Good morning!

On behalf of everyone at Texas Scorecard, please join me in expressing our gratitude this Veterans Day – and every day – to those men and women who have served our nation in the Armed Forces. Just as they voluntarily defended our Republic at the tip of the spear, let us commit to doing so daily with our words, actions, and deeds.

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Wednesday, November 11, 2020
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• U.S. Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Terrell) has alleged Democrats working in a county elections office banned his poll workers from observing ballot counts, and one of the county commissioners says his office has received similar claims.
       
•  “Many candidates are afraid to fight ballot fraud after they lose because they don’t want to be called sore losers, and the fraud just continues.” – Rep. Lance Gooden

• Patriots are rising up around the state and nation with a simple message: Stop The Steal! 
   
• Robert Montoya reports on events that have already sprung up around North Texas in recent days, and notes more are planned for the days ahead.
     
• At an event in Rockwall, citizens were holding homemade signs that read “Stop the Steal,” “Make America Fair Again,” and “Fight Against Ballot Fraud and Corruption.”

• Matt Long, the president of the Fredericksburg Tea Party, encourages Texans not to be so distracted by the national events taking place that we fail to see the unfolding power grab in the Capitol.
   
• "The peaceful coup of the Texas House is taking place right under our nose!" – Matt Long

• Speaking of which, despite the election for the Speaker of the Texas House being two months away, Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statement congratulating State Rep. Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) for "securing the votes" to claim the seat. Brandon Waltens has the details.
   
• Gov. Abbott is widely seen as planning to seek the presidency in 2024, and his advisors are said to believe his path involves striking a conciliatory tone with Democrats rather than pushing for Republican priorities. Aligning with Phelan would be in line with that end. How that would play in the 2022 statewide elections remains to be seen.
   
• The governor's comments come despite the House Republican Caucus having not met to elect a speaker as required by both the GOP platform and the caucus' own rules. Numerous grassroots and conservative organizations – such as the social-issues focused Texas Values – have spoken out strongly against Phelan's ascension to the speakership.
   
• Earlier this week, the chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, Lt. Col. Allen West, wrote that Phelan was not acceptable because he had circumvented the will of the grassroots by working with Democrats to gain the seat. Republicans go into the 2021 legislative session with an 83-67 majority in the Texas House.

• As it turns out, when it comes to government spending, the government is very efficient at the task of spending your money... even if it isn't doing so wisely. That's the assertion of Bill Peacock in an analysis of the state's spending patterns.
   
• Peacock notes that lawmakers in 2019 voted to increase the biennial budget by a total of $258.2 billion more than what was appropriated in 2017 – a 24.4 percent increase (or 11.5 percent annually). He writes: “Politicians and bureaucrats can try all they want to convince us that they are being fiscally responsible. But the truth is that government and government spending keep on growing—and it has done so for the last 17 years under Texas Republicans.”
     
• With the Texas Comptroller projecting a $4.6 billion budget shortfall, Peacock suggests lawmakers have several options. For example, they could raise taxes or other revenues, engage in budget gimmickry, or cut spending.
      
• "There is only one path to liberty in Texas, and that is through smaller government that interferes less in our lives. And the only way to bring that about is through less government spending. We will have to wait and see if the 87th Texas Legislature, likely facing a significant government shutdown-related revenue shortfall, will be willing to do this in 2021." – Bill Peacock

• A controversial sex education program is on the agenda next week at the State Board of Education – which is charged with setting public school curriculum standards. Erin Anderson reports citizens have this last chance to weigh in before the 15-member board takes action.
   

• Back in September, the SBOE voted 9-6 against inserting highly sexualized “LGBTQ+” and pro-abortion material into the revised standards. Leftist advocacy groups had pushed for the radical revisions, calling the changes a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to change course.”
   

• Parents, meanwhile, had urged the board to keep the standards focused on abstinence and risk avoidance, cautioning that the changes would undermine local control.

• Make sure you get your tickets now for the Conservative Leaders Gala, which will be held on Dec. 5 in Irving. This one-of-a-kind event recognizes citizen leaders for their work in the fight for a better Texas with engraved cavalry swords – symbolizing their practical leadership on the front lines.
      
• We will also be presenting the Torch of Freedom Award to an individual who – I know you will agree – has shone brightly for liberty in a very dark time.

ONE CLICK SURVEY

With the State of Texas facing a $4.6 billion budget shortfall, according to the Comptroller, legislators will have three choices. Which would you pick?