Every Friday morning, I join the Cardle & Woolley Show on 1370 Talk Radio in Austin to announce the week’s Winners & Losers. A year ago this week, former President Joe Biden announced that he was dropping out of the race for president. It’s only been a year, but we are now on day 188 of Donald Trump’s second term and virtually everything has changed. Here’s who made the list this week:
WINNER: Trump Keeps on Winning
It is not surprising that Trump’s approval rating remains solid in the latest WSJ poll because, even when he does thing folks don’t like, like some of the tariff action, he does so much that people absolutely love. Just this week, he pulled the United States out of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), a notoriously woke organization currently pushing a pro-Palestine agenda. Former President Ronald Reagan pulled out of UNESCO too, just to make it clear that the U.S. does not see the world the same way they do.
The president also issued an Executive Order this week that will allow officials to hospitalize homeless people who are mentally ill—which, unfortunately, is a large percentage of them. The president’s action is being portrayed by left-wing media as “forced hospitalization,” forgetting that most of the homeless people on the streets got there because of forced de-institutionalization decades ago, leaving them without treatment or any options other than to try to survive on the streets. Ending homelessness is a tall order, but Trump is right that it is time to start reversing the bad policies that continue to fuel the problem. It is the compassionate thing to do.
Trump issued another important Executive Order this week that will that stop the big power conferences from turning college football into the NFL. Trump’s Save College Sports order will protect athletes in non-revenue producing sports, including Title IX programs for women.
WINNER: Senate Bill 7 – the Return of the Women’s Privacy Act
Without being indecorous, allow me to say to my fellow women that every time you are forced to use a filthy restroom where men have dribbled all over the floor, you can thank the Texas media. Back in 2017, Sen. Lois Kolkhorst B-Brenham and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick fought to pass the Women’s Privacy Act, what the media called the “bathroom bill,” which would have prohibited men from entering spaces reserved to protect women’s privacy, like restrooms, locker rooms and showers.
Naturally, Democrats opposed this common-sense law, but it was the Texas media that made defeating the legislation their top priority. They brutally disparaged Kolkhorst, Patrick and anyone who suggested that women’s restrooms should be separate from men’s. Every editorial board in the state railed against the Privacy Act, insisting it was, somehow, a gay rights issue to allow men in women’s bathrooms.
The bill failed in the Texas House and as a result, the state is now proliferated with gender-neutral restrooms that are dirty and unsafe. Gov. Greg Abbott added women’s privacy to the Special Session agenda and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick made it a top priority—Senate Bill 7. Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, will carry the bill in the Senate and Valoree Swanson, R-Houston, is sponsoring HB 23 in the House.
Fortunately, the era of TransTyranny is coming to a close. Among the other winners this week are the 27 attorneys general nationwide who have demanded that the NCAA return the trophies to women who lost them over the past several years to men who infiltrated women’s sports. Meanwhile, a loser is artist Amy Sherald who cancelled her upcoming exhibit at the Smithsonian this week because there were questions about her painting of a trans Statue of Liberty which she says “reflects the full, complex truth of American life.”
The “full complex truth of American life” is that there are only two genders … and nobody likes a dirty public restroom.
LOSER: Pete Hegseth on Women
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth frequently states that women do not belong in combat—a principle that makes sense most of the time to most people. However, a news report this week revealing that one of the pilots flying the B-2 that bombed Iran was a woman, makes it clear that the Defense Secretary needs to clearly define his terms.
There is broad support for ending DEI programs in the military. Promotions and job selection should never be based on race and gender. But that doesn’t mean women can’t fly combat missions. What it means is that the selection of every warrior for every job in the military must be based on merit, not some kind of identity marker. We want the best qualified people in every combat role. That may eliminate most women for some types of combat (based on whatever merits standard is defined for the job). But Hegseth shouldn’t be stupid. No one wants to shut out some hot-shot fighter pilot just because she’s a girl.
LOSER: Harris County Property Tax Payers
A report in the Houston Chronicle this week revealed the salaries of officials in the state’s largest county and local taxpayers are undoubtedly experiencing some sticker shock. The top earners are pulling down salaries that are close to half a million dollars, including the chief of staff for one of the county commissioners. But even the average salaries are off the charts in a county where the per capita income is under $40K. The median household income in Harris County is $73K. Harris County is currently facing a $270 million budget deficit and County Judge Lina Hidalgo, a Democrat, says they may need to raise taxes, because that’s how Democrats think.
The legendary Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale told a MAGA Rally in Houston this week that he feared the Bayou City was going to turn into Detroit. It will be interesting to see how long the people of Harris County will continue to keep Democrats in charge.
LOSER: City of Dallas Faces Death Star
Meanwhile, the Texas Public Policy Foundation recently notified the city of Dallas that it has 133 ordinances that violate the so-called “Death Star” law which prohibits local jurisdictions from creating regulations that conflict with state law.
Dallas has 90 days to repeal the ordinances or otherwise amend 133 ordinances that are preempted by state law—or face legal action. The “Death Star” bill was challenged by San Antonio, El Paso and Houston, but the Third Court of Appeals ruled earlier this month that it can go forward. So far, there’s been no response from the people in Big D.
WINNER: Scotty Scheffler Inspires the World
After what may be the best tournament of his career so far, it was great to hear golfer Scotty Scheffler clearly say that faith and family are the first priorities in his life’s—golf is third. After the British Open there is little doubt that he is the best golfer on the planet.
It is not odd for Americans to speak out about the importance of their faith and their families, but Europeans don’t hear that testimony very often so it is wonderful that he put it out there.
Have a great weekend!
Sherry Sylvester is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and the former Senior Advisor to Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick.
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