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  • Texas -- a failed state


    Brisketexan

    I think that it’s now safe to say that we Texans now live in a failed state.  30 years of GOP rule, setting our own standard, living the “Texas Dream,” which they’ve bragged about relentlessly…and let’s see where we are:

    A majority of the state in complete failure, unable to deliver the most BASIC of services (things that are called “utilities,” not “luxuries,” for a reason).  No power.  No water.  No means of clearing roads (that one, I can’t fault the state so much….but it wouldn’t be as big a crisis if people weren’t stuck in their homes with no power and water).  So citizens are stuck in their homes, some of them dying there. 

    Water resource planning?  After pretending for decades that a drought would never happen again, and not doing ANYTHING to develop resources in the state water plan (a document actually developed using science and mathematical projections), we had several locations, including actual cities, down to a few days of water supply.  We’ve finally gotten on our horse a bit, but it may be too late if the next drought comes anytime soon.  

    State rank in key categories:

    Education – 34

    Health Care - 37

    Infrastructure - 33

    Opportunity - 39

    Environment - 44

    Infrastructure - 33 

    In overall quality of life ranking by US News, we are now #38, down from #36 just two years ago.  At that rate, we’ll be in the bottom 3 within ten years.

    We are SUPER independent, and FUCK the feds….but we have requested federal disaster assistance more than any other state in the past decade or so.

    But hey, our economy is ranked #15!

    That’s right, we have a “roaring economy” and the “Texas Miracle!”  But we can’t deliver the basics for our citizens.  The economy is VERY efficient at funneling bazillions to the very few…..with little of it “trickling down” to most Texans.  Yeah, the people on this board generally do fine, but face the facts – we’re the top 10% or so.  We are educated, older, and fortunate.

    Our federal system allows for state-by-state experiments.  Texas is the poster child for near anarcho-capitalism and zero regulation or oversight.  We have tested that approach, for over a generation now (30 years of Republican rule).  That approach is a failure.  The evidence is undeniable, and overwhelming.  It doesn’t matter how many River Oaks millionaires you produce if the rest of your people are dying in their homes.  Shit, some of those River Oaks millionaires might be freezing to death today, too.

    The kids of a middle class family can hardly afford to go to a good state school.  Their prospects for employment are mediocre.  Their prospects of suffering crippling medical debt at some point are significant.  Their chances of not having basic utilities needed for life safety at some point – all but certain.  Their chances of becoming ill or dying from a pollution-caused illness are material.

    What’s the result?  Our leaders have sold Texas as a paradise – move here!  Bring your business here!  And some businesses have done so, adding opportunity…..but providing little to no tax support for the infrastructure we all depend on.  To the contrary, over the past few years, I know more and more people – educated people, people who can do their jobs elsewhere, who are looking to bail on this state.  It’s people with young kids, who want them to grow up in a better place.  It’s people in their working years, who simply want a better path.  It’s retirees, who want a safe and secure place to live.

    We have consumed our seed stock.  We have burned through our reserves.  We are now consuming ourselves.  The ability to pitch Texas as the land of opportunity is done.  Seeing what we have become, the tentative thought/plan my wife and I had of wrapping up our careers here and then getting the hell out of Dodge is becoming much more concrete.  My children are already unlikely to make their future in this state.  Now we are, too.

    But the response from the Republican leadership and their sycophants – “how are you gonna pay for it?  Taxes?  That’s socialism!  You want that stuff, you have to pay for it!”

    Fuck yes I do, and I’m okay with that.  I want groceries…so I have to pay HEB.  I want a car…so I have to pay Ford.  I want clothes…..so I have to pay Dillards.  I want my population educated….so I have to pay the school district.  I want electricity, with enough capacity to keep us running when we need it…..so I have to pay my bill, maybe with a capacity surcharge.  I want water to come out of the taps….so I have to pay for development of resources and maintenance of infrastructure.  I want roads….so I pay taxes to build and maintain them.  YES, I have to pay for all of those things, and “nothing is free” – no fucking shit.  So, let’s pay for it.  We have the #15 economy….we HAVE the funds in this state.  An economy with the flow of funds that ours has can produce and maintain all of those results.  But we have chosen a different path; funnel all the dollars to the top, and spend next to nothing for the public good.  We have privatized profit….we have socialized the costs.  And we are dying because of it.

    My fellow Texans are dying in their homes….and there’s nothing I can do about it today.  And I am enraged.

    I love Texas.  I am 6th generation here.  My ancestors have Texas historical markers on their graves.  We helped make this state, and this state helped make us.  It educated us (back when college was affordable).  But it’s time to face the fact – this state is a failure, and on its current path, with its current leadership and philosophy, it will only get worse.  This state has a terrible future, unless we dramatically change our path.   Chances of that happening?  0.0% -- because we’ll continue to vote for the guys who make our leadership priorities bathroom bills, and transgender sports, and requiring the national anthem be played at certain events.  Any bill that has been proposed to improve emergency preparedness of gov’t entities has been crushed by the Republicans controlling the lege….but we will definitely stick with those guys.  No taxes.  No government functionality.

    What we are seeing happening right now is our system working EXACTLY AS IT WAS DESIGNED AND INTENDED TO WORK.  And we will, I guarantee it, collectively decide to stick with that.  This state is in free-fall, and anyone with eyes can see it.  And anyone with a brain is starting to think of ways to make their life elsewhere.  It breaks my goddamned heart to see us commit collective suicide, but here we are.

     

     


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    29 minutes ago, trauma babe said:

    A six figure loan for school is my only current option, but as always, my DMs are open for any women who want subsidize my life in exchange for companionship

    Male Surly CR 1% be like

    im-reta-go-jamiefox.gif

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    It violates religious freedom indeed.  Christ was known to say keep all your money and don't help those who need it.  That whole rich guy entering heaven being as easy a camel going through the eye of a needle is definitely fake news propagated by those who don't understand that Jesus was all about hatred.

     

     

     

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    5 minutes ago, StassneyHorn said:

    Why would anyone move to NYC when there’s a perfectly good Chicago just laying around with winters getting warmer.

    This man speaks the truth. Chicago is an awesome city 

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    1 hour ago, Bama Chick said:


    Dead ass serious lol

    I’m NYC poor though.

    I’ve already been looking at the job market and Zillow.

    May I humbly suggest that one or both of you have sex with me first? While I cannot guarantee this, I do have a solid résumé and can provide references that show a high likelihood of abandoning men forever once you partake of the full Gatorubet love experience.

    There’s a reason I used to get monthly checks from both Subaru and U-Haul for creating so many committed lesbian relationships.  At least think about it. 

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    Texas has now literally targeted every aspect of the care I provide through my clinic lmao
    It's almost like the state is telling this dyke to gtfo
    We need you here, and can't really tolerate additional brain drain. Thanks for all your service in the medical field.

    That said, fuck em, I hope to be out in 5 years, let the last non asshole turn the light out on these assholes and let em go back to leeches, blood letting and snake oil. Enjoy your moderately less taxed shit hole.
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    Wanna move to NYC with me?
    That would be epic, but you've already ruled out sharing a bicycle built for two together. Hmmm.
    Missed opportunity cruising over the Brooklyn bridge; two chicks in love, popping the question with such an iconic background. But maybe yall have other connections like sailing, Or the Hamptons, or enjoying the fall foilage in Central Park whilst sharing an ice cream cone or an overpriced pedi cab scam after a Broadway show on a random Tuesday that you later laugh about. High Tea at the Plaza and heavy petting?
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    12 hours ago, Queen Bitch said:

    Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck Texas

    Do they have any idea that these life perpetuating drugs support straight people too? Christian fascism is a real thing.

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    It violates religious freedom indeed.  Christ was known to say keep all your money and don't help those who need it.  That whole rich guy entering heaven being as easy a camel going through the eye of a needle is definitely fake news propagated by those who don't understand that Jesus was all about hatred.
     
     
     

    Not a problem. Rich dudes are just building larger needles and breeding smaller camels
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    Quote

     

    Texas’ “child abuse” investigators harassed a trans 8th grader even after a court told them to stop

    On August 30, middle school administrators allegedly pulled a 13-year-old transgender boy out of class so an investigator from the state’s Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) could ask him personal questions about his past medical history, gender dysphoria, and past suicide attempt.

    The boy — given the pseudonym “Steve Koe” in court documents — was left “shaking and distressed” by the interrogation, The Washington Post reported. Worse yet, the interrogation allegedly occurred after a court told DFPS investigators to stop doing them.

    Now, Koe’s story is a part of supplemental evidence being filed by the LGBTQ-advocacy organizations Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in its lawsuit against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

    In February, Abbott ordered DFPS to investigate for child abuse any parents who allow their trans children to access gender-affirming medical care. Abbott based his order on a non-binding opinion from the state’s Attorney General Ken Paxton which called such care a form of “child abuse.”

    Paxton’s opinions and Abbott’s order both went against the best practices of pediatrics outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and the American Psychological Association. These organizations consider gender-affirming medical care necessary in many cases, noting it reduces mental anguish and suicide risk among trans youth.

    Soon after issuing his order, several DFPS employees quit and some state attorneys refused to enforce it. The Texas Supreme Court ruled that neither Abbott nor Paxton had the authority to issue the order. Several families with trans children, represented by Lambda Legal and the ACLU also filed a lawsuit against Abbott.

    The presiding district judge in the lawsuit issued a temporary restraining order, effectively stopping DFPS’ investigations while the court prepares to consider the order’s legality in December.

    Koe’s story — part of supplemental evidence illustrating how state agencies are handling the alleged child abuse cases — suggested that DFPS continued its investigations of trans families, even after the court ordered it to stop. In a May briefing, state government officials noted that the judge’s ruling to temporarily stop the probes “prevents a state agency from carrying out its statutory duty to investigate reported child abuse,” the Post wrote.

    Another woman, identified pseudonymously in court documents as Samantha Poe, said her 14-year-old child became the subject of a DFPS abuse investigation even though the child had received no gender-affirming medical care. The child was only “in midst of exploring what a social transition feels like,” Poe said. But DFPS opened an investigation against the child’s family in February. The stress has left the child with “suicidal ideations,” court documents state.

    DFPS employees are speaking out about how Abbott’s order circumvented rule-making procedures at the state agency and made it much harder for its employees to help victims of actual abuse.

     

    https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/09/texas-child-abuse-investigators-harassed-trans-8th-grader-even-court-told-stop/

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    Just now, Willfully Horn said:

    Texas has higher taxes than California.

    I live in California and I think this is not quite right.  Property taxes are probably about 2.5 to 3 times higher in Texas.  But between state income tax, gas tax, and a higher sales tax I think California is net higher.  But it’s definitely closer than people realize.

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    4 minutes ago, Hefeweizen said:

    I live in California and I think this is not quite right.  Property taxes are probably about 2.5 to 3 times higher in Texas.  But between state income tax, gas tax, and a higher sales tax I think California is net higher.  But it’s definitely closer than people realize.

    Conventional wisdom in the US holds that while California is blessed with natural beauty and a plethora of cultural options, those seeking lower taxes should head for Texas.

    But over the last several weeks, a resurfaced 2018 graphic from the Institution on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) has shown a number of social media users and news consumers that unless you are a member of the exclusive top one percent of income earners, taxes in Texas are actually higher than they are in California
     

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/texas-california-higher-taxes-policy-b2161227.html

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    Michael Scott Grimace GIF
     

    https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d3wbk/proud-boys-neo-nazis-and-white-nationalists-protested-drag-bingo-at-texas-church

    Quote

    Neo-Nazis, Proud Boys, preppy white nationalists, and Christian fundamentalists gathered in Katy, Texas, this weekend to protest a “drag bingo” fundraiser held by a local church. 

    It’s another example of the right’s moral panic surrounding drag events and attacks on the LGBTQ community.

    Quote

    Reporters at the scene estimated there were about 100 protesters in all, who were met by 100 counterprotesters, including antifascists wearing all black. In a few instances, the two sides clashed. Photographers from the scene observed that some participants in the protest and counterprotest were carrying guns. 

    Quote

    The incident made First Christian Church, a progressive congregation near Houston, the latest target of the far-right culture war battalion that’s been showing up at libraries, restaurants, schools—and now churches—around the country to protest LGBTQ events.

    Videos recorded from outside the church on Saturday by Candice Bernd, a reporter with TruthOut, showed the protesters and counterprotesters assembled on opposite sides of a busy roadway. Uniformed Proud Boys were in attendance, as were non-uniformed men holding flags and signs from the white nationalist group Patriot Front. 

     

     

     

     

    Edited by atomheartbevo
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    On 9/7/2022 at 5:25 PM, trauma babe said:

    Don't say it if you aren't serious

     

    On 9/7/2022 at 6:57 PM, Bama Chick said:


    Dead ass serious lol

    I’m NYC poor though.

    I’ve already been looking at the job market and Zillow.

    NYC would be happy to have you both.

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    On 9/13/2022 at 10:16 AM, MC Fresh Breath said:

     

    11 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

    I used the outrage rep icon, but this is just making me very sad this morning. 

    Operate with tolerance and minding your own business, and the world is a pretty good place. 

    These degenerates aren't worth a kernel of corn in a mountain of Jew shit.

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    PSA-do not google "Talmud Jew Shit"         veers real quick into "Two Shiksas, One Chuppah" territory.  

     

    Had a conversation with the chair of our "Library Book Review Committee" which was started last year to start banning books.  We were meeting to discuss teacher/staff retention (I'm helping with some affordable housing, but wanted to yell, "We can start by making it unacceptable to threaten librarians for one.").  Anyway, polite and productive conversation.  And in the end of the meeting, I thought of this thread and DT news crowd...and got bummed out, "The parents in my school district, some of the posters I know in real life from Surly political/social discussions........these are some of the best educated people in my State.  and they still fall for this bullshit.  How bad must be in out there in Stupidville, TX?  

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    The Fuckery begins...

    Texas A&M early voting site not restored by Brazos County

    Quote

    Texas A&M in College Station, the largest university in Texas, has around 70,000 students — a figure that is over half of the city’s population and about one-third of Brazos County’s. And according to data from The New York Times, the ZIP code containing the MSC voted Democratic in the 2020 presidential election while city hall’s skewed Republican.

     

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    6 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

     

    4 hours ago, elfenix said:

    advantage: aggy

    @Bama Chick posted about this in the Voter Suppression thread a couple of days ago. Here's the NYTimes map by precinct for 2020 (no paywall).

    https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/upshot/2020-election-map.html

    image.thumb.png.e600a9f048b225bb3f805471b4a4cb8d.png

     

    What's more remarkable is the change from 2016. Old Army ain't happy with new.

    image.thumb.png.92826450a4a1e10a830968b68ba36d50.png

     

     

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    Florida is recovering from experiencing the most powerful hurricane in its history that has resulted in some loss of life and millions without power. And yet, the Gridmegedon in 2021 was worse for Texans.

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    On 9/7/2022 at 10:58 PM, Satchel said:

    Do they have any idea that these life perpetuating drugs support straight people too? Christian fascism is a real thing.

    I think I am feeling a bit Flying Hairy Spaghetti Monster religious and part of my religion is that no asshole public servant deserves medical aid and intervention.  So I do not want my tax money going to providing medical care for activist judge O'Conner.   

     

    Also with the repeal of the FDA, I think I might get into the pharmaceutical supply industry.  I will create a nice pipeline for medications to support federal employees that come from Iran and Russia.   I'll just label it Republican Patriot medication.   I'm sure it will be fine.

    Edited by Nivek
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    11 hours ago, elfenix said:

    prairie view moved red. and was still +92 for biden. 

    Waller County is always pursuing the option to take away the vote from PV students. They also argue the students should only be able to vote in their "home" district even if a student spends 75% of their time in Waller County over several years.

    Of course, they don't mind census workers claiming the students as residents. Increases state and federal funding.

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    On 9/7/2022 at 10:49 AM, Queen Bitch said:

    Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck Texas

    O'Connor has now removed requirements of health insurance to provide cancer, STD or heart screenings free of charge. Same with smoking cessation programs.  And to be clear, they were not free but rather embedded in the premiums.

    https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/30/politics/affordable-care-act-preventive-care-reed-oconnor/index.html

    Previously I thought he was only going after higher risk HIV individuals but apparently he just doesn't believe holding insurance companies to standards. I guess he feels that insurance plans can offer next to no services and let the free market decide their fate.  After people start to die.

    I know it's easy to point to Trump as the worst but it's important to recall that GWB definitely put some bad judges in the court system. O'Connor is only 57 so he has plenty of time to continue to damage America.

    Edited by Nice Guy Eddie
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    1 minute ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

    O'Connor has now removed requirements of health insurance to provide cancer or heart screenings free of charge. 

    https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/30/politics/affordable-care-act-preventive-care-reed-oconnor/index.html

    Previously I thought he was only going after higher risk HIV individuals but apparently he just doesn't believe holding insurance companies to standards. I guess he feels that insurance plans can offer next to no services and let the free market decide their fate.  After people start to die.

    I know it's easy to point to Trump as the worst but it's important to recall that GWB definitely put some bad judges in the court system. O'Connor is only 57 so he has plenty of time to continue to damage America.

    Fuck that asshole.

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    Worthy to note: Texas seems to be catching up with Colorado and California where this already exists, in making diapers (adult and infant) and period products and others like it tax-free. This is bipartisan and a good thing that shows Texas has signs of life yet (per the thread title). Passed the house at least:

    Quote

     

    On Wednesday, Howard, a 17-year House member who heads the Texas Women’s Health Caucus, said the bill shows the positive impact the Legislature can have when it works on a bipartisan basis.

    Howard has tried for multiple sessions to pass similar legislation but the bills have never passed. The bill has bipartisan support with several Republican authors and coauthors.

     

    https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/03/28/texas-house-tentatively-passes-bill-eliminating-sales-tax-from-diapers-period-products/

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    On 3/30/2023 at 10:54 PM, Beau Vine said:

    "We took away your basic bodily rights, but here, your tampons are now tax-free.   We square?"

    You can get a box of 24 tampons throughout Europe for 2-3 Euros.  In the US, the same box is 7-8 USD.  It's fucking bullshit.

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    On 3/30/2023 at 12:00 PM, CTC2 said:

    Amazing how people vote against their self interests. All in the name of owning the Libs I guess. 

    What percentage of people who voted for Abbott or Trump have any notion of this?

    The days when largely well-meaning, often-misguided political entities were herding our sleepy, distracted, stupid electorate around are gone. Half of those dogs have been devoured by the wolves and the other half generally does no more than bark as half the sheep race in any direction the terrifying wolves drive them. They don't even notice that the wolves eat one of their kind whenever appetite demands.

    They don't notice or they blame the other half of the flock.

    It's Idiot World, Jake.

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    3 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

    You can get a box of 24 tampons throughout Europe for 2-3 Euros.  In the US, the same box is 7-8 USD.  It's fucking bullshit.

    That's impossible! We have the glory of an open market system here where invisible hands grab you by the pussy protect the interests of the common citizen. 

    Envy of the world.

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