Progress Texas Podcasts

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

A Second Amendment group is waging a legal battle to allow the sale of a gun modification device that enables machine gun-style rapid fire: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/forced-reset-triggers-illegal-machine-guns-atf-gun-102402318

A former judge who donated to a recent Ken Paxton opponent declines an invitation to participate in the upcoming impeachment trial: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/19/dan-patrick-marc-brown-paxton-impeachment-adviser-counsel/

U.S. Senate hopeful Colin Allred reports from a week-long listening tour of Texas: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/texas-politics/democrat-colin-allred-travels-texas-listening-tour-us-senate-campaign/287-52952df5-eea1-4ea9-a310-6aab87c09c33

GOP governors from a bunch of flyover states will join Governor Greg Abbott at the border today for a press conference about....something: https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/governor-kristi-noem-to-join-other-republican-governors-at-texas-border/

New HISD superintendent subjects teacher and students to a musical play about...himself: https://www.texasobserver.org/houston-isd-takeover-the-musical/

Our new heroes, The Ru-Publicans, are on a quest to buy a billboard in Austin mocking our state's new drag show ban: https://www.texasobserver.org/houston-isd-takeover-the-musical/

Texas A&M University Police say they will no longer make small-possession pot busts: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/texas-a-m-marijuana-18303293.php

...While a cannabis decriminalization push gets going in Lubbock - proving that conservatives enjoy a tasty buzz too: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/activists-in-another-texas-city-kick-off-effort-to-decriminalize-marijuana-with-signature-gathering-underway-in-lubbock/

A scary piece on scary televangelist Kenneth Copeland and the "Prosperity Gospel" movement in Texas: https://www.texasobserver.org/these-christians-think-god-needs-you-rich-and-to-rule-the-world/

ERCOT implores Texans to cut back the AC for a second time in four days: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/20/texas-ercot-conservation-request/

...While an all-too-brief rain spell and temperature drop appears to be headed for South Texas on Tuesday: https://www.ksat.com/weather/2023/08/16/tropical-wave-expected-in-the-gulf-of-mexico-next-week-heres-what-were-monitoring/

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

Stories we're following this Friday morning at Progress Texas:

Parts of SB-1, the 2021 GOP voter suppression law, have been struck down by a federal judge: https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/federal-judge-strikes-down-portions-of-texas-voter-suppression-law-s-b-1/

ERCOT pleads for conservation, but keeps the AC on - while energy prices spike 6,000%: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ercot-issues-voluntary-power-conservation-call-texas-heat-wave-2023-08-17/

Tesla stock price continues to slide despite Texas requiring its tech to be used in new charging stations: https://www.barrons.com/amp/articles/tesla-stock-ev-charging-texas-9555ff9

...While state lawmakers gouge electric vehicle owners with "punitive" fees: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/17/punitive-texas-other-states-roadblocks-ev-transition-00110125

Biden administration brushes off Abbott hysteria about an "invasion" at the border: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/08/17/doj-scoffs-at-texas-invasion-defense-says-buoys-violate-treaty-of-guadalupe-hidalgo/

...While an eighth busload of mostly Venezuelan migrants arrives in Los Angeles, sent there from Brownsville: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/texas-sends-eighth-bus-with-migrants-to-los-angeles/3208012/

Terrific Andrea Grimes op-ed on the hypocrisy of "pro-life" Texas: https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/rcna100475

And, Progress Texas is hiring! https://t.co/2kwlpEQGRp

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can help us continue our mission at https://progresstexas.org/.

We've been fans of Liz Hanks, the Texas Chapter Lead for Moms Demand Action, for a long time - so, we're elated but not surprised that she's been chosen to receive that fine organization's Sue Brooks Award, honoring her as the top of 51 state leaders (including Washington, D.C.)! We invited Liz to talk about the award, the significance of it coming to Texas, what Moms Demand Action has accomplished, and the challenges it, and all of us face moving forward.

Links discussed today: https://gunsensevoter.org/, https://www.thetrace.org/, and learn more about Moms Demand Action at https://momsdemandaction.org/. Liz invites you to text READY to 64433 to join the effort, and to download the Moms Demand Action app.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can help us continue our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Texas House impeachment managers respond to Paxton attempts to dismiss with more tawdry details: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/16/ken-paxton-impeachment-evidence-senate/

A ruling to limit the use of a safe and effective abortion medication has mostly been reversed - same judge will preside over upcoming Planned Parenthood lawsuit: https://arstechnica.com/health/2023/08/appeals-court-rules-on-abortion-pill-case-but-it-changes-nothing-for-now/

U.S. Rep Greg Casar fights for federal solution as mandated water breaks for outdoor workers in Texas are set to end Sept. 1: https://www.npr.org/2023/08/16/1194279276/texas-workers-are-speaking-up-before-the-ban-on-guaranteed-water-breaks-starts

A Texas woman is arrested after phoning in a death threat against a judge overseeing one of Donald Trump's several indictments: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/17/texas-woman-arrested-abigail-shry-threaten-judge/

Not surprising - but Texas teachers are leaving the profession in droves as lawmakers ignore obvious solutions: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/report-many-texas-teachers-are-underqualified-and-leave-within-five-year/3318297/

As the worst days of the heat wave approaches, economists estimate over $9B in losses to Texas businesses due to the heat: https://abc13.com/houston-economy-heat-impact-on-business-texas-landscaping/13658579/

...While Franklin County residents fight AGAINST the development of solar farms: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/16/texas-solar-farm-ban-counties-attorney-general/

Since our restaurants need business, pick one from Yelp's Top 100 Restaurants in Texas List and go to town: https://www.yelp.com/collection/vDbu1mpLEKomVmXmXNWG0Q/Top-100-Places-to-Eat-in-Texas-2023

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can join the fun here: https://progresstexas.org/

A closer look at the Planned Parenthood lawsuit shows that an anonymous whistleblower working with Ken Paxton stands to take home 20% of any judgement: https://www.forbes.com/sites/darreonnadavis/2023/08/15/what-to-know-about-texas-lawsuit-that-could-cost-planned-parenthood-18-billion/?sh=67fec23f4ae3

...And that Amarillo, where the case is being heard, itself has no Planned Parenthood clinics: https://apnews.com/article/planned-parenthood-texas-medicaid-6c016b80c0cf76e3b8f9577ad6ea8e69

A lawsuit to block Texas' ban on care for transgender youth has its first day in court: https://www.kut.org/health/2023-08-15/lawsuit-to-block-texas-ban-on-care-for-transgender-youth-has-its-first-day-in-court

...While a school board meeting in deep East Texas over a trans elementary school teacher goes as one might expect: https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/teacher-gender-controversy-divides-kirbyville/502-5d6a01e8-4b5b-40f5-a43d-b4ac2e23444b

On the Border: whoda thunk that Greg Abbott would put his deadly border barrier up on the Mexican side? https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-floating-border-barrier-technically-in-mexico-survey-finds/

...While Operation Lone Star-related high-speed DPS chases and crashes are WAY up in El Paso: https://www.ktep.org/ktep-news/2023-08-14/operation-lone-star-leads-to-more-dps-troopers-in-high-speed-pursuits-resulting-in-collisions-in-el-paso

...and Hispanic U.S. Congressmen rally the Biden Administration to stop the separation of migrant fathers from their families: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/hispanic-democrats-send-letter-urging-biden-administration-to-investigate-texas-separation-of-migrant-fathers

A new state law interfering in Harris County elections is found unconstitutional - and is immediately appealed: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/judge-calls-new-texas-election-law-unconstitutional-state-102296644

A recent Miss Texas winner is running for the Texas House: https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/miss-texas-house-campaign-18296949.php

Dallas attorney Sidney Powell is up on RICO charges in Georgia - but continues hawking her merch: https://www.businessinsider.com/sidney-powell-indictment-georgia-election-conspiracy-theories-defiant-2023-8

Illinois carpetbagger and unconvicted double murderer Kyle Rittenhouse has a new gun-nut org based in Texas: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/16/kyle-rittenhouse-texas-foundation/

And there's a fundraiser this weekend for victims of the wildfires in Maui in Bedford: https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/native-hawaiians-north-texas-fundraiser-maui-residents-hawaii-wildfires/

Thanks as always for listening! Learn more about what we do at Progress Texas and how you can help at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Texas launches a lawsuit designed to destroy Planned Parenthood: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/texas-planned-parenthood-repay-millions-dollars-102273480

Women forced to carry medically hopeless pregnancies to term under SB-8 continue to tell their stories: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/texas-abortion-plaintiff-hopes-daughters-death-can-ultimately-help-others/3316090/

The Biden Administration calls on U.S. Supreme Court to take up controversial Texas social media law: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/08/14/biden-supreme-court-social-media-texas-florida/

TCEQ sues Shell (for a pittance) over fire at its Deer Park facility: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/environment/article/shell-fire-lawsuit-texas-environment-18294678.php

Christian Nationalist darling Matt Schaefer will not run for re-election to the Texas House - but is eyeballing a Senate seat: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/environment/article/shell-fire-lawsuit-texas-environment-18294678.php

Brad Pascale, digital disinformation master for Donald Trump, has returned to his native Texas: https://www.sacurrent.com/news/san-antonio-tech-bro-turned-trump-insider-brad-parscale-has-moved-back-to-texas-32408210

Illinois Superintendent of Education makes a strong pitch for Texas teachers to head north: https://www.the74million.org/article/open-invitation-to-florida-and-texas-teachers-come-to-illinois-we-trust-you/

Thanks for listening! Find out more about Progress Texas, what we do, and how you can join in at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

As a migrant child dies on a Greg Abbott bus to Chicago, California Governor Gavin Newsom calls our Governor's care for human life "absolutely appalling": https://www.ktvu.com/news/newsom-calls-out-texas-gov-after-3-year-old-migrant-dies-on-bus-to-chicago

Also appalling - someone is stealing water barrels intended to save the lives of migrants in the Texas desert: https://www.npr.org/2023/08/12/1193621286/texas-migrants-drinking-water-barrels-disappeared

Texas AG's office reverses itself on status of unborn fetuses - are they people, or not? https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/12/texas-fetus-rights-prison-guard-lawsuit-abortion

Austin attorney Mindy Montford - a Democrat - will play a role in the Ken Paxton impeachment trial: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2023/08/14/texas-impeachment-austin-lawyer-could-be-key-witness-in-paxton-trial/70570511007/

Dallas attorney Sidney Powell - definitely not a Democrat - is thought likely to be the target of impending criminal charges in the Trump investigation: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/donald-trump-jack-smith-sidney-powell-indictment-1234804906/

The EPA trashes Texas coal cleanup as "do-nothing policy", demands drastic reduction of emissions that are affecting national parks: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/13082023/epa-texas-disagree-haze-rules-national-parks/

And here we go again: COVID-related hospitalizations are spiking in Texas, just as the kids go back to school: https://www.ktsm.com/news/texas-covid-hospitalizations-jump-again-maps-show-where-its-worst/

Thanks as always for listening! Find our more about Progress Texas and how you can join the fun at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Operation Lone Star claims Noah's Ark as their excuse to place deadly barriers in the Rio Grande: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/border-buoys-noahs-ark-18289332.php

Chip Roy leads charge to defund the Border Patrol: https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/08-10-2023/roy-approps-demands/

Federal grand jury calls witnesses connected to Ken Paxton: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/10/ken-paxton-grand-jury/

As predicted, DPS officers patrolling Austin are targeting Black and Latino Texans: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/10/texas-austin-dps-state-troopers-police-communities-color/

Texas public schools, soon required by law to post armed guards, can't find or afford to hire them: https://www.expressnews.com/news/education/article/school-security-new-law-hb3-18285762.php

Texas judge says outcome of Harris County election challenges by GOP will take time to complete: https://news.yahoo.com/texas-judge-says-no-quick-211601128.html

Yet another all-time ERCOT power demand record yesterday (the third just this week): https://www.reuters.com/world/us/texas-power-use-hits-record-third-time-this-week-amid-heat-wave-2023-08-10/

...While extreme heat can mess you up faster than you think: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/08/10/well/live/heat-body-dehydration-health.html

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend! Learn more about Progress Texas, including how you can support our ongoing and important work, at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following today at Progress Texas:

The McCombs Business School at UT Austin has been hosting a radical white supremacist scholar: https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2023-08-09/new-report-reveals-ut-austin-scholar-wrote-for-white-supremacist-publications/

Houston City Council invites 2028 Republican National Convention to town in near-unanimous vote: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/houston-republican-convention-city-council-votes-18287278.php

Yet another record single-day energy demand met by ERCOT yesterday, made possible by renewable energy providers: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/texas-power-use-hits-record-again-amid-heat-wave-2023-08-09/

Democratic lawmakers press USPS on hot weather care for its letter carriers: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/08/09/texas-congressmen-push-usps-to-give-mail-carriers-bottled-water-breaks-from-extreme-heat/

Texas wildfire danger reaches its second-to-highest risk level: https://www.kvue.com/article/weather/texas-drought/wildfire-preparedness-level-texas/269-94ec2f71-b237-4f96-a932-67dbcbe9227f

...While Texas actually remains behind wildfire stats for mid-August (knocks on wood): https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/09/texas-wildfires-2023-heat-wave/

Texas Republicans estimate a 0.1% chance of a conviction in Ken Paxton impeachment trial: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/ken-paxton-trial-senate-conviction-chances/

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how YOU can join the fun at https://progresstexas.org/.

During the 2022 election, Mothers Against Greg Abbott grabbed the attention of voters across Texas with their eye-popping and sometimes heartbreaking video content directed at pushing forward progressive candidates. As a new election looms with the stakes even higher, we've invited founder Nancy Thompson to join us to share her story of activism, her thoughts on our best strategies for 2024, and what her terrific organization has in store.

Enjoy the terrific content of Mothers Against Greg Abbott at https://www.youtube.com/@mothersagainstgregabbott/videos, and learn more about their work at https://mothersagainstgregabbott.com/.

As always, we appreciate your attention and support! Learn more about our ongoing mission, and how YOU can be part of it, at https://progresstexas.org/.