Good morning,

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

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At the bottom of the Texas Minute you will find coronavirus tracking data from IHME, state, and federal sources.

Tarrant County Republican State Rep. Matt Krause wants Gov. Greg Abbott to get Texas back to normal. Cary Cheshire details [[link removed]] the letter Krause sent the governor with seven policy recommendations for a state plan to help Texas recover from the Chinese coronavirus epidemic and the resulting government-ordered closures.

Among the planks [[link removed]] of Krause’s plan: ending the distinction between “essential” and “non-essential” businesses; allowing public gatherings, including religious services, provided they conform to CDC guidelines; continue waiving regulations for another six months; continue recommending “shelter-in-place” for the elderly and infirm; keep schools closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year.

Hood County’s Mike Lang (R), whose own letter to Abbott [[link removed]] was similar to Krause’s, provided substantially more freedom for Texans to regulate their own risks. Rep. Lang stipulates that any “shelter-in-place” ideas going forward should be stated as recommendations rather than mandates or orders. He also wants those “waived” regulations to remain unenforced until after the 2021 legislative session.

Meanwhile, state and local government must cut spending now, urges State Rep. Tony Tinderholt [[link removed]] in a new commentary. Ruling out a tax increase, the Arlington Republican says swift action today will allow continued funding for what he identifies as core functions of government – “infrastructure, public safety, and public education.”

“Therefore, at a time when the average American is evaluating their personal budget for any unnecessary spending, so should our governments of Texas.” – State Rep. Tony Tinderholt [[link removed]]

Reps. Lang, Krause, and Tinderholt should be commended for presenting serious proposals to restore Texans’ liberty and help the state’s economy get back to work.

With officials across Texas ordering a patchwork of draconian emergency orders with the intent of slowing the spread of coronavirus, one hotel owner is pushing back against orders that needlessly hurt small businesses and violate constitutional rights. Matt Stringer reports [[link removed]] the owner of the historic Gage Hotel in Marathon, Texas, is challenging the constitutionality of the Brewster County judge’s “emergency” orders on the grounds they have unnecessarily hurt small businesses and prevented free travel.

Over at The Federalist, John Davidson writes [[link removed]] the coronavirus has revealed “little tyrants” around the country; mayors and governors who “seem to think their authority is limitless... They need a remedial lesson in the Constitution.” As cases of the Chinese coronavirus start to level off locally, Collin County’s top elected official is preparing to help residents recover from the economic impact of the public health disaster. Erin Anderson has the details [[link removed]].

In central Texas, the Austin City Council were recently warned 261,000 people in the Austin metro area—a quarter of all the workforce—could lose their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic. Jacob Asmussen has the details [[link removed]] on what this means for the region’s return to normalcy.

And finally, Travis County has issued a ban [[link removed]] on anyone being in public without wearing a mask, with a few exceptions. Violations of this latest pandemic power-grab could result in a $1,000 fine or even jail time.

I have a new, government-mandated outfit [[link removed]] for jewelry shopping and going to the bank. Yay, government! Quote-Unquote

“Liberty is not provided by government. Liberty pre-exists government.”

– Justice Don Willett

Today In History

On April 15, 1912, the “unsinkable” Titanic sank on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic.

Number of the Day

181

Out of 254 Texas counties, the number reporting at least one case of the Chinese coronavirus as of 6pm, April 14, 2020.

[Source: Texas Department of State Health Services]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Case Data

Current as of 6:00am, 4/15/2020

​ Texas Data

Population: 28,995,881

Lab Confirmed Patients Currently In Texas Hospitals: 1,409

Reported Cases: 14,624

Patients Recovered: 2,580

Total Fatalities: 318

Texas State Department of Health Services

​ ​ Federal Data

Population: 328,239,523

Total Cases: 579,005

Total Fatalities: 22,252

Note: CDC counts as a COVID-19 death anyone who tests positive for the virus even if they possibly died from another cause.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

​ ​ IHME Projections

Projections have not been updated since 1:00am Pacific Time, 4/13/2020.

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

​ ​ Influenza Data; 2017-18*

Total U.S. Cases (estimated): 45 million

Total U.S. Hospitalizations: 810,000

Total U.S. Fatalities: 61,000

* Most recent available.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [[link removed]]

​ Your Federal & State Lawmakers

U.S. Senator

John Cornyn - R

(202) 224-2934

U.S. Senator

Ted Cruz - R

(202) 224-5922

Governor of Texas

Greg Abbott - R

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor

Dan Patrick - R

(512) 463-0001

U.S. House, District

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Texas Senate, District

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Texas House, District

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CEO, Empower Texans

Texas Scorecard & Texans for Fiscal Responsibility

​www.EmpowerTexans.com

www.TexasScorecard.com

(888) 410-1836

PO Box 248, Leander, TX 78646

PO Box 700981, Dallas, TX 75370

PO Box 12862, Odessa TX 79768 The Texas Minute is a quick look at the news and info of the day that we find interesting, and hope you do as well. It is produced on week days and distributed at 6 a.m. (though I'll probably take the occasional break for holidays and whatnot).

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