Pratt on Texas

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: They don’t like criticism but then do all they can to cause it: Speaker Phelan moved up the House Rules debate a day seemingly as a poke in the eye of the citizens who had banded together to charter buses to be present in the gallery for the rules debate. Quit crying about distrust Phelan and team when you go out of your way to create such – and in such a petty manner.Also, Phelan’s mentioned priorities include some good things; others that can go good or bad, and; some that are just outright Democrat-big-government-loving stuff. And beware those things that can go either way – experience says they almost always get pulled Left.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Local sales tax collection numbers are out.The more we learn, and there is new material, about the inaction, and slow action, of police at the Uvalde elementary school massacre, the more clear it is that the district’s police chief was in control, giving orders, and that he was personally responsible for stopping a breech of the room that could have stopped the shooter and save lives.And, other news of Texas.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

This Pratt on Texas Podcast Extra (42 minutes) contains the nominating speeches for Texas House speaker for the 88th Regular Session of the legislature.Much can be learned by listening to these speeches.From a conservative standpoint, Rep. Slaton and Rep. Tinderholt layout a strong case for change in House leadership. From an internal political self-interest side the others layout a case for Phelan, at least that’s how I heard it (and I mean that objectively and separate from my opinion of who would make the best speaker.)Those speaking, in order, were:Rep. Cody Harris (R) – Nominating PhelanRep. Bryan Slaton (R) – Nominating TinderholtRep. Angie Chen Button (R) – for PhelanRep. Nate Schatzline (R) – for TinderholtRep. Tracy King (D) – for PhelanRep. John Lujan (R) – for PhelanRep. Toni Rose (D) – for PhelanRep. Tony Tinderholt (R) – for himself, TinderholtRep. Shelby Slawson (R) – for PhelanMake up your own mind. For me, from the speeches, it was a choice between folksy he’s-a-great-guy stuff and supports some Democrat policy or, those focused on making substantive changes in how we govern and empowering conservatives to pass what their constituents want them to pass.It is Secretary of State Jane Nelson presiding.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The 88th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature came into being today in Austin and the House re-elected Dade Phelan as Speaker. With all the new “surplus” money will there be enough limited government Republicans, or how about those self-described “fiscal conservatives,” to pass a responsible budget and give us a substantial amount of our money back?Five Pressing Fiscal Questions (and Answers) for 2023Should Fears of Recession get in the way of Property Tax Relief?Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar Releases Biennial Revenue EstimateTexas’ budget surplus soars to $33B, fueling demand for tax cuts, one-time ‘investments’Texas property tax bills decreased in 2022. What to expect in 2023Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Texans in DC: Representatives Kay Granger of Fort Worth, Jodey Arrington of Lubbock, Michael McCaul of Austin, and Rep. Roger Williams of Weatherford get key committee positions.“Damn TCU!”  TCU loses to Georgia by biggest deficit in national college football championship history.And, other news of Texas.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: In El Paso, on Sunday, our country and its president acted like the Soviet Union of old or today’s Communist China and it is disgusting. Much on Biden’s visit to the border in which false images were purposely transmitted to the world and in which the Biden did not even visit things directly related to the illegal immigration crisis. El Paso Bulldozes Illegal Alien Homeless Encampments Prior to Biden VisitPotemkin Village: Officials Clear Homeless Migrants from El Paso Streets Ahead of Biden VisitFive Things Biden Won’t See During El Paso Border TripAbbott hand-delivers Biden a letter on El Paso tarmac denouncing his border ‘failure’Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Big temporary win: EPA Halts Permian Basin Ozone Regulation Effort.Governor Abbott has received his final lump sum payment from the accident that put him in a wheelchair.Go TCU Horned Frogs! Win the college football national championship tonight!And, other news of Texas.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: While Biden is set to make a theater visit to the border, Texas has filed a lawsuit that could become an important tool to force better border enforcement.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.An Anti-Wimp Update with a twist!Oil and gas rig count falls for nation but grows in Texas plus a big win for LNG exports from Texas.Tucker Carlson gets it right and echoes me on items related to politicians and the U.S. House Speaker race.And, other news of Texas.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: ESG, Net-Zero, the Texas Senate, and your pocketbook. Epoch Times writer and filmmaker Kevin Stocklin discusses a major hearing before a Texas Senate committee in December in which representatives if financial giants BlackRock and State Street tried to have it both ways saying yes, they push the ESG and anti-fossil fuel agenda but, they really don’t!All about ES, Net-Zero, and more.See Stocklin’s recent documentary on the entire issue here: www.theshadowstate.com.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Austin’s insider Capitol power crowd loses in court, again, over efforts to keep the people out of Speaker of the House races. The entire effort to keep The People out of House leadership races is immoral and unethical in my book.In U.S. House speaker race news, don’t buy the premise that “chaos” exists or that those who don’t support McCarthy for the job are doing some terrible thing to the GOP or the country. This is what real change often looks like, it’s messy and uncertain and that’s why so many don’t have the fortitude to seek real change – they just can’t handle the challenges that come with such. Plus it is an advantage to have the House unable to conduct business for a while, it stops even more inflation causing spending.And, when people like James Carville, who hates the Republican Party, warn that the GOP is hurting itself you can bet something else is happening people like Carville don’t like.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Coalition led by disgraced former Texas House Speaker Bonnen to reestablish Chapter 313 corporate giveaways dies.Texas sales tax receipts up big again for December.Key development on pending settlement between Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado on Rio Grande River water.And, other news of Texas.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The Austin insider power crowd fantasy of "Don't be like DC" doesn't hold up to basic scrutiny. Speaker Phelan and others need a better argument if they want to truly justify handing serious power to Democrats through chairmanships.Also, along the same lines: Old liberal Democrat Kronberg of the Quorum Report tells incoming legislative freshmen: "Rule #1: First and foremost, your political party is not your friend. The people who wrote the platform are usually the extremists in your community with little connection to reality." It's the same old play that you lie to voters at home to get elected and then when in Austin (or DC) you work for yourself to move up with the insiders. It also shows that Kronberg is ignorant of who participates in Republican conventions.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.844K Known Border Crossers in First Quarter of New Fiscal Year; 72K Migrant Got-Aways in December, 212K in Last Three Months.Texans among U.S. House members blocking Republican leader Kevin McCarthy from speakership.Oil and gas drilling rig count ended year higher for Texas.And, other news of Texas.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our affiliates, or hear the podcast of the show after 6pm Central here. 

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: There is no doubt that the Left is busy sexualizing public school classrooms as a top priority in order to sexualize children making them more amenable to the Leftist world view. We can clearly see some of the horrible results of this cultural shift fueled by the Left, Democrats, and those who refuse to recognize what is happening.Integrity and moral guide rails are becoming all too rare and it is hitting our public school children directly.Will your legislator fight in the coming session to end as much of this perversion as possible?Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.There has been a common drumbeat in the press, including the Texas press, about an alarming rise in anti-Semitism (hatred of Jews) but where are the stories about the dramatic rise in attacks on Christian churches and religion, and religious people, in general?And, other news of Texas.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The real big story on Atmos Energy isn’t Abbott calling for an investigation. It’s that without his prompting the Railroad Commission had already launched an investigation on Tuesday – that’s something many longtime political watchers would never have bet would happen. The Texan had the best story on this.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Even Austin liberals love education choice and charter schools and data shows the charter schools benefit minorities most so, why do their Democrat politicians fight against all forms of public education choice?More pointing our Biden’s border failures and hypocrisy.And, other news of Texas.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com