Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

With each passing hour, a partial shutdown of the federal government during the busy Christmas travel season thanks to Elon Musk and Donald Trump's interference is looking more likely: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-congress-has-two-days-avert-shutdown-after-trump-rejects-spending-bill-2024-12-19/

...Seven Texas Republicans joined the Democrats in voting the hastily-drafted Trump replacement bill down: https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024516

...Dallas Rep. Jasmine Crockett shares the national consequences of such a shutdown: https://bsky.app/profile/repjasmine.bsky.social/post/3ldowgakbqk2l

...There are significant direct impacts likely for Texans as well: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/government-shutdown-san-antonio-texas-19990762.php

...Elon Musk has become a one-man "rogue state" who is primed to inflict massive damage on American democracy: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/dec/20/elon-musk-is-becoming-a-one-man-rogue-state-its-time-we-reined-him-in

Rep. Crockett and the rest of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability are curious about Texas officials' decision to skip over the data from the irst two years of our state's abortion ban related to maternal mortality: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/19/texas-congress-maternal-mortality/

A Texas Tribune analysis shows that after over $3 billion spent or allocated, the Texas border wall is in small sections in remote locations - an almost zero ROI: https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2024/texas-border-wall-greg-abbott-landowners/

Our annual rundown of the Top 10 Best And Worst Texans is up! Thanks for your help in compiling this year's list: https://progresstexas.org/blog/best-and-worst-texans-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.

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