Democratic Women of Comal County

“The Supreme Court’s decision not to immediately consider whether Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for his effort to subvert the 2020 election may prove to be a short-term legal victory.
But its implications for the 2024 presidential contest could be sweeping.
The decision capped an extraordinary 48 hours that underscored just how the courts may be more pivotal to the campaign than debates and diners, and how the Justices, who find themselves with a jammed docket full of Trump-related cases, seem poised to affect the trajectory of the campaign as much as the candidates themselves.
“The campaign will be conducted in a courtroom, essentially,” said Dick Wadhams, a former Colorado Republican Party chair and longtime party strategist. “And that’s worked out well for [Trump] for the past year. They probably are banking on that to continue.”

In Trump’s unfolding legal drama, ‘the campaign will be conducted in a courtroom’ — POLITICO The Supreme Court’s decision not to immediately consider whether Trump is immune from prosecution capped an extraordinary 48 hours in politics.

“There is a spectre haunting electric cars: the question of greenwashing. What if, for all the green hopes attached to zero-emissions cars, the truth is that they fail to achieve their main goal of cutting world-heating carbon emissions?
Our EV mythbusters series has looked at some of the most persistent criticisms of electric cars, ranging from car fires to battery mining, range anxiety to cost concerns. This article asks: do electric cars really produce fewer carbon emissions than petrol or diesel?”

Do electric cars really produce fewer carbon emissions than petrol or diesel vehicles? In part five of our series exploring myths surrounding EVs, we assess the greenwashing claims

“He won’t make any lists of 2028 Democratic presidential hopefuls, but both parties would do well to learn from the example of outgoing Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards.
Winning twice in a state where the last two Democratic presidential candidates didn’t reach 40 percent, Edwards forged alliances across racial and partisan lines to rebuild Louisiana’s finances and leave the state with a budget surplus and its lowest-ever unemployment rate, 3.3 percent. And while states to the east and west, Mississippi and Texas, have been battered by the closures of rural hospitals, not one such facility here has closed on Edwards’ watch because he did what his neighboring governors refused and accepted the federal dollars to expand Medicaid.”

Advice from a Democratic Unicorn — POLITICO In a state that twice backed Trump, John Bel Edwards made himself the placid alternative to hair-on-fire populism and won two terms in the governor’s mansion — can he do it again?

“The New Mexico attorney general’s office has asked a judge to prevent Meta from removing evidence of alleged child sexual exploitation from Facebook and Instagram, which it says is related to legal action it is taking against the company.

In court papers filed this week, attorney general Raúl Torrez requested that Meta is ordered to preserve all evidence he says was found by his investigators after they created undercover social media accounts on its social media platforms and posed as children as young as 12.

The evidence collected, which Torrez claims includes child sexual abuse material, was cited in a lawsuit filed by the New Mexico attorney general’s office on 5 December, accusing Meta of enabling adults to find, message and groom children on Facebook, Instagram and Threads, and solicit them to sell pictures or participate in pornographic material.

In the new court papers, Torrez said that one day after his office filed the lawsuit, Meta deactivated the accounts set up and used by investigators.

This was “even though the accounts at issue had operated for months without action by Meta, and even though investigators had previously reported illicit and unlawful content to Meta through its reporting channels”, the document states.

It adds: “Meta’s disabling of these accounts prevents the state from continuing its investigation into Meta’s activities. [The state] no longer had access to data within those accounts.”

New Mexico attorney general asks judge to stop Meta removing child abuse evidence from its sites Raúl Torrez said that one day after his office filed lawsuit accusing the social media company of enabling groomers, Meta deactivated accounts set up and used by investigators

“The southern California city of Huntington Beach, a bastion of conservative voters, has made the move to block diverse monthlong celebrations of Black history, women’s history and Pride, in favor of observing the revolutionary and civil wars, California’s history and America’s independence.

An agenda item introduced on 19 December forbids any programming that pertains to previously established honorary celebrations for women, people of color and LGBTQ+ groups from taking place on city-owned property, including libraries, or of being featured in city communications such as social media posts, according to Natalie Moser, a city council member who voted against the action.

This means that monthly programming meant to acknowledge and teach the history of historically marginalized groups such as Black Americans and LGBTQ+ people will be replaced by “content” about local railroad and surfing history and a monthlong tribute to the discovery of oil in Huntington Beach called Black Gold Jubilee, according to the agenda item’s language. It’s still possible that the city can establish a day of observation for marginalized groups, Moser adds.”

California town proposes ban on Pride, Black and women’s history celebrations Far-right council members in Huntington Beach introduce agenda item to switch focus to US wars and America’s independence

From Precinct 204, Teresa Patrick
“It’s clear that we have MORE Democratic candidates running in this election than we’ve had in a long time:

Statewide:
Democrats are contesting every statewide office up for election with 12 candidates combined for both US Senate and Railroad Commissioner.

Texas Supreme Court:
Democrats are contesting every Supreme Court position up for election with four candidates.

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals:
Democrats are contesting every Court of Criminal Appeals position up for election with three candidates.

State Board of Education:
Democrats are contesting every State Board of Education seat up for election with seven candidates.

Texas Senate:
Democrats are contesting every Texas Senate seat up for election with 22 candidates.

Texas House:
Democrats are contesting 84% of the seats in the Texas House with 162 candidates.”

“The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Friday that the state’s heavily gerrymandered state legislative maps are unconstitutional and ordered lawmakers to draw new maps ahead of the 2024 elections.
The case over the Republican-drawn lines, which emerged as a political flashpoint in the closely watched swing state, was the first major one to be heard and decided on by the court’s new liberal majority.
In a 4-3 ruling along ideological lines, justices tasked lawmakers with drawing new maps, but wrote that they would in the meantime move forward with a preliminary “remedial” map-drawing process.
The ideological balance of Wisconsin's high court swung to liberals for the first time in 15 years in April after Janet Protasiewicz won a seat on the court being vacated by a retiring conservative justice.”

Wisconsin Supreme Court rules GOP-drawn state legislative maps are unconstitutional — NBC News In its first major decision, the court's new liberal majority ordered lawmakers to draw new maps ahead of the 2024 elections in the battleground state.

Posted with permission of Lulu Brown, from December 19, 2016.
“In deep honor and sweet memories of my very good friend, my mentor in Comal County Democratic politics and social causes, Dan Boone….rest in glory, my dear brother.”
“Our most beloved and iconic friend, Dan Boone, 81, has passed on--peacefully, at home after being told a year ago that he would likely only live 3 weeks to 3 months. He fought long and hard and with an incredible spirit to live each and every day to the fullest, always filled with hope, humor and a positive resolve. Dan was a dedicated Democrat, and he served in the US Navy, Army and Air Force and earned two PhD's. He led a fascinating and fulfilling life. His 5 times great grandfather was the famous Daniel Boone of the history books. Dan lived a rich and fascinating life, full of good deeds, caring and giving to others, dedicated to the ideals of our party, and so loving and loyal to his family and friends.
We will miss him tremendously. From the DOCC family, our love and hugs for peace and healing go out to his beloved wife, Robbi Boone, and his family and friends.
Dan will so very missed by us all. Rest In Peace, our dearest friend, Dan Boone.”

“Dr. Merrie Fox, a veteran educator, having worked in public schools for 31 years as a teacher and campus principal, is running in the 2024 Texas Primary as a Democratic candidate for Texas Senate District 25, to replace Republican incumbent Donna Campbell.

Contact Dr. Merrie Fox:
Website: https://drmerriefox.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
Email: [email protected]
Donate Now: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/fox...”

2024 TX SD-25: Candidate Dr. Merrie Fox Dr. Merrie Fox, a veteran educator, having worked in public schools for 31 years as a teacher and campus principal, is running in the 2024 Texas Primary as a...

“President Joe Biden pardoned thousands of Americans convicted of using or possessing ma*****na on certain federal lands and commuted the sentences of nearly a dozen non-violent drug offenders, echoing a move he made last year that highlighted his justice reform agenda.
The move applies to various federal lands including national parks, wildlife refuges and even the CIA. It covers only US citizens and does not include charges associated with distributing ma*****na or driving while using it. For possession, first-time offenders typically serve a year in jail and receive a fine of $1,000.
The president also shortened the sentences of 11 Americans serving decades-long or life sentences for non-violent drug offenses. Those individuals would otherwise serve less time had they been charged more recently due to sentencing reforms.
An official said some people with crack co***ne convictions will have their sentences commuted, noting that powder co***ne offenses tend to receive shorter punishments. The sentencing disparity has disproportionately affected Black Americans, the official noted.
“Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to ma*****na. It’s time that we right these wrongs,” the president said in a statement. “Just as no one should be in a federal prison solely due to the use or possession of ma*****na, no one should be in a local jail or state prison for that reason, either.”

Biden Pardons Thousands of Federal Ma*****na Charges — Bloomberg President Joe Biden pardoned thousands of Americans convicted of using or possessing ma*****na on certain federal lands and commuted the sentences of nearly a dozen non-violent drug offenders, echoing a move he made last year that highlighted his justice reform agenda.

Consequences: “As Donald Trump faces criminal cases in Georgia and Washington stemming from his attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden, many of his allies have also faced legal repercussions for participating in that effort.
Here is a summary of the criminal charges, lawsuits and other legal woes that some of them face:”

Trump allies who pushed 2020 fraud claims face legal blowback — Reuters As Donald Trump faces criminal cases in Georgia and Washington stemming from his attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden, many of his allies have also faced legal repercussions for participating in that effort.

“Texas flew out over 120 immigrants from El Paso to Chicago on Tuesday as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s policy of transporting recently arrived migrants to Democratic-led cities he has described as sanctuaries, according to the governor’s office.
Since April 2022, Abbott has ordered to send buses with immigrant passengers to Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver and Los Angeles, sometimes mocking those cities’ leaders for saying they welcome immigrants and criticizing the Biden administration’s policies on immigration.
In total, Texas has bused over 80,000 people from border cities to those six cities, according to the governor’s office. Tuesday’s flight was the first time Texas has used planes to transport immigrant passengers.
According to a report by WTTW, a Public Broadcasting Service member TV station in Chicago, city officials there have cracked down on some of the bus drivers coming from Texas, saying they’ve ignored municipal rules on where to drop off the passengers. Last week, the city impounded a bus because the driver was not licensed to transport passengers.”

Texas flies over 120 immigrants to Chicago under Gov. Greg Abbott’s orders — The Texas Tribune The flight comes after Chicago officials reportedly cracked down on buses coming from Texas with immigrant passengers. Since last year, Texas has bused over 80,000 immigrants to Democratic-led cities across the U.S.

“A quarter of Methodist congregations in the U.S. are leaving the United Methodist Church as one of the country's largest Protestant denominations wrestles with issues of sexuality and gender identity.
More than 7,600 of United Methodist’s approximately 30,000 congregations had voted to leave as of this week, and the number could grow as the Dec. 31 deadline for departures approaches.
“It’s the biggest schism in any American denomination in the history of our country,” said Ryan Burge, an associate professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.”

A quarter of Methodist congregations abandon the church as schism grows over LGBTQ issues — USA TODAY A growing schism over LGBTQ issues within the United Methodist Church has prompted a quarter of congregations to leave as a Dec. 31 deadline nears.

“The convergence of the two cases may prove to be the decisive chapter for the doubts about legitimacy that have haunted the court for nearly a quarter-century, even before Roberts joined. It was during Bush v. Gore in 2000 that the notion that the court could be driven not just by philosophical differences — a constant in court history — but by naked partisan calculations first took hold.
At the time, the circumstances seemed bizarre in an almost hallucinatory way: a presidential election so close that the coin flip landed on its side rather than heads or tails. Little did we all know that the events of the Trump years — two presidential impeachments and a deadly riot at the Capitol — might give memories of 2000 an aura of quaint Mayberry nostalgia.
But the underlying dynamics are strikingly similar. As in 2000, when the Supreme Court had to rule on procedural questions in Florida that held national consequences, the court now must rule on state actions in Colorado that shake the foundation of the presidential contest everywhere else.”

John Roberts, Donald Trump and the ghosts of Bush v. Gore — POLITICO The Supreme Court may become the decisive player in the 2024 election.

“But last night changed my mind. Not because of anything the Colorado Supreme Court majority said. The three dissents were what convinced me the majoritywas right.
The dissents were gobsmacking—for their weakness. They did not want for legal craftsmanship, but they did lack any semblance of a convincing argument.
For starters, none of the dissents challenged the district court’s factual finding that Trump had engaged in an insurrection. None of the dissents seriously questioned that, under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, Trump is barred from office if he did so. Nor could they. The constitutional language is plain. You can’t be president if you previously took an oath “as an officer of the United States … to support the Constitution of the United States” but “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against, or have “given aid or comfort to the enemies of,” that Constitution or the nation it charters.
Nor did the dissents challenge the evidence—adduced during a five-day bench trial, and which, three years ago, we saw for ourselves in real time—that Trump had engaged in an insurrection by any reasonable understanding of the term. And the dissenters didn’t even bother with the district court’s bizarre position that even though Trump is an insurrectionist, Section 3 doesn’t apply to him because the person holding what the Constitution itself calls the “Office of the President” is, somehow, not an “officer of the United States.”

The Colorado Ruling Changed My Mind — The Atlantic The strongest argument for throwing Trump off the ballot is the weakness of the counterarguments.

“The lawsuits, filed by a variety of plaintiffs and legal groups, all focus on a little-used clause of the 14th Amendment that dates back to the Civil War era, and disqualifies from office anyone who engaged in "insurrection or rebellion" against the United States.
They argue that Trump's actions around the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters swarmed the Capitol building in an attempt to prevent Congress from formalizing Joe Biden's presidential election victory, constituted an insurrection.
Litigation is pending in 13 states and challenges are being appealed in two others — crucial swing states Michigan and Arizona, according to Lawfare, a nonprofit law and policy analysis publication tracking the lawsuits. In Maine, where state law requires the secretary of state to preside over ballot challenges, a declaration on Trump's eligibility is expected in the coming days.”

What's next after Colorado? Here's where other challenges to Trump's candidacy stand — NPR Lawsuits in more than a dozen states are looking to follow a Colorado court's lead in declaring former President Donald Trump ineligible for election in 2024 due to his role in the Jan. 6 attack.

“It wasn’t the first time Skop had weighed in on the state’s behalf. The 57-year-old is part of a small but vocal group of doctors who are helping states like Texas back up their new abortion restrictions, even as the medical community at large has criticized them. Over the years, Skop has testified in state legislative hearings, in court and before Congress – at times with controversial views.
During a congressional hearing in 2021, she said r**e or in**st victims as young as 9 or 10 could carry pregnancies to term.
“If she is developed enough to be menstruating and become pregnant and reach sexual maturity, she can safely give birth to a baby,” Skop told the House Oversight Committee.
Texas paid Skop nearly $7,000 to testify on its behalf on pregnancy-related cases between 2017 and 2019, according to state records that do not include more recent years. State officials did not respond to questions about why they had no accounting for her more recent testimony.”

Who is the San Antonio doctor helping Texas defend its abortion laws in court? — Houston Chronicle In its bid to block Kate Cox’s petition for an emergency abortion this month, state officials turned to a San Antonio physician and vocal anti-abortion advocate.

“The reform includes speedier vetting of irregular arrivals, creating border detention centres, accelerated deportation for rejected asylum applicants and a solidarity mechanism to take pressure off southern countries experiencing big inflows of migrants.
Migrant arrivals in the EU are way down from the 2015 peak of more than one million people, but have steadily crept up from a 2020 low to 255,000 in the year to November, with more than half crossing the Mediterranean from Africa to Italy or Malta.
Previous efforts to share the responsibility for hosting migrants and refugees have floundered because eastern EU members in particular were unwilling to take in people who had arrived in Greece, Italy and other countries.
Under the new system, countries not at the border will have a choice between accepting asylum seekers or paying into an EU fund.
An accelerated filtering and vetting system will be put in place so those deemed ineligible can be quickly sent back to their home country or country of transit.
People whose asylum applications have a low chance of success, such as those from India, Tunisia or Turkey, can be prevented from entering the bloc and held in detention centres at the border, as can people who are seen as representing a threat to security.”

EU reaches agreement to overhaul migration system, tighten asylum rules Rights groups and some political parties say pact is ‘unworkable’ and will lead to ‘surge in suffering’.

“Vice President Kamala Harris will embark on a nationwide reproductive freedoms tour to continue fighting back against extreme attacks throughout America. She will hit the road to states across the country in early 2024 as she holds a series of events that bring together thousands of people to fight for the freedom of every American to make decisions about their own body. The Vice President’s “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour will kick off with an event in Wisconsin on Jan. 22, the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Additional dates and locations will be announced soon.”

Vice President Kamala Harris Launches Reproductive Freedoms Tour | The White House The Vice President will kick off her nationwide tour to fight back against extremist attacks with an event in Wisconsin on Jan. 22, the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade. WASHINGTON – Vice President Kamala Harris will embark on a nationwide reproductive freedoms tour to continue fighting back again...

“ —
In a stunning and unprecedented decision, the Colorado Supreme Court removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot, ruling that he isn’t an eligible presidential candidate because of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban.”

The ruling was 4-3. The ruling will be placed on hold until January 4, pending Trump’s appeal to the US Supreme Court, which could settle the matter for the nation.

The state Supreme Court decision only applies to Colorado but the historic ruling will roil the 2024 presidential campaign. Colorado election officials have said the matter needs to be settled by January 5, which is the statutory deadline to set the list of candidates for the GOP primary scheduled for March 5.

“President Trump did not merely incite the insurrection,” the majority wrote in its unsigned opinion. “Even when the siege on the Capitol was fully underway, he continued to support it by repeatedly demanding that Vice President (Mike) Pence refuse to perform his constitutional duty and by calling Senators to persuade them to stop the counting of electoral votes. These actions constituted overt, voluntary, and direct participation in the insurrection.”

“We conclude that the foregoing evidence, the great bulk of which was undisputed at trial, established that President Trump engaged in insurrection,” the opinion adds. “President Trump’s direct and express efforts, over several months, exhorting his supporters to march to the Capitol to prevent what he falsely characterized as an alleged fraud on the people of this country were indisputably overt and voluntary.”

In addition, the court rejected Trump’s free speech claims, writing: “President Trump’s speech on January 6 was not protected by the First Amendment.”

Colorado Supreme Court removes Trump from 2024 ballot based on 14th Amendment’s ‘insurrectionist ban’ | CNN Politics In a stunning and unprecedented decision, the Colorado Supreme Court removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot, ruling that he isn’t an eligible presidential candidate because of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban.”

A fellow democrat has asked us to post this Holiday Fundraising announcement to support a free clinic in Manor Texas, east of Austin, now initiating a Pregnancy Care program.
“Dear Fellow Democrats”
Please consider supporting Karen Smith, a fellow Democrat working tirelessly to make our platform a reality by providing healthcare access to families facing barriers. Karen is a respected medical doctor in her community and a dedicated Democrat. The organization she is associated with is providing exceptional help to the community. Here's more information about the organization and the kind of support they provide to the community.
I’d like to take this chance to bring awareness to the Manor Wellness Alliance, a local start-up non-profit that delivers vital healthcare free of charge to the Manor community and surrounding areas. Since its reopening in May of 2023, the Manor Free Clinic (a project of the Alliance) has served 83 patients and provided $12,714.70 in healthcare services value. In 2024, we will stay committed to enhancing accessibility to healthcare for our rural community by offering monthly free clinics. Additionally, we're dedicated to propelling our developing programs from the drawing board to the heart of our community. We are unveiling a Supportive Pregnancy Care program to address alarming maternal mortality rates and lack of maternal care accessibility.
Follow this link to donate to our cause: https://live.givebutter.com/c/holiday-fundraiser. “

Givebutter Live Display

“Gov. Greg Abbott traveled to the Rio Grande Valley on Monday to sign into law three bills that pour more money into his three-year effort to deter illegal immigration at the Texas-Mexico border and give Texas law enforcement authority to arrest undocumented immigrants anywhere in the state.

Senate Bill 3 earmarks $1.54 billion in state money to continue construction of barriers along the 1,200-mile border, and allows the state to spend up to $40 million for state troopers to patrol Colony Ridge, a housing development near Houston that far-right publications claim is a magnet for undocumented immigrants.

Senate Bill 4 creates a state crime for illegally crossing the border from Mexico — a new law that is likely to force a legal showdown with the federal government.

Another Senate Bill 4 — this one passed by lawmakers during the third special session earlier this year — would increase the minimum sentence from two years to 10 years for smuggling immigrants or operating a stash house.

The laws funding the border barrier and making crossing illegally a state crime go into effect in early March. The human smuggling law goes into effect in early February.”

Gov. Greg Abbott signs bill making illegal immigration a state crime The new law would authorize police to arrest people they suspect crossed the Rio Grande between ports of entry. Abbott also signed a bill earmarking more than $1 billion for more border barriers.

Or more~! “Millions of workers nationwide could be in line for a pay hike next year, with half of U.S. states planning to boost their minimum wages in 2024. The increases will boost the baseline pay to at least $16 an hour in three states: California, New York and Washington. In 22 states, the new minimum wages will take effect on January 1. However, Nevada and Oregon's new rates will go into effect on July 1, while Florida's will increase on September 30.

By contrast, workers in 20 states will still be subject to the federal minimum wage, which has stood at $7.25 an hour since 2009, when it was last increased.

Raising the minimum wage could benefit low-wage workers at a time when many continue to struggle with higher costs due to inflation, even as it cools rapidly after hitting a 40-year high in 2022. Although price hikes are easing, the cost of groceries, rent, and other goods and services remains higher than prior to the pandemic.”

Minimum wage hikes will take effect in 2024 for 25 U.S. states. Here's who is getting a raise. Workers across half the U.S. will get a boost to their baseline wage, with most of the increases taking effect on January 1.

“The minimum wage is set to increase in 22 states on Jan. 1, 2024.
Why it matters: For Americans making minimum wage, it's an automatic raise — but it also ripples out. Typically, increasing the wage floor for the lowest earners pushes up pay for those who make a bit more than the minimum, as employers have to adjust pay scales upwards.
The big picture: More states are requiring a $15 an hour minimum wage — including New York, Maryland, and New Mexico — a dozen years after Fight for $15 kicked off its campaign.”

Map: The minimum wage is going up in 22 states on Jan. 1 More states are requiring a $15 an hour minimum wage, a dozen years after Fight for $15 kicked off its campaign.

““One or more justices will leave soon” if justices aren’t given a raise, Thomas told then Republican Representative Cliff Stearns in 2000, as they flew home from a conservative conference at a Georgia resort, according to ProPublica.
“I intend to look into a bill to raise the salaries of members of The Supreme Court,” Stearns wrote to Thomas afterward. “As we agreed, it is worth a lot to Americans to have the Constitution properly interpreted.”
Congress ultimately did not give justices the major raise Thomas had pushed for, nor did it lift the ban on justices accepting speaking fees, as he had also sought. But a new ProPublica report raises questions as to how and why elite conservatives began lavishing the right-wing justice with gifts soon after—gifts that often went undisclosed by Thomas, in apparent defiance of federal law.
At the time of his conversation with Stearns in 2000, Thomas made $173,600 annually but was hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. One of the least wealthy members of the court, he was reportedly frustrated as he sought to finance his lifestyle and raise his young grandnephew—and, as a justice with a lifetime appointment, he had no private sector payday waiting for him on the other side of his tenure unless he left the bench. This prospect concerned Republicans who prized Thomas’s conservative jurisprudence.”

The Clarence Thomas Scandal Is Somehow Looking Even Worse — Vanity Fair ProPublica reports that Thomas was in debt, frustrated with his salary, and implying he'd resign from the Supreme Court if his financial situation didn't change—just before Harlan Crow and other conservatives started lavishing him with expensive gifts and luxury vacations.