Progress Texas Podcasts

Latest Episodes:

Daily Dispatch 8/10/23: UT Harboring White Supremacist Writer, and More Aug 10, 2023

Show notes

Stories we're following today at Progress Texas:

The McCombs Business School at UT Austin has been hosting a radical white supremacist scholar: https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2023-08-09/new-report-reveals-ut-austin-scholar-wrote-for-white-supremacist-publications/

Houston City Council invites 2028 Republican National Convention to town in near-unanimous vote: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/houston-republican-convention-city-council-votes-18287278.php

Yet another record single-day energy demand met by ERCOT yesterday, made possible by renewable energy providers: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/texas-power-use-hits-record-again-amid-heat-wave-2023-08-09/

Democratic lawmakers press USPS on hot weather care for its letter carriers: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/08/09/texas-congressmen-push-usps-to-give-mail-carriers-bottled-water-breaks-from-extreme-heat/

Texas wildfire danger reaches its second-to-highest risk level: https://www.kvue.com/article/weather/texas-drought/wildfire-preparedness-level-texas/269-94ec2f71-b237-4f96-a932-67dbcbe9227f

...While Texas actually remains behind wildfire stats for mid-August (knocks on wood): https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/09/texas-wildfires-2023-heat-wave/

Texas Republicans estimate a 0.1% chance of a conviction in Ken Paxton impeachment trial: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/ken-paxton-trial-senate-conviction-chances/

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how YOU can join the fun at https://progresstexas.org/.

Happy Hour 123: What's Next For Mothers Against Greg Abbott? Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

During the 2022 election, Mothers Against Greg Abbott grabbed the attention of voters across Texas with their eye-popping and sometimes heartbreaking video content directed at pushing forward progressive candidates. As a new election looms with the stakes even higher, we've invited founder Nancy Thompson to join us to share her story of activism, her thoughts on our best strategies for 2024, and what her terrific organization has in store.

Enjoy the terrific content of Mothers Against Greg Abbott at https://www.youtube.com/@mothersagainstgregabbott/videos, and learn more about their work at https://mothersagainstgregabbott.com/.

As always, we appreciate your attention and support! Learn more about our ongoing mission, and how YOU can be part of it, at https://progresstexas.org/.

Daily Dispatch 8/9/23: Abbott Warned For Months About Breaking Border Law, and More Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Orange river buoys deployed by Governor Abbott and Operation Lone Star are modified with razor-sharp circular saw blades: https://theweek.com/greg-abbott/1025651/circular-saw-blades-divide-controversial-rio-grande-buoys-installed-by-texas

Texas officials at the border have defied warnings about breaking international and Federal law for months: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/08/08/docs-show-rio-grande-agency-warned-texas-for-months-on-border-buoys-before-turning-to-doj/

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro isn't buying DPS claims of "working well" with U.S. Border Patrol: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/border-eagle-pass-democrats-18284715.php

A Texas A&M professor says all this cruelty at the border won't work anyway: https://theeagle.com/opinion/column/abbotts-barrels-wire-fences-wont-work/article_d9a953be-34c3-11ee-ab39-17dc6a41f352.html

Texas gets another national black eye, this time from Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/texas-abortion-bounty-law-ruling-1234802301

Texas abortion ban, lifted for a few hours last week, now heads on appeal to the Texas Supreme Court: https://www.npr.org/2023/08/08/1192750247/what-just-happened-when-texas-abortion-bans-briefly-lifted-and-what-comes-next

Watch Ted Cruz squirm as he explains voting against a wave of funding for Dallas-area microchip manufacturing: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/texas-politics/sen-ted-cruz-explains-vote-against-chips-act-after-tour-of-dallas-county-inland-port/3312776/

Patriot Front finds itself on opposing ends of two lawsuits: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/courts/2023/08/08/texas-extremist-group-patriot-front-sued-over-boston-attack-of-black-man/

Texas judge orders Southwest Airlines lawyers to undergo training...by an extremist hate group: https://newrepublic.com/post/174906/texas-judge-orders-airline-lawyers-take-training-far-right-hate-group-adf

A climate change-related migration OUT of Texas may be on the horizon: https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/heat-climate-change-migration-texas-south-southwest/

Before you flee, plant a tree! Free fruit trees offered in San Antonio this weekend: https://www.mysanantonio.com/lifestyle/outdoors/article/free-trees-san-antonio-parks-18285502.php

Thanks for your support! Learn more about Progress Texas at https://progresstexas.org/.

Daily Dispatch 8/8/23: Discriminatory Galveston Maps On Trial, and More Aug 08, 2023

Show notes

Stories we covered on our FIRST Progress Texas Daily Dispatch:

Gerrymandering trial starts in packed Galveston courtroom: https://www.galvnews.com/news/gerrymandering-trial-starts-in-packed-galveston-courtroom/article_f86c3afd-c325-5b95-829b-3aed69ab7452.html

Gov. Abbott holds ceremonial signing for law restricting trans athletes in the name of supporting women's sports: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/gov-abbott-holds-ceremonial-signing-for-law-restricting-transgender-athlete-participation-womens-sports/287-e18f29db-322c-4c7d-a5a4-3e331d90bb1b

...While Trump trashes U.S. Women's National Soccer Team: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/07/trump-us-womens-soccer-team-00110074

Both Cruz and Cornyn voted to confirm "Far Left" judge Trump wants removed from Jan. 6 trial In 2014: https://www.businessinsider.com/which-republican-senators-voted-tanya-chutkan-judge-trump-january-6-2023-8

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo bravely goes public about seeking mental health care: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2023/08/07/harris-county-judge-lina-hidalgo-taking-leave-of-absence-to-receive-treatment-for-clinical-depression/

Ken Paxton's lawyers, unsatisfied with 19 of 20, now want ALL impeachment articles thrown out ahead of trial: https://www.axios.com/2023/08/08/ken-paxton-impeachment-dismissed-effort

And this horrible Texas heat may be having horrible impacts on your mental health: https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/heat-impact-mental-health/285-cbea6a81-f966-4b7c-86b4-dc22c1c675f0

Learn more about President Biden's new 988 suicide prevention chat and hotline: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-biden-administration-rolls-out-new-988-suicide-and-crisis-hotline

Thanks for listening! Find out more about Progress Texas and our ongoing mission at https://progresstexas.org/.

Ep. 122 - The Big Chill: What's Going On At Texas A&M? Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

A pair of scandals involving political meddling by conservatives at Texas A&M have rocked academia across the state recently - an esteemed journalism professor whose hiring was publicly celebrated found her arrangement with A&M curtailed following input from powerful Aggieland conservatives, and an adjunct professor who had dared to point out that state policies regarding fentanyl testing are exacerbating the death toll in Texas found herself in the crosshairs of none other than Lt. Governor Dan Patrick - nearly losing her job.

New laws regarding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies at Texas' institutions of higher learning have hit the ground fast in College Station. Should collegiate faculty across Texas now be worried about keeping their gigs - or even seeking them in such an environment to begin with? To help us understand what's at stake and what to expect next, we've invited Pat Heintzelman, President of the Texas Faculty Association, and Alex Morey, Director of Campus Rights Advocacy for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression or FIRE to join us.

Learn more about the TFA at https://www.texasfacultyassociation.org/, and about FIRE at https://www.thefire.org/.

And as always, THANKS for your support! Please consider helping us continue to expand our mission for progress in Texas at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Ep. 121 - The GOP's Plans To Undermine Elections In Texas Jul 27, 2023

Show notes

The scene in Texas on the eve of crucial 2024 elections: defiance of Federal elections law in Galveston County. The inexplicable dumping of a solid national voter roll verification system. The monkey-wrenching of election procedures in Texas' largest county. Contradictory and confusing laws surrounding behavior at polling locations - some carrying felony-level penalties. Sensing imminent irrelevance, the Texas GOP has launched a full assault on the elections process in the Lone Star State - and we can't counter this attack unless we fully understand it. With that as our goal, we've invited two Texans in prime position to lead the fight for voting rights and election integrity in Texas: Jenna Royal is the new Voter Protection Director for the Texas Democratic Party, and Louis Bedford is a Dallas-based attorney with extensive experience in elections justice, having worked with both the Texas Civil Rights Project and the Dallas County Democratic Party on voter protection programs.

WE NEED PROGRESSIVE POLL WATCHERS. If you've wondered how YOU can stand up to bullying from the right, this is a perfect opportunity. Learn more: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedHuGsvh9bXsTWuxs623SaWODLGW8wGcC_EdsXBSwBYhIODg/viewform?usp=send_form

Thanks as always for listening - as these crucial elections approach, our work at Progress Texas is more important than ever. Please consider supporting our work at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Note: we made an error in discussing whether poll workers, and not solely election judges in Texas, are allowed by law to carry firearms - they are not. But, it's not like Texas Republicans didn't try: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/05/08/nation/texas-bill-that-would-permit-poll-workers-carry-guns-moves-forward/

Ep. 120 - Cruelty And Death At The Border with Sen. Roland Gutierrez Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

The entire nation has been shocked by the news of whistleblower allegations of cruel and inhumane treatment of migrants at the Texas border on the orders of Texas DPS commanders aligned with Governor Greg Abbott's Operation Lone Star program. Both Texas State Senator (and U.S. Senate candidate) Roland Gutierrez and Progress Texas Executive Director Kathleen Thompson are in Washington D.C. on the invitation of the Biden Administration, but both took time out of that busy trip to discuss the horrific stories coming from our border with Mexico, and what we can do to bring this sad chapter in our state's history to a close.

Learn more about Senator Gutierrez's campaign to send Ted Cruz packing at https://rolandfortexas.com/.

It's times like these that rapid responses to Republican outrage are most needed in Texas. Please help support Progress Texas in our continued efforts: https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Ep. 119 - Celebrating The CROWN Act with Rep. Rhetta Bowers Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

With so much bad news surrounding the Texas Legislature, we think it's important to celebrate the good news when it comes - and from the otherwise-lamentable 88th Session came the overwhelming, bipartisan success of the CROWN Act, which was signed into law and takes effect on September 1, outlawing discrimination based upon ethnic and cultural hairstyles in Texas.

When we celebrate these rare successes, it's important to learn as much as we can about how they were achieved - so we're proud to welcome the CROWN Act's primary author, Texas State Representative Rhetta Bowers, to give us the story of how it was accomplished, and what relevant strategies and tactics Texas Democrats might be able to carry forward to future success.

Learn more about Representative Bowers at https://house.texas.gov/members/member-page/?district=113.

As always, we can't do what we do without your support! Please consider joining our effort at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Ep. 118 - LIVE In Dallas with Rep. Venton Jones and Kardal Coleman Jul 09, 2023

Show notes

We love nothing more than occasions to gather in person with our fellow progressives and raise a little hell - and that's exactly what we did at our brand new HQ in the Deep Ellum section of downtown Dallas a few days back. Proud to welcome back to the podcast Texas State Representative Venton Jones (as Kathleen loves to point out, HER State Rep) and brand new chair of the Dallas County Democratic Party, Kardal Coleman. A great discussion of what's now behind us, as well as the crucial work that lies ahead. THANKS to those of you who attended and stay tuned for more live events in D/FW, Austin and beyond.

Find State Representative Jones at https://house.texas.gov/members/member-page/?district=100, and Kardal Coleman and the Dallas Dems at https://www.dallasdemocrats.org/.

And as always, if you're loving the podcast - we could use your help in our efforts! Please consider joining the fight at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

Ep. 117 - Common Cause and the Fight for Redistricting Justice Jul 06, 2023

Show notes

If there was one silver lining in the dark clouds hovering over the U.S. Supreme Court last week, it was the ruling that requires Alabama to redraw electoral maps, finding likelihood that they were drawn to dilute Black voting power in that state. By popular demand, we've convened with Common Cause's Texas Voting Rights Program Manager Katya Ehresman to walk us through that organization's ongoing work for redistricting justice and describe what to expect on the path ahead nationally, including here in Texas.

Learn more about Common Cause Texas at https://www.commoncause.org/texas/., and follow Katya Ehresman on Twitter at https://twitter.com/EhresmanKatya.

Find the hilarious (and frustrating) Twitter thread referenced in this episode comparing gerrymandered districts to Pokemon characters at https://twitter.com/MEPFuller/status/1354904383708934153?s=20.

And, if you're digging the podcast, please consider supporting our efforts to make more! Join the fight at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

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