I haven’t posted in a while because I’ve been so busy turning Texas that I haven’t had time to write about it, but today I noticed something familiar on the Battleground Texas website and thought I’d share:
Looks like Turning TX (our slogan at least) is famous!
P.S. Family, friends, and followers, I miss you! Hopefully one of these days I’ll find some time to let y’all know what I’m up to. Hint: it involves VAN, so I’m happy!
From the Center for Reproductive Rights:
Just a few days after a panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit refused to block two provisions of a far-reaching and unconstitutional legislative attack on women’s rights and health care passed in Texas last summer—a measure that has since closed several abortion clinics and created a devastating health care crisis for countless women—the Center for Reproductive Rights has gone back to court today to file a new lawsuit against House Bill 2.
The new federal lawsuit, Whole Woman’s Health, et al., v. Lakey, et al., comprises two parts. First, it seeks an immediate court order blocking the law’s requirement that abortion providers obtain admitting privileges at local hospitals as it applies to Whole Woman’s Health in McAllen and Reproductive Health Services in El Paso—two clinics that are among the last, if not the only, reproductive health care providers…
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Today I read an excellent post by Jessica Luther about the race for Travis County Judge and the upcoming March 4 primary. The Democratic candidates for Travis County Judge, Andy Brown and Sarah Eckhardt, are both fairly well-known political figures in Austin. I have met them both at numerous events around town, and they are both respected members of the progressive community.
Deciding who to support, especially publicly, has been difficult. How do you pick a favorite between two people you like? And what do you do when you reach a decision that will likely be unpopular with even more people you like? It’s not easy to criticize people you respect, but in this case I think it’s more important to come out in support of the best person for the job than to avoid some anxiety-inducing social situations. This is a democratic election for an influential position in local government, and it shouldn’t be a popularity contest.
Ultimately, Andy Brown is is better funded and has key endorsements from plenty of Austin-area progressive groups. He seems to be the popular choice among Travis County politicos. I think Andy is a talented campaigner and skillful activist, but Sarah is an experienced and proven public servant, and I’m voting for her because she is just better qualified for the position. I was planning to write an entire post about the Travis County Judge race, but Jessica W. Luther’s detailed, thorough post perfectly sums up my thoughts on the matter. You can read her original post on her website, and I’ve also posted it below in it’s entirety.
Texas Attorney General Gregg Abbott released a statement today regarding Secretary Sebelius’ Friday visit to Texas. In his statement, Abbott declares
“The future of ObamaCare in Texas depends in part on who will govern this state. Sen. Wendy Davis not only supports ObamaCare – and the navigators who could compromise Texans’ private information – she has sought to expand its reaches in Texas. I have fought against ObamaCare and the navigators, and will continue to do so as Governor.”
Abbott’s opposition to the Affordable Care Act is no secret, but Texas lawmakers have proven their creativity in their recent attempt to cripple health care expansion by imposing strict rules for the nonpartisan health care navigators who help Texans understand coverage options.
The new rules require navigators to submit to fingerprinting and background checks and complete 40 hours of training and education — that’s 20 hours of Texas-specific training in addition to the 20-30 hours of training required by the federal government. Texas navigators are also prohibited from offering advice as to which qualified health plan through a health benefit exchange is preferable. If the Texas Department of Insurance Commissioner (Lt. Gov. Dewhurst’s former deputy Chief of Staff) determines any provision has been violated, the navigator may face sanctions, penalties, and/or termination.
Texas has the highest uninsured rate and most uninsured children in the nation, and millions of uninsured Texans could use some help navigating the new marketplace. The health of our residents and our economy is suffering because of a severe lack of coverage, but our lawmakers insist on restricting access even further and penalizing anyone who gets in their way. Gregg Abbott clearly values an anti-Obama political agenda over the health of the people he’s supposed to represent but, much to his chagrin, Wendy Davis realizes that, for Texas, health care reform is just what the doctor ordered.
A recent article by Wayne Slater raised questions about Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis’ account of her personal struggles. The article alleges that Senator Davis exaggerated her early hardships, financially exploited her then-husband Jeff Davis, and ultimately forsake her caretaker role in order to advance her career:
The basic elements of the narrative are true, but the full story of Davis’ life is more complicated, as often happens when public figures aim to define themselves. In the shorthand version that has developed, some facts have been blurred.
Davis was 21, not 19, when she was divorced. She lived only a few months in the family mobile home while separated from her husband before moving into an apartment with her daughter.
A single mother working two jobs, she met Jeff Davis, a lawyer 13 years older than her, married him and had a second daughter. He paid for her last two years at Texas Christian University and her time at Harvard Law School, and kept their two daughters while she was in Boston. When they divorced in 2005, he was granted parental custody, and the girls stayed with him. Wendy Davis was directed to pay child support.
The Republican response Mr. Slater’s allegations has been ugly, forcing Senator Davis to defend the legitimacy of her background to supporters and wholesome conservative meme-makers alike.
Abortion Barbie Wendy Davis – typical lying progressive.#tcot #Tlot #tgdn #p2 #uniteblue pic.twitter.com/7O1zQc5DjH
— ┌П┐(•_•) (@exposeliberals) January 20, 2014
In response to the Dallas Morning News article and, perhaps, tweets like the one above, Wendy Davis released a statement to set the record straight and said in an email to supporters:
Mine is a story about a teenage single mother who struggled to keep her young family afloat. It’s a story about a young woman who was given a precious opportunity to work her way up in the world. It’s a story about resiliency, and sacrifice, and perseverance.
And you’re damn right it’s a true story.
Regardless of how old she was when she became a single parent, how long she lived in a mobile home, or how she financed her Harvard Law degree, Wendy Davis was a young mother who graduated first in her class at TCU, continued her education at an Ivey League institution, and went on to become a State Senator. She continually advocates for her daughters, her constituents, and her fellow Texans, literally standing up for them in the face of extreme adversity. She is, by any measure, a remarkable woman.
Sexism and fabricated scandals will not be enough to overshadow Wendy Davis’s courage and credentials. She has proven herself a tireless champion for education and women’s rights, and her critics are running scared because they know as well as I do that she is well-qualified to run this State.
Update:
On January 28th both of Davis’s daughters wrote open letters defending their mother and their upbringing.
Turning Texas 