Progress Texas Podcasts

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Daily Dispatch 4/30/24: Police Violence Escalates In Second Day Of UT Protest Arrests, and More Apr 30, 2024

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Law enforcement ratcheted up the rough treatment of protestors being arrested at UT Austin on Monday: https://www.kut.org/education/2024-04-29/ut-austin-protest-israel-hamas-war-palestinians

...Students harangued law enforcement about their failure at Uvalde: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/texas-students-protesting-war-gaza-question-troopers-failed-uvalde-response_n_662ffbe9e4b0eb5fda512ea5

...A Slate writer provides a first-person account of Monday's melee: https://slate.com/human-interest/2024/04/protests-columbia-ut-texas-austin-student-arrest.html

...Meanwhile administrators at Texas State University in San Marcos showed restraint, and thus its similar protest remained peaceful: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/student-protests-at-texas-state-and-ut-austin-differed-greatly-from-one-another

...All of this lays bare the hypocrisy Republican leaders and UT administrators are displaying in choosing which free speech to tolerate, and which to crush: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/29/ut-austin-pro-palestinian-demonstrations-free-speech/

Meanwhile, Governor Abbott and AG Ken Paxton are taking steps to resist new federal orders that LGBTQ students should be protected under Title IX from sexual discrimination: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2024/04/29/gov-greg-abbott-orders-texas-schools-to-defy-federal-nondiscrimination-rules/

A brave op-ed in the Nacogdoches County Daily Sentinel points out Governor Abbott's duplicity regarding a male teacher in Lewisville targeted for wearing a dress to school as a joke: https://www.dailysentinel.com/opinion/columns/greg-abbott-redefines-bully-pulpit/article_55ffd681-cfc7-51cf-89e1-686fe27c6b1d.html

Democratic Texas Railroad Commission nominee Katherine Culbert responds to reports of new permits being granted for oil producers to dump toxic produced water into Texas rivers and streams: https://www.facebook.com/Katherine4Texas

A public forum will be held on May 20 by the Texas Medical Board on proposed exceptions to Texas' near-total ban on abortion: https://x.com/hannahnorton89/status/1785054901661216800?s=12&t=Bt_w1MN2AlTfFkWGHJiOJg

Progress Texas could use your help in funding our trip to June's Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso - thanks in advance! https://progresstexas.org/donate

Early voting in the May 4 municipal elections ends today! https://progresstexas.org/blog/why-you-should-care-about-may-appraisal-district-elections

...And it will soon be time to vote in the May 28 primary runoffs! https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/26/texas-voting-2024-runoff-elections/

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

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

Daily Dispatch 4/29/24: Toxic Produced Water To Be Dumped In Texas Rivers, and More Apr 29, 2024

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Austin Rep. Gina Hinojosa on WFAA's Inside Texas Politics: ⁠https://youtu.be/S471DfitaQk?si=70WK-VmY5gW4Ccen⁠

The state is now issuing permits for oil producers to dump millions of gallons of toxic "produced water" into Texas rivers and streams: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/29/texas-treated-produced-water-disposal-discharge-rivers/

...New satellite studies show the ground itself in the Permian Basin sinking and rising with oil extraction and wastewater injection: https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/in-americas-biggest-oil-field-the-ground-is-swelling-and-buckling-9d66eb42

...And ERCOT renews its argument against renewable energy: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/ercot-grid-failure-renewable-19416583.php

A federal judge has once again rejected the claim of Texas that our immigration situation at the border constitutes an "invasion": https://reason.com/volokh/2024/04/28/federal-court-again-rules-against-texas-claim-that-illegal-migration-qualifies-as-invasion/

Texas DPS is considering a criminal investigation of that news cameraman they arrested during last week's police crackdown on protestors at UT Austin: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/26/ut-austin-arrest-fox-7-photojournalist/

A letter to the editor of the Houston Chronicle reminds those thinking of sitting out the November election in protest over Gaza of the dire potential results: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/letters/article/gaza-palestine-protest-university-students-ut-19422782.php

West Texas oil billionaire and Christian Nationalist activist Tim Dunn argues that he shouldn't be considered a Christian Nationalist: https://midlandtimes.com/stories/658009552-opinion-the-christian-nationalist-label-will-not-stick

Hard-right Republican lawmakers are putting forth a 12-point plan to neutralize Democratic influence in the House and consolidate control for themselves: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/contract-with-texas-house-republicans/

Early voting in the May 4 municipal elections ends tomorrow! https://progresstexas.org/blog/why-you-should-care-about-may-appraisal-district-elections

...And it will soon be time to vote in the May 28 primary runoffs! https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/26/texas-voting-2024-runoff-elections/

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

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

Daily Dispatch 4/26/24: Abbott Seeks To Cast Anti-War Protest As Anti-Semitism, and More Apr 26, 2024

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Travis County Attorney Delia Garza's office will not prosecute any of the 46 trespassing cases resulting from Wednesday's police crackdown at UT Austin: https://thehill.com/homenews/4622384-texas-prosecutor-appeals-ruling-that-tossed-crystal-masons-voting-fraud-conviction/

...UT president Jay Hartzell releases a second statement: https://www.reddit.com/r/UTAustin/s/dbZOyovi3n

...Similar scenes have unfolded at college campuses across the country: https://www.npr.org/2024/04/25/1247091785/campus-protests-gaza-israel-arrests-usc-emerson-texas

...Progress Texas' statement: https://progresstexas.org/blog/abbott-tramples-our-american-freedoms-speech-and-assembly

...FIRE's statement: https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/fire-letter-university-texas-austin-april-25-2024

Governor Abbott has chosen the relatively-moderate U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzalez over his primary runoff challenger, "the A.K. Guy": https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4620838-texas-governor-abbott-backlash-mass-arrest-ut-austin-pro-palestine-protest/

Outgoing (thankfully) Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg has teamed up with Ken Paxton to allow his office to pursue an investigation against three staffers of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/hidalgo-staffers-elevate-strategies-paxton-ogg-19422060.php

Not outgoing (unfortunately) Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells wants to reverse the recent acquittal of Crystal Mason on voter fraud charges from the 2016 election: https://thehill.com/homenews/4622384-texas-prosecutor-appeals-ruling-that-tossed-crystal-masons-voting-fraud-conviction/

Don't forget to vote! Early voting for new oversight positions over local tax apprasal districts started yesterday: https://progresstexas.org/blog/why-you-should-care-about-may-appraisal-district-elections

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

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

Happy Hour 153 - What A Week! Campus Clashes And GOP Attacks On Local Control Apr 26, 2024

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The week started badly enough - with small-town Republicans taking advantage of a newly-modified state law that allowed them to threaten to replace popular Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza with a stooge of their choosing. Then it got worse, with a dramatic overplay of police force as administrators at UT Austin called in militarized DPS troopers to crush a pro-Palestinian protest. What do these attacks on small-D democracy by Greg Abbott's regime mean, both individually and as two parts of a growing trend of authoritarianism in Texas? We're joined by three of our favorite thinkers in this area: State Senator Sarah Eckhardt of Austin, renowned civil rights attorney Austin Kaplan, and MOVE Texas Senior Advocacy Reform Manager Amber Mills - what's REALLY going on behind the GOP curtain will shock and anger you - and hopefully, reinvigorate your passion for the fight ahead.

Learn more about State Senator Sarah Eckhardt at https://www.saraheckhardt.com/.

Learn more about Austin Kaplan at https://kaplanlawatx.com/team/austin-kaplan/.

Learn more about Amber Mills and MOVE Texas at https://movetexas.org/staff/amber-mills/.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and support our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Daily Dispatch 4/25/24: Abbott Orders Violent Police Crackdown On UT Protest, and More Apr 25, 2024

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Developments continue in the aftermath of the violent police stampout of a pro-Palestinian protest at UT Austin: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2024/04/24/ut-austin-campus-student-protest-arrest-pro-palestine-protests-walk-out/73425149007/

...Governor Abbott stands by the crackdown: https://www.chron.com/news/article/greg-abbott-ut-protests-19420650.php

...Reactions abound: https://twitter.com/ProgressTX

An on-campus shooting in Arlington yesterday: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2024/04/25/arlington-school-shooting-bowie/

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

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

Daily Dispatch 4/24/24: All Texas DA's Vulnerable Under New State Law, and More Apr 24, 2024

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The new law that has allowed an attempt by rural Republicans to oust Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza makes ALL DA's across the state vulnerable in the same way: https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2024/04/why-is-someone-suing-to-get-travis-county-da-jose-garza-out-of-office-and-what-comes-next/

Ted Cruz stuck with a small minority in the U.S. Senate voting against foreign aid for Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine: https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/23/politics/senate-vote-israel-ukraine-aid-dg/index.html

...While the kerfluffle over Cruz's podcast proceeds smells of tax problems: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/ted-cruz-iheart-podcast-taxes-19416633.php

Hardline GOP types appear to like the idea of targeting transgender teachers in the 2025 legislative session: https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/greg-abbott-texas-drag-teachers-19418755.php

Other hardline GOP types in the U.S. House are criticizing House Speaker Mike Johnson for campaigning with Rep. Tony Gonzalez, who recently referred to his MAGA colleagues as "real scumbags": https://nypost.com/2024/04/23/us-news/republicans-fume-over-house-speakers-fundraiser-for-turncoat-texas-rep-who-called-far-right-lawmakers-scumbags/

Researchers at the notoriously liberal Texas A&M have released dire climate predictions for Texas: https://www.kvue.com/article/tech/science/climate-science/texas-hotter-wildfires-climatology-report/269-483d3038-e623-406b-b0e3-b322c0766d35

Has ERCOT seen the light? They suggest it's time for Texas to "adapt and plan differently": https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/ercot-says-texas-needs-to-adapt-and-plan-differently-to-meet-future-energy-demand

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

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

Daily Dispatch 4/23/24: Texas Dems Rally To DA Garza's Side, and More Apr 23, 2024

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Elected Democratic leaders are decrying Republican efforts to remove Travis County DA Jose Garza: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2024/04/22/lloyd-doggett-rogue-prosecutor-travis-county-district-attorney-da-jose-garza-texas-democrats/73412765007/?utm_source=statesman-newsalert-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsalert&utm_term=Hero&utm_content=naas-austin-nletter01

Ken Paxton calls off his quest against Seattle Children's Hospital over its care for transgender youth - but succeeds in driving them from Texas: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/22/texas-trans-health-care-investigation-seattle/

A vandalism attack on the office of Republican Rep. John Carter in Georgetown is providing lots of online ammo AGAINST the cause of Gaza peace: https://www.fox7austin.com/video/1445040

Volkswagen auto workers in Chattanooga become the first Southern group to win their union - despite the opposition of Governor Greg Abbott: https://thehill.com/business/4599535-southern-governors-joining-uaw-would-threaten-jobs-values/amp/

The president of the Grapevine Colleyville School Board, attempting to hide her past QAnon posts, called in a false police report, later retracting it: https://x.com/stevanzetti/status/1782410513785160157

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

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

Daily Dispatch 4/22/24: Travis County DA Under Threat Of Removal By Small Town Republicans, and More Apr 22, 2024

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Texas mom and reproductive rights activist Amanda Zurawski is on the trail with the Biden/Harris campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdBwynnn9HE

Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza has been targeted for removal under a new state law by Comal and Bell County Republicans: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/20/texas-rogue-prosecutors-law-jose-garza-removal-attempt/

...All as Ken Paxton is seeking to assert state prosecutorial authority into local matters: https://www.statesman.com/story/opinion/editorials/2024/04/17/ken-paxton-texas-attorney-general-proposal-plan-extend-reach-local-government-editorial/73338806007/

...And as Paxton has failed (so far) to escape a misconduct lawsuit related to his work on behalf of Donald Trump to overturn the 2020 election: https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/texas-attorney-general-paxton-must-face-attorney-ethics-case-appeals-court-rules-2024-04-19/

Greg Abbott has taken to bashing on transgender teachers: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/greg-abbott-trans-teachers-texas-1235008156/

...But seems oblivious that Texas is now hiring thousands of presumably non-trans teachers who are unqualified for the job: https://www.fox7austin.com/news/texas-public-schools-uncertified-teachers-on-the-rise

A 10 year old Nixon boy has admitted murdering a neighbor when he was 7 - using a gun stored loaded in a truck glove compartment by his grandfather: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2024/04/19/texas-10-year-old-confessed-to-shooting-to-death-man-2-years-ago-authorities-say/

Early voting in the first of two May elections - for oversight positions with municipal tax appraisal districts - starts today! https://progresstexas.org/blog/why-you-should-care-about-may-appraisal-district-elections

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

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

Daily Dispatch 4/19/24: Happy 4-20 Weekend To Dan Patrick, and More Apr 19, 2024

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

This 4-20, we recognize that while over half of the United States now enjoys either legal recreational cannabis or at least generous medical allowances, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants to take away even the inferior weed alternatives we have to settle for in Texas: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2024/04/18/texas-lt--gov-prioritizes-delta-8-ban-ahead-of-legislation-session

Texas Representatives in the U.S. House are divided on Ukraine aid, between traitors and non-traitors: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/18/texas-republicans-ukraine-aid-chip-roy/

Is Ken Paxton playing four-dimensional chess with his claim that that huge SCOTUS loss for Texas was actually a win? Our sources say, hell no: https://www.chron.com/politics/article/ken-paxton-texas-court-loss-19410575.php

Democratic U.S. Rep Vicente Gonzalez was outraised two to one in the first quarter by GOP backers of challenger Mayra Flores: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/18/mayra-flores-outraises-vicente-gonzalez/

South Texas farmers are in big trouble as water supplies dwindle before summer even arrives: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/18/south-texas-drought-agriculture/

...While an affluent community in the San Antonio area, Fair Oaks Ranch, has apparently been stealing water for 20 years from an improperly registered well: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/illegal-water-pumping-fair-oaks-19408218.php

Today's date, April 19, is one of importance to militant white supremacist types - but pales in comparison to April 20, Adolf Hitler's birthday: https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/oklahoma-city-bombing-timothy-mcveigh-extremism-rcna148465

Don't forget about the Texas Gun Sense community picnic on Saturday, April 20 in central Austin: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tx-gun-sense_texas-gun-sense-invites-all-of-our-supporters-activity-7183153558412750850-cS-U

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

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

Daily Dispatch 4/18/24: Ken Paxton Calls SCOTUS Loss a Win, and More Apr 18, 2024

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

After a 9-0 unanimous loss at SCOTUS in a property rights dispute for Texas, Ken Paxton curiously claims it was actually a win: https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4600506-lawyers-for-texas-rancher-blast-paxtons-claim-of-supreme-court-win/

Recent Biden administration expansion of debt cancellation will benefit almost 217,000 Texans to the tune of $9.5 billion (with a B): https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Texas-4.12.pdf

...While Harris County officials announce a multi-million dollar investment in new job apprenticeships in a win for local and state unions: https://progresstexas.org/blog/harris-county-follows-biden%E2%80%99s-bold-investment-union-apprenticeships

49 Texas water utilities have been found short of new standards for "forever chemicals" from the EPA: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/16/texas-pfas-forever-chemicals-public-water-systems-epa-limit/

...While little old Muleshoe, Texas comes under suspected Russian cyber attack upon its water system: https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/17/politics/russia-hacking-group-suspected-texas-water-cyberattack/index.html

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

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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