Progress Texas Podcasts

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Daily Dispatch 12/27/23: U.S. Officials Set For Border Discussion With Mexico's President, and More Dec 27, 2023

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

A team of U.S. officials led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken are scheduled to meet with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on border and immigration issues: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/27/us/politics/blinken-mexico-migrant-caravan.html

...While a scary interaction with Operation Lone Star agents experienced by an El Paso family provide a preview of likely outcomes of SB-4 should it be allowed to take effect in March: https://elpasomatters.org/2023/12/22/operation-lone-star-mistaken-stop-on-border/

...And the elimination of DEI offices at state public universities is creating new challenges to DACA recipients: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2023/12/26/how-texas-dei-ban-is-tripping-up-efforts-to-help-undocumented-students/

The Texas economy faces "mixed signals" as a new year approaches: https://www.dallasnews.com/business/2023/12/26/mixed-signals-texas-economy-exists-in-two-realities-heading-into-2024/

A lawsuit against a bitcoin mining company based in Channing, Texas provides insight into clandestine Chinese investment in that industry: https://www.businessinsider.com/bitcoin-mine-texas-lawsuit-links-to-chinese-investors-2023-12

The skirting of federal environmental regulations, under the gaze of TCEQ, has become common practice in Texas: https://houstonlanding.org/major-problem-in-texas-how-big-polluters-evade-federal-law-and-get-away-with-it/

And news of a robot attack at Tesla's Austin-area Gigafactory seems all too fitting in the universe of Elon Musk: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/tesla-engineer-robot-attack-texas-factory-b2469777.html

Thanks for listening! Please consider helping Progress Texas continue our important work into the new year with a donation at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Happy Hour 139 - What Do Texas Progressives Want This Holiday? Dec 23, 2023

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As we shut down what's been a year brimming with crazy in Texas politics - and steel ourselves for a 2024 likely to take the cake - we present the holiday wishes of our guests at our two 2023 holiday parties in Austin and Dallas! As progressives in Texas, what would we like to receive as gifts this holiday? We firmly believe that if we stay the course and persist, all of our dreams will come true. All of us at Progress Texas wish you a merry, memorable, and safe holiday - and a prosperous and progressive new year! Thanks for being part of our family.

Close out the year with an easy feel-good - a small donation to Progress Texas! Find out more at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Daily Dispatch 12/22/23: With SB-4, Abbott Seeks To Change Subject From Abortion, and More Dec 22, 2023

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Officials expected to enforce SB-4 and their observers see it as not only impossible, but rife with ethical and justice-related hazards: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/texas-sb-4-immigration-18568738.php

SB-4 is a "middle finger" to the United States and its Constitution: https://newrepublic.com/article/177725/texas-immigration-law-federal-government-constitution

New York City is watching closely as immigration policy here directly impacts quality of life there: https://www.nydailynews.com/2023/12/20/state-of-disorder-greg-abbotts-latest-demagoguery-on-migrants/

...While Abbott's providing of free trips to New York may be encouraging more migration: https://nypost.com/2023/12/22/news/us-bound-migrants-pouring-over-texas-border-looking-for-better-life/

...And with the feds held off for now, Texas National Guard troopers are hard at work putting in more razor wire at the border: https://www.wkbn.com/news/exclusive-new-concertina-wire-fencing-being-added-to-south-texas-border/

A children's hospital in Seattle has filed suit to resist orders from Ken Paxton to turn over the records of transgender Texans it has provided transition care: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/21/texas-attorney-general-trans-seattle-childrens/

A new editorial shows how every pregnant person in Texas could easily find themselves in the same situation as Kate Cox: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/columns/2023/12/20/texas-abortion-law-ban-kate-cox-lawsuit-supreme-court-ruling-pregnancy/71936050007/

Gillespie County Republicans have chosen to leave County elections infrastructure behind and hand-count their primary votes in March - an enormous, if not impossible task: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/21/texas-republicans-hand-count-votes-election-2024/

Thanks for listening! The Daily Dispatch will be off until Wednesday December 27. Please consider helping Progress Texas continue our important work into the new year with a donation at https://progresstexas.org/.

Daily Dispatch 12/21/23: Texas Law Enforcement Unprepared To Enforce SB-4, and More Dec 21, 2023

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Local law enforcement, especially in border communities, are not prepared to enforce SB-4 when it lands in March: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sb4-texas-immigration-law-enforcement-migrant-crisis/

...While Governor Abbott takes to the skies in his ever-expanding theater of migrant cruelty: https://www.axios.com/2023/12/21/texas-governor-charters-migrant-flight-chicago-border-protest-biden

...And federal authorities target Colony Ridge, previously targeted by right wing conspiracists, for predatory practices against Hispanic home buyers: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/20/us/colony-ridge-texas-builder-prosecution.html

A new strain of misinformation regarding trisomy 18, the condition afflicting the pregnancy of Kate Cox, is debunked: https://www.factcheck.org/2023/12/scicheck-post-spreads-misleading-information-about-texas-abortion-case/

...While new polling on abortion rights sheds light on why Republicans are desperate to change the subject: https://news.yahoo.com/poll-texas-abortion-case-is-a-warning-sign-for-republicans-193548558.html

Ken Paxton sues the U.S. Department of Transportation over new vehicular emissions rules: https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2023/12/20/texas-lawsuit-fhwa-greenhouse-gas-rules/

...While an Austin judge says Paxton and his aides must testify in that whistleblower suit brought by his former staffers: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2023/12/20/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-must-testify-in-whistleblower-case/71975188007/

A major new study finds over-reliance on natural gas-powered backup generators was key to the Winter Storm Uri disaster of 2021: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/texas-grid-over-relies-natural-gas-restore-power-after-blackouts-study-2023-12-19/

...While a new winter outlook from ERCOT is full of inaccurate climate statements that echo the talking points of climate change deniers: https://www.factcheck.org/2023/12/scicheck-post-spreads-misleading-information-about-texas-abortion-case/

U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas extends his polling lead in the race to challenge Ted Cruz next year for the Democrats: https://www.kxan.com/news/your-local-election-hq/allred-widens-lead-over-gutierrez-in-texas-senate-poll-cruz-leads-both-democrats/

...While Ted Cruz dominates the U.S. Senate in the number of tweets he sent this year - but still trailing bullshit fountain Chip Roy in the House: https://www.sacurrent.com/news/ted-cruz-chip-roy-tweet-more-than-anyone-else-in-congress-33364950

Thanks for listening! Please consider making a donation to help Progress Texas continue our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Daily Dispatch 12/20/23: Outrage And Lawsuits Over Texas Immigration Law, and More Dec 20, 2023

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The ACLU, alongside El Paso officials, have sued the state over Governor Abbott's signing of SB-4: https://newrepublic.com/post/177674/texas-just-passed-one-countrys-racist-immigration-laws

...El Paso's district attorney is one of the lawsuit's targets - though Bill Hicks' office has said they won't pursue SB-4 cases: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/19/us/el-paso-texas-migrant-arrest-suit.html

...The immigration advocacy group American Gateways is participating in the lawsuit: https://www.fox7austin.com/news/texas-immigration-law-sb-4

...ACLU chapters in New Mexico and other states have issued warnings to non-White residents regarding travel in Texas considering SB-4: https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/aclu-issues-warning-for-new-mexicans-traveling-to-texas/

...Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador criticizes Governor Abbott on political and religious grounds: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/mexicos-president-texas-governor-clash-immigration-rcna130466

...The Biden White House refers the matter to the federal court system: https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/19/politics/white-house-response-texas-law/index.html

...While a federal court stops U.S. Border Patrol agents from cutting razor wire put in place by Texas while their case on that topic is under appeal: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/19/us/texas-border-wire-biden-administration.html

Reacting to Colorado's shunning of Donald Trump, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick threatens to remove President Joe Biden from the Texas ballot: https://www.thedailybeast.com/texas-lt-guv-threatens-to-take-biden-off-states-ballot-after-colorado-ruling

Amarillo city officials continue debating whether to enact a so-called "abortion travel ban": https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/19/amarillo-abortion-trafficking-texas-bans#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17030248018867&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2023%2Fdec%2F19%2Famarillo-abortion-trafficking-texas-bans

ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas touts improvements to the power grid, but also hedges on possible threats to the grid's performance this winter: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/investigations/defenders/texas-power-grid-manager-touts-improvements-to-the-grid-but-warns-of-increasing-risks-of-outages-in-extreme-storm-events/269-4a1f8840-770d-4229-b062-3069d30ca54d

...While PUC officials will review enormously expensive new power grid rules: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-19/texas-to-revisit-power-reserve-policies-amid-spat-with-grid-watchdog

Texas leads the nation in annual population growth, according to new statistics: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/19/texas-2023-population-growth-census/

Thanks for listening! Please consider making a donation to help Progress Texas continue our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Daily Dispatch 12/19/23: Abbott Signs Hateful Immigration Bill Into Law, and More Dec 19, 2023

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

As expected, Governor Greg Abbott signed the blatantly unconstitutional SB-4 into law: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-immigration-law-sb4-signed-greg-abbott/

...The law mandates that judges send migrants in violation back to Mexico: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/texas-arrest-migrants-crossing-border-illegally-under-new-state-law-2023-12-18/

...El Paso's County Commissioners are in on an ACLU lawsuit against SB-4: https://kvia.com/news/2023/12/18/el-paso-county-commissioners-unanimously-vote-to-sue-state-of-texas-after-signing-of-sb4/

...While El Paso's sheriff's department worries it will further alienate the Hispanic community from law enforcement: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/18/us/abbott-texas-border-law-arrests.html

...Experts point out that immigration is akin to foreign policy - and that's why the federal government has primacy over immigration: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/12/18/texas-immigration-law-sb-4/71816160007/

...U.S. Rep Joaquin Castro and several other House Democrats have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to block SB-4: https://abc7.com/greg-abbott-texas-governor-sb4/14199461/

...Officials in Mexico have condemned SB-4, while Governor Abbott has no clear answer on how he'll address their objections: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/12/18/texas-will-begin-arresting-migrants-under-law-gov-greg-abbott-is-expected-to-sign-monday/

...Heartbreaking video of border officers ignoring a mother and her baby in the water in the Rio Grande reminds us of the human element of all of this: https://www.tpr.org/border-immigration/2023-12-18/video-shows-texas-national-guard-members-appearing-to-ignore-a-mother-and-babys-pleas-for-help-in-the-rio-grande

Governor Abbott has appointed Amarillo's Aaron Kinsey, avowed revisionist history and library censorship enthusiast, the new chair of the Texas State Board of Education: https://www.amarillopioneer.com/blog/2023/12/18/aaron-kinsey-appointed-sboe-chair

...Kinsey's campaign contributors are a cross-section of right-wing dark money crusaders: https://x.com/cjtackett/status/1736905176403914765?t=Ygi_kIzAD2TaQkhELhtXjQ&s=03

A new profile of Amanda Zurawski lays bare even further the insanity of the state's argument against the plaintiffs in the case having "standing": https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/12/amanda-zurawski-on-challenging-texas-abortion-law.html

And, congratulations to Minnie Payne, at 90 officially the eldest person ever to earn a graduate degree from the University of North Texas: https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/12/18/oldest-University-North-Texas-masters-degree/6651702924774/

Thanks for listening and Happy Holidays! Please consider a small gift of support for Progress Texas at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Daily Dispatch 12/18/23: ACLU Plans Immediate SB-4 Challenge, and More Dec 18, 2023

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The ACLU has prepared a legal challenge to the new Texas immigration bill SB-4, which it will file immediately after Governor Abbott signs it into law: https://wsbt.com/news/nation-world/aclu-prepping-lawsuit-awaiting-abbott-approval-of-controversial-immigration-law-southern-border-migrant-crisis-border-security-initiatives-american-civil-liberties-union-rio-grande-floating-barrier

...Meanwhile Abbott's migrant busing effort has caused major problems in all of its destination "sanctuary" cities: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/texas-gov-greg-abbott-divided-democrats-immigration-migrant-busing-rcna128815

Republicans struggle with messaging difficulties surrounding abortion as a big election year looms: https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/17/politics/texas-abortion-case-republicans-2024/index.html

...While in Texas, our abortion ban appears to be working just as their authors intended: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/17/opinion/kate-cox-abortion-texas-exceptions.html

A Houston court determines that Texas' power companies cannot be held liable for injury or death due to power outages during Winter Storm Uri: https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2023-12-15/texas-power-plants-have-no-responsibility-to-provide-electricity-in-emergencies-judges-rule

Travis County's Republican Party wants primary votes to be counted by hand - which may jeopardize countywide voting locations: https://www.kut.org/politics/2023-12-15/voting-centers-in-travis-county-could-be-eliminated-for-the-upcoming-2024-march-primary

A new graph from the Texas Tribune shows the most and least liberal members of the Texas Senate: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/18/mark-jones-texas-senate-special-2023-liberal-conservative-scores/

Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting Progress Texas with a holiday donation at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Daily Dispatch 12/15/23: Cruz Cowers From Questions On Cox Case, and More Dec 15, 2023

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Senator Ted Cruz, sensing the volatility of the issue, continues dodging questions about developments in Texas surrounding our abortion bans: https://newrepublic.com/post/177569/ted-cruz-does-not-want-talk-texas-abortion-case

...In fact, the entire Republican Party appears queasy about it: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/republicans-struggle-defend-texas-abortion-law-cox-1234928770/

...The Texas business sector, normally steering clear of hot social issues, weighs in in a Zurawski amicus brief: https://thehill.com/business/4360255-texas-abortion-challenge-businesses-economy-bumble-amicus-brief/

..."Anti-abortion" and "pro-life" are seemingly no longer the same position: https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/4359376-texass-war-on-pregnant-women/

...Conservative political strategist Matthew Dowd relates a difficult pregnancy and its impact on his abortion views: https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/kate-cox-ken-paxton-texas-abortion-rcna129617

In spite of a fall full of worry, Governor Abbott and ERCOT officials are suddenly very confident that the lights and heat will stay on this winter: https://abc13.com/ercot-texas-weather-power-grid-in-2021-winter-freeze/14184473/

...While climate disasters in Texas have led to an insurance crisis: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/carriers-reduce-coverage-texas-home-insurance-18491266.php

And Iowa provides a clear example of why Governor Abbott's private school voucher scam won't play out well for middle and lower income Texans: https://www.kcrg.com/video/2023/12/05/private-schools-raising-tuition-costs-after-school-voucher-bill-passes/

Thanks for listening! Please consider making a donation to help us continue our important work at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Happy Hour 138 - The Ten Best (And Worst) Texans of 2023! Dec 15, 2023

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Which Texans inspired us with their tireless work to press progress forward in Texas this year - and which Texans did all they could to keep us in the olden times? The whole Progress Texas staff is in on this one, and we've got lots of love (and shade) to dish out as we wrap up another nutty year in Texas politics with the ten best - and ten worst - Texans of 2023.

See the blog and follow along: https://progresstexas.org/blog/top-10-best-and-worst-texans-2023

Join the worldwide Humans Against Ted Cruz movement at https://humansagainsttedcruz.com/.

And learn more about the ongoing struggle for reproductive justice in Texas at https://progresstexas.org/roevolution.

Thanks for listening! Please consider making a donation to help us continue our important work at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Daily Dispatch 12/14/23 - SCOTUS Will Review Texas Judge's Call On Mifepristone, and More Dec 14, 2023

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The U.S. Supreme Court, dominated by conservative Trump appointees, is set to review a Texas judge's revoking of the FDA approval of the common abortion drug mifepristone: https://www.keranews.org/government/2023-12-13/u-s-supreme-court-to-consider-limits-on-abortion-medication-mifepristone

...The prospects of the SCOTUS review are "grave": https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2023-12-13/supreme-court-to-hear-case-determining-access-to-abortion-drug/

...Democrats rally around abortion rights as 2024's election looms: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/us/politics/abortion-texas-elections.html

...While Ted Cruz would rather talk about anything else: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/ted-cruz-kate-cox-texas-abortion

...Kate Cox is featured by the New York Times on The Daily podcast: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/14/podcasts/the-daily/texas-abortion-ban.html

...And the entire Texas Supreme Court is featured in a rogue's gallery - pay attention to John Phillip Devine and Jimmy Blacklock, both up for re-election next year: https://www.click2houston.com/news/politics/2023/12/14/who-are-the-texas-supreme-court-justices-who-ruled-against-kate-cox-in-abortion-case/

Southeast Texas U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls spills the obvious beans that the Biden impeachment inquiry is not about wrongdoing by Biden, but about re-electing Donald Trump: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/troy-nehls-biden-impeachment-inquiry-donald-trump-2024-1234927472/

...While U.S. Rep Joaquin Castro joins other Latino lawmakers to urge caution while the Biden administration discusses border reforms with Congress: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/13/texas-border-mexico-senate-white-house-foreign-aid/

A Dallas-area mailer criticizing U.S. Rep. Colin Allred's position on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict was produced by a conservative activist group and designed to divide progressives: https://x.com/stevanzetti/status/1735094087617761643?s=20

A new movie depicts a dystopian future in which Texas and California have seceded from the U.S. and joined forces - that's nuts, right? Trailer too: https://www.ktvu.com/news/new-movie-has-social-media-scratching-heads-over-texas-and-california-alliance

Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting Progress Texas' ongoing and important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

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