Good morning,

In this week’s One Click Survey, I’m curious to find out if you would go along with another government-mandated shutdown of the economy this year.

But first, here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

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Local government officials are upset they lack the power to fine and imprison citizens who don’t wear masks. Jacob Asmussen reports [[link removed]] Travis County and the City of Austin are extending their local shutdown orders through mid-August. Democrats Steve Adler and Sarah Eckhardt, of Austin and Travis County respectively, expressed frustration that state law doesn’t allow them to put more people in jail for not wearing masks in public.

Austin’s Mayor Adler wants Gov. Greg Abbott to “give the local agencies the opportunity to enforce masks.” He and eight other mayors signed a letter yesterday [[link removed]] demanding that authority. That includes Houston’s Sylvester Turner, San Antonio’s Ron Nirenberg, Dallas’ Eric Johnson, Fort Worth’s Betsy Price, El Paso’s Dee Margo, Arlington’s Jeff Williams, Plano’s Harry LaRosiliere, and Grand Prairie’s Ron Jensen.

It is almost like government mandates throwing nearly 3 million Texans out of work simply aren’t enough [[link removed]] for the nanny-state progressives... Now they want them in jail.

“Cities not charging rioters now want the power to prosecute law abiding citizens who choose not to wear face diapers.” – Matt Rinaldi [[link removed]]

In an insightful new commentary, Rachel Bovard explains [[link removed]] how the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision earlier this week inventing a legal protection based on sexual behavior has exposed the failed strategies of the “GOP political class.” As she notes, the court “acknowledges the burdens the ruling may place on religious employers” but leaves any clarity to “future lawsuits.”

“The GOP political class may want to rethink their strategy. We elect legislators to do the hard work of debating, writing, changing and passing the laws through which our society is ordered. More and more, that role is being outsourced to the courts — with the approval and complicity of the Congress.” – Rachel Bovard [[link removed]]

Two candidates are vying for the Republican Party’s nomination to be the next judge of the 142nd State District Court in Midland County. Matt Stringer first offers a profile [[link removed]] of candidate Missy Baker. She faces David Rogers in the July runoff; the winner will be unopposed in November.

Apprehensions of illegal aliens along the southern border rose nearly 30 percent last month. Daniel Friend of The Texan reports [[link removed]], “Single adults have accounted for 90 percent of the increase, while encounters with families and children have remained low.” With most school children forced out of their classrooms, opponents of homeschooling worry parents may not be eager to send their children back to government-run schools. The Texas Home School Coalition’s Tim Lambert recently addressed attacks [[link removed]] leveled by Harvard University against parents who chose to educate their kids at home.

No BB guns in the virtual classroom? That’s what a Maryland mother learned when the police showed up at her door. It turns out her son’s teacher saw a BB gun in the background of the student’s bedroom while he was on a class video call. No, he wasn’t brandishing or showing it off. It was just lurking in the background. So the teacher took a picture, and called in the cops. Check out GunpowderMagazine.com for the details [[link removed]]. As the Texas GOP Convention draws near, more and more individuals are announcing their intention to run for party office. The latest is Cat Parks, who has announced her candidacy to challenge the incumbent state party vice chairman, Alma Perez Jackson. Cary Cheshire reports on the race [[link removed]].

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility does not endorse in party-level races, but it does offer a questionnaire for the GOP leadership positions. The answers will be published by Texas Scorecard ahead of the state convention.

In a new commentary, the chairman of the Young Conservatives of Texas chapter at the University of Texas writes about the demands [[link removed]] being made by the school’s football team and student senate. Jordan Clements notes [[link removed]] they are using the death of George Floyd “to push a cultural Marxist agenda.” In a commentary for the Wall Street Journal [[link removed]], Vice President Mike Pence urges Americans not to buy into the fear-mongering about a “second wave” of the coronavirus.

“The media has tried to scare the American people every step of the way, and these grim predictions of a second wave are no different.” – Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States [[link removed]] One Click Survey

Some politicians and pundits around the nation are wanting states to go ahead and mandate another wave of shutdowns because of the Chinese coronavirus. If that were to happen, would you comply?

Yes, I would comply. [[link removed]]

... or ...

No, I would not comply. [[link removed]] Number of the Day

59,089

The number of estimated recoveries from the Chinese coronavirus in Texas, compared to the 1,983 fatalities.

[Source: Texas Department of State Health Services]

Today In History

On June 17, 1885, the Statue of Liberty arrived disassembled in New York. It was officially dedicated in the fall of 1886.

Quote-Unquote

“Liberty becomes a question of morals more than of politics.”

– Lord Acton​

Your State & Federal Lawmakers

​U.S. Senator

John Cornyn - R

(202) 224-2934

U.S. Senator

Ted Cruz - R

(202) 224-5922

Governor of Texas

Greg Abbott - R

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor

Dan Patrick - R

(512) 463-0001

Attorney General

Ken Paxton – R

(512) 463-2100

Comptroller

Glen Hegar – R

(512) 463-4600

Land Commissioner

George Bush – R

(512) 463-5001

Commissioner of Agriculture

Sid Miller – R

(512) 463-7476

Railroad Commissioners

Wayne Christian – R

Christy Craddick – R

Ryan Sitton – R

(512) 463-7158

U.S. House, District

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Texas Senate, District

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Texas House, District

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PO Box 12862, Odessa TX 79768 Produced by Michael Quinn Sullivan and Brandon Waltens, the Texas Minute is a quick look at the news and info of the day that we find interesting, and hope you do as well. It is delivered weekday morning (though we'll probably take the occasional break for holidays and whatnot).

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