Franklin, Benjamin
1706–1790
Franklin's politics combined a working printer's First Amendment instincts, civic-virtue republicanism, pluralism in religious matters, and pragmatic compromise (Constitutional Convention's closing speech). Abbott's READER Act book-rating law, the SB 12 ban on student LGBTQ clubs, and the church-establishment package (SB 10/SB 11/SB 763) sit badly with Franklin's instincts on press, voluntary association, and religious pluralism. Hinojosa's no-vote on those bills, her HB 3488 Public Benefit Corporations bill modernizing Pennsylvania-style civic-mission corporate form (a Franklin-flavored civic invention), and her TribTalk op-eds on policy detail track closer to Franklin's printer/legislator combination. Neither matches Franklin's tireless retail civic-virtue ethic, but Hinojosa is the closer fit by record.
Sources
- Brian Lopez, 'Texas House passes library book restrictions; Hinojosa and Talarico oppose in committee,' Texas Tribune, April 19, 2023. (full list)
- Texas AFT, 'SB 12, the Parents Bill of Rights, deep dive,' 2025 — pronoun, DEI, and GSA provisions. (full list)
- Texas Legislature Online, HB 3488 (85R, 2017), Gina Hinojosa author — creating Texas Public Benefit Corporations. (full list)
- Gina Hinojosa, 'A public benefit for corporations that give back,' TribTalk, April 12, 2017. (full list)
- Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography; Poor Richard's Almanack; founding pluralism and free press. (full list)