Today, Progress Texas is formally launching our campaign to urge Texas legislators to leave ALEC. Last week, we wrote about how corporations have begun to leave ALEC - discovering that it's a toxic, overtly ideological organization they'd rather not be associated with.Read More >>
To date, four major corporate sponsors of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have indicated they will not renew their memberships to the controversial conservative organization. The question now is - how long until Texas legislators follow suit? Learn more on our blog...Read More >>
Texas Republicans have accused the Tea Party conservative organization Empower Texans - aka Texans for Fiscal Responsibility - for failing to register as lobbyists and for not filing requisite campaign finance disclosure forms. Republican State Reps. Jim Keffer and Vicki Truitt allege that Empower Texans is acting above the law...Read More >>
Rick Perry's failed presidential campaign cost Texas taxpayers at least $3.6 million. The real total of Perry's presidential campaign is inching closer and closer to our January estimates, and analysis by MSNBC suggests Perry's failed run could be twice as costly to Texas taxpayers as then-Governor George W. Bush's run in 2000.Read More >>
Fringe Tea Party Conservative candidate for U.S. Senate, Ted Cruz, started calling us names in a page long, personal post on his campaign website. Cruz also endorsed Rush Limbaugh's hateful speech and called Limbaugh a conservative champion. We respond to Mr. Cruz, and follow his advice to post thoughts on his Facebook wall...Read More >>
Progress Texas is a young, energetic group looking for interns to help fulfill and develop both policy-based and political positions for our communications and research teams. Prospective interns must be willing to work at least 15 hours a week (preferably more)...Read More >>
Save the Date! On Thursday April 26th, we will be holding a Proud Progressive event in Austin at the Black Sheep Lodge! Join us and other proud progressives here in Texas. Get your ticket today or sign-up to be a sustaining donor and get in free...
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For the first time in our organization's history, we are launching a sustaining donor drive. Like everything else, we want to do things just a little different. We have set an ambitious goal to get 35 new sustaining donors over the next 4 weeks. To make things more fun, every 5th sustaining donor will receive a special gift...
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ALEC has pushed the NRA's "Stand Your Ground Law" - also known as the Castle Doctrine Act - to 32 states across the country. After passing in Florida in 2005, ALEC immediately made it one of their model bills. The law made it's way to Texas in 2007, almost identical to ALEC's model bill. Here's how:Read More >>
We need you to show your support for Texas Representatives Charlie Gonzalez (TX-20) and Lloyd Doggett (TX-25) for standing up and fighting to fill the judicial vacancies here in Texas. Join Texans for a Fair Judiciary and U.S. Representatives Charlie Gonzalez and Lloyd Doggett for lunch on April 3rd for a discussion on the vacancy crisis...Read More >>
We need you to take the next step and help us take your actions offline and let the press and your community know about this important issue. Help us reach millions of Texans on this critical issue by taking a few moments and writing a Letter to the Editor to your local newspaper...Read More >>
In recent weeks, a large number of organizations have spoken out on behalf of Texas' voting rights. The organizations have issued statements and filed motions to intervene in Texas' photo ID case. These organizations are standing up for Texans' voting rights, and we at Progress Texas stand with them.Read More >>
ACLU Texas has an exciting series of upcoming events this month to promote awareness of potential threats to our civil liberties. Among the topics addressed will be over-incarceration, religious freedom, civil rights, and threats to the state from anti-immigration legislation.Read More >>
Almost a month after Rush Limbaugh's disgusting tirade on air against Sandra Fluke, 142 companies have dropped their advertising on Rush's show. However, not everyone has done the right thing and removed their support of Rush and his comments. This ad for Conservative U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz ran...Read More >>
I guess bad budget proposals come in pairs. On the same day that Congressman Paul Ryan and his fellow House Republicans rolled out their disastrous budget proposal, the Texans for a Conservative Budget Coalition have released their own for Texas. Here is the statement by White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer...Read More >>
If you need any further proof that the Affordable Care Act is working in Texas, here's a simple chart that contrasts the policies of Texas Governor Rick Perry and those of President Barack Obama. Be sure to check back all week for more on how the Affordable Care Act is working in Texas, and sign our pledge to defend the ACA.Read More >>
After nearly 20 years of one party dominance in Texas, some times it is hard to be optimistic, see the value of civic engagement or think your voice matters. Let me tell you, your calls, letters, letters to the editor, tweets, Facebook updates, and emails matter...Read More >>
As ThinkProgress previously reported, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) filed seventeen petitions to break Senate Republican filibusters on as many judges earlier this week. Initially, McConnell reacted to these petitions with an increasingly implausible list of reasons why the Senate could not vote on these nominees right away...Read More >>
In America, if you have a dispute, you go to court, and within a reasonable amount of time, you should be able to get a decision. Right now, that's not the case in most of Texas. There are 5 emergency judicial districts in Texas and we need your help to make sure justice is no longer delayed or denied in the Lone Star State.Read More >>
The DOJ has rejected Texas' photo ID bill, arguing that it will make it harder for Hispanics to vote. As a result, the state of Texas will now appeal the law to the D.C. court, but we now know the law will not be in place for the Texas primary season and could possibly never go into full effect.Read More >>
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced this afternoon that he will file cloture — the Senate procedure to break a filibuster — on seventeen judicial nominees currently being blocked by Republican obstructionism. Nearly all of these nominees were either unanimously approved...Read More >>
When it comes to their bodies and their health, women aren't defenseless lasses who need the protection of big, strong men. What they do need, however, is for men to accept their responsibility, biologically, morally, and politically, to play a substantial role in the health of their partners...Read More >>
Good news on the quest to end judicial emergencies and other judicial vacancies in Texas and across the nation. According to Think Progress, the U.S. Senate is about to focus in on filling these essential positions. "The U.S. Senate will turn its attention once again to judicial confirmations. With 84 federal judgeships currently vacant ...Read More >>
Progress Texas Executive Director Matt Glazer discussed the Rush Limbaugh controversy and our petition asking Governor Rick Perry to revoke Limbaugh's status as an "Honorary Texan" with Scott Braddock on News 92 FM this morning. Listen to the audio here.Read More >>
2012 is going better than we could have even planned. We started the year looking for a Communication Director and nearly 100 people from across the country have applied and expressed interest in building a progressive movement in Texas. Read More >>
