The harm caused by sexual assault is not temporary; it is lifelong. The protections for those who have been sexually violated should be lifelong, too. I was just 12 years old when my middle school teacher chose to sexually abuse me over a two-year span. In 2006, that man was charged with eight counts of child sexual abuse crimes and was facing 25 years to life in prison, but ultimately pleaded down to two counts, receiving eight months in jail and two terms of lifetime probation. He was convicted of committing multiple sex crimes against a child.
America First Policy Institute Minnesota state chapter Executive Director Zach Freimark issued the following statement ahead of Governor Tim Walz’s eighth and final State of the State address. “Fraud is expected to be on the agenda—and it should be. But before he takes that podium, Minnesotans deserve the full accounting of what happened.”
North Carolina is on track for a major financial penalty that could cost taxpayers nearly $433 million if the state does not take control of its food stamp program. Right now, North Carolina ranks 31st nationally in SNAP payment accuracy, with an error rate of 10.21%. Under the Working Families Tax Cuts, any state with an error rate above 6% will soon be required to start paying a share of food benefit costs. That deadline is approaching fast. If North Carolina does not reduce its error rate by the end of 2026, the burden shifts directly to state taxpayers.
This model policy affirms the fundamental right of parents to make medical decisions for their children, including decisions regarding immunization. It restores the proper locus of decision-making by ensuring that choices regarding non-therapeutic medical interventions remain with families rather than institutions.
When a child has a fever, a doctor prescribes antibiotics, or a surgeon recommends an operation, parents must weigh the risks and benefits and decide what to do. American legal tradition entrusts parents to navigate these and other complex decisions on their children’s behalf (Parham v. J.R., 1979). The state should only become involved when parental choices place a child in immediate danger.