DALLAS — Inside Texas Politics this week began with a recap of President Joe Biden's visit to Texas - and why Biden and others in Washington are trying to bring awareness to the effects of burn pits.
Watch the full show at the bottom of the story.
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred joins the show
It's a topic that America's veterans say never gets enough attention: The waste of war. The military burned its garbage in Iraq and Afghanistan. And the toxic smoke that it let off left thousands of soldiers sick with rare cancers.
That's why Biden was in Fort Worth last week, to visit with veterans at the VA clinic and promote awareness about healthcare initiatives targeted at dealing with the effects of burn pits.
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, was with Biden in Fort Worth. Allred is a Dallas Democrat who serves on the House Veteran's Affairs Committee.
Allred joined Inside Texas Politics for a discussion about the purpose behind Biden's visit to Texas.
How Biden could punish Putin
There is a way President Biden could punish Putin that no one is really talking about. Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales, of San Antonio, joined Inside Texas Politics and talked about that and the effects of rising gas prices. Gonzales’ district stretches from San Antonio to El Paso, through Big Bend.
Republican reaction to Election Day
Primary elections usually don't have a lot of turnouts. Runoff elections – like the one on May 24 – are even harder to get voters out to vote. That means a small number of Texans will decide some big races.
Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak is watching to see how these unfold, and he joined Inside Texas Politics to share his analysis.
Reporters' Roundtable
Here's what we discussed on the reporters' roundtable this week. Texas Tribune’s Ross Ramsey and Bud Kennedy with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram were joined by Berna Dean Steptoe, WFAA’s political producer.
- Oil billionaire Kelcy Warren sued Beto O'Rourke, wanting him to stop talking about Warren's company making a couple of billion dollars from last year's freeze. O'Rourke has also pointed out the million-dollar donation Warren gave to Gov. Greg Abbott's re-election campaign. This is what O'Rourke wants, isn't it? He says he is being silenced ... does it really help his campaign or become a distraction?
- Texas is fighting transgender medical treatment for children in court - and in the political arena. What has made this the new hot-button issue? Will it resonate with general election voters this fall? How many kids are we talking about here?
