Good morning, 

Yesterday I asked about complying with another lockdown, and – HOWDY! – y’all answered. 

But first, here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Wednesday, November 18, 2020
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The 2020 Conservative Leaders Gala will be a live, in-person celebration of grassroots activism and activists on Dec. 5 in Irving. We’re called to fight the good fight together, so we’ll be together celebrating those men and women who have been faithfully working for a better, stronger Texas. Get more details and your tickets today!

• Even though voters explicitly rejected a $275 million debt issuance to fund a massive spending project, Thomas Warren reports the Amarillo City Council is considering doing it anyway. And, yes, local governments have a way to increase debt without the approval of the taxpayers who will bear the burden of paying for it.
   
• Have you checked to see if your city council is issuing debt without the voters’ permission – or even in contradiction to the results of an election?
   
• The Office of the Texas Comptroller describes the method this way: “One common form of borrowing [is] certificates of obligation (COs), which some local governments can use to fund public works without voter approval.”
   
• However, Certificates of Obligation can be stopped. How? If “5 percent of qualified voters within the jurisdiction petition for an election on the spending in question.”

• State Rep. Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands) has filed legislation that would prevent medical professionals from performing gender disfigurement procedures associated with sex change operations. Jacob Asmussen reports the law would categorize these operations as child abuse.
      
• Under Mr. Toth’s proposed law, medical professionals would not be allowed to do things to children such as “performing a surgery that sterilizes the child, including castration,” “administering or supplying any of the following medications that induce transient or permanent infertility” such as puberty blockers, or “removing any otherwise healthy or non-diseased body part or tissue.”
   
• The proposed child defense law is also one of the top legislative priorities of the Republican Party of Texas.
     
• Consider, for a moment, what it says about our current culture that such a law is even necessary...

• Explanations are coming in from Tarrant and Travis counties about issues that arose election night... and maybe some better practices for future elections.
     
• Robert Montoya explains a Tarrant County investigation revealed an apparent 800 percent turnout resulted because of data that was entered incorrectly on the website.
      
• Meanwhile, Adam Cahn reports an out-of-court settlement has been reached between Travis County and the local Republican Party, which means poll watchers there will now be permitted in the same room as ballot counters.

Y’all Answered
A sampling of the responses from email and social media

“Lockdowns do not work, just review countries in the EU that had lockdowns versus Sweden and the damage they cause... Cases do not equal hospitalization or even death and with a 99.8% survival rate this is nothing more than politics, control and a desire to crash the economy.” – Brian H. of Fulshear

“No I will not comply with a shutdown because no one has been authorized by the legislature to call one.  In spite of what King Abbott says.” – Rex R. of Spring

“If we are to believe these mandates are illegal – and they are – why should we abide by them?  Attempting to enforce illegal mandates makes those that issue them and attempt to enforce them criminals.  Criminals should be dealt with as criminals.” – Roger T. of Lubbock

“By ‘shutdown’ if you include ‘house arrest,’ I didn’t the first time and I won’t the next time.” – Steve S. of Denton

“I would comply because I’m law abiding, but I would not approve.” – Sandy B. of Denison

“Shutdowns do not work. All they do is weaken your immune system. Besides, I thought the first shutdown was to help the medical field to not be overwhelmed. It’s about control and nothing more.” – Sherri L. of Porter

“This is straight tyranny!!” – Nicole M. of Dallas

“No no no. Just want to control us.” – Mary G. of Gilmer

“No, I would not! I refuse to be a Democratic Puppet! I'll go to Church even if I have to sit on the porch!” – Pat S. of Claxton, GA

“USE COMMON SENSE!” – Catherine A. of Haltom City

Your Federal & State Lawmakers