Who's ready to VOTE? We sure are - and with early voting starting Monday, with tons on the line - key funding for Texas' retired teachers and state parks, a big oil money grab to block, major races in Houston and elsewhere across Texas - we figured it was a great time to host a guest episode of Pod Bless Texas, hosted by our pal and fresh-faced groom Kendall Scuddar, and featuring our own Executive Director Kathleen Thompson. K & K talk all about the 14 amendments and (generally) agree on which way Texas progressives should vote in each one - of course, all of this is up to YOU - the main thing is to show up!

Find our voting guide at https://progresstexas.org/2023-texas-statewide-ballot-guide.

Learn all about voting in Texas at https://govotetexas.org/.

Find Pod Bless Texas at https://www.podblesstexas.com/.

Enjoy the weekend and see you at the polls!

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Democrats in the Texas House present a solid school funding package, which of course is near-guaranteed to be ignored by the GOP majority: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2023/10/19/texas-legislature-house-democrats-unveil-school-funding-bill-hb117/71240474007/

...While Republican House members present another iteration of the same old idea, vouchers: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/19/texas-house-voucher-school-choice-bill/

Immigration advocates raise concerns that legislation increasing criminality for assisting undocumented migrants is dangerously vague: https://abc13.com/texas-politics-sb4-undocumented-immigrants/13942147/

...While Republicans themselves wonder why the Colony Ridge development is a point of conversation: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/19/colony-ridge-texas-legislature/

Two of Ken Paxton's staffers have left their jobs amidst concerns of impropriety: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/19/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-judd-stone-chris-hilton/

Anti-semitic incidents and rhetoric are rising in Texas over the Israel/Hamas conflict: https://www.fox44news.com/news/local-news/mclennan-county/anti-defamation-league-reports-instances-of-anti-semitism-across-central-texas/

A second state audit of elections in Houston reveals only minor problems: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/nation-world/story/2023-10-19/texas-releases-another-audit-of-elections-in-harris-county-where-gop-still-challenging-losses

Dallas-based attorney Sidney Powell pleads guilty to charges of election interference in Georgia - and is likely to flip on Donald Trump: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/sidney-powell-pleads-guilty-georgia-election-interference-case-rcna121210

And conspiracy monger Alex Jones will not, after all, be able to avoid over $1 billion in defamation damages via his personal bankruptcy: https://www.reuters.com/legal/alex-jones-cant-avoid-sandy-hook-verdicts-bankruptcy-judge-2023-10-19/

Thanks for listening! Check out our popular and handy voting guide for the November election (early voting starts Monday!) and consider contributing to our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Next month's election - early voting actually starts on Monday, October 23 - is what we like to call a "low-turnout/high impact" election. Meaning, since few Texans (unfortunately) are likely to show up, YOUR vote carries a LOT more weight than it would in a higher-turnout situation. Ironically, these quieter elections are frequently the most significant opportunities Texans have to nudge our state in the right direction, and that's certainly the case with the 14 constitutional amendment propositions you'll be faced with at the ballot box. Many are actually a chance to get something GOOD done for Texas for a change - others are deceptively-worded money grabs for billionaires - making a seemingly unimportant election a VERY important one for Texas progressives to show up for.

In this episode, we're proud to welcome Becky Bullard, Texas political podcasting pioneer and current Communications Manager for the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club to talk about Prop 7 - the creation of a "Texas Energy Fund" - which might sound like a good idea, but is actually a giant handout to fossil fuel billionaires - vote NO. We also welcome Texas Retired Teachers Association Executive Director Tim Lee and retired veteran educator Cathy Patrick to talk about Prop 9, which would approve the first cost of living increase for our state's retired teachers in over two decades - vote YES. And finally, our friend Luke Metzger, Executive Director of Environment Texas, to talk Prop 14 - the creation of a Centennial Parks Conservation Fund earmarked for the creation and maintenance of state parks - vote YES.

Find (and support!) our handy and popular voter guide at https://progresstexas.org/2023-texas-statewide-ballot-guide.

More on the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club: https://www.sierraclub.org/texas

More on the Texas Retired Teachers Association: https://trta.org/

More on Environment Texas: https://environmentamerica.org/texas/

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

A coalition of progressive groups gathered at the Capitol for a news conference stating opposition to school vouchers yesterday: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2023/10/18/our-taxes-shouldnt-be-paying-for-discrimination-activists-speak-to-equity-support-concerns-in-school/71232595007/

Jim Jordan is even further short of the votes he needs to become Speaker of the House - trailing Democrat Hakeem Jeffries - with three Texas Republicans still holding out: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/17/politics/republicans-who-voted-against-jim-jordan/index.html

A plane took off from Harlingen yesterday carrying the first U.S. deportees to Venezuela in several years: https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-migrants-deportation-texas-biden-immigration-1115aa224f1fa79fb88bd991a8ed705a

A member of Ken Paxton's impeachment defense team will run against a House Republican who voted to impeach the AG: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/paxton-impeachment-defense-lawyer-to-launch-bid-for-texas-house/

Texas will recieve multiple millions of the historic $3.5 billion Biden administration spend on energy infrastructure improvements: https://www.aol.com/biden-announces-3-5b-projects-200449856.html#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16977101832878&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aol.com%2Fbiden-announces-3-5b-projects-200449856.html

The City of San Marcos will pay a group of four passengers on a Biden campaign bus - including former Senator Wendy Davis - who city police failed to help as they were accosted by Trump supporters in 2020: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/17/trump-train-san-marcos-lawsuit-settlement/

Also in San Marcos: a pre-school teacher's aide has been fired and is in legal trouble after a 4-year old student found a gun in their backpack: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article280681745.html

The Texas GOP is fracturing over fears that its leadership is tolerant of antisemitic elements: https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/texas-gop-antisemitism-18431798.php

The New York Times podcast "The Daily" covers regrets of Eagle Pass residents two years after embracing Operation Lone Star: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/19/podcasts/the-daily/texas-immigration.html

Thanks for listening! Check out our voter guide for the November election, and consider making a donation to support our continued work, at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Of the 20 Republican holdouts stopping Jim Jordan from becoming Speaker yesterday, only 3 were from Texas: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/how-did-texas-congressional-delegation-vote-for-speaker-of-the-house/

Jonathan Stickland, following a day-long hang with notorious Nazi Nick Fuentes, appears to be out as president of the hard-right Defend Texas Liberty PAC: https://www.ksat.com/news/texas/2023/10/18/defend-texas-liberty-pac-names-new-president-after-leader-met-with-white-supremacist-nick-fuentes/

Texas Republican lawmakers want to give Governor Abbott another $1.5 billion of your tax money for border wall construction: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/texas-border-wall-spending-18422945.php

...While New Mexico politicos square off over razor wire Abbott has had erected on their border with Texas: https://www.krqe.com/news/politics-government/new-mexico-republicans-democrats-at-odds-over-texass-efforts-to-razor-wire-tx-nm-border/

Prop 9 - a long-overdue cost of living increase for Texas retired teachers - is already endorsed by the Lege, but now requires voter approval - we recommend a hearty YES vote: https://kfdm.com/renderer/kfdm/amp/news/local/crisis-in-the-classroom-texas-retired-teachers-suffering-financially-counting-on-voters-to-pump-their-pensions

Austin U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett is sounding the alarm over multiple near-misses lately at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2023/10/16/us-rep-lloyd-doggett-faa-action-austin-bergstrom-international-airport-near-miss-collision/71207579007/?utm_source=americanstatesman-dailybriefing-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailybriefing-headline-stack&utm_term=hero&utm_content=naas-austin-nletter65

ERCOT officials meet to discuss this record-breaking summer, and forecast its performance this winter: https://abc13.com/ercot-texas-power-gird-winter-grid-conditions-freeze/13930195/#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16975916029942&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fabc13.com%2Fercot-texas-power-gird-winter-grid-conditions-freeze%2F13930195%2F

...While the Texas petroleum business booms like never before: https://kqkinews.com/report-texas-oil-and-natural-gas-production-reaches-new-record-in-september/

...And Texas Railroad Commission talk of reigning in gas flaring, so far, is just talk: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18102023/texas-railroad-commission-approval-flaring/

Thanks for listening! Have a look at our popular voter guide for the November election, and considering making a donation to help us continue our important work, at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The Texas Senate ignored protests from business groups and passed a ban on private employers requiring COVID-19 vaccines: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/texas-considers-banning-covid-19-vaccine-mandates/

The Sheriff of Bexar County believes Florida Governor Ron Desantis broke the law with his flying of migrants from San Antonio to Martha's Vinyard last year: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/10/texas-sheriff-hasnt-forgotten-about-ron-desantis-migrant-stunt

The Biden Administration settles with the ACLU to end the Trump-era policy of separating migrant children from their families: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/16/biden-lawsuit-family-separation-border-settlement/

New documentary "Texas USA" examines entrenched Republican power in Texas and the Democratic candidates fighting back: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/texas-usa-director-andrew-morgan-interview-1235619182/

And a new novel, "Mr. Texas", follows a freshman Texas lawmaker learning the ropes in Austin: https://www.npr.org/2023/10/16/1206123344/mr-texas-author-lawrence-wright-takes-on-the-colorful-world-of-lone-star-politic

Texas is on track to be the most populous state in the nation by the end of the century: https://abc13.com/texas-most-populous-state-by-2100-population-clmate-change-migration-patterns/13919411/

Thanks for listening! Check out our voting guide and consider supporting our important work with a donation at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following at Progress Texas:

Senate-approved legislation allowing private school vouchers heads to the House today: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/passing-the-texas-senate-education-savings-accounts-have-tougher-road-in-house/3360879/

...Governor Abbott is confident that vouchers are "on the one-yard line": https://www.kxan.com/state-of-texas/state-of-texas-public-funds-for-private-schools-plan-on-the-one-yard-line/

A big win for opponents of Galveston County's 2021 voting maps, drawn to disenfranchise voters of color: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/10/a-trump-appointed-federal-judge-just-ruled-a-texas-county-violated-the-voting-rights-act/

Rallies supporting Israel and Palestine were held at the Texas State Capitol yesterday with only minimal conflict: https://www.kxan.com/news/hundreds-attend-israel-palestine-rallies-at-texas-capitol/

A handful of Texas U.S. Representatives have rallied behind Ohio's Jim Jordan in his bid to be Speaker of the House, but he's nowhere near there: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/13/texas-congress-speaker-vote-jim-jordan/

...Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee condemns GOP incompetence: https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/texas-congresswoman-calls-out-dramatic-cost-of-house-gop-leadership-vacuum-195370053726

Following a shooting on Saturday, the Texas State Fair's policy covering the carrying of guns on its grounds is contradictory: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2023/10/15/does-the-state-fair-of-texas-allow-guns-its-policy-appears-to-be-contradictory/

...They've beefed up security for the last week of the Fair: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/state-fair-of-texas-reopens-with-added-safety-precautions-after-3-shot/

Watch for the term "special interest alien", which is being used interchangeably with "suspected terrorist" by right-wing media: https://www.politifact.com/article/2023/sep/21/special-interest-alien-designation-is-based-largel/

Austin and Dallas both make the top 5 in a new study of America's most overworked cities: https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/texas-cities-rank-in-the-top-5-most-overworked-cities-in-us-study-says/

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

As expected, school vouchers have passed the Texas Senate: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/senate-school-vouchers-18421617.php

Governor Abbott says he'll only add funding for public schools and raises for teachers to the agenda if the House also passes vouchers: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/12/greg-abbott-school-vouchers-teacher-raises/

The Senate also passed two immigration-related bills yesterday: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/12/special-session-border-immigration-bills/

...While Operation Lone Star is now razor-wiring the NEW Mexican border: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/texas/article-12624001/Texas-starts-border-wall-razor-New-Mexico-Governor-Greg-Abbott-illegal-immigrants-out.html

Wondering which Texas Republicans are still accepting Defend Texas Liberty money, even after their partnership with Nick Fuentes was revealed? Here's a list: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/12/defend-texas-liberty-pac-nick-fuentes-jonathan-stickland/

Austin U.S. Rep. Greg Casar gets into a verbal scrape with a fellow Democrat over his comments about Muslims during a Hamas/Israel discussion: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/2023/10/12/israel-hamas-war-us-rep-greg-casar-austin-tx-democrat-josh-gottheimer-confronts-over-comments/71159256007/

Barbers Hill ISD escalates its fight with a student over his cultural hairstyle by sending him to a disciplinary alternative school: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/11/us/darryl-george-alternative-school-reaj/index.html

Thanks for listening! Check out our voter guide for the November election, and kick us a donation if you're appreciating our work, at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Vouchers, should they pass, threaten to bankrupt the state - and are also fundamentally unfair to Texas taxpayers without children: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/columnists/tomlinson/article/vouchers-financial-cost-unfair-texas-18415344.php

GOP Rep. Tony Tinderholt has filed a resolution apologizing to Ken Paxton for the impeachment effort: https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2023-10-11/something-nice-for-paxton-new-resolution-would-apologize-for-impeachment-trial/

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and several other Republicans will keep their now-Nazi-tainted contributions from Defend Texas Liberty: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/11/jared-patterson-nick-fuentes-defend-texas-liberty-jonathan-stickland/

Torchy's responds to an incel invasion of one of its Fort Worth stores, saying "Fuck Hate": https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/torchys-tacos-responds-nazi-hate-group-18419286.php

Texas U.S. Representatives Chip Roy and Michael Cloud continue threatening gridlock as the House GOP struggles to name a Speaker: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/11/chip-roy-michael-cloud-steve-scalise-house-speaker/

A harrowing abortion rights story reminds us that the reproductive rights of Texans remain at historic lows: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/11/texas-abortion-law-texas-abortion-ban-nonviable-pregnancies/

Starr County residents are as confused as you are about Biden's Border Wall: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/11/us/border-wall-biden-texas-starr-county.html

ERCOT's CEO pegs our odds of an energy emergency this winter at about one in five: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-11/texas-power-grid-boss-sees-tight-winter-supply-as-demand-grows

Colin Allred announces just shy of $5 million in third-quarter donations: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4250481-texas-democrat-allred-raises-4-7-million-in-third-quarter-to-challenge-cruz/

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Governor Abbott's school voucher bill passed easily on party lines by the Senate Education Committee, now goes to the full body: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2023/10/10/texas-senates-education-savings-account-proposal-kicks-off-school-choice-debate/

...Over the objections of advocates for students with disabilities: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/10/texas-school-vouchers-disabilities-special-session/

...All eyes on House Republicans representing rural districts, who hold the key to beating back vouchers: https://www.kut.org/politics/2023-10-10/in-texas-rural-republicans-hold-the-line-against-school-vouchers

...Meanwhile, a new ban on COVID vaccine requirements by private employers - including healthcare providers - also breezes through committee: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/texas-senate-committee-passes-expanded-ban-on-covid-19-vaccine-mandates/

Elon Musk, who owns extensive industrial property in Texas, is under fire by the EU over Hamas misinformation spreading on X/Twitter: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/eu-warns-elon-musk-potential-investigation-hamas-content-rcna119783#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16970193763111&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcnews.com%2Ftech%2Fsocial-media%2Feu-warns-elon-musk-potential-investigation-hamas-content-rcna119783

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador files a complaint with federal officials over Texas DPS border safety inspections, which are backing up millions of dollars of cargo: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/mexican-president-blames-texas-run-border-inspections-for-delays

Texas has executed a death row inmate whose execution delay was just upheld by a court on Monday, due to an appeal by the Texas Attorney General's office: https://apnews.com/article/texas-execution-murphy-supreme-court-6d9cd44d7c7a6817d53e1bcb74e8534f

And Texas music phenom Kacey Musgraves weighs in in favor of Prop 14, which will establish funds for new state parks - video at the link: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/article/kacey-musgraves-constitutional-amendment-18418182.php

Thanks for listening! Find our handy voter guide for next month's election, and consider making a donation to help Progress Texas continue our important work, at https://progresstexas.org/.