Daily Dispatch 3/3/25: Rural Texans Push Back On Private School Voucher Scam, and More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:Surprised at a tsunami of boos and jeers, Republican State Reps Cody Harris and Brad Buckley fled the stage of a town hall they tried to hold in Palestine: https://www.kltv.com/2025/03/01/school-voucher-town-hall-palestine-ends-with-state-representatives-booed-off-stage/...Meanwhile the small-town Plainview ISD is speaking up against vouchers in their declaration of legislative priorities to the Texas Association of School Boards: https://www.myplainview.com/news/education/article/plainview-isd-voices-dissent-school-voucher-20175376.phpThe West Texas measles outbreak has reached 146 cases: https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/02/health/measles-rfk-vaccines/index.html...A case that has popped up in Austin appears unconnected, but even liberal Austin has an insufficient vaccine rate among its kindergarteners: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/health/austin-measles-case-texas-outbreak/269-8f5103b2-4718-4b35-afee-358594df7649...In comparison though, several parochial schools across the state have far, far lower vaccination rates, as low as 15%: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2025/03/03/map-these-texas-schools-have-low-measles-vaccination-rates/...Not only RFK Jr, but other federal health entities have so far demonstrated anemic responses to the outbreak: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/health/measles-vaccination-texas-kennedy.html...Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is trying to change the subject with a silly argument to rename New York strip steaks after Texas: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/texas-new-york-strip-steak-dan-patrickElon Musk's targeting of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is bad news for Texas, and the Y'all-itics podcast has taken a deep dive on why: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/yall-itics/consumer-financial-protection-bureau-elon-musk-texas/287-74d2c5cf-ad59-4b22-a57a-f0638404c545...Meanwhile, as tempting as it might be, it's not Texas friendly to vandalize your neighbor's Tesla: https://www.chron.com/culture/article/tesla-buyers-remorse-vandalism-cheese-20189380.phpThis year's Amplify Austin Day is this week, starting Wednesday March 5 and continuing through Thursday March 6! A small donation goes a long way towards keeping this podcast coming every morning, and we'd appreciate the support: https://www.amplifyatx.org/organizations/progress-texas-instituteThe merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bsky.app/profile/progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.