Jump to content
  • 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.

     

     


    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    14 hours ago, F250 said:

    image.thumb.jpeg.d208ffb7369fda6d7b4a6e649848adda.jpeg

     

     

    These white supremacists don't seem to be passing the test.

     

    Conner spelled with a K.  Seems on-brand. Probably a big fan of homecooking from Karen's Kountry Kitchen in small town Texas.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I hope whoever handles their office supplies has stocked up on crayons. He will have to have something to keep him busy. I would hope they are smart enough to keep him away from the guns, but probably not.

    • Hook 'Em 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    2 minutes ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

    How could this possibly be constitutional at any level?

    You can fight it but this new court will decide the case.

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Haha 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    On 6/10/2024 at 11:51 AM, texasdago said:

    Conner spelled with a K.  Seems on-brand. Probably a big fan of homecooking from Karen's Kountry Kitchen in small town Texas.

    Karen's Kountry Kitchen was a real restaurant in Kyle.  It was always amusing to see the name on the I-35 blue restaurant sign when driving past that shithole.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    On 6/10/2024 at 9:30 AM, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

    and don't try to catch him on his right side - he'll hear you coming!

    He's part Ferengi.  But only on his right side.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    On 6/10/2024 at 9:35 AM, WBT said:

    Trump has been the best thing for the Texas Ds in decades

    And it's meant fuck all.  Things are worse, not better.

    • Hook 'Em 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    On 6/6/2024 at 12:30 PM, tx 3 putt said:

    Move more brown people to fort bend county 

     

    This dude is your typical GQP nutter. A quick glance at his Twitter… how active he is on it is absolutely nuts. Does he actually have a job? 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    On 6/9/2024 at 1:42 PM, ChuckNorrisActionJeans said:

    Guessing that only applies to state offices

    Maybe just bad phrasing, but the section is titled “Right to hold federal office…”

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Fucking Nehls. He only won in 2020 by a few points, so the GOP drew up new maps. He then won in 2022 by 27 points. The GOP pushed many of the 22nd non-white voters into neighboring Dem districts.

    of course this change also allows Lizzie Fletcher (D) to easily win her district now. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    19 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

     

    I think these people are jealous of the attention real victims of bias command, so they’ve created their own  insane narrative.

    • Hook 'Em 3
    • Like 1
    • Rage+1 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    On 6/10/2024 at 11:51 AM, texasdago said:

    Conner spelled with a K.  Seems on-brand. Probably a big fan of homecooking from Karen's Kountry Kitchen in small town Texas.

    Koffee Kup Kafe in Hico is still around.

     

    • Hook 'Em 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    22 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

    Listen to this effimimate sounding twat with a midwestern accent. This is what a Texan is these days. 

    Troy Nehls has never been and will never be a Texan.

    • Hook 'Em 2
    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    45 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

     

    Isn't Christianity supposed to be color blind? Why would christians be concerned about one race specifically.  It's almost like they're not being earnest about their intentions. 

    3 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

    Troy Nehls has never been and will never be a Texan.

    He lives here, he was elected by the people who live here, and he passes legislation for the people who live here. He's more Texan than you or I at this point, and he's lock step with the values this state seems to Champion. You want to amend the statement to say Texas isn't what it used to be sure, and I'll heartily agree with you. But he's a Texan. 

    • Hook 'Em 3
    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    7 minutes ago, ChuckNorrisActionJeans said:

    I think they dropped the "Kafe" a while back. Hopefully dropped the hate too.

    Yes to the former; no to the latter 

    Edited by safe sex
    • Haha 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    13 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

    He lives here, he was elected by the people who live here, and he passes legislation for the people who live here. He's more Texan than you or I at this point, and he's lock step with the values this state seems to Champion. You want to amend the statement to say Texas isn't what it used to be sure, and I'll heartily agree with you. But he's a Texan. 

    Yeah, fuck that noise. He wasn’t born here, he doesn’t make a payroll here, he lives in DC full time, and he doesn’t represent a community here so much as he’s the instrument of national partisan interest. 

    Such people are called “carpetbaggers,” and just because a plurality of terrified shut-ins in a bedroom community were too blinkered to know any better doesn’t change who I am, which is more Texan in beads and Roman sandles than Troy Nehls in the biggest Stetson on Earth. 

    Edited by Bozo_Casanova
    • Hook 'Em 7
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    5 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

    Yeah, fuck that noise. He wasn’t born here, he doesn’t make a payroll here, he lives in DC full time, and he doesn’t represent a community here so much as he’s the instrument of national partisan interest. 

    Such people are called “carpetbaggers,” and just because a plurality of terrified shut-ins in a bedroom community were too blinkered to know any better doesn’t change who I am, which is more Texan in beads and Roman sandles than Troy Nehls in the biggest Stetson on Earth. 

    While I understand and agree with much of your sentiment, but the Texan you're so proud of being, with the values, the morality, the kindness, the work ethic...that Texas died. We was a carpetbagger. Now he's just the same as everone else. 

    If Texans weren't a dying breed, and they weren't being drown out by people moving here as well as changing their values, our state wouldn't look this way now. Tim Dunn is a Texans, that's for sure. 

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    On 6/12/2024 at 1:17 PM, tx 3 putt said:

    Fuck Troy Nehls …

     

    That dude wants to suck trumps tiny mushroom. I garrontee. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    1 minute ago, SydneyCarton said:

    While I understand and agree with much of your sentiment, but the Texan you're so proud of being, with the values, the morality, the kindness, the work ethic...that Texas died. We was a carpetbagger. Now he's just the same as everone else. 

    If Texans weren't a dying breed, and they weren't being drown out by people moving here as well as changing their values, our state wouldn't look this way now. Tim Dunn is a Texans, that's for sure. 

    I understand and agree with the argument. I just refuse to accept the conclusion.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    1 minute ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

    I understand and agree with the argument. I just refuse to accept the conclusion.

    I refuse to accept a lot of things that reality keeps slapping me accross the face with, on a pretty much daily basis at this point in my life. Here's another one for the pile. 

    • Like 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    4 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

    Yeah, fuck that noise. He wasn’t born here, he doesn’t make a payroll here, he lives in DC full time, and he doesn’t represent a community here so much as he’s the instrument of national partisan interest. 

    Wasn’t he a sheriff for about a decade in Fort Bend? Certainly doesn’t exclude him from being a carpet bagger, but there’s more egregious examples I’m sure.   I’ll need to see how he cooks his brisket to be sure.  

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    3 hours ago, fattyflattie said:

    Wasn’t he a sheriff for about a decade in Fort Bend? Certainly doesn’t exclude him from being a carpet bagger, but there’s more egregious examples I’m sure.   I’ll need to see how he cooks his brisket to be sure.  

    Yes, brother succeeded him too. Nehls wife is still an elementary school principal in Lamar ISD I believe as well.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    9 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

    Troy Nehls has never been and will never be a Texan.

    What we know as Texas was very literally founded by carpetbagging white bois that weren't too fond of brown folks. Seems to fit the mold.

    • Hook 'Em 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    42 minutes ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

    Yes, brother succeeded him too. Nehls wife is still an elementary school principal in Lamar ISD I believe as well.

    Trever Nehls has never won a general election.

    He lost to Eric Fagan in his race for sheriff in 2022.

     

    Then he lost a race for County Judge in 2024 against KP George (incumbent)

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    10 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

    I understand and agree with the argument. I just refuse to accept the conclusion.

    We were sold a bill of goods growing up about what it meant to be a Texan and something along the lines of “Texas Exceptionalism.” It was a myth then and it is now. Kinda sucks to look back on my childhood and realize that this is what Texas really was just beneath that veneer. My hometown is an absolute atrocity now of this brand of ridiculous nonsense and abject stupidity. 

    • Hook 'Em 2
    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    1 hour ago, atomheartbevo said:

    Media ramping up on Nehl’s stolen valor with wearing a CIB.

     

    Also some issues over one or two Bronze Stars.  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/troy-nehls-bronze-star-combat-infantryman-badge/

    With respect to the one he is actually credited for:  

     "Captain Nehls trained and mentored nine Iraqi staff members and four coalition soldiers assigned to the Kirkuk Business Center, which became known as the best business center in all of Iraq." 

    Geezus, really?  In the rear, with the gear.

    • Haha 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    1 hour ago, atomheartbevo said:

    Media ramping up on Nehl’s stolen valor with wearing a CIB.

     

    The GOP is electing a guy that is arguably committing stolen valor? Times they are a changing.

    • Hook 'Em 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Anybody wanna post the meme/gif/clip (I don’t know how) from I’m gonna get you sucka.  Where the two vets are comparing medals and of ‘em has one for “typing.”?  Literally what Nehls got one for at the business center?  And this isn’t a simulation?  

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    3 hours ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

    A Bronze Star for setting up a fucking business center?  That's weak AF. 

    His Special Forces unit: 

    office space GIF

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Like 1
    • Haha 4
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    14 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

    Anybody wanna post the meme/gif/clip (I don’t know how) from I’m gonna get you sucka.  Where the two vets are comparing medals and of ‘em has one for “typing.”?  Literally what Nehls got one for at the business center?  And this isn’t a simulation?  


     

    • Haha 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    4 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

    The GOP is electing a guy that is arguably committing stolen valor? Times they are a changing.

    And the CIB is a huge fucking deal for soldiers in the infantry,  I can’t believe he’d double down on it.  Non-infantry have their own combat badge as well, so if he saw combat, he’s entitled to wear that badge instead, but he’s a dumbfuck MAGA so he’s decided to double down.

    • Rage+1 3
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    1 hour ago, atomheartbevo said:

    And the CIB is a huge fucking deal for soldiers in the infantry,  I can’t believe he’d double down on it.  Non-infantry have their own combat badge as well, so if he saw combat, he’s entitled to wear that badge instead, but he’s a dumbfuck MAGA so he’s decided to double down.

    Yeah, I've known a lotta friends and family that earned that CIB, the hard way.  Even watched some of them go into the ground wearing it.  He could have just been honest about his service, I'd tip my hat and thank him.  But as you say, he had to double down on it like they always do.  So as far as I'm concerned, even though he's a veteran, his entire service record is up for ridicule. 

    I mean, anybody over there should get the appropriate service/operational medals, but CIB is a different thing altogether and the worst part is---he knows that, he knows guys that got it--some of whom didn't come home to wear it.  You want to put one on to get laid in a bar, that's one thing.  You don't wear one to run for Congress.  

    • Hook 'Em 4
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    5 hours ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

    A Bronze Star for setting up a fucking business center?  That's weak AF. 

    These brave FedEx fighters, doing battle in hotels and convention centers all over this country, and this is the thanks they get.  God forbid you have to ship an unusual shaped package from the business center at Walter Washington Convention Center in DC. 
     

    shame on you. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    9 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

    Also some issues over one or two Bronze Stars.  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/troy-nehls-bronze-star-combat-infantryman-badge/

    With respect to the one he is actually credited for:  

     "Captain Nehls trained and mentored nine Iraqi staff members and four coalition soldiers assigned to the Kirkuk Business Center, which became known as the best business center in all of Iraq." 

    Geezus, really?  In the rear, with the gear.

    Honest to God I cannot believe that that can get you the Bronze Star. My father received that decoration during Vietnam. He never said why. This clown gets it for setting up a Kinkos. Just unreal.

    • Hook 'Em 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    13 hours ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

    A Bronze Star for setting up a fucking business center?  That's weak AF. 

    Son, we live in a world that has offices, and those offices have to be built by men with power strips and desks. Who's gonna do it? You? My office cube, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves productivity hours. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at your "at-home work space", you want me in that office -- you need me in that office. We use words like "break room," "copiers," "meeting spaces." We use these words as the backbone of a life spent in a LED-lit building with co-workers. You use them as a punch line. 

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Like 1
    • Haha 5
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    So getting back to the school board stuff, our Christian Nationalist CFISD board leader has been pushing for cuts to school counselors. The cuts are necessary because all Public School budgets have been frozen at 2019 spending levels because Abbott has said he won't allow any increases until School Vouchers are approved. This has been seen as an opportunity for these nutjobs to add School Chaplains in their place, who will of course, push their Christianity on kids as part of their "counseling." It's a backdoor way of injecting religion into schools without having to get it explicitly approved like you would with textbooks or programs.

    The lady spearheading this in CFISD sent this email to her supporters back when she started running for office here. Her intent is very clear. She lost a few times before winning a couple years ago, and is up for reelection in 2025. There will be a huge push to get her replaced next year, but it will be an uphill battle given the make-up of our district. 

    Even if you don't have kids in school, please please please look at your local board elections and go vote. It's so important when the voter turnout for these things is often in the 10-20% range. Our last election has 4 seats up and they were all decided by 3000 or less votes out of about ~50k.  It was 3-1 crazy people elected 😔

    FB_IMG_1718471992840.jpg

    • Like 1
    • Rage+1 4
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites




    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...