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  • Texas -- a failed state


    Brisketexan

    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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    19 minutes ago, Captainant said:

    Feature, not a bug I'm sure

    Exactly.

    Secret money and public ballots.

    That's how you keep the grip on power

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    This seems worthy of its own thread. There needs to be a response from UT alum. Is this who we are, or not?

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    4 hours ago, LCHorn said:

    I had Bonevac for Contemporary Moral Problems AND got a B so this hits close to home…

    That guy seems like he might suck total ass…

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    Professor Bonevac won’t be on staff in 2025.  No matter how hard he blows Regent Eltife.  I’m sure he’ll go on to other opportunities and publish.  

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    13 hours ago, LCHorn said:

    Bonevac

    When I was at UT in the late 80s-early 90s, Bonevac was a hard-core conservative and very outspoken on campus. Now I can see he has fully evolved into a fascist, patriarch, enabler of MAGA’s Christian theocracy … and now actively seeking to penalize young women at UT exercising their reproductive rights in seeking an abortion.  Fuck that malicious asshole.

    Friends, we must realize MAGA-fascists-theocrats are in high levels of power at UT, orchestrated the SEC move, are making inroads across the campus. 

    And UT was gone fully Aggy in its love for the SEC SEC SEC Confederate Conference. With campus events being broadcast on the SEC network. Lighting up the Tower with “SEC.”

    In effect, UT is doing a campus-wide celebration for joining the 21st century confederacy! Symbolically and politically, this is way bigger than “football."

    What a fucking disgrace. Makes me sick to see this. Fuck anyone who engineered or loves this shit. 

    https://texassports.com/news/2024/5/29/ut-and-texas-athletics-to-host-all-day-sec-celebration-on-june-30.aspx

     

    Edited by BevoAbyss
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    On 5/26/2024 at 12:10 PM, TexEx15 said:

     

    As Texas inches closer to the potential of flipping blue, we will see more and more extreme protections attempts by the gop. They can’t envision a bigger disaster than every statewide office being a Democrat. I have no doubt that they want one county=one vote as we always see their lame maps showing how much land overwhelmingly votes for the gop.

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    34 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

    As Texas inches closer to the potential of flipping blue, we will see more and more extreme protections attempts by the gop. They can’t envision a bigger disaster than every statewide office being a Democrat. I have no doubt that they want one county=one vote as we always see their lame maps showing how much land overwhelmingly votes for the gop.

    I think the best (not perfect) analogy to what we see with the GOP here is how long / how hard Jim Crown and all its tentacles were to remove.

     

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    3 hours ago, Dnaguy said:

    I think the best (not perfect) analogy to what we see with the GOP here is how long / how hard Jim Crown and all its tentacles were to remove.

     


    they have several road maps to follow 

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    top 7 populated counties
    image.png.5dd53151deb47aa995529ea043ac7464.png
     
    bottom 7 populated counties
    image.png.7e2d0d6008671a125cc8582fd7ab5892.png

    When you consider be fact that the GQP is the most anti-democratic, anti-voter party to ever exist inside our borders (and note, the American Communist Party is indeed a thing, and is also MUCH more democratic and pro voter than the GQP)…this all checks out.
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    2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

    When you consider be fact that the GQP is the most anti-democratic, anti-voter party to ever exist inside our borders (and note, the American Communist Party is indeed a thing, and is also MUCH more democratic and pro voter than the GQP)…this all checks out.

    I’m pretty sure Loving County (and the other bottom 20-30 counties);gets a little help from the rest of the taxpayers of Texas in keeping their school, road and bridge and what not maintained.

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    As Texas inches closer to the potential of flipping blue, we will see more and more extreme protections attempts by the gop. They can’t envision a bigger disaster than every statewide office being a Democrat. I have no doubt that they want one county=one vote as we always see their lame maps showing how much land overwhelmingly votes for the gop.
    Texas flipping blue? LOL been hearing that for 20 years
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    43 minutes ago, Smax said:
    11 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:
    As Texas inches closer to the potential of flipping blue, we will see more and more extreme protections attempts by the gop. They can’t envision a bigger disaster than every statewide office being a Democrat. I have no doubt that they want one county=one vote as we always see their lame maps showing how much land overwhelmingly votes for the gop.

    Texas flipping blue? LOL been hearing that for 20 years

    But just like when I swore off tequila after vomiting bile for 3 hours, this time I mean it!  

    Everybody cross over and vote for more moderate Republicans.  Yeah, yeah...none exist and are all evil incarnate.  But be an adult and understand the range/spectrum.  At least draw back the damage being done, wait for the 2032 post-census, post-redistricting changes along with demography.  And you should be good to go.  Throwing $75mm at Beto or Wendy or Allred isn't gonna do a fucking thing except piss away the handful of competitive districts in our state for now.  Oh wait, maybe the youth vote will turn the tide.  That thing that's never happened, ever in the history of Texas.  I know I'm a repetitive pessimist.  But you can primary some of these fuckers out of office for the next 8 years but gotta pull a D-ballot to vote for that uncontested Harris County judge to get your sticker.  They accidentally left a mechanism in your lap with open primaries and the straight ticket decision.  It's just waiting there to be used because they won't make it available for much longer.  They are going to close that loophole.  I promise you.  The pre-filing has already begun.  But we'll fuck it up like we always do.  

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    24 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

    But just like when I swore off tequila after vomiting bile for 3 hours, this time I mean it!  

    Everybody cross over and vote for more moderate Republicans.  Yeah, yeah...none exist and are all evil incarnate.  But be an adult and understand the range/spectrum.  At least draw back the damage being done, wait for the 2032 post-census, post-redistricting changes along with demography.  And you should be good to go.  Throwing $75mm at Beto or Wendy or Allred isn't gonna do a fucking thing except piss away the handful of competitive districts in our state for now.  Oh wait, maybe the youth vote will turn the tide.  That thing that's never happened, ever in the history of Texas.  I know I'm a repetitive pessimist.  But you can primary some of these fuckers out of office for the next 8 years but gotta pull a D-ballot to vote for that uncontested Harris County judge to get your sticker.  They accidentally left a mechanism in your lap with open primaries and the straight ticket decision.  It's just waiting there to be used because they won't make it available for much longer.  They are going to close that loophole.  I promise you.  The pre-filing has already begun.  But we'll fuck it up like we always do.  

    Moderate Republican running for office? Come on man.

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    8 hours ago, yoladu said:

    top 7 populated counties

    image.png.5dd53151deb47aa995529ea043ac7464.png

     

    bottom 7 populated counties

    image.png.7e2d0d6008671a125cc8582fd7ab5892.png

    So I looked up Loving County.  The county seat is Mentone.  If you go there you will find this:

    image.thumb.png.1a8b58111b39898b0171c372c4e33e31.png

    And this:

    image.thumb.png.3601223eff7751a1ef129c5c2717c2da.png

     

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    4 hours ago, YGIFS said:

    But just like when I swore off tequila after vomiting bile for 3 hours, this time I mean it!  

    Everybody cross over and vote for more moderate Republicans.  Yeah, yeah...none exist and are all evil incarnate.  But be an adult and understand the range/spectrum.  

    The person who doesn't understand the range/spectrum of the Republican Party is you. 

    The range/spectrum goes something like this  [Traitorous Fascist <----> Traitorous Fascist]. 

    Everyone else has left the party. 

    Edited by Pods
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    40 minutes ago, Bullneck said:

    So I looked up Loving County.  The county seat is Mentone.  If you go there you will find this:

    image.thumb.png.1a8b58111b39898b0171c372c4e33e31.png

    And this:

    image.thumb.png.3601223eff7751a1ef129c5c2717c2da.png

     

    so ignorant racist rednecks with shitty food, why am I not surprised

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    For any of you who don’t keep close tabs on state political happenings, just a heads up we’re about to go all gas no brakes turbo effed. I mean ya, this state is already very boned, but just watch this 25 session when democrat input is completely voided and the house is remolded in the vision of Patrick/paxton/abbott. There will be zero checks/balances or consequence either. 

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    37 minutes ago, bluto said:

    For any of you who don’t keep close tabs on state political happenings, just a heads up we’re about to go all gas no brakes turbo effed. I mean ya, this state is already very boned, but just watch this 25 session when democrat input is completely voided and the house is remolded in the vision of Patrick/paxton/abbott. There will be zero checks/balances or consequence either. 


    they need to do everything possible to disenfranchise voters in the 10 biggest Texas counties 

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    8 hours ago, Smax said:

    Texas flipping blue? LOL been hearing that for 20 years

    The Republican Party of Texas believes it, else they wouldn’t be looking to create a mini-electoral college in Texas where candidates have to win the majority of counties and not the majority of votes.

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    2 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

    The Republican Party of Texas believes it, else they wouldn’t be looking to create a mini-electoral college in Texas where candidates have to win the majority of counties and not the majority of votes.


    demographics are shifting away from R’s every year. getting them to show up and vote is another issue 

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    13 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

    Moderate Republican running for office? Come on man.

    If moderate Republicans were actually a thing in this state, they would have as much of a chance winning a primary as I do becoming the queen of England.

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    I'm not a judge.  I'm not a lawyer.  But I presided over an impeachment hearing.  

    No sense of irony, Dan?  

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    He read up on jury instructions?  I guess the senate was acting as a jury in that case.  Did he give instructions?  It wasn’t a real trial, with a real jury selected by a real latin term.

    was his instruction “don’t vote guilty unless you want to lose your seat?”

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    14 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

    Failed state ?

    no, no a full blown maga gqp banana republic …..

     

    So all Patrick has to do is get a copy of the check that Merchan endorsed and that GUILTY will be forthcoming?  

    He's got that, right?

     

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    2 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

    He read up on jury instructions?  I guess the senate was acting as a jury in that case.  Did he give instructions?  It wasn’t a real trial, with a real jury selected by a real latin term.

    was his instruction “don’t vote guilty unless you want to lose your seat?”

    Dan also believes that the Trump jury deliberation wasn’t long enough. Um, do we really believe that the Texas Senate spent more than 5 minutes deciding on Paxton? I know they took longer for appearances but it wasn’t really a longer deliberation than trumps jury. 

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    Wait, on a college campus of 52,000...there are some hetrosexual couples over 18 having consensual sex?  

    Holy shit, this is groundbreaking information.  

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    17 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

    This is exactly what Abbott / Patrick / Paxton want ….

     

    And while I would assume that these plaintiffs will say that the man should also be punished, it will only be the wicked woman who is.  Under His eye.

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    If you’re gonna allow that reasoning, you must punish out of state travel for all healthcare. Don’t be a pussy, go full fascism and get it the fuck over with.

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    26 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

    This is exactly what Abbott / Patrick / Paxton want ….

     

    UT is going to be become Abbott's mouthpiece for right-wing extremism. No one takes aggy seriously, so this is the route they're taking.

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    3 minutes ago, Brian Fantana said:

    UT is going to be become Abbott's mouthpiece for right-wing extremism. No one takes aggy seriously, so this is the route they're taking.

    Two true Texan citizens doing their job and reporting suspicious activity !

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    On 5/31/2024 at 12:45 AM, YGIFS said:

    Professor Bonevac won’t be on staff in 2025.  No matter how hard he blows Regent Eltife.  I’m sure he’ll go on to other opportunities and publish.  

    I had him for a grad class.... dude is really nice. I definitely got a govt bad/ineffective vibe from him, no idea he was this extreme. 

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    31 minutes ago, YChang said:

    I had him for a grad class.... dude is really nice. I definitely got a govt bad/ineffective vibe from him, no idea he was this extreme. 


    are those two tenured ?

    if not, Abbott is about to fast track them to tenure and a pay raise 

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    35 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:


    are those two tenured ?

    if not, Abbott is about to fast track them to tenure and a pay raise 

    Dan is tenured for awhile now it seems

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    1 hour ago, YChang said:

    I had him for a grad class.... dude is really nice. I definitely got a govt bad/ineffective vibe from him, no idea he was this extreme. 

    Something broke these people’s brains.

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    If this simulation has any hint of humor, it will tell Ken Paxton that there is a life-saving eye surgery available just over the border into New Mexico.  But he can't go

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    35 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

    Something broke these people’s brains.


    im going to guess this is all orchestrated and well planned by the far right 

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    On 5/31/2024 at 9:56 PM, Bullneck said:

    So I looked up Loving County.  The county seat is Mentone.  If you go there you will find this:

    image.thumb.png.1a8b58111b39898b0171c372c4e33e31.png

    And this:

    image.thumb.png.3601223eff7751a1ef129c5c2717c2da.png

     

    Love me some Mentone.

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