Two truly awful bills make Texas news

Trying to articulate a response to recent Texas legislative nonsense such as SB9 (no car rides to polls) and HB896 (kill abortion seekers, providers). Not to mention SR535 in which our esteemed legislators on the gop side of the aisle guzzle deeply of Trumpian Kool-Aid. "Why yes sir, Mr. President, sir there is indeed a crisis at our southern border! We gotta keep them brown folks out!"

"Dude, seriously?! WTAF?" is all I have so far. Oh, and a primal scream followed by a string of profanities that would make Gordon Ramsey blush.

After a restorative nap and further research and writing, I learned that
 Hughes, author of the "everybody needs to get their own separate way to the polls" bill, also authored SB1585, whose summary description reads: "Relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to issue permits for the discharge into water of this state of produced water, hydrostatic test water, and gas plant effluent resulting from certain oil and gas activities."
A public hearing will ensue. I vote we carpool (assuming that is still legal) to the Capitol and say collectively, "Hell, no! Do not pollute Texas water!"

Text of the postcard I am mailing to state Sen. Bryan Hughes:
"Dear Senator Hughes,
It appears from you 'election integrity' bill that you are unclear about how our democracy works or what it should look like.
Democracy is a team sport and sacred, joyous duty.
You and your ilk seem intent on suppressing people's right to vote, especially the poor and those of color, in short, anyone but reliably Republican voters who can each drive themselves in their Lexuses to the polls.
I can drive myself to the polls, too. In the coming election/s I intend to bring as many friends and neighbors with me as possible: friends of color, friends who cannot afford a vehicle, friends who want to celebrate democracy together.
Respectfully....."
Please feel free to borrow, adapt, etc. if you care to. I had more to say but ran out of room on the postcard.

So.... been doing a bit of research on the author of HB896, the "death penalty for abortion" bill. He is State Rep. Tony Tinderholt of Arlington. He first introduced his bill in 2017 and was put under "state protection" for "death threats."

This "family values" conservative Republican has been married five times, twice to his first wife and has had a restraining order put against him. Surprise, surprise, he does not take kindly to marriage equality. To him, ye may hitch, unhitch, and rehitch to thy heart's content. Just so long as one of ye'll is an inner, the other an outtie, if you catch my drift.

He is a big NRA fan. 

His Google rating is 1.7 out of 5.

In 2017, he was opposed by a transgender Democratic man named Finnigan "Finn" Jones. Sadly, I do not see any reference (yet!) to anyone opposing him for 2020. Tinderholt has been in office since 2015, four years too long, already.

His district office contact info is:
4381 W. Green Oaks Blvd., Ste. 107
Arlington, TX 76016
(817) 478-5000
and at the Capitol: Capitol Office:
E2.508
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0624
Capitol Fax: (512) 463-8386
Offered on the offhand chance anyone wants to express an opinion about his bill...

Fortunately, the bill is going nowhere. Texas Rep. Jeff Leach, Republican chair of the House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence, told the Dallas Morning News he would not let the bill get through his committee. Whew.

We progressives of Texas and elsewhere must remain vigilant, however, as state and federal legislators keep searching for new and creative ways to suppress voting and deny women reproductive choice.

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