TX Progressives offer choice, and choices!

Are tariffs on against Mexico or back off? And, how much additional danger than ever before does the dunes sagebrush lizard face with former Comptroller Susan Combs now confirmed as Assistant Secretary of the Interior? Your guess on both of those issues is as good as that of Texas Progressives as we offer up this week's Roundup. We also note that the death of a person in Sunday's severe weather in Dallas is a reminder of where we live.

The Texas Observer documents the failure of the Heidi Group, anti-choice wingnuts’ idea to replace Planned Parenthood.

An adoptee shoots down anti-choice Religious Right people, saying if it were “the solution” to abortion, it would have solved it long ago.

More in choices! On to political choices.

The Texas Green Party held its state convention the past weekend. Updates will be posted as available. The national meeting is in late July. And, in more good news, Gov. Greg Abbott has signed HB 2504 into law, which generally (though with some speed bumps) greatly eases third party ballot access.

Related to that, SocraticGadfly looks at the latest bad jurisprudence from Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, part of court liberals who often hate the First or Fourth Amendments, explaining that this is why Democrats' "Oh the SCOTUS" cry doesn't work on him.

The Trib asked all 38 Texas Congresscritters, counting Senators, if they had actually read the Mueller Report. Disagreeing myself with the Trib’s take, most Rethugs DID frame their responses in a partisan way while trying to sound nonpartisan, by talking about “election security” and ignoring that Mueller did NOT “clear” Trump on conspiracy to obstruct justice and related.. Will Hurd is the ONLY exception. This also ignores that 11 of 24 Rethugs refused to even respond, itself arguably partisan. 

Ross Ramsey notes that Texas Republicans are squeezed between the Scylla and Charybdis of tariffs and Ill Eagles and Trump’s rhetoric and idiocy on both. (Much of the agreement Trump announced with Mexico was negotiated months ago, too, despite lies from people like the thuggish Border Patrol union. In turn, THAT should be a reminder that unionism isn't a blank-check good thing.)

Dallas has sold the Bobby Lee statute that used to be in Lee Park, which needs to be renamed back to Arlington Park, or given the new name of Turtle Creek Park, or something. 

Sadly, Jim Schutze’s appeal to vote against the Snooze didn’t work, and Eric Johnson, an even bigger political suck-up than Ron Kirk, is Dallas’ new mayor. All Dallas County runoffs are here. Stephen Young of the Dallas Observer laments how the results leave Dallas' old guard with new strength on the city council.

Ron Nirenberg was re-elected to run San Antonio, also in runoff. Robert Rivard wraps up the San Antonio runoff; Heywood Sanders also notes the emerging political divide in San Antonio.

Grits shows how the Lege gutted criminal justice reform. Besides Lite Guv Danny Goeb, the biggest offender was ConservaDem John Whitmire. Hey, Texas Democrats? Wake me up when somebody successfully primaries him.

Brains’ latest Democratic prez candidates update focuses on jostling for debate entry.

Jacobin notes that the circular firing squad currently blazing away at the NRA shows its power is overrated.

Dr. Carlos Tirado bemoans a lost opportunity to prevent overdose deaths.

Kate McLean looks at the questions Pearland ISD continues to face about race relations in its schoo

Off the Kuff crunches the numbers in that Quinnipiac poll showing Joe Biden ahead of Donald Trump in Texas.

The Lunch Tray looks forward on its ninth birthday.