From Wikipedia: Dead cat strategy

For our look at politics. 

This is intended to distract people.

- Click here for the entry. 

The dead cat strategy, also known as deadcatting, is the political strategy of deliberately making a shocking announcement to divert media attention away from problems or failures in other areas. The present name for the strategy has been associated with British former prime minister Boris Johnson's political strategist Lynton Crosby.

While he was mayor of London, Boris Johnson wrote a column for the 3 March 2013 edition of The Telegraph in which he described the "dead cat" as a piece of Australian political strategy about what to do in a situation in which the argument is being lost and "the facts are overwhelmingly against you".

There is one thing that is absolutely certain about throwing a dead cat on the dining room table – and I don't mean that people will be outraged, alarmed, disgusted. That is true, but irrelevant. The key point, says my Australian friend, is that everyone will shout, "Jeez, mate, there’s a dead cat on the table!" In other words, they will be talking about the dead cat – the thing you want them to talk about – and they will not be talking about the issue that has been causing you so much grief.

Johnson employed the Australian Lynton Crosby as his campaign manager during the 2008 and 2012 London mayoral elections, leading to press speculation that he was the "Australian friend" in the story.

Other similar strategies: 

- Chewbacca defense – Nonsensical diversionary legal defense strategy
- Diversionary foreign policy – Conflict instigated to distract from domestic strife
- Fearmongering – Deliberate use of fear-based tactics
- Red herring – Fallacious approach to mislead an audience
- Wag the dog – Diversional political strategy, often military in nature

Orson Welles - War Of The Worlds - Radio Broadcast 1938 - Complete Broad...

People are now coming to terms with what is real and what is not on social media. 

In 1938 they did the same with radio.

Many though the following was not a dramatization, but an actual event. It made Orson Welles famous.

- Wikipedia: The War of the Worlds (1938 radio drama).

Welles's "War of the Worlds" broadcast has become famous for convincing some of its listeners that a Martian invasion was actually taking place due to the "breaking news" style of storytelling employed in the first half of the show. The illusion of realism was supported by the Mercury Theatre on the Air's lack of commercial interruptions, which meant that the first break in the drama came after all of the alarming "news" reports had taken place. Popular legend holds that some of the radio audience may have been listening to The Chase and Sanborn Hour with Edgar Bergen on NBC and tuned in to "The War of the Worlds" during a musical interlude, thereby missing the clear introduction indicating that the show was a work of science fiction. Modern research suggests that this happened only in rare instances.

In the days after the adaptation, widespread outrage was expressed in the media. The program's news-bulletin format was described as deceptive by some newspapers and public figures, leading to an outcry against the broadcasters and calls for regulation by the FCC. Welles apologized at a hastily-called news conference the next morning, and no punitive action was taken. The broadcast and subsequent publicity brought the 23-year-old Welles to the attention of the general public and gave him the reputation of an innovative storyteller and "trickster".

Fall 2024 - GOVT 2305 Week Three Recap

Your textbook readings this week focused on federalism, which is the division of government into three layers: the national, state, and local. 

We looked at the basic documents of each: the constitutions - or charters - and their statutory codes and current news that illustrates their basic functions. 

And we looked at the basic budgets on the national and state levels, lesser so with local governments, in order to understand how they relate with each other.

Hopefully you should have an understanding of what each level is responsible for.

As a reminder, we looked at the following in class: 

- National Constitution
- Texas Constitution
- Local Charters

- U.S. Code
- Texas Statutory Code
- Local Ordinances

- The U.S. Budget
- Texas Fiscal Size-Up

For Week 4

- Civil Liberties
- Substantive Liberties
- Procedural Liberties

- Habeas Corpus
- Bills of Attainder
- Ex Post Facto Laws

- U.S. Bill of Rights
- Texas Bill of Rights

- 14th Amendment.

- Selective Incorporation.

- Criminal Justice Policy

 https://youtu.be/Xs0K4ApWl4g?si=0Q7viLs--3hKxIeU

How did Texas vote in the 2020 presidential election?

Blue = Biden
Red = Trump

By Voting Precinct:

By County: 

By U.S. Congressional District:

What is a swing state?

A little help for the GOVT 2306 essay.

- From Wikipedia: 

In American politics, a swing state (also known as battleground state, toss-up state, or purple state) is any state that could reasonably be won by either the Democratic or Republican candidate in a statewide election, most often referring to presidential elections, by a swing in votes. These states are usually targeted by both major-party campaigns, especially in competitive elections. Meanwhile, the states that regularly lean to a single party are known as "safe states" (or more specifically as "red states" and "blue states" depending on the partisan leaning), as it is generally assumed that one candidate has a base of support from which a sufficient share of the electorate can be drawn without significant investment or effort by the campaign.


What are the swing states in 2024? 

- From the NYT: Tracking the Swing States for Harris and Trump.

- - Pennsylvania
- - Georgia
- - North Carolina
- - Michigan
- - Arizona
- - Wisconsin
- - Nevada


How competitive will Texas be? 

- From Wikipedia: 2024 United States presidential election in Texas.

Texas is generally considered to be a red state, not having voted Democratic in a presidential election since Southerner Jimmy Carter won it in 1976 and with Republicans holding all statewide offices since 1999. Texas' location in the American South and largely in the greater Bible Belt has given the GOP the upper hand in the state in recent decades. Texas is considered by some to be potentially competitive, as the state has not backed a Republican for President by double digits since it favored Mitt Romney in 2012, which can be largely credited to the fast-growing Texas Triangle trending leftwards in some recent elections.

For More: 

- From Axios: As Harris invigorates Dems, Texas appears out of play.

- From KXAN: 2024 election: Exploring claim Texas is ‘sleeper battleground state’

- From KXAN: These are the reddest and bluest counties in Texas, based on recent election results.

Dear Chat GPT: What is an international government?

Is this a good answer or not?

An international government typically refers to a type of governance or administrative system that operates beyond national boundaries and involves multiple countries. There are a few ways this can be conceptualized:

1. **International Organizations**: These are institutions formed by multiple countries to address global issues and coordinate policies. Examples include the United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). These organizations have their own structures and procedures for decision-making and often have some degree of authority over member states in specific areas.

2. **Supranational Entities**: These are organizations or systems where member states cede some level of sovereignty to a higher authority. The European Union (EU) is a prominent example. It has its own institutions that can make decisions and create regulations that member states are obliged to follow.

3. **Global Governance Initiatives**: These are frameworks or processes aimed at managing global issues through cooperation between countries. This can involve informal agreements or frameworks like the Paris Agreement on climate change, where countries work together to address global challenges without forming a formal government structure.

In summary, while there is no single "international government" in the sense of a global government with overarching authority over all countries, there are various forms of international governance that involve cooperation and coordination among nations to address global issues.

Is this the future of warfare?

Shenzhen company breaks world record with 8,100 drones in drone show, taking expressiveness to new levels.

From the Texas Tribune: Texas would need about $81.5 billion a year to end property taxes, officials say

- Click here for the article. 

For our look at government finance.

Property taxes are the primary way that local governments in Texas fund their operations. This includes both ISD's and Community College districts. Since these bills can get pretty steep, there are ongoing attempts to limit them. Some would like to eliminate them. Doing require that local governments fidn other means to fund themselves.

This article explains how much.

Key Terms:
- property taxes
- state budget officials
- conservatives
- Republican lawmakers
- Texas Senate Finance Committee
- Legislative Budget Board
- School property taxes
- sales tax
- cities
- counties
- school districts
- special taxing districts
- maintenance and operations
- income tax

From the article's intro: 

Texas would have to spend tens of billions of dollars to get rid of the state’s property taxes, state budget officials said Wednesday — a reality check on some conservatives who want to end them once and for all.

Republican lawmakers have been on a yearslong push to bring down the state’s property taxes, among the highest in the nation. Some Texas conservatives have long dreamt of getting rid of at least some property taxes altogether — an idea others have criticized as unrealistic given the gargantuan cost of doing so. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a skeptic of doing away with property taxes, tasked lawmakers earlier this year with tallying the cost.

Now, lawmakers have those figures in hand. Getting rid of all property taxes collected by school districts would have cost the state $39.5 billion in tax year 2023, figures presented to the Texas Senate Finance Committee by the Legislative Budget Board show. School property taxes, which pay for costs like teacher salaries and new facilities, represent the largest chunk of a property owner’s tax bill.

In addition, the state would have had to shell out another $42 billion to cover the property taxes collected by cities, counties and special taxing districts last year. All told, the state would have had to spend $81.5 billion to completely eliminate all local property taxes. That’s more than half of the $144 billion that lawmakers allocated for Texas’ current two-year budget.

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/09/12/nypd-commissioner-resigns-amid-corruption-probe/

A little background on the development of Iowa Colony

I went over emigration companies in class today and looked at info related to the early development of Iowa Colony. It is what it says it is, a colony of people who moved from Iowa.

From the Wikipedia entry: 

Iowa Colony was founded in 1908 by the Emigration Land Company of Des Moines, Iowa, and received its name from Iowans G. I. Huffmann and Robert Beard. The community received a post office in 1919, and rice farming was introduced there in 1920. Although not directly on a railroad line, Iowa Colony was served by the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe line through nearby Manvel. The population grew slowly to twenty-seven and remained at that level until the mid-1960s. The discovery of oil in 1948 brought regional employment to the area. By 1961 the Iowa Colony post office had closed, yet during the 1960s the settlement began to grow vigorously as part of the greater Houston area. By 1973 Iowa Colony had been incorporated (in 1972), and by 1989 the town listed a population of 661. The city hall, community center, and municipal court are all housed in the same building, next to the fire department. In 1990 the population was 675. The population was 1,170 in 2010. Iowa Colony showed unprecedented growth, with an estimated 2019 population of 3,233. In 2020, they surpassed the 5,000 population requirement to seek home rule status, and subsequently voted to pass the city's Home Rule Charter on November 3, 2020. The city website further states in 2021 that the population has exceeded 8000, growing at a rate of 400%.

 

The Post Office: An Express History | The Origin of the US Postal Servic...

As authorized in Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

From Wikipedia: United States congressional delegations from Texas

- Click here for the entry. 

From Texas Redistricting: Current Districts

To help out with understanding the second written assignment.

- Click here and follow the links for each map.

What can felons not do?

 Vote depends on the state.

Occupations 

From ChatGPT:

Certain professions may have restrictions for individuals with felony convictions due to the nature of the job, legal requirements, or concerns about safety and trust. These restrictions can vary by state and industry, but here are some common examples:

- Legal Professions: Becoming a lawyer or judge often requires a clean criminal record, although some jurisdictions may consider the nature of the felony and the time elapsed since conviction.

- Financial Services: Jobs in finance, such as banking or investment roles, may be restricted due to the need for trustworthiness and adherence to regulatory standards. Convictions related to fraud or financial crimes can be particularly disqualifying.

- Healthcare: Many roles in healthcare, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, require background checks. Felony convictions, especially those related to drug offenses or patient abuse, may pose barriers.

- Education: Teaching positions, especially those involving direct contact with children, often require background checks. Felonies related to violence or abuse can be disqualifying.

- Government Positions: Certain government jobs, especially those involving security clearances, can be restricted for individuals with felony convictions. This includes roles in law enforcement or other sensitive areas.

- Real Estate: Licensing requirements for real estate agents often include background checks, and felonies related to financial crimes or dishonesty can be problematic.

- Childcare and Social Services: Jobs involving the care of children or vulnerable adults usually require background checks. Felonies related to abuse or neglect can be disqualifying.

- Aviation: Jobs in aviation, such as pilots or air traffic controllers, may have strict background requirements due to safety concerns.

- Public Safety and Law Enforcement: Roles such as police officers, security personnel, and emergency responders often have strict standards regarding criminal history.

It’s important to note that some states or jurisdictions have laws and programs designed to help individuals with felony convictions reintegrate into the workforce, and the impact of a felony conviction can vary depending on factors like the nature of the offense, the time elapsed, and evidence of rehabilitation. If you're concerned about specific career paths, it's often helpful to consult with a legal professional or career counselor who specializes in employment law and criminal records.

From ProPublica: He Was Convicted of Killing His Baby. The DA’s Office Says He’s Innocent, but That Might Not Be Enough.

Occasionally mass hysteria creates conditions where the public - and elected officials - become focused on a problem that in hind-sight was not as wide spread as it later proved to be. 

A couple decades ago that included shaken baby syndrome. 

Suddenly an increasing number of parents whose infant children suddenly died were being accused of causing their child's death by shaking them violently enough to cause fatal brain damage. Many were found guilty.

Soon after, questions emerged about whether these verdicts were based on bad science and were driven by zealous prosecutors looking for headlines (remember that we elect our district attorneys).

- See: Rethinking Shaken Baby Syndrome.

But reversing convictions is difficult to do. This article describes such an effort. It can be tough to prove one is actually innocent of a crime after conviction.

- Click here for the article.

Here's a bit of it: 

If Eaton concluded that a conviction was no longer supported by the evidence, she was expected to go back to court and try to undo that conviction. The advent of DNA analysis, and the revelations that followed, did not automatically free people who were convicted on debunked evidence or discredited forensics. Many remain locked up, stuck in a system that gives them limited grounds for appeal. In the absence of any broad, national effort to rectify these convictions, the work of unwinding them has fallen to a patchwork of law-school clinics, innocence projects and, increasingly, conviction-review units in reform-minded offices like Nashville’s. Working with only one other full-time attorney, Anna Hamilton, Eaton proceeded at a ferocious pace, recruiting law students and cajoling a rotating cast of colleagues to help her.

 

What is a tariff? What in an unrealized capital gain?

Each is part of the tax proposals each major party candidate promotes.

What are they? 


Trump proposes increased tariffs: 

A tariff is a tax that a government imposes on imported or exported goods or services. Tariffs are also known as customs duties.

Tariffs can serve several purposes, including:

- Revenue: Tariffs are a source of revenue for the government.
- Regulation: Tariffs are a form of regulation for foreign trade.
- Protectionism: Tariffs can help protect domestic industries by making imported products more expensive.
- Unfair practices: Tariffs can address unfair practices that other countries use to make their exports cheaper.

Tariffs can be fixed or variable. Fixed tariffs are a constant sum per unit of imported goods or a percentage of the price. Variable tariffs vary based on the price.

- From Investopedia: What Is a Tariff and Why Are They Important?
- Analysis: Trump’s 10 Percent Tariffs: Projected Impacts on U.S. Households and Allies.
- Analysis: Five Things to Know about Trump’s Tariff and Income Tax Proposals.


Harris proposes taxing unrealized capital gains: 

Unrealized capital gains refer to the increase in the value of an asset that has not yet been sold. In other words, it’s the profit you’d make if you sold an asset at its current market price compared to its purchase price.

For example, if you bought a stock for $50 and its current market price is $70, you have an unrealized capital gain of $20 per share. This gain is “unrealized” because it only exists on paper until you actually sell the stock. Once you sell it, the gain becomes “realized” and can be subject to taxes depending on your jurisdiction and how long you held the asset.

- From Investopedia: What Are Unrealized Gains and Losses?
- Analysis of Harris’s Billionaire Minimum Tax on Unrealized Capital Gains.
- Analysis: What Is Unrealized Capital Gains Tax? Unpacking Kamala Harris-Backed Proposal On Ultra Wealthy.

Fall 2024 - GOVT 2305 Week - Two Recap

The principle goal last week was to get you familiar with what a constitution is, and what types exist in the United States.

What is a Constitution?

Articles of Confederation

Debates of the Constitutional Convention

U.S. Constitution

- Preamble

- Article One.

- Article Two.

- Article Three.

- Article Four.

- Article Five.

- Article Six.

- Article Seven.

- Bill of Rights.

- Amendments 11-17.

The Texas Constitution.

Local Government Code.

City Charters.




Week Three: 

Federalism

National 
State
Local

Constitutions
Statutes
City Ordinances

Fiscal Federalism

From the Tax Foundation: Tracking 2024 Presidential Tax Plans

For our look at current presidential campaign and economic policy.

- Click here for it. 

Recall that the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to lay and collect taxes in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1: 

- To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States.

And it allows the national government to collect an income tax in the 16th Amendment.

- The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever sources derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

The Tax Foundation compares the relative tax proposals along the following criteria: 

- Business Taxes
- Capital Gains and Dividend Taxes
- Credits, Deductions, and Exemptions
- Estate and Wealth Taxes
- Excise Taxes
- Individual Income Taxes
- Payroll Taxes
- Tariffs and Trade

I'll add detail as the semester proceeds.

 https://assets.bbhub.io/bna/sites/3/2024/02/2024-State-Policy-State-Policy-Watchlist-Report.pdf

 

For our look at due process - Charges recently filed . . .

What does it means to be charged with a crime? 

Keep this in mind as we walk through civil liberties soon. Due process rights are defined in Amendments 4 - 8 in the U.S. Constitution, and made applicable to the states in the 14th Amendment. The Texas Constitution also contains a list in its Bill or Rights.

From ChatGPT: 

Being charged with a crime means that law enforcement or a legal authority has formally accused someone of committing a criminal act. It’s the start of a legal process where the person accused will have to respond to the charges in court. This involves:

- Formal Allegation: The charge is a formal accusation that the person has violated the law. This is usually outlined in a document like a complaint, indictment, or information, depending on the legal system.

- Legal Process: Once charged, the person will go through legal proceedings, which might include an arraignment, where they enter a plea, and possibly a trial if the case isn’t settled through a plea deal.

- Rights and Defense: The accused has the right to defend themselves against the charge, which includes hiring a lawyer, presenting evidence, and challenging the prosecution's case.

- Consequences: If found guilty, the consequences can range from fines and community service to imprisonment or other penalties, depending on the severity of the crime.

Being charged doesn’t mean the person is guilty; it means there’s a formal allegation that they need to address in a legal context.

In the news: 

- In historic case, father of 14-year-old school shooting suspect charged with murder.

Georgia officials charged the father of the suspected Apalachee High gunman with two counts of second-degree murder Thursday — the most severe charges ever filed against the parent of an alleged school shooter. The arrest came less than 36 hours after two students and a pair of teachers were gunned down with an AR-15-style rifle that, investigators allege, the man allowed his 14-year-old son to possess.


- Steven Hotze charged with more felonies over voter fraud conspiracy assault.

Conservative activist Steven Hotze has been charged with two more felonies in connection to a bizarre confrontation that left an air conditioning repairman facing the barrel of a gun held by a man investigating conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.

The aggravated robbery and engaging organized criminal activity charges double the number of allegations Hotze was already facing over a 2020 incident where a private investigator, Mark Aguirre, is accused of tailing and attacking the repairman, wrongfully believing that he had thousands of fraudulent ballots in his vehicle.

- Nearly 50 people charged in Houston bail bond scheme will all face trial in February.

More than 50 people accused of participating in a conspiracy to bail inmates of the Harris County Jail using fraudulent information will stand trial together in February, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

The defendants, collectively, are charged with using various strategies, including falsifying documents, to obtain bonds for people who had been arrested. At least one person is accused of recruiting strangers to add their names to the fraud documents, which would be wired to a Georgia underwriting company that provided financial security for the bonds.

AABLE Bail Bonds, the company at the center of the case, was raided in June 2022, and ceased operations soon after.

Have you considered being a Peer Support Specialist?

One of your fellow students is now a Peer Support Specialist - she's looking for advancement. I've never heard of the position before. I thought it was worth sharing. Notice that in order to advance she has to pass additional certifications, which are required by the state. This is an example of a public service, which we cover when we look at public policy.

From her answer:  

I am currently in the mental health field. I have Mental Health Peer Support Specialist (MHPS) and Recovery Support Peer Specialist (RSPS)certifications. I am currently a Supervisor at a Mental Health Peer Crisis Respite with The Harris Center for Mental Health & IDD. I would like to obtain my Peer Support Supervisor (PSS) Certification. Some of the things standing in my way of getting my PSS are that I need to complete my Associate’s Degree, and then go through the course work to complete my certification. All of these certifications are state certifications. To keep them active I have to complete a certain number of CEUs every two years, and also complete and pass an FBI background check every two years. To maintain all of my certifications, to continue with my current career and move into higher levels of my career I have to maintain my certifications, and continue to maintain a clear background.

Links related to the profession: 

- Mental Health Peer Support Specialist.

- - Texas Health and Human Services: About Peer Support Services.

- - Mental Health America: How to Become a Peer Support Specialist.

- Recovery Support Peer Specialist.

- - Peer Force: Recovery Support Peer Specialist Certification Step-by-step Guide.

- Mental Health Peer Crisis Respite.

- The Harris Center for Mental Health & IDD.

- Peer Support Supervisor (PSS) Certification.

What is a political influencer?

The case brought against the two alleged foreign agents involves surreptitiously paying for the services of  a small number of political influencers. The purpose seems to be to use these people to promote certain points of view that favor interests outside of the United States that are also against the nation's interests. The people who follow them - the influenced - are more likely to adopt positions favorable to outside interests because they are veiled. 

The source is unknown.

But what is a political influencer?

And what specific influencers seem to have been the targets?

From ChatGPT:

A political influencer is someone who has the ability to shape or sway public opinion and political outcomes through their influence, often leveraging social media, traditional media, or other platforms. They might be involved in various activities, such as:

- Media Presence: Individuals with a strong presence on platforms like Twitter, YouTube, or podcasts who use their reach to promote political messages or viewpoints.

- Thought Leadership: Experts or commentators who provide analysis and opinions on political issues, potentially guiding public debate and policy discussions.

- Activism: People involved in advocacy or grassroots movements who mobilize support for specific causes or political candidates.

- Political Campaigns: Those who play a key role in shaping the strategies and messaging of political campaigns.

Their influence can manifest through shaping narratives, mobilizing voters, or affecting policy discussions.

Who are these influencers?

- Tim Pool.
- Benny Johnson.
- Dave Rubin.
- Lauren Southern.
- Taylor Hansen.
- Matt Christiansen.

The two media companies at the heart of the indictment mentioned below

- Russia Today: 

a Russian state-controlled international news television network funded by the Russian government. It operates pay television and free-to-air channels directed to audiences outside of Russia, as well as providing Internet content in Russian, English, Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Portuguese and Serbian. RT is a brand of TV-Novosti - self-named an "autonomous non-profit organization" (ANO) - founded by the Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti in April 2005.

. . . RT has regularly been described as a major propaganda outlet for the Russian government and its foreign policy. Academics, fact-checkers, and news reporters (including some current and former RT reporters) have identified RT as a purveyor of disinformation and conspiracy theories. UK media regulator Ofcom has repeatedly found RT to have breached its rules on impartiality, including multiple instances in which RT broadcast "materially misleading" content.

- Tenet Media: 

an American right-wing media company founded by Lauren Chen and her husband Liam Donovan in January 2022. Tenet Media features six right-wing influencers, including Matt Christiansen, Tayler Hansen, Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Lauren Southern. It describes itself as a "network of heterodox commentators that focus on western political and cultural issues".

According to an unsealed indictment, the two indicted Russians were employees of the Russian state-controlled media company RT who were charged with failing to register as a foreign agent, and allegedly funneling around $10 million into Tenet in order to "distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging"

. . . The indictment alleges the Tenet founders masked its Russian funding by creating a fictitious persona of a wealthy European sponsor, "Eduard Grigoriann." The charged Russian nationals, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, were involved in day to day operations of Tenet by fall 2023, using false names to conceal they were Russian RT employees.

 

What is the purpose of FARA - The Foreign Agents Registration Act - according to the indictment below?

Let's think about this in terms of free speech and free press.

Do they apply to the covert funding of domestic speech and press activities of foreign entities?

These are the 12th and 13th paragraphs of the indictment.

BACKGROUND ON THE FOREIGN AGENTS REGISTRATION ACT

12. The Foreign Agents Registration Act ("FARA"), 22 U.S.C. § 611 et seq., is a registration and disclosure statute that requires any person acting or agreeing to act in the United States as "an agent of a foreign principal" to register with the Attorney General if he or she is engaging or agreeing to engage, directly or through another person, in certain types of conduct for or in the interest of the foreign principal. Conduct requiring registration under FARA includes, as is relevant here, political activities, acting as a publicity agent or information-service employee, and disbursing money for or in the interests of the foreign principal. FARA registrations are made to the Foreign Agents Registration Act Unit ("FARA Unit") of the Department of Justice's National Security Division. It is a crime to willfully fail to register when required under FARA.

13.The purpose of FARA is to prevent covert influence by foreign principals, which include foreign governments, companies, and persons located outside the United States. Proper registration under FARA allows the U.S. Government and public and private audiences to evaluate the statements and activities of individuals who are serving as agents of foreign principals in light of their status as foreign agents. Among other things, FARA registration reveals the identity of the foreign principal on whose behalf the registrant performs services, the type of services the registrant provides the foreign principal, and the source and amount of compensation the registrant receives from the foreign principal. FARA registration statements are publicly accessible on the website of the FARA Unit. In addition, FARA registrants are required to label informational materials transmitted within the United States with a conspicuous statement disclosing that the materials are distributed by the agent on behalf of the foreign principal.

A DOJ Indictment: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA V. KOSTIANTYN KALASHNIKOV, a/k/a "Kostya," and ELENA AF ANASYEV A, a/k/a "Lena,"

Let's use some current news to cover class material. 

- Click here for the indictment.

- What is an indictment?

The 5th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury."

It provided an opportunity for citizens to check the power of prosecutors. They have to be convinced that there is a reason for a case to go to court.

A grand jury in DC thinks there is enough evidence for two people to go to court to face charges that they violated The Foreign Agents Registration Act.

- Click here for that law. 
- - Wikipedia.
- - 22 U.S. Code Subchapter II - REGISTRATION OF FOREIGN PROPAGANDISTS.

Now it heads to the judiciary. It will be assigned to a trial judge and the case will be heard in that court room. 

More on that when it happens.

Next up: info on the charges and the groups charged.

 

 https://weeklyworldnews.com/headlines/185035/breaking-news-new-jersey-couple-ties-the-knot-during-a-zombie-apocalypse/

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) - Knife Fight Scene (1/5) | Mo...

The Duck Song

You Won't Believe How the CIA Is Helping Ukraine Win the War

 

 https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/ken-paxton-voter-registration-mailers-19739396.php

 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/03/briefing/tax-election-harris-trump.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&ngrp=mxp&pvid=31F623D9-AA60-4BF4-A688-F5DFAA34DEB4

Technocracy

A post below - this one actually -refers to a person they call a technocrat.

What is that? 

- a proponent, adherent, or supporter of technocracy.

- a technological expert, especially one concerned with management or administration.

What is a Technocracy?

- Wikipedia.

- Investopedia.

- Britannica.

Just one of the many ___oracies that exist

For the first assignment: Texas Occupations Code

I did a google search with "Texas Occupation Code news" in order to see what's up with regulations regarding qualifications to practice certain occupations. These might have an impact on you and your plans. 

Who knows? 

- Baytown veteran, state at odds over funeral director requirements.

- Real estate broker’s license on probation after commission finds proof of state code violations.

- Affidavit: Shaker, county employees knew former deputy medical examiner was not licensed.

- Health Care Practitioner Human Trafficking Training.

- Texas court deems 8-liner games unconstitutional by nature.

__________

- Texas Statutes: Texas Occupations Code.

- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: 2018 Standard Occupational Classification System.

For 

Search for occupations. 

Showing posts sorted by relevance for query occupations.

Information about the 2024 Election

For nuts and bolts stuff, not the fluff.

FYI: The information below is about the conduction of the elections. This is not to be confused with the campaigns run by each of the candidates.

That's a different thing.

We will cover that separately.

Here is the relevant law:  

- U.S. Election Code.

- Texas Election Code.

Here are the agencies that enforce that law statewide and locally: 

From the Texas Secretary of State: 

- Welcome to Texas Elections.

From the Brazoria County Clerk: 

- Elections and Voter Registration.

How party identification influences opinion formation

Study the chart below. It shows facts associated with crime - murder rates in large cities - and data showing how people perceive those cities: Are they safe? 

Note the two furthest to the right - people who identify as Democrats and Republicans don't seem to be seeing the same thing. 

Why?

Fall 2024 - GOVT 2305 - Week One Recap

A summary of last week's activities


Definitions

What is Government? 

. . . the body, entity, invested with the power to manage a political unit, organization or more often, a state.

What is Politics?

. . . the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of status or resources.

What types of governments exist? 

- Distribution of power
- - one (autocracy)
- - few (oligarchy)
- - many (democracy)

- Extent of governmental power
- - limited (constitutional)
- - authoritarian
- - totalitarian

Aristotle: 

- Pure
- Corrupt

What is Political Culture?

- "Political culture is the set of attitudes, beliefs, and sentiments, which give order and meaning to a political process and which provide the underlying assumptions and rules that govern behavior in the political system".

- - traditionalistic
- - individualistic
- - moralistic

For week 2:

What is a Constitution?

1. : the basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or social group that determine the powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people in it.

2. : a written instrument containing the fundamental rules of a political or social organization.

News - 9/1/24

For you reading list:

Group of Texas Democrats asks DOJ to investigate Texas over possible voter rights violations.
- vote suppression
- Texas House Caucuses
- federal voting rights
- Texas Election Code

State Rep. Shawn Thierry switches to GOP, says Democratic Party has “lost its way”
- primary elections
- safe districts
- ambition

Judge allows parental consent for Texas kids’ social media accounts, but blocks content moderation
requirement.
- social media
- free speech
- content moderation
- rights of children
- parental consent

Paxton takes Dallas to court over gun ban at State Fair.
- gun rights
- Texas Attorney General
- civil law
- litigation
- state / local conflict

From the Washington Post: The quiet technocrat who steered Biden’s effort to tighten the border

We touch on power in this class and try to figure out where it is located. 

One possibility is that it is embedded within the decisions made by the members of the bureaucracy - that part of the executive branch that actually makes the law.

Relevant Terms: 
 - technocracy.

- Click here for the article.

The lead architect of President Joe Biden’s border strategy is not Vice President Kamala Harris, despite persistent Republican claims to the contrary. That role belongs to a bookish, little-known policy adviser named Blas Nuñez-Neto.

A data-driven technocrat, Nuñez-Neto has helped engineer Biden’s pivot toward tougher border enforcement and sweeping restrictions on asylum — moves that contributed to a nearly 80 percent drop in illegal crossings since December.

The transformation is shoring up one of Democrats’ biggest vulnerabilities ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election and potentially defusing a top-polling issue for Republican nominee Donald Trump. After three years of record crossings, the U.S.-Mexico border is quieter and more controlled today than at any point since late 2020, before Trump left office.

Nuñez-Neto pulled that off by steering the administration back to a border policy framework Democrats used to embrace more easily, according to current and former administration officials. The formula: Be generous and welcoming to immigrants seeking to come lawfully, but stingy and firm with those who don’t.

The White House declined to make Nuñez-Neto available for an interview. Biden officials said the administration’s border policy moves have been shaped by senior White House officials and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, whom Nuñez-Neto worked for before being promoted to the White House in June.

In a statement, White House spokesperson Angelo Fernández Hernández said Biden “believes it is a false choice to say we have to walk away from being an America that embraces immigration in order to secure our border.”

Seen on the wall at my local veterinarian office: Licenses

Seen after I picked up my cat after having him neutered (sorry bud).

- I took him(?) here.

You have to earn one of these from the state of Texas in order to ply your trade.

For more info: 

- Website: Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.

- Meet the members of the board.

- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

For our look at the political differences between the two major parties:

There are many ways to measure it. This is just one of them.

 https://youtu.be/LxiHj-ETMq4?si=93ko_qkCs-ehyoNA

Items for 8/29/24

- Congress.gov.

- Telegram’s Pavel Durov built a haven for free speech — and child predators.

- How California Became a New Center of Political Corruption.

- FAA grounds SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket after Wednesday booster landing ends in flames.

From The Washington Post: She was accused of a crime for taking a ballot selfie. Now she’s suing.

For out look at the Bill of Rights and Free Speech and Press.

- Click here for the story.

Like many North Carolina residents, Susan Hogarth visited her local school in March to vote in the primary election.

After filling in the ovals next to the names of two Libertarian Party candidates, Hogarth held the ballot under her chin and took a photo of herself with her phone. She posted the selfie from the voting booth on X.

The next week, Hogarth received a letter from the North Carolina State Board of Elections that accused her of committing a misdemeanor, according to a new lawsuit.

North Carolina is one of several states that prohibit taking photos or videos of filled-in ballots. The state’s board of elections said ballot photos “could be used as proof of a vote for a candidate in a vote-buying scheme.”

The state board asked Hogarth to remove her selfie from X, according to a copy of a letter shared by Hogarth’s attorneys. Hogarth refused, and on Thursday she filed a lawsuit arguing that the state’s ban on ballot photos violates voters’ First Amendment rights.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, named members of North Carolina’s and Wake County’s boards of elections as defendants. Spokespeople for both boards declined to comment.

Hogarth voted on March 5 at Yates Mill Elementary School in Raleigh, where she entered a booth that was sectioned off on a table by a privacy screen. She filled in her votes for Libertarian Party presidential candidate Chase Oliver and Libertarian Mike Ross for the state’s governor.

Her selfie showed her ballot and a sign in the background that said photos were prohibited. She posted the selfie after leaving the polling place that morning, writing that she disagreed with the ban.

. . . Hogarth found that she wasn’t the only person to disagree with the regulations. Many states restrict what ballot photos are allowed and where they can be taken — an issue that came into the national spotlight in 2016 when singer Justin Timberlake removed a selfie of his Tennessee ballot from Instagram.

New Hampshire passed a law prohibiting ballot selfies in 2014, but two courts struck down the ban after calling it unconstitutional. California and Colorado began allowing ballot selfies in 2017 after reversing long-standing laws.

A federal judge in New York, meanwhile, refused to authorize ballot selfies in 2017, saying the absence of photos in polling places protects against fraud and prevents delays at the polls. Texas prohibits photographs within 100 feet of a polling station.

The U.S. Constitution: Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8

We had a brief talk in class about this section in the U.S. Constitution because one student expressed an interest in becoming a patent lawyer (I think that was the goal). 

The U.S. Constitution contains a clause concerning intellectual property rights. 

Here it is: 

Clause 8 Intellectual Property

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.

Here are a few readings related to that right: 

- ArtI.S8.C8.1 Overview of Congress's Power Over Intellectual Property

- ArtI.S8.C8.2 Historical Background

- ArtI.S8.C8.2.1 English Origins of Intellectual Property Law

- ArtI.S8.C8.2.2 Framing and Ratification of Intellectual Property Clause

- ArtI.S8.C8.3 Copyrights

- ArtI.S8.C8.3.1 Authorship, Writings, and Originality

- ArtI.S8.C8.3.2 Limited Times for Copyrights and the Progress of Science

- ArtI.S8.C8.3.3 Copyright and the First AmendmentArtI.S8.C8.4 Patents

- ArtI.S8.C8.4.1 Inventorship and Utility

- ArtI.S8.C8.4.2 Patent-Eligible Subject Matter

- ArtI.S8.C8.4.3 Constitutional Constraints on Congress's Power Over Granted Patents

- ArtI.S8.C8.5 Federal Power Over Trademarks

- ArtI.S8.C8.6 State Regulation of Intellectual Property

From NPR: Australia is the latest country to give workers the 'right to disconnect' after hours

We will discuss the unenumerated rights.

Might this be one? 

Would this be recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court?

- Click here for the article.


Millions of Australians just got official permission to ignore their bosses outside of working hours, thanks to a new law enshrining their "right to disconnect."

The law doesn't strictly prohibit employers from calling or messaging their workers after hours. But it does protect employees who "refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact or attempted contact outside their working hours, unless their refusal is unreasonable," according to the Fair Work Commission, Australia's workplace relations tribunal.

That includes outreach from their employer, as well as other people "if the contact or attempted contact is work-related."

The law, which passed in February, took effect on Monday for most workers and will apply to small businesses of fewer than 15 people starting in August 2025. It adds Australia to a growing list of countries aiming to protect workers' free time.

"It's really about trying to bring back some work-life balance and make sure that people aren't racking up hours of unpaid overtime for checking emails and responding to things at a time when they're not being paid," said Sen. Murray Watt, Australia's minister for employment and workplace relations.

The law doesn't give employees a complete pass, however.

The law says a person's refusal to respond will be considered unreasonable under certain conditions, taking into account the seniority of the employee, their personal circumstances (including caregiving responsibilities), the reason for the contact, and how much disruption it causes them.

For more: 

- Right to disconnect.

- Human Rights.

From NPR: RFK is unable to withdraw his name from ballots in some swing states

An independent presidential candidate has withdrawn from the race, but the ballots in some states have been set and can no longer be changed.

- Click here for the article.

After spending several months and millions of dollars overcoming onerous requirements to try to get on the ballot in all 50 states, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now facing new barriers to get off the ballot in some states.

Last Friday, Kennedy announced he was effectively ending his independent presidential campaign, encouraging his supporters to vote for him in noncompetitive states, but to support Republican Donald Trump in others.

“In about 10 battleground states where my presence would be a spoiler, I'm going to remove my name, and I've already started that process and urge voters not to vote for me,” Kennedy said.

But an NPR review finds it may not be possible for Kennedy to remove his name from ballots in the three of seven key swing states: Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

“Every state has different procedures and deadlines with regard to ballot access and withdrawal, but the later a withdrawal happens, the harder it is for a state to remove a name from a ballot,” said David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research. “Some states have deadlines that have passed, and many states have already begun the process of printing ballots.”

Before his announcement, Kennedy's campaign said it had gathered enough signatures to appear on 47 ballots and officially gained access in 22 states.

From the New York Tines: Special Counsel Revises Trump Election Indictment to Address Immunity Ruling

This article illustrates a current conflict between the executive branch and the judicial branch.

- Click here for it.

Let's define a few terms in the title first: 

- Special Counsel.
- Indictment.
- Immunity.
- Trump Election Indictment.
- Immunity Ruling.   

From the article: 


Federal prosecutors on Tuesday issued a pared-down version of an indictment accusing former President Donald J. Trump of plotting to overturn the 2020 election, stripping out some charges and tweaking others to help the case survive the Supreme Court’s recent ruling granting former presidents broad immunity.

The revised indictment, issued in Federal District Court in Washington, represented an attempt by prosecutors in the office of the special counsel, Jack Smith, to preserve the bulk of their case against the former president while bringing the allegations into line with the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling that former presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for many official acts taken while in office.

It kept the basic structure of the first indictment, issued nearly 13 months ago, which accused Mr. Trump of intersecting plots to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The thrust of the changes was to remove any discussion from the indictment of any allegations that might be construed as related to Mr. Trump’s official acts as president while also contending that others acts should be interpreted as the conduct of a private candidate for office.

The tone of the new charges was apparent from the first paragraph of Mr. Smith’s filing, which described Mr. Trump as “a candidate for president of the United States in 2020.” The original indictment had referred to him as “the 45th President of the United States and a candidate for re-election in 2020.”

From the Washington Post: Cellphone bans spread in schools amid growing mental health worries

A lot of public state level policies start small, and then spread quickly. 

This just might be the latest. 

Notice that this is framed as a mental health issue. This is meant to make these proposals seem more urgent.

- Click here for the story.

Students returning to school in a growing number of states and districts are facing tight restrictions and outright bans on cellphone use as evidence mounts of the damaging impact persistent connection to the internet has on teenagers.

In Los Angeles, the second-largest district in the country, the school board voted in June to ban cellphone use. In Clark County, Nev., the district will require students in middle and high schools to store phones in pouches during the day, starting this fall. Several states — including Indiana, Louisiana, South Carolina and Florida — have enacted legislation limiting cellphone access during the school year. And governors in at least three other states, including Virginia, have called on schools to restrict or ban the devices. Other states have provided funding to support restrictive policies.

Of the nation’s 20 largest school districts, at least seven forbid use of cellphones during the school day or plan to do so, while at least another seven impose significant restrictions, such as barring use during class time but permitting phones during lunch or when students are between classes, according to a Washington Post review.

From the Houston Chronicle: Fort Bend ISD approves library book policy criticized as 'most restrictive' in Texas

Pearland and Turner High Schools are both in the Pearland Independent School District. I'm not sure what its policy is, might be worth a look.

Some of the language below is drawn from Supreme Court cases regarding the legality of obscenity. 


- Click here for the article.

The Fort Bend ISD board voted to approve a library book policy on Monday that critics have called the “most restrictive in the state of Texas.”

The board voted 5-2 to approve the policy that allows the superintendent to have sole authority to remove content from library shelves, meaning that the mandated library materials review committee will be optional going forward.

Critics, who turned out to oppose the vote, said this library policy could result in hundreds of books being taken off Fort Bend ISD library shelves.

. . . Most trustees said the policy was not meant to ban books but to remove explicit content from library shelves.

. . . the policy edited to address some of the community’s concerns, such as banning books that “stimulate sexual desire” among minors, a vague statement without directions as to how that would be decided.

The updated policy mandates that content must not “promote sexual activity among minors or contain graphic images or explicit descriptions of sex acts or simulations of such acts,” and does not describe what “simulations of sex acts” means.

The policy also stipulates that library books “foster growth in … aesthetic values and societal standards,” two terms that are not defined.

It also mandates that content not promote “unlawful” activity, such as illegal use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs by minors. The original policy proposed that content in elementary schools must not depict or describe nudity in a way that “appeals to prurient interest,” but it was amended to remove that sentence and then add a new sentence that read instead that no depictions of sexual activity promoted the touching of genitals among minors.

Prurient, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is defined as “arousing, or appealing to sexual desire.”

The policy was edited to add the term “or superintendent’s designee” in some areas to allow the superintendent to delegate the library materials tasks to someone else, which trustee David Hamilton said came in response to community feedback. Still, the policy as written does leave the authority with the superintendent to either make decisions himself or to choose whom to delegate those decisions to.

https://www.theleadernews.com/community/greater-heights-super-neighborhood-council-discusses-trees-boutique-hotel/article_afe0b0c0-63e5-11ef-9c0a-6bdbbdff37d7.html?

 https://www.axios.com/2024/08/23/kamala-harris-unrealized-capital-gains-tax

Comments?

 https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6889&context=faculty_scholarship

 

In the News - 8/25/24

Worth perusing: 


- Head of Latino Democratic group among those targeted by AG Ken Paxton's voter fraud raids.

Longtime Bexar County political consultant Manuel Medina was among a group of Latino Democrats whose homes were raided Tuesday as part of a voter fraud investigation by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.


- Dozens of Sugar Land residents ask city leaders how proposed power plant would benefit them.

Sugar Land residents lined up last week demand more information from their mayor and other leaders on the city's plans to construct a natural gas power plant. Dozens of people who appeared at the New Territory Homeowners Association Wednesday raised concerns about the proposed plant's proximity to residential areas and its potential health impacts. Many of those in attendance said the decision to build a power plant should have been subject to a vote, giving them the opportunity to weigh in.


- Judge Blocks E.P.A. From Using Civil Rights Law in Pollution Case.

A federal court in Louisiana has dealt a serious blow to the Biden administration’s effort to protect communities heavily affected by toxic industrial pollution.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana ruled on Wednesday that the Environmental Protection Agency is barred from using the federal civil rights law to prevent Louisiana from granting permits for numerous polluting facilities in minority and low-income communities.

Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act allows the E.P.A. to investigate whether state programs that receive federal money are discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin.

But the judge’s ruling effectively means that the federal government is limited to taking action against specific agency decisions that are intentionally discriminatory. The E.P.A. cannot, however, consider cumulative or “disparate” environmental harms. That means the state cannot be held liable for actions like allowing several chemical plants, refineries and other industrial operations in minority communities.

Fall 2024: For GOVT 2305 - Are the Major Parties Realigning?

As you are probably aware, the United States has a two party system. Since the 1850s the two major parties have been the Democrats and the Republicans. Later in the semester we will discuss the factors that have led to - and maintain - a two party system.

Each is a coalition composed of various factions, which are groups that are driven by single issues, or a small amount of related issues. They can include labor, racial groups, business people, religious organizations, and many more. 

Scholars have noted that these factions sometimes shifts alliances. For a while one might align - for example - with the Democrats and then shift over to the Republicans. Shifts in the competitiveness of the two parties are generally the result of these shifts. When they occur significantly they can lead to a partisan realignment. 

Scholars tell us that there have been 6 such realignments over American history, they have also been on the lookout for a seventh. Indications exist that we have been witnessing such a shift since 2016. 

I want you to determine whether that is true, and whether the results of the 2024 elections are further evidence that this is happening. I'll need data to back up your argument.

Aside from reading the chapters on parties and elections early, you should get familiar with the following: 

- winner take all elections
- party coalitions
- party eras
- critical elections

That's just a start. I'll add more. 

Nuts and Bolts: 

- The 1000 word requirement is a minimum, not a maximum. You may write as much as you wish.
- Please use at least three references.
- You may use whatever format you wish.
- I don't use rubrics, so you are free to approach this as you wish, nut be professional.
- If you want an A, be excellent.     

Fall 2024: For GOVT 2306 - Is Texas Becoming a Swing State?

Since the 1990s Texas has been a reliably Republican state. While this isn't the case for local elections in the major metropolitan areas, it is very true for state-wide elections. No Democrat has won a statewide race since 1994. 

Demographic changes have made Texas more competitive however, at least on paper. Democrats have been hoping to take advantage of these shifts in order to turn Texas from being a red (Republican dominated) state to a purple state (where Republicans and Democrats are equally competitive), if not a blue state (where Democrats dominate).

However, other factors make this more difficult. Chief among them is the fact that Republican participation rates are higher than those of Democrats.

The Democrat's new presidential candidate is polling well in the state, which had led some to wonder if Texas will become a swing state - like Arizona among others. While we wont know until the 2024 election is over, we can look at data in order to see whether this is a possibility.

That's what I want you do find out in this exercise.

You might want to take an early look at some of the material in your textbook on parties and election in order to get a handle on the question. 

In addition, try to become more familiar with the following: 

- party identification
- voter turnout
- voter mobilization
- political culture

I'll add more a we proceed, but get going on this early.

The basics:

- The 1000 word requirement is a minimum, not a maximum. You may write as much as you wish.
- Please use at least three references.
- You may use whatever format you wish.
- I don't use rubrics, so you are free to approach this as you wish, nut be professional.
- If you want an A, be excellent.   

For our ongoing look at the judiciary, a few topical court cases

- Federal judge strikes down FTC rule banning noncompete agreements.

A federal judge in Texas on Tuesday struck down the Federal Trade Commission’s ban on noncompete agreements, finding that the agency exceeded its authority with a rule that would have voided contracts that bar workers from moving to rival employers.

In a 27-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown found that the FTC lacked the statutory authority to issue the rule, which would have taken effect Sept. 4. In reaching her decision, Brown wrote that the “FTC’s promulgation of the Rule is an unlawful agency action.”

- NFL scores huge victory in 'Sunday Ticket' case after judge overturns $4.7 billion verdict against league.

The NFL scored a huge victory in court on Thursday when U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez decided to overturn the $4.7 billion verdict against the league that was handed out back in June.

During a hearing on Wednesday in Los Angeles, the league asked the court to throw out the verdict, and after thinking things over for 24 hours, Gutierrez granted the league's wishes.

In his judgement that came out on Thursday, Gutierrez said that two expert witnesses who talked about the financial ramifications of 'Sunday Ticket' used "flawed methodologies."

"The court agrees that Dr. Rascher's and Dr. Zona's testimonies based on their flawed methodologies should be excluded," Gutierrez wrote. "And because there was no other support for the class-wide injury and damages elements of the plaintiffs' claims, judgement as a matter of law for the defendants is appropriate."

- Former staffer of Congressman Troy Nehls sues office, alleging homophobic work environment.

A gay former staffer of Houston area U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls has sued the congressman's office, alleging a homophobic workplace.

Alex Chadwell worked at Republican congressman's office from 2021-2023 as a legislative correspondent and field representative. Chadwell also worked on Nehls’ campaign in 2019, according to the lawsuit.

While Chadwell worked at the office, he alleges that he was subjected to offensive comments about being gay and gay people in general from Nehls, his chief of staff and special adviser, according to the lawsuit, which was filed on Friday. Chadwell said he was told that the office would never support LGBTQ+ issues and that gay people shouldn’t be let into the military. Those colleagues also made offensive remarks, such as “Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve,” and that gay people would all go to hell, according to the lawsuit.

- Supreme Court’s ‘shadow docket’ returns with a vengeance.

In coming days, the high court is expected to tackle short-fuse challenges to President Joe Biden’s latest effort to reduce student debt and to cut planet-warming pollution by limiting power plant emissions. And the court must decide whether Arizona, a presidential battleground, may require thousands of people to prove their US citizenship before voting this year. Also pending is a fight over Biden’s requirement that family planning clinics that receive federal public health funding provide referrals for abortions for patients who request it.

The court’s emergency docket – the “shadow docket,” to critics – is where the justices deal with questions that need resolution faster than the months it can take to submit briefs, hear oral arguments and draft formal opinions on its regular docket. The cases usually deal with the narrow question of what will happen as that underlying legal process plays out. But the orders can have significant and immediate real-world consequences.

For our look at judicial conflict between the governments of the states and the United States

- Interactive: Texas vs. the Federal Government.

- Multistate lawsuits against the federal government during the Biden administration.

- ArtIII.S2.C1.13.4 Suits Against the United States and Sovereign Immunity.

- STATE LITIGATION AND AG ACTIVITY DATABASE.

- When Can a State Sue the United States?