Previously: The governor's “border emergency” has lasted even longer than the governor’s COVID-19 declaration. In this time, the #Texas Legislature has allocated more than $11 billion to fund the sprawling tentacles of the Operation Lone Star. https://www.texasobserver.org/abbott-operation-lone-star-contractors-bonanza/
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#ICYMI: If the voucher bill were to pass, select private companies could soon be reeling in tens and even hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars per year. We took a closer look at who stands to gain the most.
https://www.texasobserver.org/school-vouchers-vendors-millions-legislature/
The Texas Observer · How Voucher Vendors Could Make Millions from ‘School Choice’ in TexasThe Legislature’s current proposals put a handful of private contractors in the driver’s seat. Other states have already seen problems.
Our top story: If the voucher bill were to pass, select private companies could soon be reeling in tens and even hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars per year. We took a closer look at who stands to gain the most. https://www.texasobserver.org/school-vouchers-vendors-millions-legislature/
The Texas Observer · How Voucher Vendors Could Make Millions from ‘School Choice’ in TexasThe Legislature’s current proposals put a handful of private contractors in the driver’s seat. Other states have already seen problems.
As Greg Abbott aims to force vouchers through the Texas Legislature during the 89th session, private companies like 'ClassWallet' have descended on the capitol, after the lucrative contracts which could result if they're support of the governor's policies pays off. https://www.texasobserver.org/school-vouchers-vendors-millions-legislature/
The Texas Observer · How Voucher Vendors Could Make Millions from ‘School Choice’ in TexasThe Legislature’s current proposals put a handful of private contractors in the driver’s seat. Other states have already seen problems.
Out today at Austin Free Press: Respected UT professor Richard Heyman was arrested and lost his job after an altercation with police at a protest for #Palestine last year. Newly released video shows the Texas state trooper deliberately shoving Heyman multiple times. https://austinfreepress.org/days-of-rage/
Austin Free Press · Days of rage: A U.T. professor and state trooper collideA State Trooper lost his $62 bicycle bell; a UT professor lost his job of 19 years.
Our top story: “One thing that is abundantly clear is that #border enforcement, and in particular the construction of detention facilities ... is big business. It’s a huge business. It’s incredibly lucrative for a very small number of people who have every incentive to make this system as big and as bloated as possible.” https://www.texasobserver.org/abbott-operation-lone-star-contractors-bonanza/
The Texas Observer · Abbott’s Border Disaster Has Created a No-Bid Bonanza for Private ContractorsThere is now a powerful, well-heeled constituency that has built up around Operation Lone Star.
Boycott Texas.
Texas bill would make identifying as transgender a felony punishable by jail
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/rcna195642
NBC News · Texas bill would make identifying as transgender a state jail felony
“Rank favoritism, such as a sole-source award to a contractor who is a major donor to the governor, leads past waste to outright #corruption, for the motivation of the award is not the bid’s economy but the governor’s campaign treasury.”
Our top story: Abbott's Operation Lone Star boondoggle has been lining donors pockets for four years now, with no sign of stopping. https://www.texasobserver.org/abbott-operation-lone-star-contractors-bonanza/
The Texas Observer · Abbott’s Border Disaster Has Created a No-Bid Bonanza for Private ContractorsThere is now a powerful, well-heeled constituency that has built up around Operation Lone Star.
Our top story: The list of purchased matériel seems fit for a nation at war. Drones, helicopters, and airplanes. All-terrain vehicles, tactical marine vessels, and bulldozers. AI surveillance software and mobile surveillance units. Fuel and generators, food and water, zip-ties and razor wire. https://www.texasobserver.org/abbott-operation-lone-star-contractors-bonanza/
The Texas Observer · Abbott’s Border Disaster Has Created a No-Bid Bonanza for Private ContractorsThere is now a powerful, well-heeled constituency that has built up around Operation Lone Star.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s “declaration of disaster,” on the border crisis, signed in 2021, allows him to ignore the usual protocol when handing out valuable contracts to private contractors and vendors. And it’s an expensive business: State agencies are paying for everything from zip ties and razor wire to helicopters and planes. Here’s @TexasObserver’s story on who have been the big winners, including some who have become Abbott’s campaign “patrons.”
https://www.texasobserver.org/abbott-operation-lone-star-contractors-bonanza/
The Texas Observer · Abbott’s Border Disaster Has Created a No-Bid Bonanza for Private ContractorsThere is now a powerful, well-heeled constituency that has built up around Operation Lone Star.
Our top story: The governor's “border emergency” has lasted even longer than the governor’s COVID-19 declaration, which he let expire in June 2023. In this time, the #Texas Legislature has allocated more than $11 billion to fund the sprawling tentacles of the Operation Lone Star. https://www.texasobserver.org/abbott-operation-lone-star-contractors-bonanza/
The Texas Observer · Abbott’s Border Disaster Has Created a No-Bid Bonanza for Private ContractorsThere is now a powerful, well-heeled constituency that has built up around Operation Lone Star.
Our top story: “Texas has become a pay-to-play [state] if you want these big government contracts because we don’t have fair bidding requirements. Now we see these political donors getting rich off taxpayer money with no accountability. Abbott acts as if he’s king, and he’s rewarding his patrons.”
https://www.texasobserver.org/abbott-operation-lone-star-contractors-bonanza/
The Texas Observer · Abbott’s Border Disaster Has Created a No-Bid Bonanza for Private ContractorsThere is now a powerful, well-heeled constituency that has built up around Operation Lone Star.
“Rank favoritism, such as a sole-source award to a contractor who is a major donor to the governor, leads past waste to outright #corruption, for the motivation of the award is not the bid’s economy but the governor’s campaign treasury.” https://www.texasobserver.org/abbott-operation-lone-star-contractors-bonanza/
#politics #USpol #border #immigration #GregAbbott #Texas #TXlege police #HumanRights #news
The Texas Observer · Abbott’s Border Disaster Has Created a No-Bid Bonanza for Private ContractorsThere is now a powerful, well-heeled constituency that has built up around Operation Lone Star.
This latest of pet issues advanced by the #crypto crew has somehow won priority status on Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick’s biennial honey-do list. Governor Greg Abbott even suggested interest. https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-bitcoin-strategic-reserve-senate-bill-21/
The Texas Observer · From Bullion to Bitcoin: Crypto Reserve Is Latest Fiscal Folly in TexasWhy?
Governor Abbott and state lawmakers are pushing for these bills under the guise of public safety, but the reality is that these bills will make Texans less safe. A 2017 study in Harris County found that “those detained pretrial are more likely to commit future crime.” https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-bail-bills-pretrial-jail-courts/
The Texas Observer · Costly New Bail Bills Would Needlessly Jail More PeopleTexas politicians are wasting your money to punish the working class.
In Dustin Burrow’s new House, #Republicans, who hold an 88-seat majority, now constitute a majority of ever committee and subcommittee. But Burrows has found ways to keep his promises to #Democrats too. https://www.texasobserver.org/speaker-burrows-new-gop-chairs-texas-house/
The Texas ObserverSpeaker Burrows Remodels Texas House with All-Republican ChairsThe new leader of the lower chamber finally announced committee assignments, formalizing a new order in the lower chamber.
School vouchers, Texas
#GregAbbott came to San Antonio to push for school vouchers.
https://sanantonioreport.org/gov-greg-abbott-urges-san-antonio-private-school-parents-to-support-state-voucher-bill/?mc_cid=76aa581a43
Reminder: school vouchers are bad. They have a number of detrimental effects:
https://time.com/6272666/school-voucher-programs-hurt-students/
What troubles me the most is how they are used to push religious schools over public schools.
#USPolitics #Education
“Private #schools might find themselves under no obligation to accept any of our kids; they could be rejected because of their religious affiliation, their disabilities, on the grounds that they’re not bright enough, because the school administrators don’t like their looks—any reason not specifically excluded by law.” https://www.texasobserver.org/molly-ivins-school-vouchers-1997/
Out of over 900 anti-LGBTQ+ hate incidents in 2024, tracked by the nonprofit GLAAD, almost half of them targeted #transgender, nonbinary, or gender-nonconforming individuals. Experts worry this situation is already worsening under Trump: https://www.texasobserver.org/anti-lgbtq-incidents-texas/
#transphobia #trans #politics #LGBTQIA+ #Trump #GregAbbott #Texas #homophobia #news #USpol
The Texas ObserverCounting Hate: At Least 61 Anti-LGBTQ+ Incidents in Texas Last YearThe LGBTQ+ advocacy organization GLAAD, which tracks incidents, warned that threats against the queer community are likely to worsen under the Trump administration.
Hotline calls to organizations like the Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization aimed at preventing suicide in LGBTQ+ youth, increased by 700% after the election of President #Trump. Anti-trans laws led to a 72% increase in suicide attempts in trans and nonbinary youth. https://www.texasobserver.org/trans-texans-advocates-fight-2025-legislative-session/
#politics #USpol #LGBTQIA+ #transphobia #trans #news #TXlege #GregAbbott