Good morning,

Even as establishment politicians try to keep us paralyzed under the weight of rules and regulations, we must move boldly in the “pursuit of happiness” for which God designed us.

More on that after today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Friday, May 15, 2020
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• Between 2.1 and 2.4 million Texans have filed for unemployment related to the government’s shutdown of the economy.
     
• “When the federal, state and local governments asked Americans to socially distance and take other measures to ‘flatten the curve’ in order to not overwhelm our medical supply chain and infrastructure, Americans largely rose to the challenge,” wrote U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) on Twitter. “But governments at all levels have taken it too far with prolonged, widespread shutdowns that are putting the very fabric of our nation at risk.”
     
• The Federalists’ Christopher Bedford has a fascinating look at the coming food supply crisis in America that is being brought on by the government’s shutdown of the economy and stay-at-home orders.
          
• Collin County has announced plans to distribute millions in taxpayer money from a federal relief program to directly help local families harmed by the Chinese coronavirus and related government-ordered business closures. Erin Anderson reports Collin County Commissioners Court has adopted the Collin CARES plan, which provides direct financial assistance to individuals for housing, utilities, and groceries, as well as funding for coronavirus testing, personal protective equipment, and the cities’ virus-related costs and recovery efforts.
     
• A total of $11 billion in CARES Act money came to Texas to help with recovery efforts as part of the federal government’s $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund. Cities and counties with 500,000 or more residents received cash directly from the U.S. Treasury. In the metroplex, Collin County received $171 million, Dallas County $240 million, Denton County $148 million, and Tarrant County $210 million. The cities of Dallas and Fort Worth also got direct cash payments of $234 million and $159 million, respectively.
         
• As always, taxpayers must take responsibility for ensuring all this “free money” gets wisely spent.

• If you haven’t yet, be sure to listen to this week’s edition of Texas Scorecard Radio. Tony McDonald visits with political commentator and Washington Times columnist Tim Young about a drive through the middle of America during the height of the coronavirus. 

• The Watauga City Council this week appointed a new councilmember with a criminal record to finish an unexpired term. As one might imagine, the action immediately drew an outcry from the Tarrant County city’s residents on social media. Robert Montoya has the details. Ironically, the unexpired term being filled was to replace Councilman Scott Prescher who was apparently bullied into resigning after being the only vote against a city ordinance banning citizens from recording city officials without notification.
       
• Records indicate the new councilmember, Danielle Tucker, was found guilty of drug possession in 2018 and pled guilty to credit card abuse in 2004. She was set to oppose Prescher on the November ballot. The council’s decision to appoint her removes the opportunity for voters to assess her fitness for office.
      
• I’m not saying Watauga’s city council is full of crooks, but I am saying they certainly seem to prefer crooked behavior...
      
• Please join me in wishing a very happy Saturday birthday to my dad and loyal Texas Minute reader, Stephen Sullivan!