On Saturday, dissidents gathered off Abe street in San Angelo to voice their protests towards the current administration.
Many in attendance stated that there were too many things to protest, some suggested that may be the strategy of the current admin:
“The news cycle is purposely trying to make people fatigued, with how many things keep coming down the pipes from Washington,” said Nick Hill of West Texas Indivisible, who organized the protest in collaboration with the nationwide movement.
National politics has been of particular focus in San Angelo this week, after Rep. August Pfluger met with constituents in a town hall meeting that quickly became a public debate about the policies of the Trump Administration.
“August Pfluger coming here to do that town hall, we’re really glad he did that, and for everyone making their voices are heard. That there’s not just one type of voter here.” Hill added.
Voice of Protest
“I’m very alarmed with our current government, I don’t understand why more people aren’t.” said Brian Tillman. “The overreach by ICE is particularly troublesome, people being snatched up off the street by masked agents, this is terrible.
“Playing chicken with other countries with the tariffs and how this is wrecking the economy. Cutting PBS and foreign aid for people who are starving. But we’re gonna support tax cuts for billionaires?
“That’s why I’m out here. I am a proud father of an airman, and I support our men in uniform. I love my county, but I question our commander-in-chief right now.”
Another protester voiced his concerns about tyrannical behavior:
“I’m here because they’re trying to privatize everything. The illegal activities of the President: he does not have the authority to do a lot of the things he’s doing, and it doesn’t seem like anybody is willing to stand up to him.” Said Larry G. of San Angelo.
“Right now I can foresee masked people coming up to my door and knocking and saying “come with us”, and there won’t be anything I can do about it. It’s coming.
“They’re building three more detention centers in Texas, they don’t know who they’re going to put in them. Trump is already talking about deporting citizens if they are not loyal to him.
“For me government should be about providing services to people, not making money.
“I can go on and on.”
One young woman who wished to remain anonymous stated:
“My priority has always been taking care of my neighbor; there has been a decline in compassion and empathy.
“When hatred becomes popular that’s when compassion seems radical.
“That’s always been my goal, to stand here with my neighbors and friends. Compassion and empathy should be bipartisan.”
West Texas Indivisible will host a Rock the Vote concert at the Blue Agave on September 27.
Special attention was given to the proposal of 17 new amendments to the Texas constitution, up for approval on November 4.
Proposed Amendments To Texas Constitution
Many of the proposed amendments focus on taxation, several more on hot political topics in recent months.
Prop 1: “providing for the creation of the permanent technical institution infrastructure fund and the available workforce education fund to support the capital needs of educational programs offered by the Texas State Technical College System.”
Prop 2: “prohibiting the imposition of a tax on the realized or unrealized capital gains of an individual, family, estate, or trust.”
Prop 3: “requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony.”
Prop 4: “to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue.”
Prop 5: “authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation tangible personal property consisting of animal feed held by the owner of the property for sale at retail.”
Prop 6: “prohibiting the legislature from enacting a law imposing an occupation tax on certain entities that enter into transactions conveying securities or imposing a tax on certain securities transactions.”
Prop 7: “authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a veteran who died as a result of a condition or disease that is presumed under federal law to have been service-connected.”
Prop 8: “to prohibit the legislature from imposing death taxes applicable to a decedent’s property or the transfer of an estate, inheritance, legacy, succession, or gift.”
Prop 9: “to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.”
Prop 10 “to authorize the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of the appraised value of an improvement to a residence homestead that is completely destroyed by a fire.”
Prop 11 “regarding the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the membership of the tribunal to review the commission’s recommendations, and the authority of the commission, the tribunal, and the Texas Supreme Court to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct.”
Prop 12: “regarding the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the membership of the tribunal to review the commission’s recommendations, and the authority of the commission, the tribunal, and the Texas Supreme Court to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct.”
Prop 13: “to increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000.”
Prop 14: “providing for the establishment of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, establishing the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund to provide money for research on and prevention and treatment of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and related disorders in this state, and transferring to that fund $3 billion from state general revenue.”
Prop 15: “affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children.”
Prop 16: “clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.”
Prop 17: “to authorize the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the amount of the market value of real property located in a county that borders the United Mexican States that arises from the installation or construction on the property of border security infrastructure and related improvements.”
