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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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    Bozo_Casanova

    Posted (edited)

    Btw, @Ag with kids, are you OK?
    Is that the best you can do? After defending such an unconcionable position for so many years it’s pretty sad that “the Dems in California do it too!!1!1!!” is where you landed, like I give a fuck about what Democrats do, or California. Whom are you even addressing?
    It makes me think your media diet must be pretty low calorie. 

    How about this:  if you can’t defend this gerrymander, at least you know your party is going to get to the bottom of this Epstein scandal, amirite.

    Edited by Bozo_Casanova
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    chainsaw

    Posted

    2 hours ago, J.R. Juniors Junior Jr. said:

    Circle C and Victoria in the same district?  Seems legit.

    If memory serves me right, judging by that map, a 9 minute drive on I-35 from a North Austin Home Depot (Howard Lane and I-35) to the Round Rock offices of the Carlson Law Firm (Exit 251) would pass through five different Congressional districts.

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    Updawg

    Posted

    Circle C and Victoria in the same district?  Seems legit.

    Well I live in circle c and my wife was born in Victoria so it’s probably her fault somehow
    • Haha 3
    Gap03

    Posted

    A reasonable person without context might look at the GOP proposal and guess that this is an attempt by a party that has historically been abused by the gerrymander to prove that there has to be some boundary to how abusive a gerrymander can be. Unfortunately, here in the real world, we know this is the GOP trying to prove that there is truly no limit that the current incarnation of the USSC will impose on gerrymandering, so long as it is undertaken by the GOP.

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    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    4 hours ago, J.R. Juniors Junior Jr. said:

    Circle C and Victoria in the same district?  Seems legit.

    michael cloud is a douche bag of the highest order 

    victoria usually has low voter turnout around. this district is very flippable if circle c shows up 

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    Willfully Horn

    Posted (edited)

    5 hours ago, Ag with kids said:

     

    And damn you for dragging me back here to talk about politics...

    Much easier to ignore the destruction of the rule of law, the evil of deportee torture camps, the wholesale grift that has replaced governing, and the misery that will result from 17 million citizens losing healthcare. Damn you.

    Edited by Willfully Horn
    Clarity
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    TwiceHorn

    Posted

    9 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

    Wait. You’ve consistently supported a consideration of party support in creating congressional districts.
    My opinion is and has always been that partisan gerrymandering is bad, period, at all times and in all places and that party outcomes should *never* be considered in the districting process.

    Have you changed your mind? California and Illinois just do what you’ve always advocated for. 
    The difference is that you and I don’t live in those places. And for the record. I really don’t care about them. I do care that northern Hays county, where I served in an official capacity for about a decade, will be deprived of congressional representation by sharing a rep with places that it has nothing in common with.

    Also, those states are doing it specifically in response to Texas' cynical effort.  It's not in response to "organic" urging from a "left-wing" official or party.

    • Like 1
    Nice Guy Eddie

    Posted

    Our system of drawing up congressional districts is ripe for abuses. Both parties do it. The judicial system has at least tried to limit those abuses by the threat of continued denial if they're not somewhat reasonable at least at the macro level.

    While the system sucks, I don't see a better one. Yes I would prefer a system where we apportion the seats by a statewide vote. Say Texas goes 56%-42%-2% (2024 Texas presidential results.) That rounds to giving the seats to 21 (GOP), 15 (Dem) and 1 Ind. But who and how do we decide who gets to go to DC, and do they really represent their constituents?

    On the flip side, nationwide system looks to balance itself. Trump beat Harris on the popular vote 49.8%-48.3. The House is relatively close to these percentages. But if Texas goes crazy to disenfranchise Dems, then Dems need some blue states to follow like CA to disenfranchise republicans.

     

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    Sawbonz

    Posted

    10 hours ago, Ag with kids said:

    California has their Congressional representation at 83% Democrat/17% Republican.  Illinois has it at 82%/18%.  New York is at 73%/27%.

    All 3 have now discussed doing ADDITIONAL gerrymandering in response to the Texas effort.

    All of those states vote around 58%-55% Democrat.

     

    Spare me your outrage....

     

    And damn you for dragging me back here to talk about politics...

    Post their maps fucknut

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    chainsaw

    Posted

    I don't think those Valley districts are going to break they way they think unless Trump is on the ballot, and even when Trump is on the ballot and wins (like he did in Laredo for example) the incumbent Dem still does pretty well. They gerrymandered the 15th like hell (adding votes from Wilson and Jim Wells counties) and could only flip the district due to Brandon's unpopularity. I think it was a hold in 2024 because of Trump but it's exactly the kind of race that, in a 2018-style blue wave, a supercandidate (like Beto was in 2018) could help a downballot challenger defeat an incumbent republican.

    All democrats who tried to act tough on the border FAFO'd

    https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/23/michelle-vallejo-monica-de-la-cruz-south-texas-congress-border/

    Whoever they try to run in TX-15 assuming this new map holds cannot be weak.

    I have no idea how popular De La Cruz is down there but she doesn't strike me as particularly charismatic or skilled. Not that I trust the Texas Dems not to fuck this up, but all of those valley districts are winnable.

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    bolverk

    Posted

    26 minutes ago, CTC2 said:

    Y’all broke the after census cycle. Did you think that the rest of us would just lay back and enjoy it?  It’s just one more step down the road of losing what actually made us great. Say what you want but while plenty of responsibility exists to go around, Republicans don’t like democracy and want everyone to live under their repressive, religious, and racist views. It pisses you guys off that the rest of us won’t go along with it. 
    What did you Nazi’s expect would happen when you broke the 10 year redistricting cycle?  The rest of us just to accept it?  Fuck all of you.

    Our democratic republic is going down and you guys and your cult leader are the ones who are intent on taking it there. Republicans won’t stop as their goal is to have everyone bow to their repressive will. 

     

    Yep. Tom DeLay and the GOP started this intercensal shit in Texas 20 years ago. And, hell, the CURRENT Texas maps that we're using for elections are STILL winding their way through the courts due to challenges.

    And since this is Texas we're talking about, which does have a long history of gerrymandering, think about who's always done it to stay in power: Conservative "good ol' boys," both before and after they all switched parties following the Civil Rights Act. They were always racist motherfuckers.

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    pyrohornIII

    Posted

    If you want to make comment:  https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c055

    “Texas taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for a special session just to redraw maps that were already declared fair and legal by the very people who now want to change them. If nothing material has changed — no new census, no court ruling — then what is this really about? The explanation offered, a vague letter, is not justification for upending the democratic map-drawing process again. This is not about fairness; it’s about keeping political control.”

     

     

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    Captainant

    Posted

    23 minutes ago, pyrohornIII said:

    If you want to make comment:  https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c055

    “Texas taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for a special session just to redraw maps that were already declared fair and legal by the very people who now want to change them. If nothing material has changed — no new census, no court ruling — then what is this really about? The explanation offered, a vague letter, is not justification for upending the democratic map-drawing process again. This is not about fairness; it’s about keeping political control.”

     

     

    thanks, left a comment

    TexasEd

    Posted

    I'm currently in the weird sliver of 10-McCaul that threads through northern Travis and connects it to Bryan.  With this I get shifted into 11 and get some guy named Pflueger that has Midland.  It's rediculous from having my large suburban representation moving from Bryan (10) to Midland (11)

    image.png.e81a72dff95cdde7bc6366586eb67bb7.png

     

    I have 5 districts within a few miles of my house and the high school my kids go to is represented by 4 different districts.

    image.png.a1d1c2b035ee20c2291f6ca612ebecbf.png

    McCaul is not horribad foreign policy wise but he always toes the line on important things like impeachment votes so he has no moral compass.  Now I'll probably be getting a guy who owes his seat to the school voucher crowd.

    • Like 1
    hookemATL

    Posted

    On 7/31/2025 at 9:43 PM, Ag with kids said:

    California has their Congressional representation at 83% Democrat/17% Republican.  Illinois has it at 82%/18%.  New York is at 73%/27%.

    All 3 have now discussed doing ADDITIONAL gerrymandering in response to the Texas effort.

    All of those states vote around 58%-55% Democrat.

     

    Spare me your outrage....

     

    And damn you for dragging me back here to talk about politics...

    Lot of words and numbers to say “I love nazis and pedophilia”.  

    Go fuck, you un-American cunt. 

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    Bozo_Casanova

    Posted

    23 hours ago, bolverk said:

    This translates to a mere 18% of districts, while overall, Texas voted for Harris at a 42% rate. This is a HUGE efficiency gap.

    According to @Ag with kids a few years ago on the shag, parties represent “schools of thought,” so it’s far more important to reflect those than it is to represent “communities of interest, whatever that is.”

    I wonder if he still thinks that?

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    softlynow

    Posted

    1 hour ago, hookemATL said:

    Lot of words and numbers to say “I love nazis and pedophilia”.  

    Go fuck, you un-American cunt. 

     

    1 hour ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

    According to @Ag with kids a few years ago on the shag, parties represent “schools of thought,” so it’s far more important to reflect those than it is to represent “communities of interest, whatever that is.”

    I wonder if he still thinks that?

    He’s for kidnapping brown people, protecting child trafficking rapists and robbing the 99% to give to the 1%. Don’t ask him to explain why. He doesn’t know. 

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    hobbes2702

    Posted

    On 8/1/2025 at 8:25 AM, Nice Guy Eddie said:

    Our system of drawing up congressional districts is ripe for abuses. Both parties do it. The judicial system has at least tried to limit those abuses by the threat of continued denial if they're not somewhat reasonable at least at the macro level.

    While the system sucks, I don't see a better one. Yes I would prefer a system where we apportion the seats by a statewide vote. Say Texas goes 56%-42%-2% (2024 Texas presidential results.) That rounds to giving the seats to 21 (GOP), 15 (Dem) and 1 Ind. But who and how do we decide who gets to go to DC, and do they really represent their constituents?

    On the flip side, nationwide system looks to balance itself. Trump beat Harris on the popular vote 49.8%-48.3. The House is relatively close to these percentages. But if Texas goes crazy to disenfranchise Dems, then Dems need some blue states to follow like CA to disenfranchise republicans.

     

    Non partisan commissions to create districts. It’s really not that hard. Like at all

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    safe sex

    Posted (edited)

    1 hour ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

    According to @Ag with kids a few years ago on the shag, parties represent “schools of thought,” so it’s far more important to reflect those than it is to represent “communities of interest, whatever that is.”

    I wonder if he still thinks that?

    My father tries couch his vote for Trump in terms of a philosophical defense against liberal overreach, not policy endorsement. Too bad it doesn't work like that, most especially with a lying rapist and fraudster on the ticket! 

    Edited by safe sex
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    Nivek

    Posted

    My father tries couch his vote for Trump in terms of a philosophical defense against liberal overreach, not policy endorsement. Too bad it doesn't work like that, most especially with a lying rapist and fraudster on the ticket! 

    Mine has just decided everything he doesn’t like is fake. Trump is basically the perfect human and has replaced Jesus as an object of worship.
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    Evil Bill Obrien

    Posted

    Abbott’s gonna ask Trump for help and he’s gonna send the national guard to round up/arrest the democrats breaking quorum and parade them back in irons isn’t he?

    Sawbonz

    Posted

    56 minutes ago, Evil Bill Obrien said:

    Abbott’s gonna ask Trump for help and he’s gonna send the national guard to round up/arrest the democrats breaking quorum and parade them back in irons isn’t he?

    Man I hope so. We need to see some of the violence inherent in the system directed at elected representatives. 
     

    but they will all be coming home after “making their point” and the vote will happen. Hopefully Newsom Pritzker et al make good on their promises threats to do the same

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    Fudge Nuggets

    Posted

    They've tried this same stunt before.  It didn't change shit.

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    safe sex

    Posted

    It's still important that they try it.

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    Surly Bevo

    Posted (edited)

    If they really want a futile and stupid gesture they should show back up for the vote like the Delta Tau Chis showed back up for the Faber Homecoming Parade.  

    Edited by Surly Bevo
    • Like 3
    CTC2

    Posted

    1 minute ago, tx 3 putt said:

     

    ditch all their electronics and they're much harder to find. also ....

     

    This dude is going get some serious mileage with the crowd who doesn’t think D’s are fighting hard enough, depending upon how he handles it.  I’m not sure I know what that even is.   He’s also taking the risk of getting his nuts kicked somehow. 
    I do find his addition to this is actually making me more interested because my assumption is and was, that they will just cave like always and the new maps pass. 

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    bluto

    Posted

    Why do they even stay in the country? They could get a little mileage out of it by Ted cruzing to Cancun 

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    A-Tex Devil

    Posted

    So what is the latest they can pass redistricting and still get on the ballot for 2026?

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    Satchel

    Posted

    9 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

     

    Can they accept “loans”?

    Evil Bill Obrien

    Posted

    7 hours ago, HenryJames said:

     

     

    bravo for showing a little spine finally Texas Democrats…now just need to hope Gov Hot Wheels doesn’t go orange dictator on them and illegally declare their seats vacant…

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    • Like 2
    HalfSack Horn

    Posted

    7 hours ago, Satchel said:

    Can they accept “loans”?

    I’m gonna send money and just call it a “tip”.  Completely legal according to the SC

    • Hook 'Em 1
    Horn Dog

    Posted

    5 minutes ago, HalfSack Horn said:

    I’m gonna send money and just call it a “tip”.  Completely legal according to the SC

    Can we just pay them for their Name, Image, and Likeness?

    • Haha 2
    Ojo Rojo

    Posted

    4 hours ago, HalfSack Horn said:

    I’m gonna send money and just call it a “tip”.  Completely legal according to the SC

    And they won't get taxed on it, to boot!

    Ghost of LL

    Posted

    13 hours ago, HenryJames said:

     

    I mean, sure.  Why not?

    The concept that the House of Representatives is representative of very much of anything is pretty much dead.  All we're doing now is putting a second bullet in the head of our democracy.

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    MissingInAction

    Posted

    16 hours ago, Surly Bevo said:

    If they really want a futile and stupid gesture they should show back up for the vote like the Delta Tau Chis showed back up for the Faber Homecoming Parade.  

    In all seriousness some form of this NEEDS to happen. Its the only way to get any attention. 

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    Chad Fuck

    Posted

    4 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

    I kinda hope we see Texas move forward with this effort, because I think the Republicans will fuck it up and not gain the 5 seats as promised. Trump won't be on the ballot in 26, and lots of independents don't like this version of him. I think the Rs may be putting other seats in jeopardy that they assume are safe, and this could lead to a some upheaval in the state reps currently in power. It wouldn't be the worst thing if that happened even if the numbers slightly change. 

    More importantly, this nakedly obvious illegal and unethical power grab will give several blue states the motivation and reason to do the same, in a way that will be a huge net positive for the Dems seats in Congress. They have to fight fire with fire, and if they actually believe their warnings of "losing democracy forever" are true, then they need to occupy every seat possible to prevent it. California can definitely squeeze a few Rs out of power, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, etc could all pick up a few more seats. If they all do it, it would result in a seismic shift that could prevent the House from turning red for another decade.

    The only reason Mike Johnson is even in power is because so many red and purple states have already done what Texas is threatening. So fuck them, fuck playing fair and doing the right thing, moral victories are for losers. Go win the damn thing and start blocking the dumb shit this administration spews out. Fight dirty, fight clean, whatever it takes, just actually fucking fight it. 

    This.  If the GOP does this, and the counter by D states sees the Rs go down - which is a real possibility - that may have some positive knock on effects.  Maybe then we will see bipartisan support for non-partisan map drawing boards and other common sense voter empowerment laws.  

    LOL.HAHHAHA.

    Man, I crack myself up. 

     

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