Progress Texas Podcasts

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The anticipated public forum held by the Texas Medical Board seeking to clarify rules governing abortion access exceptions in Texas did little but increase confusion: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/20/texas-medical-board-abortion-guidance/

...Among those testifying was Kate Cox:

...And Progress Texas staffers Tatum Owens and Reagan Stone: https://progresstexas.org/blog/lack-guidance-medical-emergencies-puts-texan-lives-line

Texas A&M's administrator of Title IX finds himself suspended for the offense of speaking in compliance with new federal guidelines, while his bosses plan to defy the feds: https://theeagle.com/news/a_m/tamu-system-title-ix-director-suspended-investigated/article_a75aa62c-146c-11ef-9617-eb4a3d655faf.html

Cypress Fairfield school board members have voted to redact science textbook content that hurts their feelings: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/19/us-public-schools-texas-book-bans

As another historically hot summer builds, so do risks of an "avoidable blackout" in Texas: https://www.forbes.com/sites/arielcohen/2024/05/19/texas-is-heading-towards-an-avoidable-blackoutagain/

Texas provides an early example of the overall erosion of American democracy: https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/texas-abbott-pardon-murderer-blm-protester-20240519.html

Early voting starts TODAY and continues through Friday in the primary runoff: https://govotetexas.org/

Progress Texas could use your help in funding our trip to June's Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso - thanks in advance! https://progresstexas.org/donate

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The NRA Convention in Dallas saw heavy emphasis on voter activation among firearms enthusiasts: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/18/texas-nra-convention-trump-abbott-guns/

...In his remarks, Donald Trump toyed with the notion of becoming a three-term President: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/19/trump-nra-convention-dallas

...A photo essay from the event: https://www.reuters.com/pictures/scenes-inside-annual-nra-convention-2024-05-19/

...Right on cue, Amarillo judge Matthew Kascmaryk has temporarily blocked the new federal "gun show loophole" rule: https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-judge-blocks-biden-backed-030843345.html

Let's get past the spectacle of the tangle between U.S. Reps Jasmine Crockett and Marjorie Taylor Greene, and note the purely racist nature of Greene's comments: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/05/19/jasmine-crockett-mtg-racist-house-exchange/73760251007/

Governor Abbott appears to not only approve of convicted murderer Daniel Perry shooting BLM protestor Garrett Foster, he's also okay with his sexually inappropriate messages to a 16 year old: https://www.texasobserver.org/abbott-pardon-daniel-perry-garrett-foster/

...While the doubt that Foster pointed his gun at Perry prior to the shooting sets a very loose precedent for the establishment of a lethal threat, and a lethal response to that threat: https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/greg-abbott-daniel-perry-pardon-rcna152769

Early voting starts TODAY and continues through Friday in the primary runoff: https://govotetexas.org/

Progress Texas could use your help in funding our trip to June's Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso - thanks in advance! https://progresstexas.org/donate

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

In a stunning conservative undermining of our state's criminal justice system, Governor Abbott has issued a full pardon for Daniel Perry, convicted last year of murdering Black Lives Matter protester and U.S. Air Force veteran Garrett Foster in Austin: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/texas-governor-pardons-uber-driver-convicted-murdering-black-lives-matter-2024-05-16/

...Multiple reactions from progressive sources: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/16/daniel-perry-greg-abbott-pardon/

Gun violence has skyrocketed 63% in Texas under Governor Abbott's watch: https://giffords.org/analysis/texas-gun-deaths-surged-63-under-greg-abbott/

No surprise that three quarters of Texans think our state government has chosen an "extreme conservative agenda" over practical matters: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4667534-texas-poll-conservative-agenda/

A public forum will be held on May 20 by the Texas Medical Board on proposed exceptions to Texas' near-total ban on abortion: https://x.com/hannahnorton89/status/1785054901661216800?s=12&t=Bt_w1MN2AlTfFkWGHJiOJg

Progress Texas could use your help in funding our trip to June's Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso - thanks in advance! https://progresstexas.org/donate

It will soon be time to vote in the May 28 primary runoffs! https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/26/texas-voting-2024-runoff-elections/

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Last week, Progress Texas hosted our first ever Climate Justice Town Hall, where we discussed liquified natural gas (LNG) operations in Texas and the major health risks, environmental damages and harms to indigenous and lower income communities that have fallen victim to Big Oil and Gas’ commitment to profits over people.

We learned a great deal from our experienced panelists: John Beard, CEO of Port Arthur Community Action Network, Elida Castillo, Texas Director of Chispa Texas, Emma Guevara, Brownsville Organizer of Sierra Club and Naomi Yoder, GIS Data Manager for The Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice, hosted by Progress Texas Advocacy Manager Reagan Stone.

Learn more:

Port Arthur Community Action Network: https://www.pa-can.com/

Chispa Texas: https://chispatx.org/

Sierra Club - Lone Star Chapter: https://www.sierraclub.org/texas

Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice: https://www.bullardcenter.org/

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and support our ongoing mission at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Speaking at a tax-exempt (and thus presumably politically neutral) Houston church, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick espoused his view that Christianity should underpin Texas law: https://www.chron.com/culture/religion/article/dan-patrick-sermon-second-baptist-19455537.php

Governor Greg Abbott appears to have fallen off the VP radar of Donald Trump: https://www.fox7austin.com/news/greg-abbott-donald-trump-vp-candidate-list-discussion

Heat builds around the discovery that Texas tax dollars may have been sent to Colorado charter schools founded by state-installed Houston ISD superintendent Mike Miles: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/14/hisd-mike-miles-tea-investigation/

Pioneering civil rights leader Rev. William "Bill" Lawson of Houston has died at 95: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/rev-william-lawson-texas-civil-rights-leader-dies/3541007/

PROGRAM NOTE - Chris is attending a family memorial service on Thursday, and the Daily Dispatch will take a rare break that day. Next update will be posted on Friday morning.

A public forum will be held on May 20 by the Texas Medical Board on proposed exceptions to Texas' near-total ban on abortion: https://x.com/hannahnorton89/status/1785054901661216800?s=12&t=Bt_w1MN2AlTfFkWGHJiOJg

Progress Texas could use your help in funding our trip to June's Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso - thanks in advance! https://progresstexas.org/donate

It will soon be time to vote in the May 28 primary runoffs! https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/26/texas-voting-2024-runoff-elections/

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Even as school districts across Texas are forced to cut jobs and close campuses under budget shortfalls, Governor Abbott continues to hold funding hostage to vouchers: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2024/05/13/texas-must-help-struggling-schools-with-special-session-on-funding-dems-say-to-abbott/

...While Spectrum journalists discover that public school dollars have been subsidizing charter schools in Colorado - schools founded by current Houston ISD superintendent Mike Miles: https://twitter.com/HOUmanitarian/status/1790174747579318723

People who can become pregnant, should they do so, now risk second-class citizenship to their male partners AND the resulting embryo:

...While an Alabama-style IVF crisis in Texas is threatened by a Denton divorce case: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/13/texas-supreme-court-frozen-embryos-ivf/

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar's legal hotseat gets hotter as a third co-conspirator pleads guilty: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/13/henry-cuellar-irada-akhoundova-guilty-plea/

Elon Musk's SpaceX company has not been paying its bills, racking up dozens of liens filed by creditors: https://www.chron.com/culture/article/spacex-overdue-bills-texas-19454904.php

A public forum will be held on May 20 by the Texas Medical Board on proposed exceptions to Texas' near-total ban on abortion: https://x.com/hannahnorton89/status/1785054901661216800?s=12&t=Bt_w1MN2AlTfFkWGHJiOJg

Progress Texas could use your help in funding our trip to June's Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso - thanks in advance! https://progresstexas.org/donate

It will soon be time to vote in the May 28 primary runoffs! https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/26/texas-voting-2024-runoff-elections/

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick told a Christian talk show this weekend that he thinks Christian theology should provide the basis of government in Texas: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2024/05/13/lt-gov-dan-patrick-says-christianity-is-needed-more-than-ever-in-texas-politics/

Houston-area U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls is under investigation by the U.S. House Ethics Committee for apparantly paying himself rent from his campaign funds: https://www.khou.com/article/news/politics/national-politics/rep-troy-nehls-ethics-campaign-funds/285-f04829af-59d1-4635-80b2-5b0a9160f409

An 18-year UT Austin instructor has been arrested and fired over his participation in pro-Palestinian protests on that campus last month: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/10/texas-ut-lecturer-arrested-fired-palestinian-demonstration/

...Another protest followed Saturday night's commencement exercise at UT: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/education/graduation/2024/05/12/university-of-texas-graduation-ceremony-followed-by-pro-palestine-protest-calling-for-ut-divestment/73611801007/

Steven Monacelli exposes a scheme by a Collin County school district to establish its own voucher program: https://x.com/stevanzetti/status/1788021731434623001?t=9V-Y0Wfp-8B3NyBMwGXpkg&s=03

...The elaborate details: https://christackett.substack.com/p/the-complex-voucher-scheme

The tiny Panhandle town of Clarendon's City Council has unanimously rejected a proposed abortion travel ban: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/10/texas-panhandle-abortion-travel/

For the second year running, Texas leads Forbes' ranking of the worst states in the U.S. for mental health care: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/health-insurance/worst-states-for-mental-health-care/

A public forum will be held on May 20 by the Texas Medical Board on proposed exceptions to Texas' near-total ban on abortion: https://x.com/hannahnorton89/status/1785054901661216800?s=12&t=Bt_w1MN2AlTfFkWGHJiOJg

Progress Texas could use your help in funding our trip to June's Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso - thanks in advance! https://progresstexas.org/donate

It will soon be time to vote in the May 28 primary runoffs! https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/26/texas-voting-2024-runoff-elections/

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Two former consultants for Laredo U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar appear ready to testify against him and his wife on federal corruption charges: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/09/henry-cuellar-political-consultants-plea-deal-guilty/

Republican U.S. Reps Ronny Jackson of Amarillo and Wesley Hunt of Houston are both under investigation by the House Ethics Committee: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2024/05/09/ethics-committee-investigating-us-reps-ronny-jackson-wesley-hunt-from-texas/

The law does not appear to back new efforts by anti-abortion crusading lawyer Jonathan Mitchell's new targeting of women who have terminated pregnancies out of state - for now: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/10/texas-courts-abortion-jonathan-mitchell/

The Texas Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education is set to discuss campus free speech, DEI and alleged anti-Semitism during recent pro-Palestinian protests on Tuesday: https://cbsaustin.com/news/alexa/texas-senate-panel-to-discuss-campus-free-speech-following-ut-protests

ERCOT predicts that new power demands will require a doubling of the capacity of the already-stressed Texas power grid over the next decade: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/texas-needs-energy-for-evs-crypto-datamining/3536718/

A public forum will be held on May 20 by the Texas Medical Board on proposed exceptions to Texas' near-total ban on abortion: https://x.com/hannahnorton89/status/1785054901661216800?s=12&t=Bt_w1MN2AlTfFkWGHJiOJg

Progress Texas could use your help in funding our trip to June's Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso - thanks in advance! https://progresstexas.org/donate

It will soon be time to vote in the May 28 primary runoffs! https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/26/texas-voting-2024-runoff-elections/

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Governor Greg Abbott has extended his orders to the TEA to defy new Federal guidelines on Title IX protecting LGBTQ students to administrators of state universities: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/greg-abbott-texas-universities-ignore-title-ix-revisions/3536397/

...As Carroll ISD is asked by the U.S. Department of Education to address four claims by students about racial and homophobic harrassment endured in its schools: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/southlake-texas-carroll-isd-civil-rights-investigation-rcna151009

That "weather watch" from ERCOT yesterday helped spur a massive spike in power prices last night: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2024-05-08/summer-power-prices-seen-surging-for-texas-falling-in-california

The GOP runoff between incumbent U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales and his primary challenger "The A.K. Guy" presents possible headaches for Republican leadership: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/07/tony-gonzales-inter-gop-fight-texas-00156073

Steven Monacelli at the Texas Observer writes on the "Remnant Alliance", a new effort by Christian Nationalist groups to take over Texas school boards: https://www.texasobserver.org/christian-schoolboards-education-k12/

Joe Jaworski writes in the Dallas Morning News on the near-complete takeover of Texas' state government by a small group of billionaires: https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2024/05/09/billionaires-are-running-texas-now/

TODAY! Thursday May 9 at 12 noon, join us for our "Burning Issues" town hall on liquid natural gas (LNG) pollution in Texas: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-hosts-climate-justice-town-hall

Also for your calendar: a public forum will be held on May 20 by the Texas Medical Board on proposed exceptions to Texas' near-total ban on abortion: https://x.com/hannahnorton89/status/1785054901661216800?s=12&t=Bt_w1MN2AlTfFkWGHJiOJg

Progress Texas could use your help in funding our trip to June's Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso - thanks in advance! https://progresstexas.org/donate

It will soon be time to vote in the May 28 primary runoffs! https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/26/texas-voting-2024-runoff-elections/

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

New legal tactics allowing people who have sought abortion care out of state to be dragged into court increase the risks of engaging in sexual activity: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/5/7/2239233/-Texas-finds-new-way-to-punish-and-humiliate-anyone-who-tries-to-get-an-abortion

ERCOT issues a "weather watch" due to hot weather and their own apparant failure to plan for ever hotter springs and summers: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/ercot-issues-weather-watch-for-wednesday-expects-unseasonably-high-temperatures/

...While renewable energy passes 30% of global electricity generation for the first time: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/08/renewable-energy-passes-30-of-worlds-electricity-supply

A new federal investigation of Katy ISD over their transgender policies has been announced: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/08/katy-isd-lgbtq-policy-investigation/

...While Ken Paxton threatens Austin over a new City policy deprioritizing pursuit of cases involving transgender care for young Austinites: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2024/05/07/texas-attorney-general-threatens-legal-action-against-city-of-austin

UT Dallas professor Ben Wright writes on his experience after being arrested during a pro-Palestinian protest on that campus last week: https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2024/05/what-my-students-and-i-learned-in-jail-after-protesting-on-the-ut-dallas-campus/

Tomorrow! Thursday May 9 at 12 noon, join us for our "Burning Issues" town hall on liquid natural gas (LNG) pollution in Texas: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-hosts-climate-justice-town-hall

Also for your calendar: a public forum will be held on May 20 by the Texas Medical Board on proposed exceptions to Texas' near-total ban on abortion: https://x.com/hannahnorton89/status/1785054901661216800?s=12&t=Bt_w1MN2AlTfFkWGHJiOJg

Progress Texas could use your help in funding our trip to June's Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso - thanks in advance! https://progresstexas.org/donate

It will soon be time to vote in the May 28 primary runoffs! https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/26/texas-voting-2024-runoff-elections/

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.