leaders become more afraid of defending the country than of losing it, the people eventually notice.

That is the lesson America — and Texas — must take seriously.

We do not need to become fearful, hateful, or extreme. But we do need to be honest. A nation is not just an economy. It is not just a labor market. It is not just roads, stores, technology, and tax revenue.

A nation is a people bound by shared laws, shared memory, shared language, shared duties, and a shared understanding of right and wrong.
If those things are not taught, defended, and passed on, they do not magically preserve themselves.

America has its own version of this challenge. We see it in open-border policies that overwhelm communities. We see it in schools that sometimes teach children more about America’s sins than America’s founding principles. We see it when law enforcement is undermined, when citizenship is treated as a technicality, and when civic unity is replaced with grievance categories.

We see it when ordinary citizens are told that defending borders, election integrity, parental rights, local control, or constitutional government is somehow “extreme.”

It is not extreme to want a country with borders. It is not extreme to expect children to learn American history. It is not extreme to believe newcomers should embrace our Constitution, our laws, and our civic culture. It is not extreme to insist that local communities have a say in what happens to their schools, neighborhoods, land, and way of life.

That is not hatred. That is stewardship.

Texas has a special responsibility here. We are a border state. We are a growth state. We are a state people move to because they still believe there is something freer, stronger, and more grounded here.

But Texas will not remain Texas by accident. Freedom requires memory. Local control requires participation. Safe communities require law and order. Constitutional government requires citizens who understand it well enough to defend it.

France reminds us that cultural decline does not usually happen overnight. It happens gradually, through a thousand small surrenders. A softened curriculum. A silent parent. A city council nobody watches. A school board race nobody votes in. A law not enforced. A word redefined. A tradition mocked. A border ignored. A people told, year after year, that loving their country is something to be ashamed of.

The good news is that decline is not inevitable.

Citizens can still show up. Parents can still ask questions. Voters can still pay attention to local races. Churches, civic groups, families, and neighborhoods can still teach what schools neglect. Communities can still insist on safety, order, honesty, and self-government.

The lesson from France is not despair.

The lesson is urgency.
A country can survive hardship, enemies, recessions, wars, and mistakes. What it cannot survive is the loss of belief in itself.

America is worth preserving. Texas is worth preserving. Our Constitution is worth preserving. But preservation is not passive. It is the work of citizens.

So let France be a warning — not because we are doomed to follow, but because we still have time not to.

Wake up. Pay attention. Speak up. Show up.

A free country remains free only when its people decide it is worth the effort.

Note:
Pew Research Center’s newer data helps keep this discussion factual. Europe has not been “taken over” demographically: Pew estimated Muslims were about 6% of Europe’s population in 2020. But Pew also found that Muslims were 18% of migrants living in Europe, and that Muslim population growth in several European countries has been tied to immigration and higher-than-average fertility. In other words, the question is not panic; it is assimilation. Can Western nations absorb large-scale migration while still preserving a shared civic culture, rule of law, language, and national memory?

Sources:

“The Suicide of France” by Eric Zammour

https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2023/11/pisa-2022-results-volume-i-and-ii-country-notes_2fca04b9/france_d1a5bb8b/8008535b-en.pdf

https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2023/06/indicators-of-immigrant-integration-2023_70d202c4.html

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2026/05/04/french-interior-minister-nunez-i-have-no-problem-with-islam-in-france-but-i-fight-those-who-use-it-to-undermine-our-republic_6753107_7.html

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/06/10/islam-was-the-worlds-fastest-growing-religion-from-2010-to-2020/

https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/FRANCE-2021-INTERNATIONAL-RELIGIOUS-FREEDOM-REPORT.pdf

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

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Texas’ $100 Billion kV Lines

Ellen Leyrer — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:55:27 GMT

Hi friends,

These proposed transmission lines are a big deal. They have opponents and proponents as well as the excellent Texas Public Policy Foundation’s truths, and understanding, and explanation.

If you need more background:
www.rationalamerican.org/p/when-the-power-line-comes-through
propertyrightsandfreedom.substack.com/p/data-centers-765-kv-lines-and-public

Texas’ $100 Billion Transmission Debate Is Entering a New Phase

When most Texans first heard about the proposed 765-kV transmission lines crossing the state, the discussion centered on property rights.

Landowners were concerned about eminent domain. Rural communities worried about massive transmission corridors crossing farms, ranches, and family property.

Those concerns remain.

But over the last several weeks, the debate has grown into something much larger.

Texas regulators, utilities, landowners, lawmakers, policy organizations, and citizen groups are now asking a more fundamental question:

Do Texas taxpayers and ratepayers actually need this unprecedented 765-kV transmission buildout?

The proposed projects are part of ERCOT’s Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan (STEP) and the Permian Basin Reliability Plan (PBRP). Supporters argue the lines are necessary to move electricity into West Texas and support future growth in the Permian Basin.

Critics argue that the assumptions behind the plan have never been fully vetted and that alternatives may exist.

Recent research from the Texas Public Policy Foundation estimates that approved 765-kV projects could cost approximately $33 billion to build and approach $100 billion in lifetime costs. The study argues that alternative approaches, including additional natural gas generation closer to demand centers, deserve serious consideration before irreversible decisions are made.

At the same time, hearings and filings have expanded the conversation far beyond routing decisions.

Today, at least five distinct debates are taking place simultaneously.

1. The Utility and Reliability Debate

Utilities and grid planners argue that Texas needs major transmission investment to maintain reliability and support future growth.

2. The Property Rights Debate

Landowners continue to raise concerns about eminent domain, loss of productive land, and long-term impacts on family property.

3. The Due Process Debate

Questions have emerged regarding public notice, route additions, hearing timelines, and whether affected landowners are receiving meaningful opportunities to participate.

4. The Water and National Security Debate

Proposed routes have raised concerns involving aquifer protection, military installations, radar systems, and foreign-owned land near critical infrastructure.

5. The Economic Necessity Debate

Perhaps the newest and most significant question is whether the entire 765-kV buildout is the most cost-effective solution available.

This issue appears to be gaining traction.

Recent reports indicate that opponents are now asking regulators to slow the process and more fully examine the underlying assumptions behind the Permian Basin Reliability Plan before additional approvals move forward.

Whether those efforts succeed remains to be seen.

What is clear is that this is no longer simply a routing dispute.

It has become a statewide conversation about energy policy, infrastructure planning, property rights, ratepayer costs, water resources, and who gets to decide the future of rural Texas.

This is one to watch closely.

Sources:

https://www.texaspolicy.com/tppf-releases-new-research-on-ercots-765-kv-strategic-transmission-expansion-plan/

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/energy/article/landowners-participate-in-transmission-hearing-22232399.php

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

Trump, Bernie, Bessent, and the Return of the “American System”

Ellen Leyrer — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:41:35 GMT

Hi friends,

A recent Promethean Action Saturday Wrap-Up raised an interesting question: What is going on when President Trump says he and Bernie Sanders are “not that far apart” on certain economic issues, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticizes what he called America’s “slavish devotion to free markets”?

The point of the video is not that Trump has changed sides politically. The argument is that Trump and his economic team are operating from a different economic framework altogether — one that is neither modern free-market globalism nor socialism.

The program begins with Trump’s comments on his way to Wisconsin. When asked about Bernie Sanders, Trump said many Sanders voters came over to him because, economically, “we have certain things that aren’t that far apart.” The video argues that the important phrase is Trump’s reference to “an economic plan.” According to Promethean Action, Trump was not simply being polite to Sanders. He was pointing to a different way of thinking about the economy.

The video then connects Trump’s remarks to comments from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said that for the past 25 years, America had a “slavish devotion to free markets” and assumed that things would automatically “recalibrate.” Bessent’s point, as presented in the video, is that many Americans lost faith because they felt trapped in a rigged system where hard work no longer reliably led to a stable, comfortable life.

Promethean Action frames this as a major break from the usual political debate. Instead of arguing only about “free markets” versus “socialism,” the video says there is another system — an older American system — based on national production, industrial strength, tariffs, infrastructure, finance, and directed economic policy.

The video also points to recent economic numbers as evidence that this approach is beginning to work. It cites a May jobs report showing 172,000 non-farm payroll jobs added, compared to lower expectations. It also notes that March and April job numbers were revised upward. The host emphasizes that factory jobs were only up by 7,000, which is positive but still modest. The point made is that manufacturing growth does not immediately appear in payroll numbers. According to Peter Navarro, the sequence is: first orders, then production, then capital investment, and only then more robust hiring.

In other words, the video argues that after decades of de-industrialization, a manufacturing comeback would first show up in orders, machinery, construction, overtime, and productivity before it shows up fully in job totals. Promethean Action presents this as the early stage of Trump’s broader economic plan.

The program describes that plan as industrial policy. That means government does not simply step back and trust the “invisible hand” to solve everything. Instead, the government takes an active role in protecting and supporting producers and workers. The video specifically mentions tariffs, tax policy, directed investment, and possible public-private partnerships, including the idea of the government taking stakes in large AI companies, similar to what has been discussed regarding Intel.

Another theme is skilled trades. The video says young Americans are beginning to respond to the administration’s skilled trades initiative, citing claims that 60% of Gen Z Americans plan to pursue skilled trade work this year, that many college graduates are pivoting toward trades, and that skilled trade pay can match or exceed many four-year-degree paths without the burden of large college debt.

The historical centerpiece of the video is Henry Clay’s “American System.” Peter Navarro is quoted describing Clay’s view that a nation unable to produce what it needs is vulnerable. Clay’s American System, as summarized in the video, followed Alexander Hamilton’s earlier vision and included tariffs to build industry, finance to fuel growth, and infrastructure to tie the country together as one economic unit.

Promethean Action argues that this system helped turn the United States from a young, developing nation into the world’s strongest economy. The video says America later drifted away from this model, outsourcing its strength and calling it progress.

The closing argument is that the American System is neither free trade, nor socialism, nor the modern global free-market model. It is presented as a distinct American tradition focused on national sovereignty, production, infrastructure, and the ability of the country to make what it needs.

The video’s main message is that Trump, Bessent, Navarro, and others are not merely criticizing the old system. They are pointing back to an older American economic tradition — one Promethean Action believes has been hidden, forgotten, or deliberately pushed out of the national conversation.

Whether one agrees with the full interpretation or not, the argument is worth understanding: the current economic debate may not be only about capitalism versus socialism. It may also be about whether America should return to a national-development model that prioritizes production, workers, infrastructure, and economic sovereignty.

Resources:

Trump Agreed With Bernie, Bessent Trashed the Free Market, What’s Going On?! (13-minute video)

Henry Clay and the Architecture of American Strength (>3 minutes)

https://www.prometheanaction.com/

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

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“Is the American Experiment Legitimate?”

Ellen Leyrer — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 20:39:30 GMT

Hi friends,

This article is great, but a bit long. I wanted to share the overall perspective and philosophy, so I asked AI to summarize. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read the whole thing, just that I don’t want anyone to miss out because of length. :-)

Happy 250th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence!

Executive Summary: Is the American Experiment Legitimate?

This article asks a question Americans do not often state plainly but debate constantly: Is our system of government legitimate? In other words, who has the right to govern, by what authority, through what institutions, and for what purpose?

The author argues that the Declaration of Independence gives the American answer. Government is legitimate when it secures the equal, God-given rights of the people — including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — and when it derives its just powers from the consent of the governed.

But the Declaration does not say legitimacy comes merely from a particular form of government. Its first concern is function: Does the government protect the rights of the people? The American Revolution, in this view, was not simply a rejection of monarchy as a form. It was a rejection of a government that had stopped securing the rights of the colonists and had begun violating them.

Still, the article explains that consent logically points toward representative government and majority rule. If all people are equal, and if government requires their consent, then permanent minority rule cannot be legitimate. Lincoln later made this point clearly: without majority rule, the alternatives are anarchy or despotism.

Yet majority rule also creates a serious danger. A majority can become oppressive. It can use political power to trample the rights of minorities or individuals. So the central American problem was never simply, “How do we let the majority rule?” It was, “How do we allow majority rule while still protecting the rights of everyone?”

That is where the Constitution comes in. The author argues that the Constitution was designed to meet the test posed by the Declaration. It accepts the necessity of majority rule but restrains narrow, temporary, or passionate majorities through checks and balances, separation of powers, federalism, two houses of Congress, and an independent judiciary.

In this view, the Constitution’s slowness is not a defect. It is part of the design. The system forces negotiation, compromise, and coalition-building before power can be exercised. That can be frustrating, but it helps prevent rash decisions, mob rule, and the tyranny of bare majorities.

The article highlights James Madison’s warning in Federalist No. 10: the greatest danger in a republic is a majority faction that sacrifices the public good or the rights of others to its own interests. The Constitution was built to preserve self-government while reducing that danger.

The author also emphasizes that Congress is supposed to be the main arena for this negotiation. When Congress fails to do its job, the whole constitutional system suffers. The president and courts have important roles, but lawmaking is meant to happen through representative deliberation.

The article’s bottom line is that America’s constitutional system has endured not because it is efficient, but because it is legitimate, adaptable, and protective of liberty. Its structure helps balance majority rule with equal rights — a difficult but essential task.

As America approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, the question is not whether the Declaration and Constitution are still capable of meeting the challenges ahead. The real question is whether Americans still understand them well enough, and value them enough, to preserve and use them wisely.

Source: https://thedispatch.com/next-250/american-experiment-declaration-constitution-founders/

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

What We Don't Know Can Hurt Us

Ellen Leyrer — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 02:23:15 GMT

Hi friends,

Did you know:

A Harris county judge candidate is endorsed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) which Gov. Abbott designated as a foreign terrorist organization and transnational criminal organization under Texas law?
Judges denied a request from landowners seeking more time in the Bell County East–Big Hill 765-kV transmission line proceeding?
USDA launched the Great American Cotton Plan to revitalize the cotton farm economy and bring back clothing that doesn’t contain plastics?
U.S. manufacturing has expanded for five straight months?
The truth about battery storage as ‘back-up power’?

Getting the whole story can be a challenge, but these days it’s important to try. Media almost always has a spin and, like in contracts and life, sometimes what’s not said is more important that what is said.

With elections (and election integrity including voter ID), data centers, and Islam in our daily news - and time sensitive, I encourage you to be informed and engaged especially - but not only - on these concerns.

One of Texas’ Most Powerful County Offices Is on the Ballot

Few people pay close attention to county judge races — but they should.

In Texas, a county judge plays a major executive role, presides over commissioners court, helps shape budgets and emergency management, and has significant influence over local government priorities.

That is why the Harris County Judge race matters so much. Harris County is the largest county in Texas and one of the most politically important counties in the country. In November, Democrat Letitia Plummer will face Republican Orlando Sanchez for the open Harris County Judge seat.

One reason this race is drawing attention is Plummer’s endorsement from CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Gov. Abbott designated CAIR as a foreign terrorist organization and transnational criminal organization under Texas law citing ties to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. (CAIR denies the allegations.)

Voters are right to ask serious questions about candidate endorsements, policy positions, and ideological beliefs. As to religion, Americans are free to worship, or not, as they choose.

Local races are more important than many realize. And we’ve certainly seen the power judges wield since Trump began his second presidential term.

Source:

https://texasscorecard.com/local/cair-backed-muslim-candidate-seeks-harris-county-judge-post/

Texas Landowners Say They Were Denied More Time in a 765-kV Transmission Line Case

A major Texas transmission line fight is moving fast — too fast for many landowners.

Administrative law judges denied a request from landowners seeking more time in the Bell County East–Big Hill 765-kV transmission line proceeding. The landowners say hundreds of miles of new route links were added after earlier public meetings, affecting roughly 1,300 to 1,400 properties and ~2,000 owners who were not given the same early opportunity to participate in the routing discussion.

This is not a small neighborhood power line. The proposed Bell County East–Big Hill project is part of Texas’ 765-kV Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan, intended to move large amounts of electricity across the state, including toward the Permian Basin. LCRA says the project endpoints are about 199 miles apart, and the filed application includes 122 alternative routes ranging from about 214 to 244 miles.

The landowners asked for more time. The administrative law judges said no, citing the 180-day approval deadline under Texas law.

That is the part Texans should pay attention to.

Whether someone supports or opposes 765-kV transmission, the process matters. When state-backed infrastructure projects move on compressed timelines, landowners can find themselves racing to understand maps, deadlines, legal filings, intervention rules, and potential impacts to their property.

This is bigger than one transmission line.

It raises a basic question: Are Texas landowners being given a real opportunity to participate before decisions are made that may affect their land for generations?

Local property rights are not a side issue. They are the foundation of self-government.

Source:

https://texasscorecard.com/state/judges-deny-landowners-more-time-in-765-kv-transmission-line-hearing/

Cotton is now part of the Make America Healthy Again conversation?

The USDA just announced the Great American Cotton Plan, aimed at helping American cotton farmers, rebuilding domestic textile manufacturing, and encouraging more demand for products made with American-grown cotton.

The surprising part is the health angle.

USDA says support for natural fibers like cotton aligns with MAHA because Americans are increasingly concerned about microplastics and synthetic materials in everyday products. Cotton is natural, breathable, biodegradable, and grown by American farmers. Many synthetic fabrics, by contrast, are petroleum-based and can shed microplastics.

USDA also says nearly 70% of the world’s textile fibers are now synthetic, most of them plastic-based materials such as polyester.

This is about more than cotton.

It touches American farming, rural jobs, domestic manufacturing, supply chains, consumer choice, and the growing concern over synthetic materials in everyday life.

There are fair questions about subsidies and government involvement, but this is worth watching.

Sometimes the “big picture” shows up in something as ordinary as the shirt on your back.

Source:
https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2026/05/28/usda-launches-great-american-cotton-plan-revitalize-cotton-farm-economy

You’re not seeing this in the ‘news. U.S. Manufacturing Has Expanded for Five Straight Months.

Here is a good-news economic signal worth watching.

According to the Institute for Supply Management, U.S. manufacturing expanded again in May 2026, marking the fifth straight month of growth. The Manufacturing PMI came in at 54.0, the highest reading since May 2022. Any number above 50 signals expansion.

Even better, new orders rose to 56.8, and production remained in expansion territory at 54.3. That matters because new orders often tell us whether businesses expect continued demand.

This is the kind of trend people who care about rebuilding America’s industrial base should watch closely.

Peter Navarro tells us that this reflects the early impact of Trump’s tariff-and-tax strategy: making foreign production less attractive while encouraging investment here at home.

It’s the beginning of broader American manufacturing recovery.

However… Manufacturing employment is still below the expansion line, though it improved from April. So this is not yet a full manufacturing boom. It is a real signal, and the positive results will continue. Think of it like a partially prepared meal; the best is yet to come.

After years of concern about offshoring, hollowed-out supply chains, and dependence on foreign production, it takes time for the manufacturing expansion to get to the employment piece.

Sources:

Peter Navarro Substack:
peternavarro.substack.com/p/a-trumpnomics-trend-manufacturing

Official ISM May 2026 Manufacturing PMI PDF:
https://www.ismworld.org/globalassets/pub/research-and-surveys/rob/pmi/irun202605pmi.pdf

ISM May 2026 Manufacturing roundup:
https://www.ismworld.org/supply-management-news-and-reports/news-publications/inside-supply-management-magazine/blog/2026/2026-06/ism-pmi-reports-roundup-may-2026-manufacturing/

Reuters report:
https://www.reuters.com/business/us-manufacturing-activity-scales-four-year-high-may-ism-says-2026-06-01/

Battery Storage May Help the Grid — But It Is Minimal

Battery storage is often described as if it were backup power.

That is only partly true. Battery Energy Storage Systems, often called BESS, can provide power quickly when the grid is strained. In Texas, ERCOT says battery storage is already helping during peak demand hours, improving reliability, and lowering some energy costs. NERC also says ERCOT’s summer reliability outlook improved partly because thousands of megawatts of battery storage were added in 2025 and early 2026.

So this is not an argument that battery storage is useless.

But battery storage is also not the same thing as a power plant.

A battery does not create electricity. It stores electricity produced somewhere else and releases it later. Pumped hydro storage works in a similar way: electricity is used to pump water uphill, and then water is released later to generate power. In both cases, storage shifts electricity from one time period to another which can be helpful for balancing the grid.

But it is not the same as having firm, dispatchable generation that can keep running through long periods of low wind, low sun, extreme weather, or multi-day emergencies.

Communities are being asked to host more battery storage projects, often with unrealistic promises about reliability, renewable integration, and emergency support. Those claims need to be examined carefully.

While battery storage may help stabilize the grid and provide short-duration support, it should not be oversold as generation, fuel security, or long-duration emergency backup.

Citizens must understand the difference before more land is committed, more substations are expanded, and more infrastructure is stacked across rural communities.

Sources:

Energy Security and Freedom Substack:
energysecurityfreedom.substack.com/p/battery-storage-isnt-backup-storage

EIA: Energy storage for electricity generation:
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/energy-storage-for-electricity-generation.php

EIA: Utility-scale batteries and pumped storage return about 80% of stored electricity:
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=46756

ERCOT: Understanding Battery Energy Storage Systems — Current and Future:
https://www.ercot.com/files/docs/2026/02/02/4-Understanding-Battery-Energy-Storage-Systems-Current-and-Future.pdf

NERC 2026 Summer Reliability Assessment:
https://www.nerc.com/globalassets/our-work/assessments/nerc_sra_2026.pdf

FERC 2026 Summer Energy Market and Electric Reliability Assessment:
https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/news/presentation-report-2026-summer-energy-market-and-electric-reliability-assessment

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

The Cloud Has a Physical Footprint

Ellen Leyrer — Sun, 31 May 2026 15:44:25 GMT

Hi friends,

I guess most of us are comfortable by now knowing about and talking about the ‘cloud’. Because information magically appears from thin air when we ask for it, we don’t consciously recognize the ‘hard’ (as in hardware) truths.

AI and data centers are in the news every day. There are basically two sides, and the battle is basically between people/communities and businesses, though governments have a part to play too.

Is the future digital?

Our photos are in the cloud. Our documents are in the cloud. Our banking, shopping, entertainment, and increasingly our artificial intelligence tools all exist in a vast digital world.

The language itself creates a certain image. A cloud sounds light, invisible, doesn’t get in our way.

But the cloud has a physical footprint. A very large one.

Most people think of AI as software, somewhere ‘out there’. In reality, AI depends on an enormous amount of physical land and hardware. The “cloud” is not floating in the sky. It is a growing network of massive buildings filled with computer servers, cooling systems, electrical equipment, backup power systems, water infrastructure, and the land required to support them. Think of a mobile home manufacturing plant, or the home location of Tesla cars.

Not so long ago, data centers were usually discussed as economic-development projects. Communities were told they would bring investment, tax revenue, and jobs. That’s the developers perspective. And maybe government because it always courts large commercial businesses.

But as projects have grown larger and more numerous, citizens have started asking a different set of questions.

How much water will these facilities use?
Where will that water come from?
How much electricity will they require?
Who pays for new transmission lines and infrastructure?
How many permanent jobs will actually be created?
What happens to farmland, ranchland, and rural communities when industrial-scale development arrives?

And perhaps most importantly:

Who gets to make these decisions?

These questions are no longer coming from a handful of activists or isolated communities.

Across America, local governments are debating moratoriums. Citizens are organizing opposition groups. State officials are raising concerns. National media outlets that once covered data centers as economic-development stories are increasingly covering them as political issues.

The shift is significant. The debate is no longer primarily about AI. The debate is increasingly about the infrastructure being built around AI. That infrastructure extends far beyond a single building.

Data centers require electricity. Electricity requires generation/transmission. Transmission requires land, permits, rights-of-way, and public acceptance.

Many facilities require substantial access to water for cooling systems.

Battery electrical storage systems (BESS) are increasingly being proposed to support reliability and flexibility.

What may seem a simple technology project often turns out to be a much larger infrastructure project.

This is especially true in Texas.

Because of its size, energy resources, available land, and business-friendly environment, Texas has become one of the nation’s primary destinations for data-center development. New projects continue to be proposed across the state.

And Texans are also want answers to the same questions being raised elsewhere in the country. Not whether technology should advance. But whether communities should fully understand the tradeoffs before major decisions are made.

Water has emerged as one of the most common concerns.

In region after region, citizens are asking how much water these facilities require, how usage is measured, and how priorities will be determined between people and industries. Agriculture, residential users, industry, power generation, and data centers all depend on the same finite resource.

Agriculture deserves particular attention.

Unlike many forms of development, productive farmland and ranchland are not replaceable. Water diverted from agricultural production, land removed from farming and ranching, and changes to rural communities can have consequences that last for generations. There must be land and water to grow food and support cattle, pigs, etc.

Electricity is creating a similar concern.

Utilities, grid operators, and planners are discussing extraordinary future demand projections. New generation projects, battery-storage systems, transmission corridors, and industrial power users increasingly appear in the same planning documents. Even when forecasts are uncertain, the infrastructure implications remain substantial.

Some citizens have raised an additional concern that extends beyond land, water, and electricity. What the growing collection of data may ultimately mean for privacy, surveillance, and individual freedom.

The common thread running through all of these issues is a desire for transparency. People need to know what is being built, to understand the costs and benefits, to know how decisions are made.

And they want a meaningful voice in decisions that may reshape their communities for decades. That is citizenship.

Whatever these projects ultimately bring - prosperity, problems, or some combination - NOW is when the questions need answers.

Once the land is converted, the infrastructure is built, the water commitments are made, and the transmission corridors are established, there is no do-over.

We only get one chance to get this right.

For readers who want to explore the specific projects, studies, moratoriums, maps, case studies, and source material behind this article, I’ve included this research supplement (PDF).

Ai Infrastructure Research Supplement 05302026

245KB ∙ PDF file

Download

As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.

White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html

Disclaimer:

If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.

Until next time…

Some housekeeping…

Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.

You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.

Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!

Realism from an American Conservative

America Will Be Affordable Again

Affordability

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

USDA, SBA Announce Partnership to Fight Weaponized Regulations

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

From Texas to the Moon

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

Texas’ Massive 765-kV Transmission Plan

A Key Date to Watch

Every Texan Has a Stake

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

Perspective

Each of us must play a part. We must vote in the November election.

Overview

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

Don’t Just Read the News.

Who Holds the Pen?

Food and Fertilizer

Building Things Again (Permitting Rules)

Words Become Policy

Follow the Money

Who Gets to Tell America’s Story?

Control of Shipping Routes

Owners or Debtors?

The Pattern

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

America at 250: Can We Still Be One Nation?

America at 250: Can We Still Be One Nation?

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

State of Play: The Infrastructure of Artificial Intelligence Is Taking Shape

The Infrastructure of Artificial Intelligence Is Taking Shape

Global Urban Data Centres Pact (Cities Organizing Around Data-Center Impacts)

Data-Center Investors Moving Into Power Generation

Chevron / Microsoft / West Texas AI Power Project

ERCOT Large Loads / Batch Zero

National Grid Rules / FERC

Water Planning / Great Springs

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

A Small Nuclear Reactor Just Reached a Big Milestone

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

Texas Regulators Pause Massive 765-kV Transmission Buildout

Texas Regulators Hit Pause on First Segment of Massive 765-kV Transmission Buildout

What Is STEP?

The Debate Has Changed

A Growing Coalition

Good News

What Happens Next?

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

The Infrastructure Question

Part 2

If the first phase of the AI debate was about whether data centers should be built, the second phase is about how they should be built.

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

The Resistance Is Building

Part 1

A year ago, most Americans had never given a thought to data centers.

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

$920 million a MONTH to rent compute capacity

Google’s decision to pay nearly $920 million per month to SpaceX for access to 110,000 Nvidia GPUs may be one of the most revealing developments yet in the AI boom.

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

America’s Course Correction

America’s Course Correction

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

The Suicide of France

The Lesson from France: A Nation Must Believe It Has the Right to Remain Itself

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

Texas’ $100 Billion kV Lines

Texas’ $100 Billion Transmission Debate Is Entering a New Phase

1. The Utility and Reliability Debate

2. The Property Rights Debate

3. The Due Process Debate

4. The Water and National Security Debate

5. The Economic Necessity Debate

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

Trump, Bernie, Bessent, and the Return of the “American System”

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

“Is the American Experiment Legitimate?”

United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.

What We Don't Know Can Hurt Us

One of Texas’ Most Powerful County Offices Is on the Ballot