Jump to content
  • 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.

     

     


    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    Nice Guy Eddie

    Posted

    The chances are 100% that Trump will look to use federal agents (fbi, ice, us marshals) to deliver the Texas dems back to the Capitol. He will love to trigger the Dems to see their politicians in zip tie handcuffs and perhaps black bags over their heads.

    even if a court ultimately said that the feds exceeded their power, who cares if that ruling comes down after the fact.

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Rage+1 3
    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
    chainsaw

    Posted

    15 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

    That's why they for dead-certain real need to go into actual hiding.  And that starts with ditching all existing cell phones and devices.  Get them burner phones.  Start acting like you are the resistance to a gestapo police state.  Because that's exactly what you are.

    this.

    i assume there's also some lawfare (outside of Texas) they could try since this is related to federal elections, like a restraining order from an indigenous mutiracial nonbinary genderqueer Biden appointee

    • Rage+1 1
    SimonBolivar

    Posted

    1 hour ago, fuggled said:

     

    Thank God they're the party of state's rights. Surely that mean that they wouldn't even contemplate doing something like that!

    • Hook 'Em 3
    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
    wildcat09

    Posted

    It’d be funny if Trump ordered the FBI to arrest them and the FBI just refused. That’s the one federal law enforcement organization that has plenty of reason to hate Trump.

    • Hook 'Em 2
    • Like 1
    Nivek

    Posted

    48 minutes ago, wildcat09 said:

    It’d be funny if Trump ordered the FBI to arrest them and the FBI just refused. That’s the one federal law enforcement organization that has plenty of reason to hate Trump.

    You haven't been paying enough attention.  They will probably just send in ICE to do the job.  They hired authoritarian losers for a reason.  

     

    • Hook 'Em 4
    • Like 1
    • Rage+1 1
    Foosters

    Posted

    3 hours ago, fuggled said:

     

    this is the type of stuff that libertarians love to see, right @DalTxHornFan?

    • Hook 'Em 5
    DalTxHornFan

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Foosters said:

    this is the type of stuff that libertarians love to see, right @DalTxHornFan?

    Seems like a dumb and futile move, actually.

    wild_turkey

    Posted

    Seems like a dumb and futile move, actually.

    Okay, so you’re critical of the Democrat response to a situation.

    Just to clarify, how do you feel about the actual situation that prompted that response? Do you think Texas should redraw congressional districts before the 2026 midterms?
    • Hook 'Em 2
    Evil Bill Obrien

    Posted

    So are we going to live in a state where the governor can just pick and choose what representatives get to stay in office and unilaterally remove those who oppose?

     

     

    • Rage+1 4
    pyrohornIII

    Posted (edited)

    On 8/4/2025 at 4:15 PM, InkaUtexas said:

    The Texas House of Representatives voted on Monday to compel more than 50 Democratic Party lawmakers to return to the body in order to vote on a highly controversial redistricting effort to try and net the national Republican Party 5 more seats in Congress. The House officially empowered Texas state troopers and the House’s sergeant-at-arms to track down the members and arrest them, but they would not face any kind of charges under the order.

    House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) announced he would sign the arrest warrants after the vote on Monday, which are only valid inside Texas’s border – making them purely symbolic as the lawmakers have all fled the state.  Democrats are trying to delay the vote by not allowing the GOP-controlled body to have a quorum — a minimum number of members present in order to conduct official business.

    Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) also ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest the absent Democrats.

    “Texas House Democrats abandoned their duty to Texans by fleeing the state, Texas House Democrats are holding hostage critical legislation to aid flood victims and advance property tax relief. There are consequences for dereliction of duty,” Abbott’s office said in a statement, adding:

    https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/just-in-texas-issues-arrest-warrants-for-democratic-lawmakers-who-fled-to-avoid-redistricting-vote/

     

    image.png

    image.thumb.png.0518842a1c9d98276ff7ad94d343a7d7.png

    Edited by pyrohornIII
    • Hook 'Em 4
    • Like 4
    CTC2

    Posted

    1 hour ago, DalTxHornFan said:

    Seems like a dumb and futile move, actually.

    Just lay back and enjoy it. 
                 —Clayton Williams

    DalTxHornFan

    Posted (edited)

    15 minutes ago, CTC2 said:
    42 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:


    Okay, so you’re critical of the Democrat response to a situation.

    Just to clarify, how do you feel about the actual situation that prompted that response? Do you think Texas should redraw congressional districts before the 2026 midterms?

    Just lay back and enjoy it. 
                 —Clayton Williams

    You both misunderstood my comment.  I think that it is dumb and futile to get the FBI involved in a state issue.

    Edited by DalTxHornFan
    • Like 1
    Captain Ron

    Posted (edited)

    So say I live in Massachusetts and wanted to offer my guest room to a traveler in need, would any of you know whom I should contact?

    Edited by Captain Ron
    • Hook 'Em 2
    • Like 1
    Willfully Horn

    Posted

    One way to frame this situation is enough people have withdrawn their consent to be governed, according to our laws, and the lege needs to find a way forward without jack booted thugs, activist judges, and a power mad executive dictating to the people.

    • Hook 'Em 4
    Horn Dog

    Posted

    The arguments may be deeply unserious, and yet they will work.

    • Hook 'Em 2
    Bookman

    Posted

    Don't they have to serve the petition? 

    • Like 1
    • Haha 1
    Disco Strangler

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Evil Bill Obrien said:

    So are we going to live in a state where the governor can just pick and choose what representatives get to stay in office and unilaterally remove those who oppose?

     

     

    Let this come to fruition and I will put $10K in the Gene Wu for governor campaign pile.  

    • Hook 'Em 3
    • Like 1
    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Willfully Horn said:

    One way to frame this situation is enough people have withdrawn their consent to be governed, according to our laws, and the lege needs to find a way forward without jack booted thugs, activist judges, and a power mad executive dictating to the people.

     

    define an 'activist judge'

     

    Bored Daily Show GIF by CTV Comedy Channel

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
    Willfully Horn

    Posted

    6 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

     

    define an 'activist judge'

     

    Bored Daily Show GIF by CTV Comedy Channel

    A Calvinball court.

    • Hook 'Em 2
    Evil Bill Obrien

    Posted

    So they are really gonna oust Wu aren't they...

    image.thumb.png.7d57e50ae2a3a95f16e0cd4d6e58a6d8.png

    • Rage+1 2
    South Austin

    Posted

    12 hours ago, Horn Dog said:

    The arguments may be deeply unserious, and yet they will work.

    Because our current Texas Supreme Court is also unserious.  They're Trump/Abbott lackeys who wear robes.

    • Like 1
    • Rage+1 3
    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    Just now, HenryJames said:

    image.jpeg.af401ff8bb15c5196dd1d999c74d4f35.jpeg

     

    the worst fucking state 

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Like 1
    Longhorn_Fan68

    Posted

    5 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

     

    the worst fucking state 

    only because of the promise. other states have as bad people/governance, but the potential for greatness isn't there. that's what makes texas such a disappointment 

    • Hook 'Em 2
    • Like 1
    Evil Bill Obrien

    Posted

    6 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

    image.jpeg.af401ff8bb15c5196dd1d999c74d4f35.jpeg

    Which one is Jimmy?

    GreenspointTexas

    Posted

    27 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

    b3maydndk9hf1.jpeg?width=1080&crop=smart

    I love that woman

    • Hook 'Em 2
    • Like 4
    • Drool 2
    Texas Jeff

    Posted

    A quick note on the power of the gerrymander...

    Here's how Texas voted in the last few elections:

    • 2024 Presidential election: Trump 56.2%, Harris 42.5%, Others 1.3%
    • 2022 Gubernatorial election: Abbott 54.8%,  O'Rourke 43.9%, Others 1.3%
    • 2020 Presidential election: Trump 52.1%, Biden 46.5%, Others 1.4%
    • 2018 Gubernatorial election: Abbott 55.8%, Valdez 42.5%, Others 1.7%

    The current US House delegation from Texas has 38 members: 25 Republicans and 13 Democrats.  Republicans have 65% of the seats.

    If Republicans pick up 5 more seats, Republicans will control 78% of the seats in a state where they poll between 52-56% of the population.

    If the Texas delegation mirrored the statewide results, Texas would have 20-21 Republicans and 17-18 Democrats. They would have  five fewer Republicans than they do now.

    • Hook 'Em 5
    • Like 3
    • Rage+1 1
    Nivek

    Posted

     
    image.thumb.png.967c3c2b5e11ed1c41b7d08b8da860a1.png
    image.thumb.png.0518842a1c9d98276ff7ad94d343a7d7.png

    Counteroffer: We will cede to the gerrymandering on the condition that all Democratic Party and Independent members will no longer be subjected to Taxes of any kind within the State of Texas, in keeping with a founding principle of this great nation, “no taxation without representation.”
    • Hook 'Em 3
    • Like 3
    Bozo_Casanova

    Posted

    32 minutes ago, Texas Jeff said:

    A quick note on the power of the gerrymander...

    Here's how Texas voted in the last few elections:

    • 2024 Presidential election: Trump 56.2%, Harris 42.5%, Others 1.3%
    • 2022 Gubernatorial election: Abbott 54.8%,  O'Rourke 43.9%, Others 1.3%
    • 2020 Presidential election: Trump 52.1%, Biden 46.5%, Others 1.4%
    • 2018 Gubernatorial election: Abbott 55.8%, Valdez 42.5%, Others 1.7%

    The current US House delegation from Texas has 38 members: 25 Republicans and 13 Democrats.  Republicans have 65% of the seats.

    If Republicans pick up 5 more seats, Republicans will control 78% of the seats in a state where they poll between 52-56% of the population.

    If the Texas delegation mirrored the statewide results, Texas would have 20-21 Republicans and 17-18 Democrats. They would have  five fewer Republicans than they do now.

    “Schools of thought,” eh @Ag with kids

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Haha 5
    Larry T. Spider

    Posted

    10 hours ago, Texas Jeff said:

    A quick note on the power of the gerrymander...

    Here's how Texas voted in the last few elections:

    • 2024 Presidential election: Trump 56.2%, Harris 42.5%, Others 1.3%
    • 2022 Gubernatorial election: Abbott 54.8%,  O'Rourke 43.9%, Others 1.3%
    • 2020 Presidential election: Trump 52.1%, Biden 46.5%, Others 1.4%
    • 2018 Gubernatorial election: Abbott 55.8%, Valdez 42.5%, Others 1.7%

    The current US House delegation from Texas has 38 members: 25 Republicans and 13 Democrats.  Republicans have 65% of the seats.

    If Republicans pick up 5 more seats, Republicans will control 78% of the seats in a state where they poll between 52-56% of the population.

    If the Texas delegation mirrored the statewide results, Texas would have 20-21 Republicans and 17-18 Democrats. They would have  five fewer Republicans than they do now.

    I’ve been saying for years that the Dems will win this state back by winning statewide elections first. There is no other way. If they start to break this gerrymandered map, republicans will just create a new one. It’s whack-a-mole.

    About 7 years ago I did some in-depth demographic/election research and pegged 2028 as when dems would be capable of pulling this off. Increasing Hispanic population combined with burbs turning blue would do the trick. 

    I don’t give Dems much of a shot before 2128 now. Caveat is that nobody knows what a post-Trump political landscape looks like. 

    Pato del Muerto

    Posted (edited)

    Seven years ago you probably didn’t count on a huge influx of conservative California republicans seeking political likemindedness, or the shift right for that increasing Hispanic demographic 

    Edited by Pato del Muerto
    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Rage+1 1
    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
    CTC2

    Posted

    10 hours ago, Nivek said:


    Counteroffer: We will cede to the gerrymandering on the condition that all Democratic Party and Independent members will no longer be subjected to Taxes of any kind within the State of Texas, in keeping with a founding principle of this great nation, “no taxation without representation.”

    How about they just pay to relocate us to a place of our choosing with a pocketful of bitcoin in exchange for us never coming back?

    • Like 1
    • Drool 1
    Larry T. Spider

    Posted

    34 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

    Seven years ago you probably didn’t count on a huge influx of conservative California republicans seeking political likemindedness, or the shift right for that increasing Hispanic demographic 

    Yep. Mainly the shift in Hispanic men. Turbo fucks all the calculations if it’s permanent. Could easily change once Trump is out. A lot of the blue collar machismo guys like Trumps bravado but wouldn’t give two shits about a guy like Vance.

    • Hook 'Em 1
    David Dennison

    Posted

    39 minutes ago, CTC2 said:

    How about they just pay to relocate us to a place of our choosing with a pocketful of bitcoin in exchange for us never coming back?

    i want to go to there jimmy fallon GIF by Saturday Night Live

    Satchel

    Posted

    On 8/5/2025 at 2:50 PM, Brisketexan said:

    That's why they for dead-certain real need to go into actual hiding.  And that starts with ditching all existing cell phones and devices.  Get them burner phones.  Start acting like you are the resistance to a gestapo police state.  Because that's exactly what you are.

    Ten of them should schedule elective surgeries that require weeks long convalescence. 

    Gap03

    Posted

    15 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

    And away we go!

    Does this MFer really think he's going to be able to earn Trump's endorsement with this shit (and the incessant YouTube ads about his voting record in support of Trump)?  Gawd, he's fucking naive.

    • Hook 'Em 3
    • Like 1
    Brisketexan

    Posted

    Does this MFer really think he's going to be able to earn Trump's endorsement with this shit (and the incessant YouTube ads about his voting record in support of Trump)?  Gawd, he's fucking naive.

    Saw one of his ads on tv during the evening news. Was genuinely surprised it didn’t include the phrase “he sucks Trump’s dick and gargles the gravy,” because that was 100% the message of the entire ad.
    Nevermind all the other issues with that…how humiliating that must be. To be so over-the-top obsequious to a man you’re smart enough to know is a moronic loathsome amoral toad…Jesus. There is no bottom for these people. And importantly, no dignity or self-respect. To cuck yourself so absolutely, how pathetic.
    • Hook 'Em 3
    • Like 3
    TexPx

    Posted

    The Huffines Effect
    You must OUT-MAGA your opponent.

    • Like 1
    Brisketexan

    Posted

    12 minutes ago, TexPx said:

    The Huffines Effect
    You must OUT-MAGA your opponent.

    ...and the only way to do that is to go full Reek supplication obsequious orange knob-gobbling.  It's just so fucking humiliating.

    After telling these people "this is what you need to do to win/keep this office," the next thing to do is ask "so, do you have ANY dignity or self-respect?"  And the answer, for almost all of these folks, is "nope.  Not even a fucking molecule."

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Like 1
    Chuckie Finster

    Posted

    ...and the only way to do that is to go full Reek supplication obsequious orange knob-gobbling.  It's just so fucking humiliating.
    After telling these people "this is what you need to do to win/keep this office," the next thing to do is ask "so, do you have ANY dignity or self-respect?"  And the answer, for almost all of these folks, is "nope.  Not even a fucking molecule."

    It’s to the point where Democrats need to break some unwritten rules. Research the names of these people’s children, and publicly shame them in public. “Sarah, does it make you proud that your father has completely abandoned all of the principles to follow a man who couldn’t pick him out of a lineup?” “Jimmy, how does it make you feel when your mom says things on tv that are completely opposite of what she says at home?”

    It’s time for mental warfare on these folks.
    • Like 1
    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
    wildcat09

    Posted

    2 hours ago, David Dennison said:

    And away we go!

     

    FBI Agents: "Sure, we can locate them. They're in the fucking Hyatt downtown. There, done our jobs, we're off to golf."

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Like 2
    Bozo_Casanova

    Posted

    On 8/5/2025 at 2:48 PM, Nice Guy Eddie said:

    The chances are 100% that Trump will look to use federal agents (fbi, ice, us marshals) to deliver the Texas dems back to the Capitol.

    I think this is likely

    14 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

    Seven years ago you probably didn’t count on a huge influx of conservative California republicans seeking political likemindedness, or the shift right for that increasing Hispanic demographic 

    I completely disagree. Both were well underway and visible in the data, but the Democratic Party wasn’t paying attention to the data and instead was busy huffing out-of-state consultant bullshit about “The Hispanic Vote” and “centering marginalized communities,” but not the marginalized communities that actually power the Democratic voting coalition in the state of Texas. 

    • Hook 'Em 1
    LCHorn

    Posted

    If Pritzker is paying, anyway, I hear Toronto is pleasant this time of year.  Also, best exotic dancing north of Atlanta.  

    Nice Guy Eddie

    Posted

    1 minute ago, LCHorn said:

    If Pritzker is paying, anyway, I hear Toronto is pleasant this time of year.  Also, best exotic dancing north of Atlanta.  

    Canada tariffs will go up to 500% if they allow Texas Dems. 




    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...