Progress Texas Podcasts

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Daily Dispatch 12/19/24: Elon Musk's Christmas Wish? A Federal Government Shutdown, and More Dec 19, 2024

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Texas transplant Elon Musk, apparently running things for Donald Trump, is pressing Republican members of Congress hard to strike down a stopgap measure that would keep the federal government running over the holidays: https://www.axios.com/2024/12/18/elon-musk-government-shutdown-bill-doge

...Texas Congressman Chip Roy is totally down for a government shutdown for Christmas - he's been gunning for it for years: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/article/chip-roy-gop-budget-cuts-19984456.php

Meanwhile back in Texas, three environmental groups are suing the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, accusing them of ignoring their own rules to give Musk's SpaceX a green light to pollute their Cameron County launching area with abandon: https://www.chron.com/culture/article/spacex-tceq-lawsuit-19988870.php

Convicted - and pardoned - murderer Daniel Perry is trying to weasel out of a misdemeanor charge of deadly conduct connected to his killing of Black Lives Matter protestor Garrett Foster in 2020: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/crime/daniel-perry-court-deadly-conduct/269-5adb9f1b-c9a1-4e42-a94e-61e84f72780c

Holiday shopping for your progressive pals is easy and fun at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Daily Dispatch 12/18/24: Elon Musk Under Scrutiny As U.S. Security Threat, and More Dec 18, 2024

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Texas transplant Elon Musk has come under scrutiny by multiple federal agencies for his failure to properly disclose his interactions with foreign governments: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/17/technology/elon-musk-spacex-national-security-reporting.html

...Musk is suspected of having failed to provide required information on his meetings with foriegn leaders - and on his own drug use - since at least 2021: https://newrepublic.com/post/189501/elon-musk-federal-review-clearance-rules?utm_campaign=SF_TNR&utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=social&utm_source=Twitter

Add to names like Dunn and Wilks on the list of activist GOP fat cats willing to spend tens millions of their own money to promote hard-right causes Amarillo businessman Alex Fairly, who has it in for House Speaker candidate Dustin Burrows: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/17/alex-fairly-texas-republican-political-group/

...In fact, the state GOP is threatening any Texas House Republican who dares to support Burrows with "RINO" smear campaigns in their home districts: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/17/texas-republican-party-speaker-race-attack-ads/

...Texas Tribune reporter Robert Downen, who does great work on religion and threats to democracy, is himself profiled in a new interview: https://sojo.net/articles/interview/reconstruct/why-does-religion-journalism-matter-democracy-ask-texas-reporter

...Federal complaints about Texas churches ignoring laws that prohibit them from making political endorsements seem likely to fall on deaf ears under Trump 2.0: https://www.chron.com/culture/religion/article/texas-churches-tax-exempt-status-19986767.php

Holiday shopping for your progressive pals is easy and fun at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Daily Dispatch 12/17: Paxton Abortion Lawsuit Threatens Unprecendented Legal Battle, and More Dec 17, 2024

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Ken Paxton's lawsuit against a doctor based in New York who prescribed and delivered abortion-inducing drugs to a Texas woman may lead to consequential decisions about how U.S. states regard the laws of other states: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/12/texas-new-york-doctor-abortion-lawsuit-civil-war.html

...New York Governor Kathy Hochul condemns Ken Paxton for attempting to impose Texas' policies on New York's medical professionals: https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/12/16/texas-attacks-n-y-law-attorney-general-ken-paxton-must-fail-in-going-after-new-york-doc-for-abortion-pills/

...All of this likely to end up before the same U.S. Supreme Court that started all of this by overturning Roe V Wade: https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/texas-ken-paxton-new-york-abortion-pill-lawsuit-rcna184410

Congratulations to Austin U.S. Congressman Greg Casar, who was recently (and unanimously!) elevated to the leadership position of the Congressional Progressive Caucus: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/17/greg-casar-congressional-progressive-caucus-chair/

Holiday shopping for your progressive pals is easy and fun at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Daily Dispatch 12/16/24: Starr County GOP Hopes To Profit From Deportation Concentration Center, and More Dec 16, 2024

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Republican House Rep. Ryan Guillen of Rio Grande City in Starr County is excited that a new concentration facility for migrants rounded up by Donald Trump's deportation operation will provide economic opportunities for his county: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2024/12/16/potential-trump-texas-deportation-partnership-puts-spotlight-on-rural-starr-county/

Ken Paxton has sued a doctor in New York for providing abortion medication to a woman in Texas - a potentially pivotal test of anti-abortion states to impact doctors in pro-choice states with broad implications for telemedicine in general: https://www.reuters.com/legal/texas-ag-sues-new-york-doctor-over-abortion-pill-prescription-2024-12-13/

Paxton is also celebrating putting the brakes on Harris County's second attempt at a guaranteed income program to help its most vulnerable families: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/article/harris-county-ken-paxton-guarenteed-income-19981432.php

...While the Austin City Council sends funding through September to a homeless support center that's been under fire lately by Paxton: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/homeless/sunrise-homeless-navigation-center-funding-austin/269-32e64823-8d05-4b49-ad4d-bd70a69c8883

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick's fury against THC products could end up hurting the small number of Texans who have qualified for medical cannabis via our state's stingy "compassionate use" program: https://www.mysanantonio.com/business/article/marijuana-thc-ban-texas-19978031.php

Our second holiday party for 2024 is TONIGHT in Dallas! Individual tickets are on sale here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Holiday shopping for your progressive pals is easy and fun at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Happy Hour 183: Catching Up With Congressman Lloyd Doggett Dec 15, 2024

Show notes

U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett has been an elected fighter for Texas progressive people and causes for almost five decades, having become a member of the Texas Senate in 1973, an Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court in 1989, and a member of the U.S. House in 1994. Most recently, he's been notable as the first sitting federal official to have called for President Joe Biden to step aside as the Democratic nominee, and has fought against H.R. 9495, a new piece of Republican legislation that would allow President Trump to single-handedly destroy non-profits like the ACLU, the NAACP, and yes, Progress Texas, simply for expressing views that are counter to Trump's MAGA plans. We appreciate Rep. Doggett for his years of service, which continue into a particularly precarious time for American democracy.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about how you can help Progress Texas counter the conservative disinformation machine at https://progresstexas.org/.

Daily Dispatch 12/13/24: Elon Musk's Foundation Falling Hundreds Of Millions Short of Federal Giving Requirements, and More Dec 13, 2024

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Texas transplant Elon Musk, hard at work trying to slash federal jobs and your Social Security benefits, is also keeping hundreds of millions of dollars that his Musk Foundation is required by law to convert to charitable donations: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/12/us/politics/musk-foundation-taxes-donations.html

...Musk's efforts at DOGE jeopardize the careers of hundreds of thousands of federal workers in Texas, a great many of whom certainly voted for Donald Trump: https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/elon-musk-trump-doge-19974216.php

...Fellow billionaire (and supposed Trump oppenent) Jeff Bezos is set to give $1 million to the President-elect's inaugural fund - further demonstrating the struggle lines not between left and right, but between top and bottom: https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/jeff-bezos-amazon-plans-to-donate-1-million-to-trumps-inauguration-dc3705ac

Advocacy orgs supporting migrant across Texas have begun advising them to prepare their children and assets for their eventual deportation: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/13/texas-mass-deportation-plan-immigrants/

...While right-wing militia groups have begun volunteering their services in Trump's roundup of undocumented workers and families: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/11/us/politics/far-right-militias-border-trump.html

Texas is at the top of a new ranking of states with the most to gain in revenue from legalizing marijuana - we're leaving almost $500 million on the table, every year: https://cannabis.net/blog/news/how-much-money-could-your-state-make-by-legalizing-weed-5-billion-in-tax-revenue-up-for-grabs-i

Great to see everyone at our first holiday gathering in Austin! The second is in Dallas on December 16 - there are sponsorship opportunities available, and individual tickets are now on sale here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Holiday shopping for your progressive pals is easy and fun at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Daily Dispatch 12/12/24: New Study Shows GOP Tendency To Spread Disinformation, and More Dec 12, 2024

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

A new academic study shows that Republicans are much more likely to spread information that they know to be false than Democrats are: https://www.ama.org/2024/12/09/study-republicans-respond-to-political-polarization-by-spreading-misinformation-democrats-dont/

A judgement of over $14 million against ExxonMobil for violations of the federal Clean Air Act at their Baytown facilities is upheld: https://environmentamerica.org/texas/media-center/release-fifth-circuit-court-of-appeals-rules-against-exxon-for-fourth-time-affirms-record-clean-air-act-penalty/

A medical student at UT Austin - a first generation immigrant herself - writes on the dilemma that new doctors face in taking the Hippocratic Oath to do no harm under Texas' requirement for hospitals to interrogate patients on their immigration status: https://www.statnews.com/2024/12/12/texas-hospitals-are-you-a-citizen-medical-school-physicians/

...While Texas hospitals are part of a national trend of new mothers being reported to authorities when the drugs used to control pain during childbirth are found in the bloodstreams of their babies: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/12/11/pregnant-hospital-drug-test-medicine

Submit your nominations for our annual rundown of The Best And Worst Texans of the year! Deadline is the end of the day Friday: https://progresstexas.org/blog/best-worst-texans-2024-help-us-decide

Great to see everyone at our first holiday gathering in Austin! The second is in Dallas on December 16 - there are sponsorship opportunities available, and individual tickets are now on sale here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Holiday shopping for your progressive pals is easy and fun at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Daily Dispatch 12/11/24: Texas GOP Schism Over Speaker Race Set To Widen, and More Dec 11, 2024

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Texas GOP machine choice David Cook and establishment-defying Dustin Burrows both claim to have enough votes to become Speaker of the Texas House - Burrows in particular is flirting with disaster: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/dustin-burrows-david-cook-texas-house-speaker-19971639.php

...Burrows has started calling himself "Speaker-elect", drawing legal scrutiny from his opponents: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2024/12/11/dustin-burrows-david-cook-texas-republican-state-election-code-house-speaker-elect/76889871007/

Much to review in advance of the 2025 Lege - our Advocacy department has gotten that look ahead going: https://progresstexas.org/preview-2025-texas-maga-legislative-session

...The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, known for their incompetence bordering on cruelty towards lower-income Texans, is seeking hundreds of millions of additional dollars next year: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/11/texas-medicaid-food-stamps-application-legislature/

...Statewide electeds (yes, Republicans) have joined cannabis advocates and businesses in pushing back against Lt. Governor Dan Patrick's promised push to ban all THC products: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/thc-ban-texas-19964213.php

...One Republican lawmaker wants to deploy drones armed with pepper spray in the hallways of Texas schools: https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/editorial/article/texas-bill-drones-pepper-spray-school-security-19963801.php

...And another Republican lawmaker wants to stop the sale of sex toys by mainstream retailers like Wal-Mart and CVS: https://www.chron.com/culture/article/sex-toy-sales-texas-illegal-19971679.php

Great to see everyone at our first holiday gathering in Austin! The second is in Dallas on December 16 - there are sponsorship opportunities available, and individual tickets are now on sale here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Holiday shopping for your progressive pals is easy and fun at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Daily Dispatch 12/10/24: Don Jr. For David Cook As Texas GOP Continues Infighting, And More Dec 10, 2024

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The struggle within the Texas Republican Party has become a contest of "Trumpier than thou": https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5030621-texas-house-speaker-race-republican-divisions/

The 2025 Legislature is certain to face a renewed push for book-banning by pearl-clutching Republicans: https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/editorial/article/texas-book-review-bill-19969058.php

Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett puts on yet another masterclass in destroying MAGA narratives, this time taking on the gerrymandering that allowed the GOP to exploit the mostly non-white population explosion in Texas: https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/jasmine-crockett-census-2030-redistricting-rcna183247

Given their sky-high prediction of an 80% chance of blackouts this winter should we experience another Uri-style event, ERCOT and Texas Republicans have presided over a massive degradation in our state's energy reliability: https://www.forbes.com/sites/edhirs/2024/12/09/after-four-years-and-billions-of-dollars-the-texas-grid-is-not-fixed/

Great to see everyone at our first holiday gathering in Austin! The second is in Dallas on December 16 - there are sponsorship opportunities available, and individual tickets are now on sale here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Holiday shopping for your progressive pals is easy and fun at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Daily Dispatch 12/9/24: Texas GOP At Its Own Throat Over Speaker Selection, and More Dec 09, 2024

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Lubbock State Rep. Dustin Burrows has defied the House GOP Caucus, announcing that he has enough votes from both parties to win the race for Speaker - despite the Republicans officially nominating Mansfield Rep. David Cook: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/07/texas-house-speaker-david-cook-dustin-burrows/

Austin U.S. Rep. Greg Casar has been elected to lead the Congressional Progressive Caucus: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/u-s-rep-greg-casar-to-lead-progressive-caucus-says-dems-must-recenter-workers/ar-AA1vlTsW

Texas is already a shambles when it comes to healthcare coverage, and expected Medicaid cuts under Donald Trump are likely to make the suffering of low-income Texans even worse: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/04/trump-medicaid-cuts-texas-residents/

Travis County Constable Stacy Suits demonstrates the true nature of Christian teachings, stepping up to defend an Austin homeless service center under attack by Ken Paxton: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/homeless/austin-constable-sunrise-homeless-navigation-center-fundraiser/269-f015c4ae-fdb9-4eeb-a2fc-06e298539c41

Great to see everyone at our first holiday gathering in Austin! The second is in Dallas on December 16 - there are sponsorship opportunities available, and individual tickets are now on sale here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Holiday shopping for your progressive pals is easy and fun at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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