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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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    Satchel

    Posted

    4 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

    356c1914-e949-4c78-9d46-156cacf88faf_tex
    University

    They may not be Methodists for much longer.

    Superhero

    Posted

    Y'all are welcome to move to California.

    Need some good alumni to watch football with.

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    LCHorn

    Posted

    On 8/22/2025 at 10:50 AM, Im_smarter_then_you said:

    wanted to be handle the protesters with more veracity

    What is handling with veracity?

    YChang

    Posted (edited)

    On 8/22/2025 at 5:28 AM, Dbeasy said:

    What’s the story on the new UT Austin President? Good? Bad?

    A political stooge until proven otherwise. And not in a good way of I'm gonna secure funding or recruit top notch faculty to advance research type of having to play politics of being a University president. And I don't see anything from his background that tells me he values academics/research. 

    Edited by YChang
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    TwiceHorn

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, YChang said:

    A political stooge until proven otherwise. And not in a good way of I'm gonna secure funding to advance research type of having to play politics of being a University president. And I don't see anything from his background that tells me he values academics/research. 

    Yuup.

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    YChang

    Posted

    So... best case scenario is we have a repeat of what we saw with Florida I guess? And he leaves soon. 

    Ghost of NMAS

    Posted

    UT will rapidly become a combination of an aggy and liberty, just with better athletics

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    YChang

    Posted

    Just now, Ghost of NMAS said:

    UT will rapidly become a combination of an aggy and liberty, just with better athletics

    I am perhaps naively an optimist and believe that this dark period too will pass... mirroring what's going on in our country. 

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    Ghost of NMAS

    Posted (edited)

    I believe that America has reached the tipping point, and there is no return.  Texas, of course, is leading the way. 

    I think I still have my old physical copy of "The Anarchist Cookbook"

    Edited by Ghost of NMAS
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    Im_smarter_then_you

    Posted

    28 minutes ago, LCHorn said:

    What is handling with veracity?

    Screaming Pumped Up GIF by WWE

    4th&Five

    Posted

    7 minutes ago, Ghost of NMAS said:

    I believe that America has reached the tipping point, and there is no return.  Texas, of course, is leading the way. 

    I think I still have my old physical copy of "The Anarchist Cookbook"

    Yeah, I’m in the “it’s only going to get worse” camp. We may have little victories along the way but this state and country seem hell bent on their own destruction. 

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    Im_smarter_then_you

    Posted

    30 minutes ago, Ghost of NMAS said:

    I believe that America has reached the tipping point, and there is no return.  Texas, of course, is leading the way. 

    I think I still have my old physical copy of "The Anarchist Cookbook"

    Texas and Florida are the book ends of the new America.  Rest of us are fringe 

    Willfully Horn

    Posted

    The wife commented that the formation of military jets that flies repeatedly over our house, low enough to see the pilots, only seems to do so on days folks are protesting at the Capitol.

    Fudge Nuggets

    Posted

    On 8/21/2025 at 2:52 PM, tx 3 putt said:

    get out the vote 

    Cute.

    tx 3 putt

    Posted (edited)

    2 hours ago, Im_smarter_then_you said:

    Texas and Florida are the book ends of the new America.  Rest of us are fringe 

     

    both states will be fighting for the trump presidential library 

    Edited by tx 3 putt
    YChang

    Posted

    Just now, tx 3 putt said:

     

    both states will be fighting for the trump presidential library 

    Come on now... Trump has no love for Texas. 

    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    Just now, YChang said:

    Come on now... Trump has no love for Texas. 

    $$$

    Fudge Nuggets

    Posted

    Fuck this place.  Between property tax, MUD tax and homeowners insurance, I’m paying over $1,500 per month to live in a house that’s paid off.

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    Hermanator

    Posted

    I helped convince my daughter to go to college in a state that respects her rights way more than this one. Chances are as soon as next summer the wife and I will move there to join her. 

    I would never suggest going to UT today, and I would never go to UT if it were like this in the late 90s.  I stopped any and all donations to the university, and the only connections I will have to it from now on are the lifetime Texas Exes membership I got a long time ago and watching football and men's basketball on TV. Once we move out of state there's a good chance I'll never set foot on campus again. 

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    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    40 minutes ago, Hermanator said:

    I helped convince my daughter to go to college in a state that respects her rights way more than this one. Chances are as soon as next summer the wife and I will move there to join her. 

    I would never suggest going to UT today, and I would never go to UT if it were like this in the late 90s.  I stopped any and all donations to the university, and the only connections I will have to it from now on are the lifetime Texas Exes membership I got a long time ago and watching football and men's basketball on TV. Once we move out of state there's a good chance I'll never set foot on campus again. 

     

    90's austin was peak austin 

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    Im_smarter_then_you

    Posted

    1 hour ago, YChang said:

    Come on now... Trump has no love for Texas. 

    Serious?   He loves anything southern.   Anyways I think Florida will get a Don jr library while Texas gets an Eric one

    YChang

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, Im_smarter_then_you said:

    Serious?   He loves anything southern.   Anyways I think Florida will get a Don jr library while Texas gets an Eric one

    Super serious. Compared to Florida? Why would he choose Texas?

    Pancho

    Posted

     

    • Like 1
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    Underdog

    Posted

    Things Trump loves: 

    Himself

    Himself

    Money

    Himself

    Fucking Ivanka

    Himself

    Money

    Etc… 

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    Im_smarter_then_you

    Posted

    9 minutes ago, YChang said:

    Super serious. Compared to Florida? Why would he choose Texas?

    I love all my kids but yes he would have a favorite.  I think he’ll have two libraries at least.  He and Abbott seem to be tight. Congrats.   Plus de santos had the audacity to run against him

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    sasquatch69

    Posted (edited)

    2 hours ago, Im_smarter_then_you said:

    Serious?   He loves anything southern.   Anyways I think Florida will get a Don jr library while Texas gets an Eric one

    My guess is it will be adjacent to Mar-a-Lago, and he’ll charge a hefty admission price to enter - and make a killing on even more expensive “VIP access” tickets where you get a fake gold-plated tchotchke.

    Edited by sasquatch69
    Macanudo

    Posted

    25 minutes ago, sasquatch69 said:

    My guess is it will be adjacent to Mar-a-Lago, and he’ll charge a hefty admission price to enter - and make a killing on even more expensive “VIP access” tickets where you get a fake gold-plated tchotchke.

    You'll get a worthless memecoin deposited into your electronic Trump Wallet that only cost $45.47!!!

    chainsaw

    Posted (edited)

    On 8/22/2025 at 6:52 AM, Willfully Horn said:

    Another speech, similar to the one that criticized redistricting given by an aggy. This guy claims to be an East Texas farmer.

     

    Do you know how many variations of this "story" we endured for three consecutive presidential election cycles? These people are statistically insignificant. The base has not broken until every MAGA politician has been voted out and, god willing, extradited to The Hague.

    Also, his mouth movements are highly suspect. I consider this a Deepfake until proven otherwise.

    Edited by chainsaw
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    Im_smarter_then_you

    Posted

    56 minutes ago, sasquatch69 said:

    My guess is it will be adjacent to Mar-a-Lago, and he’ll charge a hefty admission price to enter - and make a killing on even more expensive “VIP access” tickets where you get a fake gold-plated tchotchke.

    And there won’t be any books

    Macanudo

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Im_smarter_then_you said:

    And there won’t be any books

    Oh, there will be books...

    The Donald Trump Coloring Book

    Trump_Coverfront.jpg

     

    Paperback The Trump Coloring Book

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    Willfully Horn

    Posted

    1 hour ago, chainsaw said:

    Do you know how many variations of this "story" we endured for three consecutive presidential election cycles? These people are statistically insignificant. The base has not broken until every MAGA politician has been voted out and, god willing, extradited to The Hague.

    Also, his mouth movements are highly suspect. I consider this a Deepfake until proven otherwise.

    No, I don’t know how many times you have seen this story. I do know that I have seen these days coming since Reagan, and now that the fascists have made themselves plainly clear to so many people, I feel hopeful. I can start looking for  allies and not wallow in quixotic, unilateral rage and cynicism.

    The video might be fake, but I have no doubt there are ex-firefighters in East Texas who hold similar beliefs.

     

     

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    Michael Knight

    Posted

    image.thumb.png.4a542d0383eee5bd6c830c229e7268be.png

     

    Dans gonna secure our already secure border

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    mchookem

    Posted

    jeezus. my sad consolation in all this...at least i'm out of Texas 🤘💔

    image.gif.5575a07c1292cfda6d148bae85482921.gif

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    Captainant

    Posted

    16 hours ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

    Fuck this place.  Between property tax, MUD tax and homeowners insurance, I’m paying over $1,500 per month to live in a house that’s paid off.

    God bless America. May everything be ever more financialized and extractive 

    • Like 2
    HenryJames

    Posted

    17 hours ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

    Fuck this place.  Between property tax, MUD tax and homeowners insurance, I’m paying over $1,500 per month to live in a house that’s paid off.

    c150ddf9-494c-4115-b121-63f34d845bfb_tex

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    pyrohornIII

    Posted

    16 hours ago, chainsaw said:

    Do you know how many variations of this "story" we endured for three consecutive presidential election cycles? These people are statistically insignificant. The base has not broken until every MAGA politician has been voted out and, god willing, extradited to The Hague.

    Also, his mouth movements are highly suspect. I consider this a Deepfake until proven otherwise.

    That's Bobby Cole.  He is for real.  He is running for Governor, and right now there don't seem to be many stepping up.  I have met him and he is very genuine.  Not sure how far he will get, but he's talking the talk anyway.   

    https://www.coleforgovernor.com/

    5 hours ago, BevoAbyss said:

    Exactly.

    When Reagan and Rev Falwell got on stage together and married Republican Party + Religious Fanaticism, I knew it was BIG TROUBLE if they ever got in power. 

    -- Most everyone I knew thought I was nuts (after all, "Reagan is against Big Govt" etc)  ... yet, a few artsy-fartsy and Philosophy department friends agreed. 

    Now they are in near total power, taking us back before fascism into medieval era barbarism .... and the media still enable, normalize and gaslight. 

    Hell, I was passing through Dallas this summer with a friend and we met two UT friends (who are card-carrying Liberals) for some Tex-Mex and margaritas.... and they are still in denial about how about bad this will get. Freakin' Liberals in denial.

    Gonna have to get a lot worse for most Americans to realize how bad this will become. Then it will be too late.

    Christopher and Mendi Tackett have been fighting this nastiness here in Texas for several years now.   It's White Christian Nationalism behind Project 2025 and the redistricting.  And the uber wealthy are using those WCN people to promoite terror and division in order to keep us at each other's throats instead of theirs.  

    https://gobehindtheballot.com/what-is-christian-nationalism-and-how-is-it-undermining-democracy-with-mendi-tackett-culture-wars

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    TwiceHorn

    Posted

    15 hours ago, Macanudo said:

    Oh, there will be books...

    The Donald Trump Coloring Book

    Trump_Coverfront.jpg

     

    Paperback The Trump Coloring Book

    1*ZJuLLvhqGLYLiNvfp4PRZA@2x.jpeg&f=1&nof

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    TwiceHorn

    Posted

    19 minutes ago, pyrohornIII said:

    That's Bobby Cole.  He is for real.  He is running for Governor, and right now there don't seem to be many stepping up.  I have met him and he is very genuine.  Not sure how far he will get, but he's talking the talk anyway.   

    https://www.coleforgovernor.com/

    Christopher and Mendi Tackett have been fighting this nastiness here in Texas for several years now.   It's White Christian Nationalism behind Project 2025 and the redistricting.  And the uber wealthy are using those WCN people to promoite terror and division in order to keep us at each other's throats instead of theirs.  

    https://gobehindtheballot.com/what-is-christian-nationalism-and-how-is-it-undermining-democracy-with-mendi-tackett-culture-wars

    That's actually depressing in that I was hoping that was kind of an "everyman."  Instead its just another political pervert like us.

    Meaning, won't make a shit.

    GreenspointTexas

    Posted

    The funny thing is, all of the US is “living in Texas”

    right now

     

     

    well, actually not funny. Very dumb and embarrassing

    • Like 1
    VABuckeye

    Posted

    Question.  I've been seeing some reports that by redistricting and guaranteeing 5 more red seats that Texas has put 10 other districts at risk.  Is there truth to this? It would be epic if that's how it plays out.

    • Like 1
    Sawbonz

    Posted

    Idk if it’s true but our last redistricting from the 2020 census is still being contested in the courts so I can’t imagine there is much juice left to be squeezed 

    Macanudo

    Posted

    23 minutes ago, VABuckeye said:

    Question.  I've been seeing some reports that by redistricting and guaranteeing 5 more red seats that Texas has put 10 other districts at risk.  Is there truth to this? It would be epic if that's how it plays out.

    The only hope is that enough people decide that the ratfucking is enough cause to either stay home or vote for the Democrat in the races.  

    I'm not confident in that future.

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    ChiTownDoc

    Posted

    53 minutes ago, VABuckeye said:

    Question.  I've been seeing some reports that by redistricting and guaranteeing 5 more red seats that Texas has put 10 other districts at risk.  Is there truth to this? It would be epic if that's how it plays out.

    It will certainly make some other districts more difficult.  Whether they’d actually lose them remains to be seen.  Would be some really satisfying FAFO. 

    Captainant

    Posted (edited)

    1 hour ago, BevoAbyss said:

    By the way, those friends (mentioned above) who are UT alum Liberals in complete denial of how bad it will get: what is their go-to newspaper?

    The holy New York Times.

    They disagreed that the Times enabled, gaslit, etc. 

    Perfectly illustrating that the existential function of the Times is to keep the liberal intelligentsia in line and accepting the doublethink that justifies the system.

    -- Not unlike the Party intelligentsia in Orwell's 1984

     

    You should show em some of their historical work to really drive home how enabling they are for fascists 

    image.thumb.jpeg.c6ab3d40c653b33d6a40f69d920073f4.jpeg

    Literally a century of it

    Edited by Captainant
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    Willfully Horn

    Posted

    6 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

    That's actually depressing in that I was hoping that was kind of an "everyman."  Instead it’s just another political pervert like us.

    Dude, Republicans acting to turn the USA into a fascist nation isn’t politics as usual. It is current events. Also, who gets hard thinking about the fall of a democratic republic?
     

    6 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

     

    Meaning, won't make a shit.

    Not with that attitude.

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    TwiceHorn

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Willfully Horn said:

    Dude, Republicans acting to turn the USA into a fascist nation isn’t politics as usual. It is current events. Also, who gets hard thinking about the fall of a democratic republic?
     

    Not with that attitude.

    The post was presented as representing a possible groundswell of opposition from a "regular dude" farmer/firefighter.  Unfortunately, I don't think that's what that represents.  Love what he says, but until further notice, a minority like Talarico.

    Sawbonz

    Posted (edited)

    4 hours ago, BevoAbyss said:

    Perfectly illustrating that the existential function of the Times is to make money for its shareholders 

    Fixed

    Edited by Sawbonz
    Its. Ef you autocorrect



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