Good morning,

Even readers who value a “Donald Trump endorsement” think it is important for voters to research the candidates carefully. That was a big take-away from the comments on yesterday’s One Click Survey.

More on that at the end of today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Wednesday, May 5, 2021
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• Efforts to ban critical race theory in Texas public schools hit a speed bump in the Texas House this week. Iris Poole reports legislation was to have been considered by the entire chamber yesterday, but a procedural issue forced it back to committee. The bill’s author, State Rep. Steve Toth (R–The Woodlands), hopes it will be back on the floor later this week.
     
• HB 3979 would require the State Board of Education to teach a basic understanding of the fundamental moral, political, and intellectual foundations of the American experiment in self-government to be taught in classrooms. It would also ensure the country’s founding documents are included in curriculum standards.
        
• “The bill tackles a number of educational tactics feared by some Republicans to be nascent trends in the classroom, such as ‘action civics,’ overly political curriculums, and a strain of sociological thought which organizes racism through structural rather than interpersonal terms, translated from academia to popular literacy by bestselling writers such as Ibram X. Kendi and commonly called ‘critical race theory.’” – Steve Toth
        
• Last week the state Senate passed an identical companion bill, Senate Bill 2202 by State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe). 

• Meanwhile, the Texas Senate has passed yet another bill with the intent of reforming the power of government during declared emergencies and disasters. Yet, as Jeramy Kitchen notes, the Texas House has not been taking up similar legislation. 
      
• “Texans should never be faced w/ criminal penalties for 'MASK' Violations. EVER. SB1616 provides protections that matter to ALL Texans!” – State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston)
   
• Though several bills reforming the authorities of the executive branch and local governments were filed in the House, none have made it through the legislative process thus far to be considered by the overall body.

• Legislation to strengthen the state’s limitation on the growth of spending has passed another hurdle on the way to the governor’s desk. Brandon Waltens reports the House Appropriations Committee approved Senate Bill 1336 by State Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills). The measure would cap the growth of state spending at the rate of population plus inflation. 
   
• An exception is made, however, for “an appropriation to pay costs associated with recovery from a disaster declared by the governor,” as well as funds dedicated to tax relief.
   

• Texas’ current constitutional spending limit only applies to state tax revenue not dedicated by the Constitution, which constitutes about half of the total state budget. Hancock’s bill would subject all state funds—but not federal funds—to the growth limit.
   

• If the bill makes it through the entirety of the legislative process and becomes law, it would not take effect until the fiscal biennium starting in September 2023.

• As school-aged girls across the country face the threat of boys stealing their sports scholarships and opportunities, state representatives on the House Committee on Public Education defeated a proposed law protecting the girls. Jacob Asmussen reports the House committee killed Senate Bill 29 that would have banned biological males from participating in public school sports reserved for biological females.
      

• The committee voted on party lines, with six Republicans approving and five Democrats rejecting. However, the bill needed 7 “yes” votes—the majority of the entire 13-member committee—to pass. The “seventh” Republican – State Rep. Dan Huberty of Kingwood – had been at the meeting, had already indicated he would join Democrats in opposing the protections, but then didn’t actually vote on the bill.
       

• The committee is chaired by House Speaker Dade Phelan’s appointee, Democrat Harold Dutton of Houston.

• When your daughter doesn’t make the JV soccer team because a boy calling himself Karen makes the squad instead, you now know who to blame.

• Dallas County elections are under new management, but voters are still experiencing some of the same old problems at the polls. Erin Anderson has the details.

• Political Twitter was abuzz yesterday morning with the New York Times claiming Texas Attorney Ken Paxton said that because Gov. Abbott didn’t support him, Paxton wasn’t supporting Abbott in 2022.
      
• Almost immediately, Paxton tweeted that it was “Fake news” from the publication... And then the author responded by noting she had Paxton on tape.

• Whatever may be true or fake in the New York Times article, their premise is typical of the anti-citizen establishment’s misdirection.  Their headline: “The G.O.P. Won It All in Texas. Then It Turned on Itself.”
      
• Uh, no.
       

• The “GOP” has “won” nothing. Voters vote for people based on espoused principles tied to party brands, and expect results. Sometimes – maybe even often – incumbents betray the people by not governing with the principles on which they campaign.
      

• So, who turned on who? The crony establishmentarians have most definitely turned on Texans.
      

• Voting for a candidate isn’t a commitment to a suicide pact. If incumbents don’t perform in office, voters are right to replace them.

Y’All Answered

Yesterday’s One Click Survey asked if President Trump’s endorsement of a candidate made you more or less likely to support that candidate, or had no effect. Of the readers who responded, 72.5 percent said Trump’s endorsement made them more likely to support a candidate; 23.5 percent said it would have no impact; and, four percent said it would make them less likely. 

• “For the knowledgeable and politically discerning, an endorsement from anyone should carry very little weight. Trump is no exception. He has certainly endorsed some bad picks. But for most of the base, Trump's endorsement carries a lot of weight.” – David Vargha
      
• “I am more likely to think that the candidate will protect our Constitutional rights if DJT has endorsed.” – Ellen Theilen
        
• “If Trump endorses a candidate, I quit reviewing the candidates in that race because I will vote for his endorsed candidate!” – Kermit Heaton
      
• “Endorsements for a particular candidate by someone else are generally meaningless to me.” – Randall Woodman
       
• “Trump’s support means that I will look a little deeper into that candidate.” – Paula Davis
      
• “My survey response was More Likely to Support. However, if President Trump were to express support for Greg Abbott in 2022, I would not and will not support Abbott's reelection.” – Lin Burress
      
• “It would cause me to be strongly biased against that candidate… If there were two strong candidates I liked and Trump endorsed one, I would vote for the other one.” – Jonathan Hansen

      

• “I generally ignore endorsements, and try to root out just how much of a scoundrel the candidate is, and vote accordingly.” – Thomas Bazen
       
• “Donald Trump was definitely my preferred choice for President, but I still look at each candidate individually and vote based on their own merits, not the endorsements of others.” – Shelley Current

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