Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

President Joe Biden's performance last night at the State Of The Union was stellar: https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/08/politics/cnn-poll-biden-sotu-speech-reaction/index.html

...But not perfect, with a gaffe involving language about undocumented people: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/07/state-of-the-union-joe-biden/

Pro-Palestinian protestors at Garland munitions manufacturer end up in jail: https://www.keranews.org/news/2024-03-07/garland-police-arrest-23-people-protesting-weapons-manufacturer-over-israel-gaza-conflict

...Several musicians have cancelled appearances at this year's SXSW Music Festival in Austin for similar reasons: https://www.chron.com/culture/article/sxsw-2024-music-protest-18705591.php

The expected rightward lurch in the Republican-dominated Texas House next year will be "disastrous": https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/election/2024/article/texas-house-gop-18707525.php

The State Board of Education is also being yanked to the right: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/06/texas-sboe-board-education-election-votes/

The "battle for Texas' soul" appears to have gone badly: https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2024/03/06/if-2024-primary-was-a-battle-for-texas-soul-then-were-in-trouble/

Uvalde parents erupt in grief and anger as local police are exonerated of wrongdoing by a new investigation: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/uvalde-parents-lash-out-after-new-report-clears-city-police-of-wrongdoing-during-2022-mass-shooting

Republican resistance to Austin Rep. Greg Casar's Connect The Grid Act is expected today: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/texas-ercot-national-grid-18709390.php

Thanks to all of our Amplify Austin Day donors! We can't do it without you: https://www.amplifyatx.org/organizations/progress-texas-institute

March is Women's History Month! See a new analysis of what that month really means in Texas: https://progresstexas.org/blog/inspire-inclusion-celebrating-international-womens-day-2024-texas

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend! All about all we do, and several fun ways to support our work, can be found at https://progresstexas.org/.