Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan expresses glee that he'll have over a thousand acres in Texas upon which to crowd the detainees he plans to round up in the "biggest mass deportation in history": https://thehill.com/regulation/national-security/5001566-tom-homan-says-trump-admin-will-absolutely-use-gifted-texas-land-for-deportation-program/

...The resistance of Democratically-led states and cities to Trump's roundup may lead to the "concentration" of these arrestees in red states like Texas: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87xqwd71wzo

...Let's recall Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham's past experience serving on the board of a bogus college known for ripping off veterans and leaving them buried in debt with useless degrees: https://www.texasgopvote.com/education/dawn-buckingham-candidate-resume-fraud-file-008818

Several bills have been filed for next year's legislative session by Republicans looking to limit the development of renewable energy facilities, including battery storage: https://bsky.app/profile/philjankowski.bsky.social/post/3lbfetozqus24

We join President Biden in saluting Texas heroine Cecile Richards, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House yesterday: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-awards-medal-freedom-former-planned-parenthood-president/story?id=116067740

Our annual holiday fundraising parties approach! We'll be gathering both in Dallas and Austin this December, and there are sponsorship opportunities available and individual tickets are now on sale: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Project 2025 is no longer a warning: it's now the playbook of the next American administration: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mediamatters.org/heritage-foundation/guide-project-2025-extreme-right-wing-agenda-next-republican-administration⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠.

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

David Pepper is a renowned political writer and the former Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party. He's written several books that are highly instructive for the current political moment as we prepare for Trump 2.0 - and Ohio has a lot in common with Texas when it comes to being overrun by opportunistic Republicans. How both of our states have fallen victim to GOP gerrymandering, how Donald Trump will try to use the same tactics to entrench his power and enrich his friends, and what we can do about it - for now, all in this great talk.

David's video on how removing the accountability of elections via gerrymandering paves the way for corruption: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDiQQHbYhHg

David's latest book: https://a.co/d/19av1wV

Thanks for listening - and please join us for one of our two upcoming holiday parties in Dallas and Austin! They're a great way to shake off the post-election funk, find your people, plug in and get active - now's the perfect time. Tickets and sponsorships: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The Texas General Land Office has offered up a 1,400 acre Starr County ranch to the Trump administration for the building of a huge detention facility for undocumented immigrants rounded up in the planned "largest mass deportation in American history": https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/19/texas-border-starr-county-ranch-trump-deportation/

...Will this facility match the formal definition of a "concentration camp"? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration_camp

The Texas State Board of Education, after a delay caused by hours of public testimony, voted 8 to 7 to advance the approval of Bluebonnet Learning, new state-crafted elementary school teaching materials riddled with Bible stories, to a final vote for approval on Friday: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/texas-board-advances-plan-bible-material-elemetary-school-116023638

...School districts won't be required to use it, but will be offered a financial incentive to do so - possibly an irresistable funding lifeline for districts on the verge of financial ruin: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/19/texas-sboe-bible-christianity-curriculum/

Propublica provides background on their reporting on those two young Texas women who died after being denied miscarriage care, which has led to a new push for change at the Legislature: https://www.propublica.org/article/texas-abortion-ban-exceptions-deaths

Our annual holiday fundraising parties approach! We'll be gathering both in Dallas and Austin this December, and there are sponsorship opportunities available and individual tickets are now on sale: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Project 2025 is no longer a warning: it's now the playbook of the next American administration: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mediamatters.org/heritage-foundation/guide-project-2025-extreme-right-wing-agenda-next-republican-administration⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠.

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:

Trump's plan to deploy American military forces in the effort to deport millions of undocumented immigrants would have a major presence in Texas: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/18/us/politics/trump-military-mass-deportation.html

...U.S. Rep. Chip Roy disagrees with the rosy assessment of fellow GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales, that Trump's dragnet will spare workers and grandmas - Roy wants them all out: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/18/tony-gonzales-chip-roy-trump-mass-deportations-feud/

Major MAGA figures from Texas, including Ken Paxton and Dan Patrick, have thus far been snubbed in the Trump power sweepstakes: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/19/texas-florida-trump-republican-rivalry-paxton-gaetz/

Senator John Cornyn is among a group of GOP Senators who want to see that House Ethics Committee report on Matt Gaetz - will the Senate be Trump's rubber stamp, or not? https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republican-senator-cornyn-absolutely-wants-see-matt-gaetz-ethics-report-2024-11-14/

That State Board of Education vote on the adoption of Bluebonnet Learning, the new state elementary school curriculum riddled with Bible stories, was punted from yesterday to today amidst hours of public testimony: https://foxsanantonio.com/newsletter-daily/texas-education-board-delays-vote-on-controversial-curriculum

Our annual holiday fundraising parties approach! We'll be gathering both in Dallas and Austin this December, and there are sponsorship opportunities available and individual tickets are now on sale: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Project 2025 is no longer a warning: it's now the playbook of the next American administration: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mediamatters.org/heritage-foundation/guide-project-2025-extreme-right-wing-agenda-next-republican-administration⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠.

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:

Amidst a disastrous election cycle for progressives, it turns out that most of the candidates running for school board seats on book-banning platforms lost: https://www.lonestarlive.com/news/2024/11/most-texas-school-board-candidates-who-support-book-bans-lost-their-elections.html

...Not that MAGA types are giving up on their war on Texas' LGBTQ+ communities: https://www.advocate.com/politics/republican-gloats-lgbtq-studies-texas-ended

Regretting your vote for Donald Trump after this crazy week? No, you can't take it back: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/article295561044.html

Messages on abortion rights, for whatever reason, did not connect with or influence voters in Texas significantly: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/14/abortion-fails-to-turn-texas-voters/

...While Amarillo provides a case study on communities that voted both in favor of abortion rights, AND to return Trump to office: https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/amarillo-texas-abortion-election/

Progressives now face the challenge of connecting to and persuading fans of the "manosphere" - Trump appears to have done a much better job than Harris did: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/us/politics/trump-gen-z-influencers-democrats.html

Our annual holiday fundraising parties approach! We'll be gathering both in Dallas and Austin this December, and there are sponsorship opportunities available and individual tickets are now on sale: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Project 2025 is no longer a warning: it's now the playbook of the next American administration: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mediamatters.org/heritage-foundation/guide-project-2025-extreme-right-wing-agenda-next-republican-administration⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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