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  • 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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    Deej

    Posted

    13 hours ago, bluto said:

    will the dems have the balls to go nuclear the rest of this session

    Hahahahahahahahaha...no. 

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    Evil Bill Obrien

    Posted

    So where do I send the paperwork to get my future Muslim Fundamentalist Private School certified to get some of these sweet, sweet taxpayer provided school vouchers?

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    Valmy77

    Posted

    5 minutes ago, Larry T. Spider said:

    Enjoy spending your tax money on schools with no academic accountability ratings, no requirement to provide certified teachers, no requirement to provide special education services, no obligation to accept kids from tough circumstances, and no legal requirement to report staff fired for questionable behavior with students. 

    And not accountable to our elected school boards. Just over there stealing out money and handing it off to their private equity buddies.

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    Larry T. Spider

    Posted

    29 minutes ago, Valmy77 said:

    And not accountable to our elected school boards. Just over there stealing out money and handing it off to their private equity buddies.


    Complain about wasteful spending in eduction.

    Solution: hand money over to schools with zero oversight, accountability, or regulations.

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    C-Man

    Posted

    37 minutes ago, Larry T. Spider said:

    Everything republicans have ever preached about accountability for public schools is a farce. 

    FIFY

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    Valmy77

    Posted

    The sad part is that even if this platonically perfectly, even if we did get really high quality private schools that took all of our students, regardless of disability, and did a great job educating them and blew the Public School system away....it would still be disastrous since this would pretty much only happen in urban and suburban areas. The rural parts of the state and the small towns would still be screwed.

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    Deej

    Posted

    44 minutes ago, Larry T. Spider said:

    I also hope that the residents of the 158 Texas counties that don’t even have a private school

    The ones coasting on that sweet AISD recapture money?

    Larry T. Spider

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Deej said:

    The ones coasting on that sweet AISD recapture money?

    52.4% of local tax money paid. 821 million a year.

    Valmy77

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Larry T. Spider said:

    52.4% of local tax money paid. 821 million a year.

    I know. We did this when the Democrats controlled Texas. For them. We agreed to share our tax money with them because we wanted to help.

    And they hate us for it.

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    tx ind

    Posted

    Are there limitations on who can receive the vouchers?

    RPM

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Evil Bill Obrien said:

    So where do I send the paperwork to get my future Muslim Fundamentalist Private School certified to get some of these sweet, sweet taxpayer provided school vouchers?

    Department of Homeland Security

    Larry T. Spider

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, tx ind said:

    Are there limitations on who can receive the vouchers?

    No dirty children of illegals coming here to steal our jobs and voucher slots.

    bluto

    Posted

    12 minutes ago, tx ind said:

    Are there limitations on who can receive the vouchers?

    As in like income limits?  no you goofus, bc then there wouldn’t even be enough kids to fill the program. 😂

    bolverk

    Posted

    17 minutes ago, tx ind said:

    Are there limitations on who can receive the vouchers?

    image.png.7c37125d5815dba1527899e26aa2705e.png

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    tx ind

    Posted

    35 minutes ago, bluto said:

    As in like income limits?  no you goofus, bc then there wouldn’t even be enough kids to fill the program. 😂

    Yeah that’s what I was asking about.  Really no income limitations? 

    Larry T. Spider

    Posted

    1 minute ago, tx ind said:

    Yeah that’s what I was asking about.  Really no income limitations? 

    Once you understand this is a new form of grift, it will make more sense.

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    RPM

    Posted

    1 hour ago, GreenspointTexas said:

    Thank god im white, in times like these

    Let's take a peek at your voting record and social media before we determine what kind of white you are.

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    bluto

    Posted

    19 minutes ago, tx ind said:

    Yeah that’s what I was asking about.  Really no income limitations? 

    There was a back and forth when an amendment was presented, the gop challenged the dem to present a number of how many billionaires there are in Texas and how many of them have kids school age. Thats the level of thought that went into it. 
    the dem did have a good poke about Elon being a resident and having double digit offspring. 

    • Like 1
    mchookem

    Posted

    13 minutes ago, RPM said:

    Let's take a peek at your voting record and social media before we determine what kind of white you are.

    image.jpeg.6e876b8764adcfe0ded37a21abc8effb.jpeg

     

    honestly we're probably not that far off...

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    Evil Bill Obrien

    Posted

    1 hour ago, RPM said:

    Department of Homeland Security

    Nice try, fed

     

    royiv

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Valmy77 said:

    The sad part is that even if this platonically perfectly, even if we did get really high quality private schools that took all of our students, regardless of disability, and did a great job educating them and blew the Public School system away....it would still be disastrous since this would pretty much only happen in urban and suburban areas. The rural parts of the state and the small towns would still be screwed.

    Keep the poorly educated poorly educated. It’s the GQP’s base.

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    pyrohornIII

    Posted

    Now they are pushing hard on property tax rebates for those who choose to pull out of public ed and send their kids to private.   This could be even more devastating to the small rural schools due to how many they stand to lose to home schooling.  Especially in the elementary years.  Then after jr high, they want to send them back to the public system for a variety of reasons.  A public ISD that will be damaged by the loss of those tax rebates in the lower grades.

     

    image.thumb.png.b9b891a4a94a21efe40e7a15d5c1ecb6.png

    Paper_jam

    Posted (edited)

    Future generations will be indoctrinated in religious schools, taught a superficial understanding of history, and undereducated (at best) in hard science and critical thinking. A recipe for a permanent Republican majority.  And the best part--we're paying for it.

    If the Robin Hood system is still going to exist, the City of Austin should refuse to make any more payments into it.

     

    Edited by Paper_jam
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    Hank Scorpio

    Posted

    Shit I need to open a charter school and get me some of that free money.

    • Hook 'Em 3
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    wild_turkey

    Posted

    Is there any language about what types of private schools can qualify for the voucher funds?

    We are currently watching Harvard, one of the most prestigious private academic institutions in the history of the world, battle our federal government for its future due to not sharing Trump’s values.

    Once the Texas state government, which aspires to be as MAGA as possible, starts making payments to private K-12 schools, does anyone really think those schools will remain in control of their own curriculum and values?

    • Hook 'Em 1
    Pam Cummings

    Posted

    40 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

    Shit I need to open a charter school and get me some of that free money.

    School for Surlies, let's make it happen.

    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
    Bookman

    Posted

    Lesson One: OU sucks. 

    Satchel

    Posted

    Ten grand is gonna put a nice dent in that Jesuit tuition bill.

    HalfSack Horn

    Posted

    1 hour ago, pyrohornIII said:

    Now they are pushing hard on property tax rebates for those who choose to pull out of public ed and send their kids to private.   This could be even more devastating to the small rural schools due to how many they stand to lose to home schooling.  Especially in the elementary years.  Then after jr high, they want to send them back to the public system for a variety of reasons.  A public ISD that will be damaged by the loss of those tax rebates in the lower grades.

     

    image.thumb.png.b9b891a4a94a21efe40e7a15d5c1ecb6.png

    Also, more and more homes are owned by investors, private equity, etc.   you think they will keep paying property taxes.  This would be an automatic and immediate funding disaster.   Fuck these people 

    Ghost of LL

    Posted

    30 minutes ago, Satchel said:

    Ten grand is gonna put a nice dent in that Jesuit tuition bill.

    Ha--as if the private schools aren't just going to increase their tuition rates by $10K.

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    royiv

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

    Ha--as if the private schools aren't just going to increase their tuition rates by $10K.

    This. It’s free money for the Kinkaids and St. Johns of the world. 

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    royiv

    Posted

    4 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

    But there will be a new level of private school where tuition is $10k per year and the kids don’t learn shit as there are 100 of them in some free church basement doing fuckall while one or two adults are in  corner counting their million dollars. 

    Also this. The fundies are going to have a field day with this grifting opportunity. They’ll be running glorified daycares in their basements.

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    pyrohornIII

    Posted

    41 minutes ago, HalfSack Horn said:

    Also, more and more homes are owned by investors, private equity, etc.   you think they will keep paying property taxes.  This would be an automatic and immediate funding disaster.   Fuck these people 

    Could we have another housing bubble blow up and end up with the schools holding a lot of properties?    And even then, in that depressed market i would assume those with huge money would swoop in and buy those properties dirt cheap on the courthouse steps?  Just seems tailor made to push more wealth into the oilgarch's accounts.

     

    Hank Scorpio

    Posted (edited)

    24 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

    But there will be a new level of private school where tuition is $10k per year and the kids don’t learn shit as there are 100 of them in some free church basement doing fuckall while one or two adults are in  corner counting their million dollars. 

    Actually they are called Hank Scorpio Underground Learning Centers and the kids also have to build the basement learning center. 

    Edited by Hank Scorpio
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    pyrohornIII

    Posted

    31 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

    Actually they are called Hank Scorpio Underground Learning Centers and the kids also have to build the basement learning center. 

    you get extra for also teaching them a trade!

     

     

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    Satchel

    Posted

    The billionaire preacher who bought this bill is the founder of Midland Classical Academy. Now, all of his friends get a 10k break on tuition. A lot of skulduggery was necessary to create this coincidence.

    • Like 1
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    dcbc

    Posted (edited)

    2 hours ago, Pam Cummings said:

    School for Surlies, let's make it happen.

    Schola ad Surly: Schola Assholes

     

    Alternative:

     

    Our Lady of Surly: IPIHB

    Edited by dcbc
    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

    Ha--as if the private schools aren't just going to increase their tuition rates by $10K.

    every private school with a wait list will increase $10k, some won't want anything to do with state money  

    Pato del Muerto

    Posted

    17 minutes ago, Satchel said:

    The billionaire preacher who bought this bill is the founder of Midland Classical Academy. Now, all of his friends get a 10k break on tuition. A lot of skulduggery was necessary to create this coincidence.

    The concept of billionaire preachers is so comical it should be illegal just based on absurdity. Yet, there are quite a few. 

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    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    2 hours ago, royiv said:

    This. It’s free money for the Kinkaids and St. Johns of the world. 

     

    no way kincaid is accepting state money, but enjoy that $10k increase 

    • Like 1
    Brisketexan

    Posted

    But there will be a new level of private school where tuition is $10k per year and the kids don’t learn shit as there are 100 of them in some free church basement doing fuckall while one or two adults are in  corner counting their million dollars. 

    Oh, I see you have heard of Brisketexan’s FreedomEagleJesusGunLiberty Academy of Freedom, Jesus, and Guns. We’re accepting applications now from truly outstanding applicants*.


    * Anyone who can pay $20k a year to have kids taught 100 at a time by an AI model regurgitating stuff from NewsMax with one proctor/supervisor in a cheap metal warehouse.
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    Im_smarter_then_you

    Posted

    AU contraire mis amigos 

     

    Spoiler

    Au contraire mis amigos 

     

    Just wow!!!😲 I can't believe this, Did you know???

    🇺🇸We all know the State of Texas is huge. Most don’t know about the TEX-A-PLEX. Do you?

    It will blow your mind!!!!
    Texas is also the State with the largest number of Hispanics, particularly of Mexican origin, Latino and Latino men and women who have made the State transcend
    Also remember that before it was Mexican territory of brave men and women as until this time and moment... 

    Blessings to all our Brothers and Sisters of Texas

    Baylor is the only university, in existence today that was founded when we were the republic of Texas! 

    🐄🐄🐄 The triangular region framed in by the cities of Austin, Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio is experiencing a wave of growth of historic proportions more than anywhere in the world.

    ️ In 2020, the population of the Texas Triangle reached nearly 21 million.

    💥 the Texas Triangle contains five of the 20 largest cities in the U.S., and was home to more than 70% of all Texans: City of Dallas, City of Fort Worth, City of Austin, City of Houston  and City of San Antonio 

    🛫The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is bigger than all of Manhattan.

    🏞️The The University of Texas at Austin is the third largest land owner in the United States. 

    🌮San Antonio is bigger than New York City and Detroit combined. 

    👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👩‍👩‍👧‍👦Houston has a bigger population than Colorado and 34 other states. 

    🏢Four of the top ten metro statistical areas are in Texas.

    🔥 The Texas economy is on fire. The state added 660,000 new jobs last year – more jobs than any other, and twice the number of new jobs compared to its historical average. With Dallas by far leading the growth. 

    📆 50,000 jobs a month, I mean, that’s almost 2,000 jobs a day every day of the week for an entire year.

    No state income tax

    The Tex-a-plex is home to over 50 Fortune 500 companies. And has more Fortune 1000 companies than any other state. 

    💰 At 2.4 TRILLION, Texas is ranked as the 9th largest economy among nations of the world by GDP, ahead of Canada, South Korea, Russia, and Australia.

    🚢Texas is the largest exporter of goods in the United States 

    💵Dallas is home to the fourth most BILLIONAIRES in the world. 

    💡Houston has more than 5,000 energy related firms and is the energy capital of the world. 

    🩻The Texas Medical Center is the largest in the world located in Houston. 

    🎁25% of ALL retail space in the United States is in Texas.

    🎼🎹Austin is the live music capital of the world. South By Southwest Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater (ACL Live) 

    🤽‍♀️⛹️♀️🏌🏻The are 12 professional sports teams in the Tex-A-Plex.

    📘📗📕 You can further your education in the great state of Texas at any one of the 159 universities and colleges in order to prepare yourself for a successful and prosperous career. Including 6 medical schools. 

    Texas A&M University has an enrollment of 74,829 the largest 
    student body in the United States

    -reposted because I didn’t know all of this and found it interesting!
    Texas state Quilt  Order from here ❤️🛒 👇
    https://ournewdesing.shop/products/texas-quilt-2

     

    bluto

    Posted

    Have heard from folks in the know in Fort Worth private school circles that the big dogs have agreed to not accept vouchers. 

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    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    6 minutes ago, bluto said:

    Have heard from folks in the know in Fort Worth private school circles that the big dogs have agreed to not accept vouchers. 

     

    heard the same about hou schools 

    • Haha 2
    C-Man

    Posted

     
    no way kincaid is accepting state money, but enjoy that $10k increase 

    This is what happened in Arkansas



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