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Good morning!

Responses to yesterday’s One Click Survey show readers wanting to find the right balance between protecting children and the rights of parents. 

But first, here is the Texas Minute for Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

UPFRONT: In yesterday’s Texas Minute profile of incoming freshmen, the number of new lawmakers was misstated. There are 17 incoming freshmen Republicans in the Texas House. The article has been corrected and updated; we apologize for the error.

Abbott Invokes Invasion Clauses, But Changes Nothing

• On Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced his invocation of the Invasion Clauses of the U.S. and Texas constitutions as the invasion on the Texas-Mexico border worsens, but he refused to outright declare an invasion and return illegal border-crossers to Mexico. Sydnie Henry has the details.

     

• Abbott’s budget director, Sarah Hicks, confirmed his latest statement is not a change in tactics. "I don't think it is a change in overall tactic as much as it is a reminder to all of us...that this is serious, and it demands a full and serious response,” she told a Texas Senate committee shortly after Abbott released his statement on Twitter.
      

• The Center for Renewing America said, “While this sounds good—Governor Abbott has not invoked the full authority of an invasion declaration. Saying you’re being invaded but not blocking the invaders from coming is a hollow shell.”

Lawmakers File Legislation to Halt Child Gender Mutilation in Texas

• Two lawmakers have filed measures to ban child gender mutilation procedures in Texas, reports Sydnie Henry.
      
• House Bill 41, by State Rep. Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands), would prohibit healthcare providers from receiving professional liability insurance coverage for performing or prescribing certain “gender transitioning” procedures for children, including genital removal surgeries, chemical castration, puberty blockers, and other sex-change therapies.
       
• House Bill 42, by State Rep. Bryan Slaton (R-Royse City), would designate genital removal surgeries, chemical castration, puberty blockers, and other sex-change therapies as child abuse.
      
• “For years, Texas has failed our children by allowing them to be subjected to cruel child abuse in the form of sex-change surgeries and therapies,” said Slaton. “This child gender-modification is child abuse, plain and simple. It is finally time that the Texas House, like the Senate, step up and defend innocent children from these bogus medical practices.”

Ban On Taxpayer-funded Lobbying Filed In Senate

• Meanwhile, State Sen.-elect Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville) has filed legislation that would prohibit public funds from being used to hire registered lobbyists. 
      
• In 2020, more than 94 percent of Republican voters supported a non-binding proposition on the GOP primary ballot banning taxpayer-funded lobbying.
      
• Middleton’s efforts as a member of the Texas House to ban the practice last year were rebuffed by Speaker Dade Phelan’s leadership team – though Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Republicans in the Senate have supported the concept.
      
• “Taxpayers should not be bankrolling efforts to advocate against their interests,” said Middleton this week. “Every step of the way, taxpayer-funded lobbyists have lobbied against key conservative priorities including: property tax relief, election integrity, disclosures of what bonds truly cost taxpayers, the constitutional ban on a state income tax, and they even opposed the bill to fund and protect the teacher retirement pension system.”

Trump Announces ‘Comeback’

• At his Mar-A-Lago estate in Florida on Tuesday night, former President Donald Trump announced his “comeback” bid for the White House. “In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States.”
     
• Reactions among Texas Republican politicos were mostly muted, with several notable exceptions. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls offered enthusiastic endorsements immediately after the speech.
     

• While Gov. Abbott’s border statement (see above) received a positive shout-out from Trump, the governor’s social media accounts made no mention of the Trump announcement Tuesday evening.

U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson Wants Texas Republicans To Get Aggressive Over Border Invasion

• With more than 2 million encounters and 342 million lethal doses of fentanyl seized at the border, U.S. Rep. Ronnie Jackson (R-Amarillo) says Republicans from Texas’ congressional delegation are preparing to get aggressive on federal border policy. Emily Wilkerson has that report.
     
• “The border is an absolute disaster… The fentanyl crisis is out of control. We have documented terrorists by the hundreds crossing our border,” said Jackson in an interview with Fox News.

City Council Asked To Protect Children

• Sara Gonzales, the founder of Defend Our Kids Texas, is calling out members of the Plano City Council for allowing disturbing drag events to be targeted at children. Soli Rice has the story.
     

• Gonzales reminded council members of the shocking scenes at an “all-ages” drag brunch hosted by a Plano restaurant/bar in October. “I watched a little girl, no older than 5 years old, get sexually traumatized as the adults in the room sipped mimosas and laughed,” said Gonzales.

     
• “There is no such thing as a family-friendly drag show, and exposing young children to this type of sexual deviancy is child abuse,” said Gonzales.

🚨 Scorecard Fellowship! 🚨

• We’re now taking applications for our Spring, Summer, and Fall 2023 paid Texas Scorecard fellowships designed for 18- to 25-year-olds with an interest in public policy, political accountability, and Texas history. The program offers three tracks: writing, research, and administration. Learn more on our website. 

Y’All Answered

Much has been made nationally about drag shows targeting children. In yesterday’s One Click Survey, we asked if readers think parents should be allowed to take their kids to sexually explicit events.

Readers overwhelmingly (92.84%) responded “no,” while the rest (7.16%) answered “yes.”

Here’s a sampling of the emails y’all sent on the topic…

• “It is child abuse so parents shouldn't initiate it by taking their kids to these shows.” – Rachel Salajean
     

• “If parents think that they should be allowed to take their innocent children to a drag queen show THEY ARE NOT FIT TO BE PARENTS!! I absolutely believe in a parents right for most things like the choice for vaccines and school choice,  but this is so perverted, the parents AND the queens need to be stopped!” – Christine Gerval
     

• “While I don’t like parents taking them to explicit drag shows, it is their right, no matter how stupid or morally wrong it is.  We must find a way to stop the school districts and some churches from holding these events.” – Charles Webb
     

• “We are required by law to protect our children by buckling them into seatbelts, so why should be not be required to protect them from predators?” – Charlene Roberson
     

• “Chapter 43 of the Texas Penal Code arguably criminalizes the presentation of drag shows to minors. If the material presented is ‘patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable for minors.’ The problem is, THIS trash is apparently now within acceptable standards, which is a shining example of our society’s overall moral decay. The root of the problem is deeper than laws.” – Travis Gundelach
     

• “Drag queens have no good reasons to bring their perverse grotesquerie to children, and that is to corrupt and/or abuse them. I thought corruption of a minor or indecency with minors was a crime? When did it become legitimate or something any sane person would promote?” – Madeleine Myers
      

• “You’re either for parents rights or against them. I think any parent that takes their child to those drag shows are morally corrupt and sick, but it’s still their right.” – Doreen Cardenas
      

• “Isn’t this obvious? My apologies; I forgot, parents who actually care for the well-being of their children are labeled as ‘domestic terrorists.’” – Zack Dunnam
      

• “This is disgusting and absolutely jaw-dropping behavior by stupid parents who are clearly abusing their children exposing them to this evil garbage. If they think this is ‘cute,’ I feel they need extensive psychiatric and spiritual help.” – Andra Haney
     

• “The state has the legal and ethical responsibility to protect children.  There is no ‘right’ that allows parents to abuse their children regardless of what form it takes.” – Karole Fedrick
     

• “The parent has the right as I believe the parents should control their children as long as they are not physically or mentally abusing their children; however, I believe any parent who would take their child to a Drag Queen show is showing very poor parenting.  We have way too much government control in our lives..... we do not need more.” – David Leese
     

• “We can’t have government choosing how we raise our kids. Is it inappropriate? Yes. But if they can tell us not to take our kids there, then what’s next, church? Smaller government and parents learning what’s right from wrong is what we need.“ – Ruth Sherman
     

• “The state does have an obligation to protect the defenseless from harm or abuse. That is how I reconcile a pro-liberty view with saying parents taking their kids to drag shows, or affirming gender dysphoria, is committing child abuse.” – Tom Bartel
     

• “Drag shows should be limited to 18 years old or above. They have no place in a child’s day.” – Dawn Gerstenberger
     

• “I am vehemently against parents subjecting their children to this kind of thing.  However, I also think it is a very slippery slope to have government deciding what is not allowed, what is ‘sexually explicit.’ We have already seen where this goes with the leftist twits on social media censorship deciding what is unacceptable. I think it is up to we the people to express our opinion by openly shaming these parents, making sure no public funds or facilities are used, and by making it clear to establishments that sponsor these things they are going to lose business.” – Jim Andrade
     

• “Morality cannot be legislated, but must be instilled by the hearts of mankind as given to them from Above. Drag queen shows are definitely not here to help children to become moral citizens.” – Danny Thompson 
     

• “I'm a strong advocate of parental rights, but apparently some parents lack common sense. We should demand legislation that would set an age limit to attend a drag show.” – Lloyd Smith
     

• “Not only is it child abuse, they are being set up for a life of addiction and failure that can spread to everyone around them. We are suppose to bless our children with a strong Christian foundation and legacy, not curse them to a life of misery.” – Ken Bintliff
     

• “I think it is a parent’s right and duty to bring up their children. But I find it distressful that this question is even asked and perhaps hints at how morally low some sectors of our nation have sunk.” – Bob Porter
     

• “Children do not have the cognitive ability to know what is right or wrong.  Parents are responsible for teaching this ability. Failure to do so should be a case of abuse.” – Laura Morton
     

• “People need to be very careful about declaring other people's bad parenting decisions to be 'child abuse'. When we encourage the state to interfere in parenting decisions, the state will be encouraged to interfere in OUR parenting decisions that others don't agree with.” – Erika Metzger
     

• “As an advocate for parental rights, I must say yes, those parents have the right to take their children to a drag show even though I don't agree with their decision. We must be very cautious here. At their recent convention, the Texas Home School Coalition was confronted by protesters telling them that to teach creationism is child abuse. Demanding that government dictate every moral action IS tyranny.” – Roger Taylor
    

• “I am embarrassed as a lifelong Texan that this question is even being asked. It’s totally absurd to think that a parent would actually think it is fine to expose their children to such outrageous acts! I want my Texas back!” – William Wallace

Your Federal & State Lawmakers

The districts displayed here should reflect those recently redrawn by the Legislature. Though the new lines do not take representational effect until 2023, they will appear on the 2022 ballot. Please note that your incumbent legislator and/or district numbers may have changed.