Texas Special Oppression Session To Start July 18

Not satisfied with the fact they didn't get all their legislative oppression done during the recently concluded 85th Texas Legislative session that ended on Memorial Day, Gov. Greg Abbott just called for legislators to come back to Austin starting on July 18 for another 30 days and $800,000 wasted taxpayer dollars.

While he caved to Lt Governor Dan 'Potty Man' Patrick, he also made it clear he wasn't happy about the gamesmanship that was played in order for Patrick to get the special session he craved.

Well Governor Abbott, ,you could have called the special session and limited it only to the sunset legislation if you were that unhappy about the stunts that Patrick and his Texas Conservafool Freedom Caucus buddies played in the House. .

Instead you rewarded their shenanigans and probably ensured they will play those games in the future.

The first bill to be taken up on the call will be the sunset legislation to keep key state regulatory agencies from shuttering their doors, but once that legislation is passed, Gov. Abbott then outlined 19 items that he will allow the legislature to take up, including oppressing Texas transgender people.

In addition to oppressing trans people, some of the other items are school finance reform, creating automatic rollback elections when local property taxes rise by a certain amount, more abortion regulations, voter fraud, school choice for special needs students and property tax reform.

And it means that once again,  me and the rest of the Texas trans community and our liberal progressive allies are going to have to roll to the ATX once again this summer to fight Texas GOP legislative tyranny aimed at our trans kids..

It's a fight that we not only must win, we're determined to win.

Gov. Abbott's Press Conference Today

Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has called for a press conference to take place in Austin at 2:30 PM CDT that will be watched from both sides of the political aisle in Texas and probably have the nation's attention.

It is assumed that at this press conference, Gov Abbott will announce his decision on whether or not to call a special session, and if he does, what issues the special session call will entail.
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Ever since the Memorial Day sine die date of a contentious 85th Texas Legislative session, rumors have been flying even that day under the Pink Dome that we were cruising toward a special session.

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R) has been loudly pushing for a special session in large part because he's pissed off his unjust SB 6 that he got Sen Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) to push died in the Texas House.

Abbott is in a no win situation.  Only he under the Texas Constitution has the power to call a special session.  He also decides what bills to bring up during that special session that can last up to a maximum of 30 days.

During a special session, Texas lawmakers can only consider legislation that fits into the governor's 'call', or the issue that the governor specifies in the special session proclamation that will be read during the upcoming press conference,  

The governor also because of Texas Constitution Article 3, Section 40 faces no limitation of the number of issues that can be designated for consideration in the special session proclamation.

The governor can also call as many special sessions as he wishes. Back in 2003, then Governor Rick Perry (R) called the Lege into special session three consecutive times in order to execute the infamous partisan Delaymandering of Texas congressional districts.

And don't think that 2018 Texas GOP primary politics aren't entering into the political calculus of this. The governor and lieutenant governor are up for re-election next year, and it's been rumored that Patrick is angling to go after Abbott despite previous declarations that he is running for reelection as the lieutenant governor. .

If Abbott calls a special session to attack Texas trans people, he'll not only look like he's Dan Patrick's puppet and not his own man, he'll piss Texas trans people and our allies off if he adds the anti-trans BS to the call. .

Abbott will also piss off Texas taxpayers who have to foot the $800,000 bill for this 30 day exercise in Texas Republican legislative oppression.

If he doesn't call the special session, then Dan Patrick will probably use his decision not to do so as an attack weapon in a potential Republican gubernatorial primary (assuming he runs for governor next year) by claiming that Abbott is not a 'real conservative' and doesn't want to stand up for your 'Texas Values'

FYI Lt Dan, if you think that attacking trans people is good for your political prospects, ask ex Texas state reps Debbie Riddle (R-Tomball) and Gilbert Pena (R-Pasadena), former South Carolina state senator Lee Bright, and former North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory.

Transphobia is increasingly becoming,even in GOP leaning Texas, a losing political strategy, and you keep attacking Texas trans kids at your political peril.

So in a few hours I and a lot of people in the Lone Star State will be watching to see if we'll have to make another trip to Austin to fight Republican legislative tyranny aimed at the Texas trans community for cynical GOP political primary gain.      

The Voices Of Black Trans People Need To Be Heard At These Press Conferences & Rallies

There was a  #StopSB6 rally that Equality Texas organized starting at 11:45 AM to push back on SB 6 that I wanted to attend but after a few moments of observing it, the problem with it became glaringly apparent to me.

While I agreed with many of the comments that were expressed in the time that I did watch it, and I appreciated the fact you has a trans masculine and trans feminine person speaking it was problematic in the wake of the conclusion of a month is which we lost five Black trans women, not one Black trans person was tapped to speak at it.

And oh yeah, I was there in Austin to lobby against SB 6.

The reason I'm posting about is that I was pissed off having to watch a Black pastor from San Antonio earlier today violate several commandments while talking about the effects of their non discrimination ordinance, and thinking about the fact that so far, we haven't had anyone from my demographic group  being shown as speaking for the trans community and against SB 6.

Visibility matters.  It especially matters when we are fighting a pitched battle to educate and inform my African American community about trans issues.

It is important that we have Black TBLGIQ people and our allies vocal in this trans rights fight be seen and heard during these press conferences because there is this mistaken belief in elements of the Black community that being trans is a 'white thang' .  And why wouldn't they have that perception when the only people my people see speaking in the media in opposition to SB 6 that purport to rep all demographics of the community are overwhelmingly white?

May I also remind you that some of the people who share my ethnic background are Texas legislators that will be voting for or against this SB 6 bill.

Black trans people aren't just here to entertain you, provide melanin for your photo opps or be the 'tragic transsexuals'.  We're trans folks trying to live our lives to the best of our ability. We helped jump off Stonewall.   We're pioneers and innovative leaders in this movement.

We're also more than qualified to talk about trans human rights issues, especially when we show up for everyone's human rights fights in addition to the one our people have waged since 1619.

I'm disappointed that once again an opportunity was missed to send a message to the assembled media that Black trans people exist and their lives matter as well.

We Black trans people exist.  That message to my people, however in order to be received, sometimes has to be sent by people who look like me.

Parents Of Texas Trans Kids Speak

I have a major problem with bullies of children since I had to deal with them myself.  I also have a major problem with bullies that wield legislative power like my Republican Governor, Lt. Governor, and indicted attorney general who are attacking Texas transgender kids for their own political gain.

Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick, and Ken Paxton claim their are speaking for Texas parents, but one group of parents whose voices are being ignored in their one sided discussion are the voices of the parents of Texas trans kids.

Yesterday, there was a press conference outside of our state capitol in which several parents joined with Equality Texas in order to talk about why these GOP led attacks on the humanity of Texas trans kids is wrong.

Here's the press conference video.

Mayor Parker HERO Press Conference Today

Today is the deadline for the haters to turn in their petitions in their attempt to repeal the HERO.    Of course they will claim when they tell their story in front of the press they have enough signatures to force a November repeal referendum and their other usual pack of conservalies. 

It remains to be seen if the HERO haters do have the 17,500 signatures they need

Mayor Annise Parker will have a 3:45 PM press conference in the City Hall rotunda today.   Team HERO will be there in full effect clad in red.   We are also gearing up for the effort to count and verify every signature they turn in to make sure it it not an invalid or fraudulent one. 

I plan to be there for it, and I'm interested to hear Mayor Parker's thoughts concerning this phase of the HERO fight, the human rights ordinance passing its one month anniversary and whatever other issues are brought up during this press conference..

Obama Press Conference On Health Care

"A government-run health insurance option is needed "to discipline insurance companies, If they can't compete, it's probably their fault. Many private insurers spend too much time thinking about profits instead of helping people."

President Barack Obama June 23, 2009