Every Friday morning, I join the Cardle & Woolley Show on Talk1370 Radio in Austin to announce the week’s Winners & Losers. This week they have been broadcasting all week from the annual Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Texas Policy Summit featuring great speeches by the Big 3—Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows—a raft of Texas legislators and boatloads of guest speakers with great ideas from CNN’s Scott Jennings to U.S. Border Czar Tom Homan. All winners at the best think tank gathering in the country. Here’s who else made the list:
Big Winner – Rescue of the Second Downed Airman in Iran
The story of how American forces successfully rescued a U.S. pilot who had been shot down over Iran will go down as one of the most daring rescue operations in our history. The pilot was badly injured but still managed to climb a 7,000-foot ridge in the Zagros Mountains to evade capture. He was rescued after a masterful collaboration between Special Forces and the CIA.
This was another awesome example of who Americans are and what we can do. When President Donald Trump announced the rescue with the words, “We got him,” the entire country breathed a sigh of relief.
The rescue is a reminder of the last U.S. rescue operation in Iran to free 53 U.S. Embassy staff in 1980, which failed dramatically. This is what Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania, was referring to when he pushed back on his Democrat colleagues saying, “If you want to talk about a war crime, Iran is a 47 year-old war crime.” Fetterman is a winner too!
WINNER: Chancellor Creighton Kills Crazy Gender Classes at Tech
Texas Tech Chancellor Brandon Creighton released a memo today that detonated the teaching of wacky sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) classes at Texas Tech in one stroke.
Creighton called a halt to the teaching of the so-called “gender spectrum”—a theory that insists there are genders beyond male and female—on Tech campuses around the state.
To make sure there was no misunderstanding—because faculty who teach courses in the SOGI field seem easily confused—Creighton spelled out exactly what he means:
No Texas Tech course can be “centered on” sexual orientation or gender identity. That means no readings, assignments or lectures. Sexual orientation or gender identity cannot be the “central narrative or the driving pedagogical purpose” of any class.
Creighton also says no course can “include” any endorsement of a “spectrum of genders” or “gender fluidity.” Rare chromosomal variations can be discussed in biology but cannot be translated into sociological frameworks. That’s because translating this nonsense into a sociological framework is the root of identity politics, allowing some to claim that their sexual orientation or gender identity renders them “oppressed” by those who are one gender or the other.
In case they still don’t get it, Creighton’s memo also makes it clear that faculty can’t spend time in class talking about sexual orientation or gender identity, they can’t teach it and they certainly can’t test students on it. Creighton, former chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee and the author of Senate Bill 17, which ended DEI programs on college campuses and Senate Bill 37, which shifted curriculum control away from faculty to the Board of Regents, is known for making it clear that his policy reforms are not suggestions. The blow-back from the academic world will be fun to watch.
WINNER — ARTEMIS II — Going Where No One Has Gone Before
What a moment when the first lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972 launched last weekend with the whole world watching. Artemis II has now flown farther than any humans have gone before. I recall being in Houston shortly after former President Barack Obama cancelled the NASA program’s planned to return to the moon. Houstonians, in NASA’s hometown, began wearing t-shirts emblazoned with a photo of the Space Shuttle and the words, “Come and Take It.”
President Trump clearly understood what Obama didn’t—Americans want to go to the moon and the stars. They never wanted to back off space exploration.
The brilliant political data analyst Chris Wilson released a report this week showing that, Artemis II is getting very positive reviews from Americans who see it as a sign of America’s exceptional innovation and technological dominance. Wilson isn’t using polling data— which he says tends to be a few days behind what people are actually thinking. Instead, he monitors on-going trends in public conversation where he found that most people see Artemis II as a sign of hope and a relief from worries about costs and gas prices. That’s why we say, “if we can put a person on the moon,” we can accomplish most anything. This week has been full of new ideas for moon development.
On the political side, Trump gets the credit. Artemis II is expected to splash down tonight about 7 p.m. Texas time off the coast of California.
Winner: President Trump Ends Higher Ed Funding linked to Race
President Trump’s new proposed budget ends funding for those colleges and universities identified as Minority Serving Institutions. His budget cuts about $400 million from colleges that create and maintain campus programs based on race and ethnicity. The president is proposing some of the funds be shifted to charter schools and civic education programs.
On a Texas note, his budget proposal also includes $30 million to purchase land for a new VA hospital in San Antonio to replace the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Hospital built in 1972.
LOSER: The Dreaded April 15 is Upon Us
Next Wednesday is April 15, when everyone has to get their taxes to the IRS, no matter what. Ugh. A new poll from Fox News this week found that 75% of Americans believe that government spending is inefficient or wasteful—that’s up 18% in the last year, so perhaps the message of DOGE has gotten through. Republicans have long believed government spending needed reining in, but the new poll found that Democrats and Independents now agree.
WINNER: A Lot of Crazy Hispanic Fans
The San Antonio Spurs are now ranked No. 2 in the West and headed for the playoffs. At a recent game, some snooty fan seated in the expensive seats down close to the floor was caught on a phone camera complaining to a friend via text that she was surrounded by “A lot of crazy Hispanic fans,” adding, “All Hispanic! How can they afford it?”
No protest marches were held. Instead, almost overnight, T-shirts and hats emblazoned with the words “Crazy Hispanic Spurs Fan” appeared all over town—the guys who manufactured them sold out almost immediately. Bumper stickers were soon added. An ignorant comment has become a battle cry—“Crazy Hispanic Spurs Fan” is now a thing.
LOSER: Owners of Chevy Silverado Trucks
Texas Vehicle Crime Prevention Program reported last month that the most stolen vehicle was the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. The GMC Sierra was second and the Hyundai Elantra was third. To see if your car made the list click here.
Great Season for Texas Women
It was hard to watch UCLA dominate the University of Texas Women in the Final Four last weekend, but it is always comforting when the team that beats you goes on to win the national championship. The Lady Longhorns had a brilliant season. Can’t wait for next year.
Meanwhile, the Masters Tournament has begun over in Augusta—a different kind of sport, no buzzer beaters, but all-American just the same.
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.