Good morning,

Whether or not Gov. Greg Abbott had the power in 2020 to impose a statewide mask mandate and authorize local mandates, his ability to ban such mandates in 2021 is being ignored by many. In today’s One Click Survey, we ask if the Legislature should step in.

First, here is the Texas Minute for Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Modify your email preferences [[link removed]].

Finally, A Quorum! No, not really.

That’s the header I would have used, if House Speaker Dade Phelan and the Republican leadership had gotten their act together and compelled Democrats to attend the legislative session.

Instead, we’ve gone 34 days with the Texas House unable to conduct the people’s business because Speaker Phelan and the Republican majority refuse to assign penalties to the quorum-busting Democrats. Despite the House voting to arrest the absent Democrats a week ago, not a single arrest has been made. Not a single Democrat has been stripped of a committee chairmanship. Not a single Democrat has been fined.

Why are Dade Phelan and the House GOP protecting the Democrats? Battle Brews On Redistricting A perfect storm of political posturing is taking place in Austin, potentially affecting the disposition of political districts and policy for Texans going forward. Jeramy Kitchen reports [[link removed]] the delayed U.S. Census data was received last week. That data confirms what everyone knew: not only that Texas’ population has been booming, but that much of that growth is concentrated in the urban and suburban areas that surround the largest cities.

The 2020 census data officially puts Texas’ population at 29,145,505 – accounting for a 16 percent increase from the population reported in 2010. This increase has afforded Texas two additional congressional seats of the fixed 435 allotted to U.S. Congress, as well as additional representation as a part of the presidential Electoral College.

Attention now turns to map-drawing; using that census data to reset the state’s representational and legislative districts. With the House incapable of drawing a quorum, the calendar for setting the lines – and establishing the 2022 election calendar – is extremely fluid.

“The one constant in this whole process thus far has been uncertainty. A redistricting cycle made more complicated in the wake of a pandemic, coupled with a tumultuous political situation in the Texas House of Representatives, makes the pathway forward extremely unclear.” – Jeramy Kitchen [[link removed]] Masks Demanded! Confusion reigns around the state, with elected “executive branch” officials continuing to quarrel over who has the authority to impose mask mandates on the citizenry. Jacob [[link removed]] Asmussen [[link removed]] reports [[link removed]] this leaves Texans caught in the middle, uncertain if they are to follow unscientific dictates that didn’t work the first time around.

The saga began last year, when Gov. Greg Abbott issued executive orders closing businesses and imposing mask mandates in response to the Chinese coronavirus. More recently, in July, the governor issued a new order forbidding local officials from imposing the same mask mandates on citizens he allowed them to enact last year.

On Sunday, the Supreme Court of Texas announced they had sided with Abbott and temporarily halted local officials’ mask mandates [[link removed]] in Dallas and Bexar counties. Yet those jurisdictions remained defiant – insisting they would keep the mandates in place.

And despite a ruling from the Supreme Court of Texas halting school districts’ mask mandates, multiple districts have announced they will enforce them anyway.

Of course, these same school districts expect kids to follow the rules in their student handbooks on everything from attendance to dress code to in-class behavior. As the school districts model lawlessness, they shouldn’t be surprised if they reap lawlessness. Cruz Blocks DEM Takeover U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has blocked congressional Democrats’ latest attempt to give the federal government control over states’ voting rules. Erin Anderson explains [[link removed]] why this represents a serious blow to Democrats in D.C. and the Texas Legislature, and what it means for voters. Seliger Gets Another Challenger In SD31 Oil and gas businessman Kevin Sparks of Midland has become the second Republican to challenge State Sen. Kel Seliger [[link removed]] (R-Amarillo) in the 2022 primary. Thomas Warren has the details [[link removed]].

Sparks joins Coahoma ISD Trustee Stormy Bradley in the 2022 Republican primary for Senate District 31. Seliger has not yet stated whether he will be seeking re-election. Mobilizing Liberty Not a day goes by in which we don’t hear about Big Tech colluding with the left to censor and silence conservatives. That’s why we are so proud of our relationship with the great men and women of Patriot Mobile.

By switching your cell service to Patriot Mobile [[link removed]], you’re not only denying cash to Big Tech… but you are supporting good causes like Texas Scorecard. Patriot Mobile will be a sponsor of the Conservative Leader Awards in December – so you’ll get to meet this amazing team of patriots.

I’m a Patriot Mobile customer, and hope you will be, too. When you sign up [[link removed]], be sure to let them know Texas Scorecard sent you! ‘Sasquatch-in-Chief’ Last week, the national publication Politico did a deep dive on Gov. Greg Abbott’s political problems. Central Texas consultant Peter Tucker offers a summary [[link removed]], leading with a comparison Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller made of Gov. Abbott to ‘Sasquatch.’ ONE CLICK SURVEY

For more than a year, Texans’ lives have been governed by fiat mandates issued by the governor and local officials on everything from lockdowns to business restrictions to mask mandates.

Should the Texas Legislature be the one making the laws we live under, or should “executives” be allowed to issue mandates?

Only the legislature should make laws. [[link removed]]

... or ...

Governors and local officials need flexibility. [[link removed]]

Once you’ve clicked an answer, reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share!

Number of the Day

16

Texas’ population grew 16 percent from 2010 to 2020.

[Source: U.S. Census]

Quote-Unquote

“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”

– Winston Churchill​​

Your State & Federal Officials

Click the office to find more contact information.

​ U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

John Cornyn - R

(202) 224-2934

U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

Ted Cruz - R

(202) 224-5922

Governor of Texas [[link removed]]

Greg Abbott - R

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor [[link removed]]

Dan Patrick - R

(512) 463-0001

Attorney General [[link removed]]

Ken Paxton – R

(512) 463-2100

Comptroller [[link removed]]

Glenn Hegar – R

(512) 463-4600

Land Commissioner [[link removed]]

George Bush – R

(512) 463-5001

Commissioner of Agriculture [[link removed]]

Sid Miller – R

(512) 463-7476

Railroad Commissioners [[link removed]]

Wayne Christian – R

Christy Craddick – R

Jim Wright – R

(512) 463-7158

U.S. House [[link removed]], District

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Texas Senate [[link removed]], District

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Texas House [[link removed]], District

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Speaker of the Texas House

Dade Phelan (R)

(512) 463-1000

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Produced by Michael Quinn Sullivan and Brandon Waltens, the Texas Minute is a quick look at the news and info of the day we find interesting, and hope you do as well. It is delivered weekday mornings (though we'll take the occasional break for holidays and whatnot).

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