Daily Dispatch 8/21/24: Abortion Fight Front And Center For Texans At DNC, and More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Abortion rights and reproductive freedom are a central theme for Texans in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention: ⁠https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/08/20/dnc-live-updates-coverage/abortion-front-and-center-texas-delegation-00175254⁠ ...Key issue figures including Kate Cox and Amanda Zurawski have been prominently featured: ⁠https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/20/cox-zurawski-texas-abortion-laws-dnc/⁠ ...Other issues with major implications in Texas are highlighted as well, including immigration: ⁠https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/democratic-party-platform-texas-issues/3625922/⁠ ...Activist and platform committee member Olivia Julianna has a marquee speaking slot Wednesday night: ⁠https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/dnc-gen-z-activist-olivia-juliana-share-life-19667069.php⁠ ...Catch our inside look at the first two days of the DNC from Advocacy Manager Reagan Stone and Progress Texas board member Jason Smith: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/special-mini-sode-an-update-from-the-democratic/id1552998795?i=1000666058984⁠ Meanwhile back in Texas - it's ridiculously hot and we set a new all-time power demand record yesterday: ⁠https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/texas-power-demand-breaks-record-during-heat-wave-grid-operator-says/ar-AA1p94JP⁠ ...ERCOT's CEO says the main reason we're keeping up with power demand is the growth of renewable energy in Texas: ⁠https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas-power-grid-holding-record-demand-thanks-to-renewables-and-battery-storage/269-278934aa-e7a8-4af1-bc6c-a319ec604139⁠ A Texas-based, Trump-appointed federal judge has blocked a new FTC ban on non-compete agreements: ⁠https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/20/business/economy/noncompete-ban-ftc-texas.html⁠ Progress Texas will set up our official HQ during TribFests' Open Congress on Saturday Septmeber 7 at Hideout Coffee at 7th and Congress! We'll be live all day recording for the podcast, hanging out with progressive activists including YOU, and moving our stylish merch. Come see us - it's free! ⁠https://festival.texastribune.org/event/651560b0-5404-4ea0-b75e-8725c648826d/websitePage:64071bfd-7c25-49f7-a1ca-90f3fa6ff376⁠ See Progress Texas' analysis of Project 2025, and what it will mean for Texas should it be enacted: ⁠https://progresstexas.org/blog/project-2025-vs-progress-2025⁠ ...And a complete guide to Project 2025 from Media Matters: ⁠https://www.mediamatters.org/heritage-foundation/guide-project-2025-extreme-right-wing-agenda-next-republican-administration⁠ The deadline to register for the November election is October 7. Are you registered? Are you sure? ALL Texas voters should confirm their registration, right now: ⁠https://govotetexas.org/⁠ ...Please pitch in to help fund our recent expansion of that important voting resource with Hindi, Mandarin Chinese and Vietnamese translation: ⁠https://progresstexas.org/blog/coming-soon-govotetexasorg-adds-commonly-spoken-languages-increase-ballot-access⁠ Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠.