Rise of the Fourth Reich Wrangle

Texas signed a fetal heartbeat bill and executed a man on the same day?!?

— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) May 20, 2021

Godwin is dead. George Orwell is alive, well, and walking the halls of the Lone Star State Capitol.

They called it a "warped view" because it “supports the idea that America is a fundamentally racist country and that our institutions are inherently systemically racist.”

If by warped they meant correct...https://t.co/QFWYrt5MtN

— theGrio.com (@theGrio) May 24, 2021

"The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of history." "Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past". "In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."

Thanks to Michael Tolbert for those, and thanks also to Joe Moody, Vikki Goodwin, and Chris Turner in the statehouse last night and in the wee hours today, and Borris Miles and Royce West in the Senate early on Saturday morning, for their eloquence.

Video: Before the Texas House's final vote on permitless carry, Speaker Pro Tem @moodyforelpaso talked about how promises were made in private to address gun violence in this state. Promises that have not been honored or repeated since https://t.co/vRCMNo537T #TxLege

— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) May 24, 2021

On the #txlege Senate floor at nearly 2 am, @SenRoyceWest delivers a powerful rebuke of #HB3979, a #txed social studies curriculum bill that most of the education community did not even get to see or weigh in on before it was passed. pic.twitter.com/qtHX6p0ew0

— Jennifer J. Mitchell, CAE (@ATPE_JenniferM) May 22, 2021

In an incredibly sad and moving moment, @BorrisLMiles reads excerpts from the book that Hughes slammed earlier. The book just teaches that children should teach each other well, with kindness. #txed #txlege pic.twitter.com/HA1aYHaktQ

— Laura Atlas Kravitz (@AtlasLaura) May 22, 2021

Stirring words are all that Lege Dems have, however, and the Republican representatives and senators answer only to the voters in their primary.

pic.twitter.com/SZUXoZ3Uzy

— Be A King (@BerniceKing) May 21, 2021

There's a reason why they're doing these things in the middle of the night, bending their own rules like a pretzel, and banning media from covering them.

Some (though certainly not all, there have been many) of the most damaging bills this session have been ones passed in the dead of night while Texans sleep.
This shouldn’t be the process. Full stop. #txlege

— Texas Progressive Action Network (@TX_PAN) May 22, 2021

1: Tonight, Texas executed Quintin Jones. But you won’t read any firsthand accounts from reporters who bore witness to his execution. Why? Because TX barred media witnesses, violating the 1st Amendment & TDCJ policy. Texas, hauntingly, killed Mr. Jones in complete secrecy tonight

— Savannah (@SavannahKumar) May 20, 2021

Going through the roll call, prayer, and pledge again as if it’s a new day. As if all of this wasn’t crazy enough... it’s ‘another day’ here in the Senate at 1:07am. #txlege

— The Back Mic (@TheBackMic) May 22, 2021

Some important things in Texas that journalists (and therefore the public) weren't given in-person access to today:

- the first execution in 10 months
- the signing of a law that restricts abortion access
- the full text of SB 7, which restricts voting in the state

— Sarah Self-Walbrick (@SarahFromTTUPM) May 20, 2021

I’m already seeing some comments on social media about people planning to police teachers this upcoming school year as they teach civics and history. #txlege #HB3979 https://t.co/XvMEMG29bZ

— Txnewsprincess (@txnewsprincess) May 23, 2021

This is NOT what democracy looks like.

I have a shitpile left on all of these topics, plus everything I promised in Friday's Atrocities Documentation Collation, on the way.

Last Night with John Oliver got in on the Texas beatdown.

#Texas @GregAbbott_TX @DrSchwertner @KenPaxtonTX @SenPaxton on Last Week Tonight John Oliver calls u "fucking lunatics" #GunSenseMajority agrees.
✔#TexasDeservesBetter ✔#AbbottFailedTexas #TXlege @MomsDemand
🖕 Invading women’s rights 🖕
🖕 Permitless carry #HB1927🖕 pic.twitter.com/QDQe5JyVb5

— patti-B-TxMomsDemand (@BrockingtoPatti) May 24, 2021

LOL. John Oliver got my local news channel @KVUE to fall for and promote the very fake sexual healing blanket #VenusVeil Wow. #LastWeekTonight pic.twitter.com/pup5AOXdSX

— Fox Force 5 (@namssas) May 24, 2021

Much more coming (sooner than later).

"The Truth is Out There" Funnies

Atrocities Documentation Collation (a week-ending round-up from far left Texas, part 1)

I don’t think, as a whole, we really deserve or have earned “puppy day” at the Capitol. The “good” chamber deserves a bag of angry incontinent feral cats. The “bad” chamber gets a gunnysack full of rabid nutria and raccoons. The 87th #txlege is not puppyworthy. pic.twitter.com/Xjc3qINFuE

— Retro Snacking (@Retrosnacking) May 20, 2021

This one will have to appear in segments.  We can thank our lucky stars that the House, in a fit of pique, adjourned for the weekend because the Senate is sitting on legislation approved by the lower chamber by near-unanimous consent.  (That's not to say they are all good bills.)

Melting down?

Texas House adjourns two days as payback for Senate inaction on criminal justice, Medicaid bills, according to @lmcgaughy & @MorrisReports. #txlegehttps://t.co/0bC3vVyXok

— Bob Garrett (@RobertTGarrett) May 20, 2021

Nobody is more upset with the week's developments than the women of Texas; mothers and those that would be.  By their own choice and not.

‘Laws of Texas should not enter my body, should not enter any woman’s body, should not enter any person’s body’ — This Texas lawmaker is fighting for abortion rights in her state pic.twitter.com/o5GjEQzqwE

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 20, 2021

In case you're not clear on what vision #txlege GOP legislators and @GregAbbott_TX have for our state, watch "The Handmaid's Tale." They think the Commanders are the heroes of the story. https://t.co/WTpUMZt8oK

— Lee Nichols (@LeeMNichols) May 19, 2021

Somewhat indifferent about the born https://t.co/0syPdoySIM pic.twitter.com/oqMiyh9MVB

— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) May 20, 2021

"Somewhat indifferent" might be a little soft.

Texas: *Ranks number 51 in the country for Children's Healthcare*
Greg Abbott: "We care about kids [in utero. After that, fuck em].

— ꙮ ᶘ ᵒ㉨ᵒᶅ 🥀ℜ𝔲𝔰𝔱𝔶🥀ꙮ (@spooky_rusty) May 20, 2021

More on the Guvnah's really great week (for him, nobody else) in the next segment.

The man who said the #txlege “must act” … didn’t. The man who said the leaking of cancer-causing chemicals for months after the TPC Group explosions in Port Neches was “unacceptable” ... accepted it. pic.twitter.com/fCQJ8UZHnH

— One Breath Partnership (@OneBreathHOU) May 20, 2021

A lot of damage done by Speaker Forehead, but don't exhale yet; Dan Patrick's gang is still in town.

Update: After gutting penalty and enforcement provisions, Senate committee votes to advance bill to punish lobbyists accused of harassment. https://t.co/gITKSf952W #txlege #HB4661

— Lauren “Vaxxed to the Max” McGaughy 🌟 (@lmcgaughy) May 21, 2021

After a theological debate on the meaning of God's love, Texas Senate votes along party lines to ban gender-affirming care for young transgender Texans:#txlegehttps://t.co/vhPl5c6o4v via @statesman

— Chuck Lindell (@chucklindell) May 18, 2021

Texans: Please fix our failing power grid so we don't have to suffer from extended blackouts in extreme weather.

TX Lawmakers: Umm, no. But how about we bailout energy companies and pass the cost along to you? #txlegehttps://t.co/QnsqWTHBfZ

— Cassandra Hulsey (@CassandraHulse1) May 21, 2021

This is the corrupt insanity the #txlege is focused on instead of ensuring Texas has a functioning infrastructure.https://t.co/7UxtaJt8Vl

— Dallas Gal 🇺🇸🇵🇷🇸🇪🤘🏻🖖 (@dfw_gal) May 19, 2021

They don't want cities assisting their homeless.

They don't want voters making their voices heard.

They don't want teachers addressing racism in our schools.

They don't want cities controlling their own budgets.

Why is it that the #TXLege is so afraid of their own citizens?

— cody is organizing for Palestine (@codyrarn) May 19, 2021

In a legislative session that has been by far the most extreme and conservative ever, the two Republican-controlled branches and the respective factions within the TXGOP are still slinging mud -- and Mucus -- like they're all infected with COVID.

They're certainly consumed with a raging case of hate, as the masks and gloves have come off and the knives and bricks and bats come out.  At this point Lege Democrats are like the poor children in Gaza and Yemen: collateral damage.

Democrats trying to win a statewide race in Texas:
"Demographics will do it!"
No.
"Suburban voters will revolt against Republicans!"
No.
"Suburban backlash PLUS a well-timed federal indictment?"
Hmm.
"So, you're saying there's a chance." #TxLege

— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) May 19, 2021

As you might guess, I have a lot more than three things to say about this ... later.  But also a stand-alone environmental post, Ted Cruz and Louie Gohmert behaving badly, and some criminal and social justice items, all of which I'll try to get done today get to over the weekend.

Here's a few calm-me-downs.

The 2021 #ACLFest Lineup is here! ✨ Check out who’s playing our 20th Anniversary and score your tickets TODAY at 12pm CT. https://t.co/anCY972LIT pic.twitter.com/uGwvKjG1yq

— ACL Festival (@aclfestival) May 20, 2021

DALE HANSEN cracked open a beer with us on @Yallitics and shared stories we've never heard, including when he was recruited to run against a well-known statewide politician, the unbelievable way he got a job in Dallas, and how he handles haters.

LISTEN: https://t.co/UshYqm6xHl

— Jason Whitely (@JasonWhitely) May 20, 2021

And it's small solace, but stormy weather sometimes produces a beautiful thing, in that 'darkest before the dawn' kinda way.

Night
Meanwhile...in west Texas, storm chaser Laura Rowe captured this fantastic shot of a mature supercell thunderstorm, illuminated at varying heights from the setting sun#INDIGENOUS #TAIRP pic.twitter.com/nSrenuDegG

— Indigenous (@AmericanIndian8) May 19, 2021