Progress Texas Podcasts

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Dallas-area mother of two Kate Cox is granted a temporary restraining order allowing her to terminate a dangerous and hopeless pregnancy: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-abortion-ban-kate-cox-emergency-fetus-trisomy-18-judge-maya-guerra-gamble/

...While Attorney General Ken Paxton threatens legal action against any doctor who provides abortion services in Texas: https://www.reuters.com/legal/texas-judge-allows-woman-get-emergency-abortion-despite-state-ban-2023-12-07/

...Which we agree, is "ghoulish": https://newrepublic.com/post/177398/texass-attorney-general-ghoulish-new-abortion-stance

Meanwhile, Paxton is failing to fully disclose his extensive real estate holdings in financial disclosure reports: https://www.kut.org/politics/2023-12-07/ken-paxton-texas-attorney-general-personal-finance-reports

Texas DPS's own inspector general concludes that while troopers did indeed mistreat migrants at the border as reported, those incidents didn't violate the law or agency policy: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/dps-migrant-report-18539662.php

Pale Horse Strategies, the consulting firm that started the Texas GOP's Nazi scandal, is undergoing a rebranding: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/07/pale-horse-strategies-west-fort-worth-management-nick-fuentes/

ERCOT says they're ready for winter - experts aren't so sure: https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2023-12-08/how-ercot-and-the-city-are-preparing-for-the-next-winter-storm/

Let's Get Busy Houston! The runoff election for mayor, city controller, and several at-large City Council seats is Saturday: https://www.axios.com/local/houston/2023/12/08/election-runoff-jackson-lee-whitmire

Our annual Ten Best And Worst Texans ranking is up - and THANKS for your input: https://progresstexas.org/blog/top-10-best-and-worst-texans-2023

Thanks for listening! Please consider helping Progress Texas continue our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Progress Texas has endorsed longtime U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in her run for mayor of Houston, which will be decided on Saturday in that city's very important runoff election, which will also determine Houston's next city controller (a race in which we've endorsed Chris Hollins) and several at-large City Council seats. Congresswoman Jackson Lee took a few minutes during a busy campaign day on the last day of early voting on Tuesday to tell us about her vision of the future Houston and how she plans to make that vision reality.

Find Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee at https://www.sheilaforhouston.com/.

Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting our ongoing work with a donation at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Abortion rights plaintiff Kate Cox's case will receive a temporary restraining order hearing this morning at 9am in the Austin court of judge Maya Guerra Gamble: https://www.youtube.com/live/0oCALdrAefY?si=HnOo90di5qICHhI0

...ABC News provides a good summary of the Cox case: https://abcnews.go.com/US/woman-suing-texas-abortion-bans-mother/story?id=105420503

Ken Paxton follows the right wing conspiracist narrative into a new lawsuit against the U.S. State Department: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/texas-claims-us-state-department-funds-tech-that-censors-conservative-news-2023-12-06/

State officials think they may have found a way around ludicrous election fraud lawsuits that threaten to delay the enactment of voter-approved constitutional amendments, including pension raises for retired teachers: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/06/greg-abbott-constitutional-amendments/

Both Ted Cruz and John Cornyn have voted down support for Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel as the GOP holds those commitments hostage over border concessions: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/06/ted-cruz-john-cornyn-texas-ukraine-israel-border/

An active-duty U.S. Air Force Reserve officer has been arrested in Dallas over his participation in the January 6 insurrection: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article282753693.html

An alarming wave of live music venue closures strikes D/FW: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/music-venues-across-dfw-announce-abrupt-closures-over-the-last-week/287-ed2fe45e-0ab3-4257-a761-aba3b6eeb0cc

Which Texas lawmakers were the best pushing for progress, and which were the worst in holding it back? Share your opinion:

Kate Cox, a Dallas mother of two, is calling for a court order to allow her to receive abortion care amidst a dangerous pregnancy: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/us/texas-abortion-lawsuit.html

...Every day that passes increases the danger to Ms. Cox: https://progresstexas.org/woman-sues-texas-allow-abortion

SB-4, the blatantly unconstitutional immigration bill, could be signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott any day now: https://www.click2houston.com/news/investigates/2023/12/06/texas-on-the-cusp-of-enacting-new-immigration-enforcement-law/

...While lawmakers and advocates ask the Biden administration to step in: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/advocates-want-biden-reign-texas-immigration-crackdown-rcna128187

The fourth special session ends, taking school vouchers AND school funding with it: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/05/texas-house-adjourns-special-legislative-session/

...While a situation reminiscent of George Santos brews for a McKinney GOP House member: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/05/frederick-frazier-plea-deal-impersonating-public-servant-texas/

The Fort Worth Star Telegram's editorial board calls for the Texas Republican Party to reconsider its embrace of Nazism: https://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/editorials/article282706988.html

...While Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa calls for them to clean house: https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/nazi-debate-prompts-texas-democrats-call-for-republican-chair-to-resign-18033609

The plight of high school student Darryl George continues as his fight to keep his traditional hairstyle meets unrelenting resistance from Barbers Hill ISD: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/us/darryl-george-hair-locs-texas.html

We're still seeking your feedback on the Best And Worst of Texas for 2023! Share your opinion:

Thanks for listening, and we hope to see you TONIGHT in Dallas for our second Progress Texas holiday party! Tickets at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The mindblowing news that Texas' Republican Party has chosen not to disavow Nazis continues to reverberate nationally: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/04/texas-republican-party-vote-antisemitism

...Representing the continued embrace of extremism on the political right in Texas: https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-gop-extremism-nazi-ban-policy-language/

...While the still-Nazi-free half of the Texas GOP at least pretends to recoil in horror: https://theweek.com/politics/texas-republicans-neo-nazis-resolution

An in-depth analysis of the Uvalde mass shooting police response debuts tonight on PBS: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/04/inside-the-uvalde-response-documentary-investigation/

...PBS explains their goals: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/uvalde-school-shooting-investigation-details-publishing-decision/

Texas continues sending hundreds of busloads of migrants into Denver, dropped without winter clothing and staged for dramatic effect: https://www.denverpost.com/2023/12/04/colorado-capitol-migrants-texas-denver/

Ken Paxton's lawsuit against Pfizer over their COVID-19 vaccine is backed by embarrassingly flawed and thoroughly debunked math: https://arstechnica.com/health/2023/12/texas-sues-pfizer-with-covid-anti-vax-argument-that-is-pure-stupid/

Who are the best and worst Texans of 2023? Share your opinion here:

Thanks for listening - and if you're doing so in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, we'd love to see you tomorrow (Wednesday December 6) at our second Progress Texas holiday party! Details at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The Texas Democratic Party has issued a resolution calling for peace in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict: https://www.texasdemocrats.org/media/texas-state-democratic-executive-committee-unanimously-passes-israeli-palestinian-resolution-calls-for-a-humanitarian-ceasefire-and-release-of-hostages

Meanwhile - over the same weekend - the Texas Republican Party struck from their pro-Israel resolution language condemning associations with Nazi sympathizers and Holocaust deniers: https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-gop-votes-against-ban-association-nazi-sympathizers-holocaust-deniers-2023-12

Also on that topic, controversy at UT Austin over the removal of two teaching assistants resulting from their support of Palestinian and Muslim students: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2023/12/01/message-about-gaza-leads-to-removal-of-ut-teaching-assistants/#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17015727091418&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dallasnews.com%2Fnews%2Feducation%2F2023%2F12%2F01%2Fmessage-about-gaza-leads-to-removal-of-ut-teaching-assistants%2F

Tomorrow's close of the 4th special session keeps vouchers at bay, but also may allow delays in voter-approved teacher pension raises: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/01/2023-election-challenge-teacher-pay-tax-cuts/

Ted...ahem, Rafael Cruz introduces legislation that would prevent employers from requiring employees to respect each other's chosen pronouns: https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/ted-cruz-preferred-name-pronouns-trans-bill-18524085.php

Houston's runoff election looms as early voting ends tomorrow and Election Day is next Saturday - Mayoral candidates Sheila Jackson Lee and John Whitmire will square off in a debate tonight: https://abc13.com/houston-mayor-runoff-election-mayoral-debate-sheila-jackson-lee/14128371/

Thanks for listening! Thanks to all who came out for Friday's Progress Texas Holiday Party in Austin - and we look forward to seeing you at Wednesday's party in Dallas! Tickets and more info at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

DPS officials have been ordered by a district judge to (finally) hand over its records regarding the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/30/uvalde-shooting-investigation-records/

Ken Paxton's AG's office has sued Pfizer, claiming they inflated claims regarding their COVID-19 vaccine in order to maximize profits: https://www.reuters.com/legal/pfizer-is-sued-by-texas-over-covid-19-vaccine-claims-2023-11-30/

A judge has denied state requests to stop federal authorities from removing razor wire they've placed at the border with Mexico: https://www.axios.com/2023/12/01/texas-border-razor-wire-judge-ruling-immigration

ERCOT has been asked to rework their simulation process, after their own simulations show a high likelihood of blackouts in extreme weather conditions: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/investigations/defenders/texas-power-grid-blackouts-simulation-ercot-winter/269-01140c85-a9a3-43b1-be71-9f93f40b30b8

As the standoff over vouchers continues, Texas public school teachers continue to struggle with low pay: https://www.kut.org/education/2023-11-30/texas-teacher-salary-raise-school-voucher

Older Texans are struggling too, as increasing numbers of them are now spending over 30% of their income on housing: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/30/texas-seniors-housing-costs/

State authorities remain unprepared, and uninterested, in the huge population boom inbound for the Austin/San Antonio joint metro area: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/09/san-antonio-austin-growth-development/

Rice University moves the remains and a statue of its namesake founder, who was a slave owner: https://www.universityherald.com/articles/78194/20231130/rice-university-amends-history-slavery-relocating-founders-remains.htm

Thanks for listening! We hope to see you tonight in Austin, or Wednesday in Dallas, for this year's Progress Texas Holiday Parties! Tickets are available now at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

A new report from Human Rights Watch highlights the deadly hazards Operation Lone Star high-speed chases are creating among our border communities: https://abc13.com/texas-dps-chase-human-rights-watch-report-operation-lone-star-reports-troopers-involved-in-chases/14119628/

The confusion surrounding abortion care for troubled pregnancies in Texas is receiving more national attention following the Zurawski hearing: https://prospect.org/health/2023-11-30-abortion-confusion-texas/

Are school vouchers inevitable in Texas? We say, hell no: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/11/30/are-school-vouchers-inevitably-going-to-pass-in-once-resistant-texas-house/

The conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is considering new review requirements for Texas school book sellers: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/29/texas-hb-900-book-rating-lawsuit-appeal/

A national professor's fellowship at UT has been dismantled under SB-17, which outlaws DEI initiatives at Texas public universities: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2023/11/29/public-voices-fellowship-university-of-texas-austin-op-ed-project-underrepresented-opinion-closes/71733167007/

Your homeowner's insurance bill is indeed rising - and it's because of climate change: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/30/texas-homeowner-insurance-climate-change-costs/

Thanks for listening! Let us know your opinion on the Best And Worst of our state lawmakers at

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Much discussion of yesterday's Texas Supreme Court hearing of the Zurawksi vs. State Of Texas case: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2023/11/29/texas-supreme-court-hears-case-challenging-texas-abortion-bans-health-risks-pregnancy-women/71727577007/

...Amanda Zurawski appeared after the hearing on MSNBC's The Reid Out show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRZM63wun-Y

Governor Abbott, in lieu of announcing a fifth special session, has begun endorsing pro-voucher primary challengers to sitting Republican House members who voted against vouchers: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/28/new-article-greg-abbott-school-vouchers-hugh-shine-endorse/

The international bridge at Eagle Pass has been closed to incoming traffic from Mexico until further notice: https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/bridge-in-eagle-pass-shutting-down-to-vehicles-border-patrol-eagle-pass-mexico-texas-immigration-migrants-illegal-undocumented/273-405e5169-bf7d-4351-8f52-640765a5612d

A new twist in the Galveston voting maps case could threaten the Voting Rights Act: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/28/galveston-texas-voter-map-case-appeals-court

Four "emerging" Texas public universities stand to improve their national standing with new voter-approved state funding: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/state-policy/2023/11/27/game-changer-research-ranking-texas-universities

...While a "red state brain drain" is well underway: https://newrepublic.com/article/176854/republican-red-states-brain-drain

Battery operators, seen as a possible solution to Texas power grid woes, are facing difficulties of ERCOT's creation: https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/texas-battery-operators-worry-new-ercot-regs-18517667.php

Legendary Texas progressive Jim Hightower talks about the history of progress in the Lone Star State in a new episode of the Marc Steiner podcast:

Thanks for listening! Grab your tickets for our upcoming Austin and Dallas holiday parties now - https://progresstexas.org/.

Abortion rights activists across the country were glued to this morning's hearing at the Texas Supreme Court of the State appeal of a lawsuit brought by 20 Texas women and two doctors whose lives have been upended by our state's poorly-written and carelessly-implemented abortion bans since the fall of Roe v Wade. We convened an expert panel as the hearing closed late this morning: State Representative and longtime reproductive freedom advocate Donna Howard, veteran Texas civil rights attorney Jason Smith and attorney Austin Kaplan, who is directly involved representing the plaintiffs, all share their views on today's event and what's next as the Court considers the case. Plus, in case you missed it, the full Court hearing of the Zurawski case is included here, beginning at the 32-minute mark.

Find Rep. Donna Howard at https://house.texas.gov/members/member-page/?district=48.

Find Austin Kaplan at https://kaplanlawatx.com/.

And find Jason Smith at https://letsgotocourt.com/.

Thanks for listening! There's still time to grab your tickets for our upcoming Holiday Parties, in Austin on Friday 12/1 and in Dallas on Wednesday 12/6. Hope to see you! More at https://progresstexas.org/.