I think that itโs now safe to say that we Texans now live in a failed state.ย 30 years of GOP rule, setting our own standard, living the โTexas Dream,โ which theyโve bragged about relentlesslyโฆand letโs see where we are:
A majority of the state in complete failure, unable to deliver the most BASIC of services (things that are called โutilities,โ not โluxuries,โ for a reason).ย No power.ย No water.ย No means of clearing roads (that one, I canโt fault the state so muchโฆ.but it wouldnโt be as big a crisis if people werenโt stuck in their homes with no power and water).ย So citizens are stuck in their homes, some of them dying there.ย
Water resource planning?ย 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.ย Weโve finally gotten on our horse a bit, but it may be too late if the next drought comes anytime soon. ย
State rank in key categories:
Education โ 34
Health Care - 37
Infrastructure - 33
Opportunity - 39
Environment - 44
Infrastructure - 33ย
In overall quality of life ranking by US News, we are now #38, down from #36 just two years ago.ย At that rate, weโll be in the bottom 3 within ten years.
We are SUPER independent, and FUCK the fedsโฆ.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!
Thatโs right, we have a โroaring economyโ and the โTexas Miracle!โย But we canโt deliver the basics for our citizens.ย The economy is VERY efficient at funneling bazillions to the very fewโฆ..with little of it โtrickling downโ to most Texans.ย Yeah, the people on this board generally do fine, but face the facts โ weโre the top 10% or so.ย We are educated, older, and fortunate.
Our federal system allows for state-by-state experiments.ย Texas is the poster child for near anarcho-capitalism and zero regulation or oversight.ย We have tested that approach, for over a generation now (30 years of Republican rule).ย That approach is a failure.ย The evidence is undeniable, and overwhelming.ย It doesnโt matter how many River Oaks millionaires you produce if the rest of your people are dying in their homes.ย 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.ย Their prospects for employment are mediocre.ย Their prospects of suffering crippling medical debt at some point are significant.ย Their chances of not having basic utilities needed for life safety at some point โ all but certain.ย Their chances of becoming ill or dying from a pollution-caused illness are material.
Whatโs the result?ย Our leaders have sold Texas as a paradise โ move here!ย Bring your business here!ย And some businesses have done so, adding opportunityโฆ..but providing little to no tax support for the infrastructure we all depend on.ย To the contrary, over the past few years, I know more and more people โ educated people, people who can do their jobs elsewhere, who are looking to bail on this state.ย Itโs people with young kids, who want them to grow up in a better place.ย Itโs people in their working years, who simply want a better path.ย Itโs retirees, who want a safe and secure place to live.
We have consumed our seed stock.ย We have burned through our reserves.ย We are now consuming ourselves.ย The ability to pitch Texas as the land of opportunity is done.ย 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.ย Myย children are already unlikely to make their future in this state.ย Now we are, too.
But the response from the Republican leadership and their sycophants โ โhow are you gonna pay for it?ย Taxes?ย Thatโs socialism!ย You want that stuff, you have to pay for it!โ
Fuck yes I do, and Iโm okay with that.ย I want groceriesโฆso I have to pay HEB.ย I want a carโฆso I have to pay Ford.ย I want clothesโฆ..so I have to pay Dillards.ย I want my population educatedโฆ.so I have to pay the school district.ย I want electricity, with enough capacity to keep us running when we need itโฆ..so I have to pay my bill, maybe with a capacity surcharge.ย I want water to come out of the tapsโฆ.so I have to pay for development of resources and maintenance of infrastructure.ย I want roadsโฆ.so I pay taxes to build and maintain them.ย YES, I have to pay for all of those things, and โnothing is freeโ โ no fucking shit.ย So, letโs pay for it.ย We have the #15 economyโฆ.we HAVE the funds in this state.ย An economy with the flow of funds that ours has can produce and maintain all of those results.ย But we have chosen a different path; funnel all the dollars to the top, and spend next to nothing for the public good.ย We have privatized profitโฆ.we have socialized the costs.ย And we are dying because of it.
My fellow Texans are dying in their homesโฆ.and thereโs nothing I can do about it today.ย And I am enraged.
I love Texas.ย I am 6th generation here.ย My ancestors have Texas historical markers on their graves.ย We helped make this state, and this state helped make us.ย It educated us (back when college was affordable).ย But itโs time to face the fact โ this state is a failure, and on its current path, with its current leadership and philosophy, it will only get worse. ย This state has a terrible future, unless we dramatically change our path.ย ย Chances of that happening?ย 0.0% -- because weโll 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.ย Any bill that has been proposed to improve emergency preparedness of govโt entities has been crushed by the Republicans controlling the legeโฆ.but we will definitely stick with those guys.ย No taxes.ย No government functionality.
What we are seeing happening right now is our system working EXACTLY AS IT WAS DESIGNED AND INTENDED TO WORK.ย And we will, I guarantee it, collectively decide to stick with that.ย This state is in free-fall, and anyone with eyes can see it.ย And anyone with a brain is starting to think of ways to make their life elsewhere.ย It breaks my goddamned heart to see us commit collective suicide, but hereย we are.
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