Newsom Signs Gun Bill Based on Texas’ Abortion Vigilante Law

Politico: “California has issued the U.S. Supreme Court a direct challenge at the confluence of gun and abortion rights as Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a firearms bill embracing the doctrine of private enforcement.

“The new law allows Californians to sue manufacturers and citizens who distribute banned assault weapons or ghost guns. Newsom explicitly modeled the concept on a Texas law, preserved by the high court, that allows people to pursue legal claims against abortion providers.

“By calling for and then signing the bill, Newsom has set up a legal test while illuminating the gulf between liberal California and a conservative Supreme Court on politically charged issues.”

Texas Can’t Let Go of ‘Negro’

Topozone

NPR has dug up a story that contains these elements: ingrained Texas racism, racially pejorative names assigned to geographical features, a weird twist in federal beaurocracy and a clear lack of desire to rectify an ongoing racist practice.

In 1991 when then-Gov. Ann Richards signed a bill authorizing changing the names of 19 sites across Texas that were considered racially insulting to Blacks, everyone thought that was the end of it. They even submitted substitute names that celebrated African Americans who had made significant contributions to the state.

But in the 30 years since, only one of the 19 cliffs, rivers, creeks and valleys with the word “negro” in its name was changed. The other geographical features were not renamed due to local resistance and the limits of federal jurisdiction.

[…]

‘Somone Else’ Would Beat Trump in Texas

45%

A new University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll finds a slight majority of Texas voters would choose someone other than Donald Trump in a presidential race held right now. “While 45% said they would ‘definitely vote for someone else,’ 39% said they would ‘definitely vote to re-elect Donald Trump.’ But the president got 10% who said they would ‘probably vote to re-elect Donald Trump,’ and only 6% said they would ‘probably vote for someone else.’ … If you count the leaners on both sides, that would be a virtual tie between Trump and an unnamed opponent.”

Fox News: Trump May Take Current Disaster Funds from Florida, Texas to Build Wall

Event canceled due to emergency in Trump’s base
It wasn’t surprising to hear that Trump was targeting disaster relief funds earmarked for victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the wildfires in California. After all, Hillary Clinton won handily in both those places in 2016 and punishing them by taking away desperately needed funding is exactly the kind of mean-spirited, cold-hearted retribution we’ve come to expect from Trump.

But now even Fox News is reporting that Trump will also strip disaster recovery funds from two big states he won: Florida and Texas.

[…]