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HEB, the popular Texas grocery retailer, sponsored a drag show aimed at children:

Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok

Sponsors for this event include @Google, @TitosVodka, @PNCBank, and @HEB.

HEB wasn’t the only corporate sponsor of the event. That being said, people expect this behavior from Google and Alcohol companies. They don’t expect it from HEB.

This speaks to a double game the company has played for a long time.

Despite the family-friendly image, HEB has long played footsie with the more left-leaning elements of Texas. Company CEO Charles Butt has been, for at least a decade, the primary donor to the deceptively named “Texas Parent PAC.” Parent PAC (which should be called Superintendent PAC) advocates for pouring more money into the public ed status quo.

In practice, this means backing RINOs in primaries and Democrats in general elections.

Still, it’s far from promoting some vague notion of “more money for public schools” and kiddie drag shows. If you have any doubt, watch the video linked above. It’s worth a minute of your time.

That’s…not a good look for any corporate entity, but it’s awful for a company that claims to be family-friendly.

During the recent contretemps over Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill, Disney suffered massive reputational damage when it (inexplicably) came out in favor of teaching weirdo gender ideology to kindergarteners. HEB seems appears to be following Disney’s lead.

The difference, of course, is their size. Disney is a global behemoth. HEB, for as much as they inspire cult-like devotion, is just a regional retailer

This is an awfully controversial stand for the latter to take.

PROPERTY TAXES, and their outright elimination, are likely to rise as a priority as the state announces a record-setting budget surplus.

As much as one can (correctly) deride the energy and foreign policies that led to them, sky-high energy prices have produced a windfall for the Texas state government.

While Abbott has given lip service to the tax cut idea, his ability to deliver remains suspect until proven otherwise.

Admittedly, the nature of municipal finance will make some forms of property taxes harder to eliminate than others. So-called bond covenants are real things.

But there’s no reason, except lack of political will, why Texas can’t take a significant step in that direction.

KEN PAXTON has sued the Biden Administration to pre-empt an end run around the state’s abortion prohibition.

Biden’s proposed rule would redefine “miscarriage” into meaninglessness, thus creating a de-facto abortion loophole.

But that’s not the main reason to highlight the story.

19thnews @19thnews

On Monday, the Biden administration clarified that abortion can be considered a stabilizing treatment for pregnant people experiencing medical emergencies. Now, the Texas AG has filed suit challenging the regulation.

bit.lyBiden administration clarifies that pregnant people can receive abortions for emergency careA letter from the Department of Health and Human Services explicitly states that the procedure can be used to stabilize a patient during a medical emergency under EMTALA rules.

Pregnant “people.”

Hit the Links

Libs mad as Biden over Dobbs decision

Woke white women repel working-class Hispanics

Austin ISD to offer voters Sophie’s Choice

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FRI brief 7.15.22