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Hi Samuel!

For two years Americans were force-fed lecture after lecture from the elite corporate media and its polling apparatus on the imminent electoral beating Republicans were destined to receive.

Not only was President Trump ripe for a nationwide rebuff, but even Texas - yes, Texas - was in play for whichever Democratic presidential candidate emerged. That wishful thinking trickled down to the rest of Texas politics as media and pollsters alike danced giddily on the anticipated graves of Republicans across the state.

But guess what.they were wrong.

Just like four years ago, the polls were wrong and Texans turned out in droves. Trump received almost one million more votes than he did four years ago. Sen. John Cornyn outperformed Sen. Ted Cruz two years ago by more than 1 million votes.

And in spite of a $2.3 million injection from leftist billionaire Michael Bloomberg, Democrats still failed miserably in their effort to gain a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) which oversees our crucial oil and gas industry. Republican Jim Wright not only beat his Democratic opponent by 1 million votes, he vastly outperformed the GOP RRC candidates from two and four years ago.

Despite the concerted effort by the social justice left, tech giants, corporate industry, and media conglomerates to convince Texans of grandiose "Blue Wave" fantasies, Democrats are no closer to a blue Texas than they were two years ago.

In fact, Democrats have regressed some compared with their 2018 gains. The much-hyped "Blue Wave" didn't even produce a wake, barely even a ripple.

And the polling.oh gosh the polling. The RealClearPolitics polling average, an aggregator of third party polls, had Trump up only 1.3 percent in Texas. When the dust settled Tuesday night, Trump's margin of victory was 6 points.

Exempting any recounts, Democrats only flipped one seat in the Texas House - and frankly it's really no loss for Republicans. The Democrats took out Sarah Davis (R-Houston), a representative known for caucusing with the Left. So, they replaced a Republican who voted like a Democrat with a Democrat who will vote like a Democrat.without the misdirection.

Democrats needed to flip nine seats to take control of the Texas House, but only flipped one. But hey, the Texas Tribune and other legacy media told us for months it not only was a possibility but a real likelihood!

If the media would just look objectively at data and report facts rather than breathlessly push narratives they could see the folly of their own spin.

For instance, The Texan's Daniel Friend put together the Texas Partisan Index, analyzing historical trends of Texas' state legislative districts. By objectively evaluating the data, Daniel's analysis showed more accurately the outcomes than any other news outlet.

This is the kind of honest, fact-focused information that tops the agenda-driven coverage with which Texas legacy media has become synonymous.

If that kind of coverage is something you value, please subscribe today and join us in our mission to show what media should be.

In the meantime, take solace in the fact that, once again, the media's posturing revealed what it really was: one giant exercise in rake-stepping.

But it won't end after this.

It will only cease when their coffers are drained and Texans cast them out into the wilderness to aimlessly wander - shouting "Texas Blue Wave" until the cows come home.

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free anniversary pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Samuel!

Many Texans rightfully feel like we are witnessing an identity crisis in our state and nation. Conservatives are increasingly frustrated when they aren't given a clear contrast in worldview between Republicans and Democrats. The harder it is to distinguish between the two, the more disenfranchised conservatives become.

This is the same frustration that led to the rise of the tea party in 2007 and I sense a similar movement rising again.

Though conservatives feel like the often forgotten stepchild at the Republican family dinner, it is worth noting that we do have some Texas elected officials who have consistently pushed for or advanced conservative principles when dealing with the coronavirus and the accompanying restrictions enforced by state and local officials.

We need to acknowledge these Texas legislators and remember who they are as this movement gains its footing.

If you're on Twitter and looking for an honest, refreshing and principled take on nearly any issue on the national stage, not just during this coronavirus episode, you should follow Chip Roy. He represents a swing district that Democrats are targeting with none other than Wendy Davis. And yes, it's that Wendy Davis. In November, that district will decide to either send a principled conservative back to DC or choose a radical liberal.

What's refreshing is the make-up of that district has not frightened Roy from standing firmly on conservative principles, advocating for personal responsibility and against government picking winners and losers during the shutdown. Rather, he continually states that all businesses are essential & the government forced shut down of some businesses while others prosper was and is not the answer.

Then you have state-level legislators who have publicly stood strong when Governor Abbott's unilateral orders ran afoul of conservative principles. Senator Bob Hall has been incredibly vocal, and it has not gone unnoticed by people all over the state yearning for bold, strong leadership, not big government edicts.

State Representatives like Matt Schaefer, Tony Tinderholt, Kyle Biedermann, Mike Lang, and James White, to name a few, have also pushed back against executive actions that have pandered to liberal Democrats and micromanaged the lives of Texans.

Two county judges who have consistently stood out are Chris Hill and Mark Keough. Both of these officials took early stands, before it was popular, against the government shutdown of some businesses while others were allowed to stay open. Hill quickly declared "all businesses essential" in Collin County, and Keough refused to enforce Greg Abbott's executive order closing salons in Montgomery County.

It was only after the arrest of hair salon owner Shelley Luther that many politicians came to her rescue, but Mark Keough was defending local salon businesses in his county even before Fox News made it a popular thing to do.

Multiple other small and medium-sized counties declared themselves sanctuary counties for small businesses, refusing to pick winners and losers in the business community. And just a few days ago the SREC members of the Texas GOP stood up for the desire of the delegates by keeping the state convention open, instead of moving to a virtual convention as the media was pressuring them to do.

We should remember those who are standing strong during this, thank them and pray we see more of this from other elected officials. If not, this movement that I feel bubbling up will not be forgiving to those who do not.

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free anniversary pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Harper,

As you hunt for the best Cyber Monday deals today, The Texan has an exciting offer: get a free mug with an annual subscription!

That means you can support us in the fight against fake news, and make the only Cyber Monday purchase that's guaranteed to make a difference in Texas.

So don't wait! Claim your mug today and get it shipped to your home before Christmas!

For Texas,

Konni Burton
Founder & CEO
The Texan

Hi Samuel,

As you hunt for the best Cyber Monday deals today, The Texan has an exciting offer: get a free mug with an annual subscription!

That means you can support us in the fight against fake news, and make the only Cyber Monday purchase that's guaranteed to make a difference in Texas.

So don't wait! Claim your mug today and get it shipped to your home before Christmas!

For Texas,

Konni Burton
Founder & CEO
The Texan

Hi Samuel!

During my second session as a state senator, a particular resolution heading to the Senate floor for a vote caused my legislative director to pause.

Oftentimes resolutions do not carry the same weight as a piece of legislation. Many resolutions can be as simple as a commendation, a memorial, or a statement of congratulations. Some, however, have more serious consequences.

More importantly, in this instance, they can also reflect the will of the Senate.

This particular resolution was authored by the most liberal Democrat senator in the chamber. Amazingly, it sailed through committee with unanimous "yay" votes.

I can actually understand why though. On the surface, it sounds laudable. The resolution championed a commitment to zero traffic fatalities on Texas roads by a given future date.

Now, who doesn't want zero traffic fatalities, right? And it's just a resolution that simply states that to be a goal, right?

Not so fast.

If everyone had taken the time to read the fine print of this "resolution," this call for zero traffic fatalities gets there via a UN program called "Vision Zero." Fortunately, my staffer had a lot of expertise in this scheme as he had visited European countries who had all implemented and were touting this same scheme.

You know how Vision Zero gets us to zero traffic fatalities? By decreasing traffic of course! And they do that by cutting traffic lanes, adding walking and bicycle lanes, and "investing" in more mass transit.

They also lower speed limits, increase the cost of traffic violations, and install more red light cameras.

Interestingly, many of us were working hard to abolish red light cameras that very session! And while we couldn't get it through then, it did become a reality the next session thanks to the resilience of Rep. Jonathan Stickland.

When I heard what this "resolution" actually was, I went to work killing it. And kill it we did.

Thank goodness one of my Republican colleagues was on the budget committee and noticed that the House budget had actually appropriated money for Vision Zero! Once this was realized, they stripped that House appropriation out of the final budget.

This resolution that could have easily passed the Senate would have had an actual funding mechanism attached to it!

I wish I could say that was the end of this central planning scheme, but of course, it isn't.

Just this week, The Texan's Holly Hanson wrote a piece regarding a vote taken by the Harris County Commissioners Court. And guess what? The largest county in Texas is putting a plan together to completely eliminate traffic-related fatalities on Harris County roads by 2030. What is this plan called? Vision Zero.

Please be sure and read Holly's piece to understand how insidious this policy is and how much taxpayer money it takes to implement, as well as which Texas cities already have implemented it. And now, Vision Zero has social justice goals attached as well.

What is amazing to me is how we have gotten to a place where politicians, and society as a whole, think it is the job of politicians to completely eliminate danger or even death.

Mere mortals can do no such thing - and particularly not politicians.

Whether it be via grandiose central planning schemes under the guise of preventing traffic fatalities or by shutting down entire communities and their businesses to prevent people from contracting a disease - politicians cannot stop all bad things from happening.

I can guarantee you that the recipe for the elimination of ultimate death is only found in the pages of scripture, not the county commissioners court, the state legislature, or the office of the governor.

Remember that when those in power are preying upon your fears in the name of communal "safety."

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free anniversary pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Harper!

When I launched The Texan, one of our goals as we grew as an organization was to hold informative events for subscribers and non-subscribers alike. And today, I'm so excited to say that even though we are only a year and a half old, we're not only doing just that, we've got big names headlining our first event!

I truly believe that of all the problems we face as a country, the most damaging one is that we, by and large, have a biased and dishonest media. And because of that, our first event will focus on, what else? The mainstream media.

But we'll be doing it with fun and humor!

Instead of grousing about it, as we all do, we're going to hear from a couple of guys who have been at the forefront of holding mainstream media accountable. But we'll also have a discussion about how we're actually combating a media complicit with narrative pushing and fact spinning - and give you the opportunity to ask questions, too.

Our first headliner is the CEO of The Babylon Bee - Seth Dillon. The Bee is a brilliant satire site that keeps their millions of readers in stitches with hilarious headlines and hot takes on current events. What's crazy is that because of the insanity of the world around us, their headlines are becoming more and more believable. I'm so honored to have Seth come and talk to us about how satire is strangely becoming reality.

I mean, take a look at a few of their tweets and tell me their satire isn't spot on.

I'm also honored to have Steve Krakauer, media executive and journalist, with more than a decade of experience, joining us as well. Steve has worked for CNN, The Blaze, and currently with Megyn Kelly, former Fox News anchor and former NBC News talk show host and correspondent. Steve also writes a media watchdog newsletter for Fourth Watch keeping readers informed, with the goal of "building a better media". I'm anxious to hear his behind the scenes look into the corporate media world.

But we're gonna have fun too. In addition to finally getting together again for dinner, drinks and camaraderie, everyone attending will receive a free ticket that goes into a raffle drawing for two different awesome giveaways.

The Texan will be raffling a custom made Texas flag cooler and The Babylon Bee is raffling off their BEE-utiful "The Very Best Of" coffee table book. If you attend, you'll get the chance to walk away with one of these!

We'll also have other fun giveaways in our goody bags as our thank you for coming!?

Now let's show these guys a big Texas welcome by purchasing your ticket today!

To entice you to get 'er done - we're having a FLASH SALE for the next 72 hours, in which you'll get $15 off each full-priced ticket.

Use code FLASH15 when purchasing and be sure to do so by Tuesday at 11:59pm.

I'm so anxious to see everyone again and cannot wait to talk with y'all about the good things going on in an industry that for far too long has frustrated and overwhelmed us with their dishonest reporting.

Let's get together and have fun at their expense! See y'all on the 26th!

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free, limited-edition pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Samuel!

This week the Austin American-Statesman scribbled on its pages an answer to a question nobody was asking: does the Statesman, and those who run it, still believe in its founding mission to oppose Reconstruction?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??

Yes, that Reconstruction, of which nobody around today played a role, nor did their great-great-grandfather! In fact, today we are seven generations removed from it.

And yet, the Statesman's leadership today wants you to know they're truly, very sorry for words written, and arguments made, in their pages 150 years ago. But not only that, they also state: "we all have work to do to atone the sins of our past." Come again?

It's truly amazing that the Statesman feels the need to not only reiterate that slavery and its like were wrong - something everyone with a brain recognizes today - but to administer collective guilt while doing so? Well, let's just say, their leftism is showing again.

As Frederick Douglass noted in his 1852 speech, slavery was an abysmal failure to live up to our founding ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. The same holds true for what emerged out of Reconstruction, Jim Crow.

Great evils like these can never be forgotten, whether it's slavery, Jim Crow, or communism.

A favorite saying of mine is, "Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it."

But the Left, and its media arm, don't want you to learn from society's historical mistakes or wrongdoings. They want to beat you over the head with them and make you suffer for it.

And that's one reason I founded _The Texan. Not only are Texas' legacy media outlets selling Texans garbage, biased news, they're either cherry-picking our history and twisting it to fit their narrative or using it as a soapbox from which to project their own Marxist ideology.

Next school year, the New York Times' 1619 Project - which was criticized by a dozen historians across the ideological spectrum for its outright lies - will be used by public educators in some cities to shape their student's history curriculums.

On the contrary, we at The Texan include detailed stories of Texas history free of the self-righteous finger-wagging and condescending lectures the legacy media provides by the shovelful.

For stories that don't scold or build up a strawman's history just to smugly knock it down, check us out for a free month by subscribing here.

As for the legacy media, they just can't help themselves.

But this is where the leftist media is today: condemning Founding Fathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, while celebrating a female protester baring it all in the name of racial justice as a hero.

It has even been suggested that Stephen F. Austin be stripped of his legacy in the state which he founded.

History is not black and white. It is full of complex individuals, made of flesh and blood and as full of virtues and sins as we are today.

That George Washington held slaves is not irrelevant history but it neither illustrates the full picture nor should undermine his role in creating the country, warts and all, most responsible for securing our God-given rights.

Frederick Douglass understood this despite being a former slave himself. Why can't today's woke media do the same?

The answer: there are no woke points awarded in today's world for nuance.

Shrugging at today's mobs of destruction of abolitionist statues, or individual property in general, while waxing poetic on past wrongs and the need to repent before the collective is now the media's calling card.

Put more succinctly, "You cannot learn from the past, but will pay for it."

And looking back at the Statesman's article, at a time when we're seriously debating unilaterally eliminating aspects of our past from public view, it all reeks of "forgiveness for me, but not for thee"-thinking and I have had enough of it.

The Left writ large operates with one distinct mission: you will kneel before their agenda or be made to.

I, for one, will not. And I hope you'll join me.

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free anniversary pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Samuel!

Believe it or not, even after Beto's historic $80 million he dropped into Texas during the 2018 election cycle, more money than ever is pouring into the 2020 Texas legislative races. Republicans and Democrats will each spend over $20 million dollars trying to hold onto 20 different state House seats.

The fight for control of the Texas House is real, and fortunately, these house Republican incumbents are all very well aware of it.

I lost my re-election campaign to the Texas Senate in that historic 2018 cycle, but I wasn't the only incumbent taken out. That same election, down-ballot Republicans of all stripes were defeated. It didn't matter how conservative, moderate, or even liberal the Republican incumbent was - the new voters that Beto brought in were straight-ticket "D" voters and that is what propelled those losses. It wasn't a "blue wave" that our Texas media so salivates for, but it was certainly a "Beto wave".

Fortunately, after the dust cleared, Republicans still managed to maintain control of the state government. But you wouldn't have known it based on the subsequent session.

Instead of Republican leadership realizing this was still a victory and therein pushing through a conservative agenda that rewarded their voters, Texas leadership essentially forgot who elected them.

They did advance property tax reform, which I applaud them for, but aside from that, Republican leadership focused mostly on legislative policies and spending initiatives supported by Democrats. Republican priorities were pushed aside in the misguided hope that moving to the middle would help them hold power.

And therein lies their huge error, and why I worry so much about our down-ballot Republicans on Tuesday.

There isn't a "Beto" this cycle to wipe more of them out, but there is a lack of conservative state leadership that surely could.

If down-ballot Republicans pull through on Tuesday, make no mistake, it is due to the energized Trump voters who have not only seen leadership in our president but also see Democrats losing their ever-loving minds by pushing such policies as defunding the police.

But this is the first cycle Texans cannot vote straight ticket with one push of a button. Will Republican voters who are energized by Trump's leadership go in and take the time to vote for each Republican candidate on the ballot? Or will they just go in and vote for President Trump and then walk out?

I don't know the answer, but I am worried about that based on lackluster priorities from those in power.

Texas's leadership must start listening to Republican legislators who strive to act on behalf of their constituents with bold, conservative legislation and stop acquiescing to the minority party in hopes to placate those voters. If not, they'll only have themselves to blame when Republican legislative numbers dwindle and they find themselves no longer in leadership at all.

This Tuesday, November 3rd is election day. If you haven't already, make sure you vote Republican all the way down the ballot. And then starting on Wednesday, make sure Texas leadership hears loud and clear that you expect the Republicans you elected on Tuesday to be able to pass a bold, conservative agenda next legislative session.

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free anniversary pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Samuel,

Only 17 days until Christmas!

Picture this: it''s Christmas morning and you''ve settled in on the couch next to the tree, coffee in hand. Proudly displayed on your mug are the words ''Fake News Stops Here.''

This holiday season, give yourself the gift of fact-based, no-spin news. For a limited time, when you purchase an annual subscription to the The Texan, get a free ''Fake News Stops Here'' mug. And if you order in the next 7 days, you''ll get your mug by Christmas morning.

So don't wait - Claim your mug today!

Hi Harper!

What a social media week. My goodness. Just when I think corporate media and the tech giants couldn't get any more "in the tank" for the Dems and Joe Biden, they go and prove me wrong - again.

Certainly y'all have all heard about the article the New York Post published this past Wednesday, Oct 14th?

If not, here it is: Smoking-gun email reveals how Hunter Biden introduced Ukrainian businessman to VP dad

This article, potentially damaging to Joe Biden, is not a salacious and over the top opinion piece masquerading as news. On the contrary, it is straightforward reporting and contains validating documents within the article. The New York Post is also not a fringe outlet. It not only has the fourth-largest circulation in the country, but was founded by none other than Alexander Hamilton.

But based on the immediate and brazenly partisan tweets by left-wing media elites, you'd have thought it had been written by the likes of Alex Jones. This tweet, from MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin, was basically what you saw from mainstream media outlets and reporters throughout the day:

Can you believe that?? "What appears to be disinformation??" Who the heck made him (and let's be honest - all of legacy media) grand arbiters of the news you should read? And who is he to just simply discount it as disinformation? But other media ilk, just like Griffin, quickly declared this story to be totally untrustworthy.

However, it wasn't only left-wing media that went berserk regarding this story, but both Twitter and Facebook did too. Both of these social media giants literally stopped - yes, stopped the article URL from getting shared soon after the New York Post tweeted it.

Not only that, but the New York Post is on day three of their account being suspended and Twitter is refusing to unlock it unless the news organization deletes six of their tweets that references the article. Kayleigh McEnany, the Whitehouse Press Secretary, finally got her personal Twitter account reinstated but only because she acquiesced and deleted her tweet about the article.

To say that all of this is a tad frightening is a bit of an understatement - and this comes from someone who doesn't easily get frightened by left-wing tactics. But when I sit in stunned silence and literally watch in real-time how blatantly crooked and deceptive the media and big tech giants actually are in working to get their preferred candidate elected, it's hard not to be.

But then I remember why we started The Texan and am reminded that this is exactly why. The news - good, bad, and ugly must be reported. Truth must be reported. And you, the consumer is the only one who should decide who you get your news from, what news you read, and how you discern the news once you've read it.

And that's exactly what The Texan?has been about since its inception.

Whatever tactics these left-wing media and tech giants use in the future to keep you from reading news they don't want you to hear, one thing is for certain - if you subscribe to The Texan, you'll get our no-nonsense, straight reporting of the news, each and every morning right in your email inbox. And they can't do a thing about it.

So, please subscribe today. Based on the tactics they're utilizing to keep you from reading what they deem as "disinformation" when that couldn't be further from the truth, I think it's more imperative than ever.

"Enlighten the people, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day."
? Thomas Jefferson

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free anniversary pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Harper!

Many Texans rightfully feel like we are witnessing an identity crisis in our state and nation. Conservatives are increasingly frustrated when they aren't given a clear contrast in worldview between Republicans and Democrats. The harder it is to distinguish between the two, the more disenfranchised conservatives become.

This is the same frustration that led to the rise of the tea party in 2007 and I sense a similar movement rising again.

Though conservatives feel like the often forgotten stepchild at the Republican family dinner, it is worth noting that we do have some Texas elected officials who have consistently pushed for or advanced conservative principles when dealing with the coronavirus and the accompanying restrictions enforced by state and local officials.

We need to acknowledge these Texas legislators and remember who they are as this movement gains its footing.

If you're on Twitter and looking for an honest, refreshing and principled take on nearly any issue on the national stage, not just during this coronavirus episode, you should follow Chip Roy. He represents a swing district that Democrats are targeting with none other than Wendy Davis. And yes, it's that Wendy Davis. In November, that district will decide to either send a principled conservative back to DC or choose a radical liberal.

What's refreshing is the make-up of that district has not frightened Roy from standing firmly on conservative principles, advocating for personal responsibility and against government picking winners and losers during the shutdown. Rather, he continually states that all businesses are essential & the government forced shut down of some businesses while others prosper was and is not the answer.

Then you have state-level legislators who have publicly stood strong when Governor Abbott's unilateral orders ran afoul of conservative principles. Senator Bob Hall has been incredibly vocal, and it has not gone unnoticed by people all over the state yearning for bold, strong leadership, not big government edicts.

State Representatives like Matt Schaefer, Tony Tinderholt, Kyle Biedermann, Mike Lang, and James White, to name a few, have also pushed back against executive actions that have pandered to liberal Democrats and micromanaged the lives of Texans.

Two county judges who have consistently stood out are Chris Hill and Mark Keough. Both of these officials took early stands, before it was popular, against the government shutdown of some businesses while others were allowed to stay open. Hill quickly declared "all businesses essential" in Collin County, and Keough refused to enforce Greg Abbott's executive order closing salons in Montgomery County.

It was only after the arrest of hair salon owner Shelley Luther that many politicians came to her rescue, but Mark Keough was defending local salon businesses in his county even before Fox News made it a popular thing to do.

Multiple other small and medium-sized counties declared themselves sanctuary counties for small businesses, refusing to pick winners and losers in the business community. And just a few days ago the SREC members of the Texas GOP stood up for the desire of the delegates by keeping the state convention open, instead of moving to a virtual convention as the media was pressuring them to do.

We should remember those who are standing strong during this, thank them and pray we see more of this from other elected officials. If not, this movement that I feel bubbling up will not be forgiving to those who do not.

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free anniversary pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Harper!

I'm worried. In fact, I'm very worried. The environment that our Texas state government has created with heavy handed orders has me very worried about down ballot Republicans in November.

Regardless of how you personally feel about these interventionist policies during this coronavirus episode, the fact of the matter is, when the leadership of the second largest economy in the United States unilaterally shuts down that flourishing economy and then doesn't allow it to reopen fully, even months after the initial shutdown, it hurts - and generally at the ballot box too.

Make no mistake, coronavirus didn't force businesses to shut down - the government did. And as a result, businesses have shuttered and over 1 million Texans are out of work.

Texas is hurting.

This is what happens when the government unilaterally tries to micromanage a disease, an economy, and the lives of Texans.

Of course, I shudder to think what things would look like here in Texas if a Democrat were our governor right now. But therein lies the problem.

It is not good enough to be the party of "well at least we're not them!" - particularly as we head into a very contentious and precarious general election.

While we absolutely must point out the complete and utter absurdity that the left is right now, it's also absolutely essential that Republicans stop just being "not them!" and return to being the party of principles - a return to "us."

Republicans are supposed to stand for limited government, fiscal and personal responsibility, and the free market - and yes, this means even during a pandemic.

Unfortunately what we've seen is the total opposite of those principles.

In this time of crisis, the government has become the arbiter of our personal health decisions, squeezed out small businesses, and issued unconstitutional orders all while spending extraordinary amounts of taxpayer dollars and draining our state coffers.

And yet Texas is a "bastion of freedom?" Go figure.

When our leaders fail to inspire and lead us through times of crisis, they fail to coalesce not only the base, but general election voters too.

That's not good for Republicans on the ballot in November, who by the way, do not share in any of these decisions, but will likely pay the price for them.

The best leaders inspire with hope and truth; they don't foster fear while bowing to the loudest mobs among the populace.

"The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things."
- Ronald Reagan

If our leaders don't step up to the plate, I fear there will be drastic consequences in November.

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free anniversary pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Samuel!

A week prior to the election, businesses in major urban centers were boarding up their windows in expectation that violent riots would break out following the election results. Even though it had been a year marked by violent protests by leftists, that didn't stop the corporate media drumbeat predicting that Republican voters would be the ones rioting in the streets if Trump were defeated.

Never mind that Republican voters never run out in search of businesses to destroy when they don't get what they want politically.

Interestingly, Rasmussen just released a poll showing that "almost half (47%) of U.S. likely voters now believe there was enough fraud to ensure Biden would win in the recent elections, including 75% of Republicans & 30% of Democrats".

You read that right - 75% of Republicans -? not to mention 30% of Democrats! So, not only have Republicans stood and watched battleground states certify Biden as the winner, but a majority of them believe the election was stolen and yet, where are the riots? Where is the violence in the streets, the smashing of windows and subsequent looting?

It is the left who got violent this year, and they were rewarded for it.?

Their protests, which turned into violence, pushed corporate America into a love affair in sponsoring the Black Lives Matter movement and organization. I'd venture to say their commitment didn't come from any real dedication to the movement as much as fear that the violent mob would come after them too if they didn't offer their wholesale endorsement of the rhetoric.

Corporate media was right there to smooth over this violence of course. The AP Stylebook, which is a go-to reference for news bureaus, actually encouraged journalists not to use the word "violent'''' when referring to the BLM protests which were leading to vandalized property and in some cases, loss of human life. So of course, media accounts began referring to these violent protests as "mostly peaceful protests."?

Can you imagine if a conservative protest led to the same kind of violence, or God forbid, someone getting killed? It would be on the front page of every legacy media outlet in America and be on a non-stop loop on cable and evening news.

But again I ask, where are the riots from Trump supporters that the media was so certain would happen? And now with most Republican voters believing the election was stolen, where is the destruction of our own communities from that anger and frustration?

Of course, it's a good thing that Republicans do not take a page out of the Democratic playbook, but the legacy media outlets won't learn a single thing from this. Honestly, neither will the left. Why would they when the media carries their water while throwing the right under the bus time after time after time.

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. For a limited time this holiday season, get a free ''Fake News Stops Here'' mug with the purchase of an annual subscription to The Texan!

Hi Samuel,

Only 11 days until Christmas!

Is honest, no-spin news on your list this year? Give yourself the gift of fact-based news this holiday season. For a limited time, when you buy an annual subscription to The Texan you get a free ''Fake News Stops Here'' mug!

Today is the last day to order to get your mug before Christmas. Picture this: Christmas morning coffee in the limited edition ''Fake News Stops Here'' mug.

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Hi Harper!

A week prior to the election, businesses in major urban centers were boarding up their windows in expectation that violent riots would break out following the election results. Even though it had been a year marked by violent protests by leftists, that didn't stop the corporate media drumbeat predicting that Republican voters would be the ones rioting in the streets if Trump were defeated.

Never mind that Republican voters never run out in search of businesses to destroy when they don't get what they want politically.

Interestingly, Rasmussen just released a poll showing that "almost half (47%) of U.S. likely voters now believe there was enough fraud to ensure Biden would win in the recent elections, including 75% of Republicans & 30% of Democrats".

You read that right - 75% of Republicans -? not to mention 30% of Democrats! So, not only have Republicans stood and watched battleground states certify Biden as the winner, but a majority of them believe the election was stolen and yet, where are the riots? Where is the violence in the streets, the smashing of windows and subsequent looting?

It is the left who got violent this year, and they were rewarded for it.?

Their protests, which turned into violence, pushed corporate America into a love affair in sponsoring the Black Lives Matter movement and organization. I'd venture to say their commitment didn't come from any real dedication to the movement as much as fear that the violent mob would come after them too if they didn't offer their wholesale endorsement of the rhetoric.

Corporate media was right there to smooth over this violence of course. The AP Stylebook, which is a go-to reference for news bureaus, actually encouraged journalists not to use the word "violent'''' when referring to the BLM protests which were leading to vandalized property and in some cases, loss of human life. So of course, media accounts began referring to these violent protests as "mostly peaceful protests."?

Can you imagine if a conservative protest led to the same kind of violence, or God forbid, someone getting killed? It would be on the front page of every legacy media outlet in America and be on a non-stop loop on cable and evening news.

But again I ask, where are the riots from Trump supporters that the media was so certain would happen? And now with most Republican voters believing the election was stolen, where is the destruction of our own communities from that anger and frustration?

Of course, it's a good thing that Republicans do not take a page out of the Democratic playbook, but the legacy media outlets won't learn a single thing from this. Honestly, neither will the left. Why would they when the media carries their water while throwing the right under the bus time after time after time.

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. For a limited time this holiday season, get a free ''Fake News Stops Here'' mug with the purchase of an annual subscription to The Texan!

Hi Samuel!

What a night.?

I honestly wish the presidential debate had gone a little differently. I don't see how undecided voters could have walked away with more clarity on their decision after watching the two candidates onstage. I certainly don't think any Trump supporters left his camp and Biden's supporters are likely still on his side, as well.?

But, believe it or not - I'm not that interested in commenting on Trump or Biden's performance.?

I'm sure those of us on the right know each blunder Biden made, and the left will certainly point out their perceived Trump errors. Mainly, I want to talk about the missed opportunity by Chris Wallace.?

Wallace had an opportunity to show the American people what a true journalist should look like - to be neutral on the issues that matter most to the populace while treating both sides fairly.?

But not only did Wallace not talk about many issues that are important to right of center voters, when he did bring up the left's holy grail topic of climate change, he sounded more like a climate activist than a neutral moderator. And on the issue of critical race theory, Wallace advocated for the leftist agenda by attempting to portray these radical teachings as mainstream ideas. They're not.?

Wallace did ask Biden if he would expand the supreme court or "pack the court" as it's often referred to. But Biden refused to answer and he received no follow up pressure from Wallace to do so - even though this has been a much talked about topic of late by those in Biden's own party!

Can you imagine Trump saying "No I won't answer that question?" and then Wallace simply accepting that? He wouldn't.?

All Wallace did that night was confirm what right of center Texans and Americans already know to be true - corporate and legacy media no longer altruistically serve the American people. They serve the American left.

If a Fox News anchor is advocating for leftist policies, then right of center Americans are even more demoralized in regard to where to find neutral news reporting.?

Even though we couldn't have thought it possible, the 2020 election cycle is exposing even more liberal activist reporters. Those who once attempted to be seen as neutral aren't even hiding their leftist ideology any longer.?

President Trump has certainly forced these so-called "journalists" to out themselves even more.

Which makes one thing for certain - Chris Wallace and those like him, only motivates our entire team at The Texan to continue to provide fact-based reporting, which seems to be more of a rarity than we ever expected.?

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free anniversary pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Samuel!

When I launched The Texan, one of our goals as we grew as an organization was to hold informative events for subscribers and non-subscribers alike. And today, I'm so excited to say that even though we are only a year and a half old, we're not only doing just that, we've got big names headlining our first event!

I truly believe that of all the problems we face as a country, the most damaging one is that we, by and large, have a biased and dishonest media. And because of that, our first event will focus on, what else? The mainstream media.

But we'll be doing it with fun and humor!

Instead of grousing about it, as we all do, we're going to hear from a couple of guys who have been at the forefront of holding mainstream media accountable. But we'll also have a discussion about how we're actually combating a media complicit with narrative pushing and fact spinning - and give you the opportunity to ask questions, too.

Our first headliner is the CEO of The Babylon Bee - Seth Dillon. The Bee is a brilliant satire site that keeps their millions of readers in stitches with hilarious headlines and hot takes on current events. What's crazy is that because of the insanity of the world around us, their headlines are becoming more and more believable. I'm so honored to have Seth come and talk to us about how satire is strangely becoming reality.

I mean, take a look at a few of their tweets and tell me their satire isn't spot on.

I'm also honored to have Steve Krakauer, media executive and journalist, with more than a decade of experience, joining us as well. Steve has worked for CNN, The Blaze, and currently with Megyn Kelly, former Fox News anchor and former NBC News talk show host and correspondent. Steve also writes a media watchdog newsletter for Fourth Watch keeping readers informed, with the goal of "building a better media". I'm anxious to hear his behind the scenes look into the corporate media world.

But we're gonna have fun too. In addition to finally getting together again for dinner, drinks and camaraderie, everyone attending will receive a free ticket that goes into a raffle drawing for two different awesome giveaways.

The Texan will be raffling a custom made Texas flag cooler and The Babylon Bee is raffling off their BEE-utiful "The Very Best Of" coffee table book. If you attend, you'll get the chance to walk away with one of these!

We'll also have other fun giveaways in our goody bags as our thank you for coming!?

Now let's show these guys a big Texas welcome by purchasing your ticket today!

To entice you to get 'er done - we're having a FLASH SALE for the next 72 hours, in which you'll get $15 off each full-priced ticket.

Use code FLASH15 when purchasing and be sure to do so by Tuesday at 11:59pm.

I'm so anxious to see everyone again and cannot wait to talk with y'all about the good things going on in an industry that for far too long has frustrated and overwhelmed us with their dishonest reporting.

Let's get together and have fun at their expense! See y'all on the 26th!

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free, limited-edition pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Samuel!

I'm worried. In fact, I'm very worried. The environment that our Texas state government has created with heavy handed orders has me very worried about down ballot Republicans in November.

Regardless of how you personally feel about these interventionist policies during this coronavirus episode, the fact of the matter is, when the leadership of the second largest economy in the United States unilaterally shuts down that flourishing economy and then doesn't allow it to reopen fully, even months after the initial shutdown, it hurts - and generally at the ballot box too.

Make no mistake, coronavirus didn't force businesses to shut down - the government did. And as a result, businesses have shuttered and over 1 million Texans are out of work.

Texas is hurting.

This is what happens when the government unilaterally tries to micromanage a disease, an economy, and the lives of Texans.

Of course, I shudder to think what things would look like here in Texas if a Democrat were our governor right now. But therein lies the problem.

It is not good enough to be the party of "well at least we're not them!" - particularly as we head into a very contentious and precarious general election.

While we absolutely must point out the complete and utter absurdity that the left is right now, it's also absolutely essential that Republicans stop just being "not them!" and return to being the party of principles - a return to "us."

Republicans are supposed to stand for limited government, fiscal and personal responsibility, and the free market - and yes, this means even during a pandemic.

Unfortunately what we've seen is the total opposite of those principles.

In this time of crisis, the government has become the arbiter of our personal health decisions, squeezed out small businesses, and issued unconstitutional orders all while spending extraordinary amounts of taxpayer dollars and draining our state coffers.

And yet Texas is a "bastion of freedom?" Go figure.

When our leaders fail to inspire and lead us through times of crisis, they fail to coalesce not only the base, but general election voters too.

That's not good for Republicans on the ballot in November, who by the way, do not share in any of these decisions, but will likely pay the price for them.

The best leaders inspire with hope and truth; they don't foster fear while bowing to the loudest mobs among the populace.

"The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things."
- Ronald Reagan

If our leaders don't step up to the plate, I fear there will be drastic consequences in November.

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free anniversary pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Harper!

During my second session as a state senator, a particular resolution heading to the Senate floor for a vote caused my legislative director to pause.

Oftentimes resolutions do not carry the same weight as a piece of legislation. Many resolutions can be as simple as a commendation, a memorial, or a statement of congratulations. Some, however, have more serious consequences.

More importantly, in this instance, they can also reflect the will of the Senate.

This particular resolution was authored by the most liberal Democrat senator in the chamber. Amazingly, it sailed through committee with unanimous "yay" votes.

I can actually understand why though. On the surface, it sounds laudable. The resolution championed a commitment to zero traffic fatalities on Texas roads by a given future date.

Now, who doesn't want zero traffic fatalities, right? And it's just a resolution that simply states that to be a goal, right?

Not so fast.

If everyone had taken the time to read the fine print of this "resolution," this call for zero traffic fatalities gets there via a UN program called "Vision Zero." Fortunately, my staffer had a lot of expertise in this scheme as he had visited European countries who had all implemented and were touting this same scheme.

You know how Vision Zero gets us to zero traffic fatalities? By decreasing traffic of course! And they do that by cutting traffic lanes, adding walking and bicycle lanes, and "investing" in more mass transit.

They also lower speed limits, increase the cost of traffic violations, and install more red light cameras.

Interestingly, many of us were working hard to abolish red light cameras that very session! And while we couldn't get it through then, it did become a reality the next session thanks to the resilience of Rep. Jonathan Stickland.

When I heard what this "resolution" actually was, I went to work killing it. And kill it we did.

Thank goodness one of my Republican colleagues was on the budget committee and noticed that the House budget had actually appropriated money for Vision Zero! Once this was realized, they stripped that House appropriation out of the final budget.

This resolution that could have easily passed the Senate would have had an actual funding mechanism attached to it!

I wish I could say that was the end of this central planning scheme, but of course, it isn't.

Just this week, The Texan's Holly Hanson wrote a piece regarding a vote taken by the Harris County Commissioners Court. And guess what? The largest county in Texas is putting a plan together to completely eliminate traffic-related fatalities on Harris County roads by 2030. What is this plan called? Vision Zero.

Please be sure and read Holly's piece to understand how insidious this policy is and how much taxpayer money it takes to implement, as well as which Texas cities already have implemented it. And now, Vision Zero has social justice goals attached as well.

What is amazing to me is how we have gotten to a place where politicians, and society as a whole, think it is the job of politicians to completely eliminate danger or even death.

Mere mortals can do no such thing - and particularly not politicians.

Whether it be via grandiose central planning schemes under the guise of preventing traffic fatalities or by shutting down entire communities and their businesses to prevent people from contracting a disease - politicians cannot stop all bad things from happening.

I can guarantee you that the recipe for the elimination of ultimate death is only found in the pages of scripture, not the county commissioners court, the state legislature, or the office of the governor.

Remember that when those in power are preying upon your fears in the name of communal "safety."

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free anniversary pint glass with an annual subscription today!

Hi Harper!

This week the Austin American-Statesman scribbled on its pages an answer to a question nobody was asking: does the Statesman, and those who run it, still believe in its founding mission to oppose Reconstruction?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??

Yes, that Reconstruction, of which nobody around today played a role, nor did their great-great-grandfather! In fact, today we are seven generations removed from it.

And yet, the Statesman's leadership today wants you to know they're truly, very sorry for words written, and arguments made, in their pages 150 years ago. But not only that, they also state: "we all have work to do to atone the sins of our past." Come again?

It's truly amazing that the Statesman feels the need to not only reiterate that slavery and its like were wrong - something everyone with a brain recognizes today - but to administer collective guilt while doing so? Well, let's just say, their leftism is showing again.

As Frederick Douglass noted in his 1852 speech, slavery was an abysmal failure to live up to our founding ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. The same holds true for what emerged out of Reconstruction, Jim Crow.

Great evils like these can never be forgotten, whether it's slavery, Jim Crow, or communism.

A favorite saying of mine is, "Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it."

But the Left, and its media arm, don't want you to learn from society's historical mistakes or wrongdoings. They want to beat you over the head with them and make you suffer for it.

And that's one reason I founded _The Texan. Not only are Texas' legacy media outlets selling Texans garbage, biased news, they're either cherry-picking our history and twisting it to fit their narrative or using it as a soapbox from which to project their own Marxist ideology.

Next school year, the New York Times' 1619 Project - which was criticized by a dozen historians across the ideological spectrum for its outright lies - will be used by public educators in some cities to shape their student's history curriculums.

On the contrary, we at The Texan include detailed stories of Texas history free of the self-righteous finger-wagging and condescending lectures the legacy media provides by the shovelful.

For stories that don't scold or build up a strawman's history just to smugly knock it down, check us out for a free month by subscribing here.

As for the legacy media, they just can't help themselves.

But this is where the leftist media is today: condemning Founding Fathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, while celebrating a female protester baring it all in the name of racial justice as a hero.

It has even been suggested that Stephen F. Austin be stripped of his legacy in the state which he founded.

History is not black and white. It is full of complex individuals, made of flesh and blood and as full of virtues and sins as we are today.

That George Washington held slaves is not irrelevant history but it neither illustrates the full picture nor should undermine his role in creating the country, warts and all, most responsible for securing our God-given rights.

Frederick Douglass understood this despite being a former slave himself. Why can't today's woke media do the same?

The answer: there are no woke points awarded in today's world for nuance.

Shrugging at today's mobs of destruction of abolitionist statues, or individual property in general, while waxing poetic on past wrongs and the need to repent before the collective is now the media's calling card.

Put more succinctly, "You cannot learn from the past, but will pay for it."

And looking back at the Statesman's article, at a time when we're seriously debating unilaterally eliminating aspects of our past from public view, it all reeks of "forgiveness for me, but not for thee"-thinking and I have had enough of it.

The Left writ large operates with one distinct mission: you will kneel before their agenda or be made to.

I, for one, will not. And I hope you'll join me.

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

P.S. The Texan delivers objective, factual news you can trust. Get a free anniversary pint glass with an annual subscription today!

All hail Texas - the mighty State!

Hi Samuel,

On this day in 1845, Texas became the 28th state in the Union. Little did the nation know how defining a state Texas would be.

In the 175 years since we joined the United States and for decades before, Texans have valued freedom, independence, family, and our way of life. Our culture screams, "Don''t mess with Texas!"

All that to say: Texas today, Texas tomorrow, Texas Forever.

For a limited time, when you purchase an annual subscription to The Texan, you get a Texas Forever cap.?Consider subscribing to the only Texas-based media outlet providing our state with honest, no spin news.

We believe trustworthy news is worth paying for. The Texan provides relevant, objective journalism in a manner that respects your values while simultaneously capturing the independent spirit of what it means to be Texan. Get your free cap today!

Hi Harper!

Well, we have finally entered into 2021. The beginning of this new year is particularly notable, of course, because of how bizarre 2020 turned out to be.

But the truth is: 2020 didn't have to be as insane as it was, but politicians and the media, together, had an absolute hay day with their fear-mongering and power-grabbing - ensuring that 2020 was truly off the rails.

The adage made famous by Obama's Chief of Staff Raum Emanuel, "Never let a crisis go to waste" has been learned well not only by Democrats, but the media and Republicans, too. They all joined forces - the media with their outrageous rhetoric and the politicians with their tyrannical edicts. All the while the people sat incredulously by watching their businesses, their wages, and their freedoms slowly come under attack, then quickly usurped by the very ones who pretended to care about those things when the election rolled around.

What amazes me is how so many of the "party faithful" still crow about one party over the other when, like nothing else previous, this "crisis" has shown how little difference there is between too many elected officials in either party. Shutdowns, government overreach, and excessive spending during 2020 were on tap by both party's politicians.

With a notable exception of a handful of Republican elected officials who continually oppose all of those - particularly excessive spending, fiscally speaking there is hardly a difference between Democrats and Republicans anymore. Politicians in both parties spend outrageously and continuously - at every level.

You think I'm exaggerating?

Let's not forget that our Republican majority state legislature, along with every House and Senate Democrat, passed a budget that increased state spending by almost $15 BILLION during the last Texas legislative session. And afterward, our Republican governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker grotesquely called it a "Superbowl session!"

A budget that topped a quarter-trillion dollars in spending for the first time in Texas history is a "Superbowl session"? Yeah, no.

Or take our divided federal government which just passed a $2.3 TRILLION omnibus bill while many in both parties crowed how awesome this "relief" bill was. Excuse me. Our country is now over $27,000,000,000,000 in debt. That means every single person in America currently owes $83,000. How does adding to that debt translate to "relief" exactly?

Oh, and don't forget local level debt here in our state too! Texas is among the top in the nation with $12,500 in local government debt per person! Political subdivisions responsible for this debt have both Democrat and Republican elected officials in charge.

While I have been in a depressed state watching all this overreach, tyranny, and out of control spending, for the first time in a long time, I've entered into a new year with a feeling of renewal - and a deep, deep conviction to fight.

It's not that I haven't felt those things before. It's just that I generally don't rely on a "new year" to trigger them. This year is different. As 2021 is now upon us, I am determined to fight harder than ever against anyone or anything that mocks, scorns, or doesn't use their elected office to further the only principles that will allow our country, our state, and the people who live here the freedom to prosper again.

What are those principles? Limited government, personal responsibility, fiscal responsibility, and free-market economics. The biased, liberal media takes every opportunity to disparage these conservative principles with their spin, rhetoric, and opinion they masquerade as reporting, of course.

As the 87th legislative session is set to begin this month, look to The Texan to provide straight news reporting that cuts through the nonsense. I know I will.

The fight has just begun.

In liberty,

Konni Burton
Founder and CEO
The Texan

All hail Texas - the mighty State!

Hi Harper,

On this day in 1845, Texas became the 28th state in the Union. Little did the nation know how defining a state Texas would be.

In the 175 years since we joined the United States and for decades before, Texans have valued freedom, independence, family, and our way of life. Our culture screams, "Don''t mess with Texas!"

All that to say: Texas today, Texas tomorrow, Texas Forever.

For a limited time, when you purchase an annual subscription to The Texan, you get a Texas Forever cap.?Consider subscribing to the only Texas-based media outlet providing our state with honest, no spin news.

We believe trustworthy news is worth paying for. The Texan provides relevant, objective journalism in a manner that respects your values while simultaneously capturing the independent spirit of what it means to be Texan. Get your free cap today!