Shell_Seas
Shell_Seas's JournalIs Lt. Governor Dan Patrick A White Supremacist?
We've gotten used to Republicans saying the quiet parts out loud, but do we ever stop and think about the ideology behind their words?
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/is-lt-governor-dan-patrick-a-white
In 2020, Dan Patrick went on TV and said the economy was more important than your life. In 2020, he said at CPAC that “God wrote the Constitution.” Dan Patrick has a history of saying off-the-wall, wacky, and hateful things. However, over the last year, I’ve noticed he’s turned the volume way up. You aren’t going to believe what he’s been saying on Fox News this week. But first, the backstory.
A federal judge in Texas in March upheld an essential piece of President Joe Biden’s immigration policy. The policy allows a limited number of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the US on humanitarian grounds. Texas and 20 other states had sued, arguing the program is forcing them to spend millions on health care, education, and public safety for the migrants. They lost that suit on humanitarian grounds.
Earlier this week, the Daily Mail published an article that stated that the majority of these asylum seekers are being flown into Florida and Texas.
(As a reminder, the Daily Mail is a far-right publication.)
Fascism: Loud And Out In The Open
Texas and the far-right agenda.
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/fascism-loud-and-out-in-the-open
Last week, the Texas Public Policy Foundation held its annual summit. Several panels included Republicans from the Legislature and various right-wing influencers. They had a panel regarding disenfranchising people, which they called “Election Integrity,” featuring prominent election deniers. In another panel, a group of elderly white people had an hour-long discussion about how Texas was “winning the war on woke.” However, throughout the entire panel, not once did they define “woke” or even hint at what they mean by it, but one of the last audience questions mentioned that all of this wokeness in America didn’t start until the 1960s. (He meant the 1965 Civil Rights Act.)
I’ve spent the last week mulling through these panels (because somebody has to), and one of them perked up my ears. The panel is called “Texas vs. DC.” Brian Phillips, the Chief Communications Officer at TPPF, moderated the panel, which included Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, Senator Bryan Hughes, Phil Wegman from RealClearPolitics, and Paul Dan, the Executive Director of Project 2025.
Yes, THAT Project 2025:
Death To The Republican Caucus
The self-destruction of Texas' right wing.
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/death-to-the-republican-caucus
While Texas Republicans remain in complete disarray, most of us have been left believing that we would have to wait until the 89th Legislature to see blood. However, fights over leadership this last weekend proved us all wrong.
Yesterday, Harris County Republican Representative Briscoe Cain asked, “Should the Texas House GOP Caucus be dissolved?”
I answered the poll, “It’s useless,” because the House GOP Caucus is useless, but if the in-fighting among Republicans has gotten so bad that they are going to dissolve their entire caucus, I say let them. It will only help Democrats in the long run.
How did this come about?
Should The Texas State Legislators Work Full Time With A Living Wage?
Creating a more diverse and representative Legislature in Texas.
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/should-the-texas-state-legislators
During my local Democratic County Convention this year, a resolution was presented on whether to make the Texas Legislature a full-time position with a living wage. Several people spoke against it, but more people favored it. So, let’s explore why we only have a part-time legislature, why we would want a full-time legislature, and why our legislators need a raise.
Why does the Texas government only meet once every two years?
The Texas Constitutional Convention of 1875 met in Austin to replace the 1869 Constitution. The new constitution, adopted in 1876, established biennial legislative sessions. This means that the Texas Legislature meets every two years unless convened by the governor.
Texas’s population in 1876 was roughly 1,000,000.
In 2024, Texas has 30,029,572 inhabitants.
SHOCKING Leaked Video: GOP Discusses Executing Rape Victims, Banning IVF
Twelve Republican candidates for the Texas Legislature signed this extreme group's pledge to file legislation to ban IVF and make abortion a capital punishment crime.
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/shocking-leaked-video-gop-discusses
Over the last decade, I’ve watched hundreds of Republican speeches and events. The video below is one of the most shocking and terrifying things I’ve ever seen from the far right. Twelve Republican candidates have signed their pledge, agreeing to file this legislation if elected.
The video was taken in Granbury at a True Texas Project event. The speaker is Paul Brown, the Director of Policy and Operations of a fringe group called “Abolish Abortion Texas.”
The video starts with Brown saying, “An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth.” He discussed how women who have abortions should be executed under “God’s law.” He then goes on to talk about how abortion is murder, starting at the moment of fertilization, even before implantation.
Brown calls the PlanB pill, or the Morning After pill, a form of abortion. Then he says other categories of abortion include what happens in IVF when a fertilized egg is created and then destroyed.
Moon Trains, Space Dreams, And Lone Star Realities
Texas: Where innovation meets irony.
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/moon-trains-space-dreams-and-lone
Today, Governor Abbott announced the creation of the Texas Aerospace Research and Space Economy Consortium Executive Committee (TARSEC), which will boost the integration of space, aeronautics, astronautics, and aviation industries into the Texas economy.
Fine. Great. When Democrats finally flip this state, we’ll be at the forefront of space exploration. We have to be concerned about the Republicans Abbott appoints to the commission. We’ve already seen Abbott’s relationship with Elon Musk have devastating results in South Texas.
SpaceX has already been sued for causing “significant” environmental damage to Boca Chica Beach. Last year, SpaceX filed a permit with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to dump 200,000 gallons of treated waste and sewage water daily into South Bay. However, SpaceX cut a deal with the City of Bastrop only a few weeks ago, they’ve agreed to take all of Elon’s shit.
Which Texas House Seats Should Democrats Focus On This Year And Beyond
The Battleground Overview: Identifying key districts.
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/which-texas-house-seats-should-democrats
In 2024, Democrats will have both opportunities and challenges in Texas. This year, they will likely flip several Texas House seats. This is a critical step in blocking the rise of Christian Nationalism and passing legislation that works for ALL the people. As Texas grows and changes, understanding these key battlegrounds becomes essential for Democrats seeking to make impactful gains in the legislature.
The Texas House of Representatives is a battleground where crucial decisions are made on education, healthcare, and voting rights. Below are the pivotal seats that Democrats should emphasize for this year and with a long-term perspective.
Democrats need to flip 12 seats to flip the House. Getting there in 2024 will be challenging, but if it doesn’t happen this year, it will happen by 2028. All of the districts below are trending blue, and if they don’t flip blue this year, they’ll move further left by the next election.
Far-Right Republican Tom Oliverson Announces Candidacy For Texas House Speaker
When Republicans in the Texas House move right, they are unmistakably moving into fascism.
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/far-right-republican-tom-oliverson
State Representative Tom Oliverson, a Republican from Harris County, has thrown his hat into the ring for Texas House Speaker. His announcement comes on the heels of the current speaker, Dade Phelan, who is being sent into a runoff race. Tom Oliverson’s ideals are much further right than Dade Phelan’s and embrace the very definition of fascism.
While the situation is volatile, plenty of things could happen between now and next January when the speaker is chosen. It’s important to talk about the consequences of what an Oliverson speakership would look like.
A Dark Day In Texas: The Supreme Court's Green Light for SB4
Where do we go from here in the battle against SB4's oppressive measures?
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/a-dark-day-in-texas-the-supreme-courts
Today, the Supreme Court ended the pause on SB 4’s implementation and allowed this blatantly unconstitutional law to be enforced while litigated in court. This ruling does not indicate that the law is constitutional; only Texas can implement it while it is being challenged. This is terrible news for many of Texas’ residents.
SB4 would grant Texas Law Enforcement Officers the authority to deport undocumented immigrants independently, bypassing due process and federal oversight. This move by Texas Republicans aims for quick political gains. The bill would allow officers and state agencies to escort individuals to ports of entry to guarantee adherence. Should immigrants resist compliance with a directive to return, they could be accused of a second-degree felony, risking up to 20 years of incarceration.
Matt Rinaldi: Another Notch In The GOP's Bedpost
Sayonara, Matt Rinaldi. It's popcorn time for the rest of us. 🍿
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/matt-rinaldi-another-notch-in-the
With prison sentences looming on the horizon for both Donald Trump and Ken Paxton, what could further push the Republican Party of Texas into further chaos? New leadership.
Yesterday, the Texas GOP Chairman announced his retirement, opening the door for the fourth Chairman the Republican Party of Texas will see in four years.
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