Texas progressives roundup: Reproductive choice, election stupidities, more

As many have heard, SCOTUS said SB8 would stand for now, while letting legal challenges proceed; it also narrowed the range of lawsuits available to abortion providers, including letting most politicos in Texas, like Kenny Boy Paxton, off the hook. That was after a state district judge said it was unconstitutional the day before. The district judge, like the Supremes, said the law would stand while legal challenges played through state courts; in other words, no injunctions.

The biggest takeaway at the federal level is that the Umpire, John Roberts, has officially "lost" the court on abortion issues. Dahlia Lithwick vividly concurs, complete with umpiring analogies. The second-biggest takeaway is that the "five" tipped their hand. Gorsuch said they weren't ruling on the constitutionality of the law or not, but by leaving the "citizens lawsuit" enforcement in place, that providers couldn't sue Paxton, district judges or district clerks, but only the head of DSHS and medical licensing boards, means they really WERE ruling on its constitutionality. Per Lithwick, yep, that's gaslighting by Gorsuch.

Off the Kuff reviewed the state and federal Supreme Court rulings on SB8. (Editor's note: Kuff's BlueAnon take on SCOTUS is somewhat more "spun" than what I have listed above as part of this week's Roundup, re who can be sued, though he admits at the end that damage has been done.)

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GOP wingnuts in Amarillo are going to run their own primary, outside of the county clerk or election board apparatus. Complete with paper ballots. Contra county Rethuglican chair Dan Rogers, we know turnout increased nationwide in 2020 and surely there, too. That's just the start of this. County officials will still manage mail ballots, for both Rethuglicans and Democraps. But, Rogers says that, contra normal practice, on early voting in person, it will have to be like election day — vote your home precinct only. Yep, this, per election pros, WILL piss people off. Like his own Rethuglicans. As for the possibility that hand-counting paper ballots will INCREASE errors, supported by research? "I don't need studies," he says, sounding like a true modern anti-science Rethug. Even more fun? If he violates the ADA in any of this, he can be fined. Possibly sued. And, he's personally liable.

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SocraticGadfly talked about the latest lawsuit against Texas election law.

Meet Texas' "Dead Sea."

"Stand your ground" meets "Blue lives matter." Which one wins in the wingnut world? In Midland, it's stand your ground (and not shocking to me). That said, the Monthly needs to edit more carefully. I never "knew" that Snyder was south of Midland.

Once again, DPS and the Secretary of State are being a joint clusterfuck on voting eligibility challenges.

Did you know there's an EPA Superfund site in metropolitan Dallas, in Grand Prairie? Details here. Naturally, it's in a low-income, high-minority neighborhood.

How much more will a boom in LNG exports, and an increase in oil exports, wreck the Gulf Coast?

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins supposably has a Dem primary opponent. Billy Clark can't be much of an opponent if, as of Dec. 11, last Saturday, his campaign website doesn't work. (In addition, attorneys who put "Esq." after their names are usually laughably pretentious, even with the overall pretentiousness in the legal profession.)

John Coby notes the "critical race theory" flareup in Clear Creek ISD.

Mean Green Cougar Red comments on the problems transit agencies are having hiring and retaining bus drivers.

The Austin Chronicle has a South by Southwest update.

The Current is on top of one San Antonio ISD's willingness to pull library books off the shelf.