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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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    20 hours ago, mchookem said:

    that's a shame. maybe someday those hardworking Texans will stop electing the leaders that are fucking them and their children over.

     

     

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    I do my best to give as few tax dollars to Texas as possible. I actually believe I spend less in state sales tax in 2024 than I did in 2000. I’m too much of a miser/investor now. Unfortunately my property tax has skyrocketed over that time but at least most of that stays in Harris county.

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    12 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

    Unfortunately my property tax has skyrocketed over that time but at least most of that stays in Harris county.

    Recapture says hi. 

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    florida / desantis one upping abbott again, they referenced Gulf of America in an official state document 

    Abbott will follow suit
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    Hopefully no one should get mad or triggered about renaming the Gulf. Instead laugh about it. Point out how childish it is to rename something like this.

    i think Houston should rename all freeways to Houston Freeway as opposed to how we currently name it in where it goes outside of Houston. Houston is more important. The Katy Freeway should now be called the Houston Freeway. Gulf freeway? Nope, that is also the Houston freeway. NW freeway is how the Houston Freeway or perhaps SE Freeway since it’s SE to Houston.

    Edited by Nice Guy Eddie
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    13 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

    fitting place for this ....

     

    Care to set an over/under on how many of those 120 Texans who are J6 terrorists end up being elected to public office in Texas within the next two years?

    I'll set the number at 6.

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    44 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

    Care to set an over/under on how many of those 120 Texans who are J6 terrorists end up being elected to public office in Texas within the next two years?

    I'll set the number at 6.

    Smash that over

    13 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

    fitting place for this ....

     

    They will be getting a special reception in Austin during this Legislative Session with appearances by Abbott and Dannie Goeb, book it

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    58 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

    Care to set an over/under on how many of those 120 Texans who are J6 terrorists end up being elected to public office in Texas within the next two years?

    I'll set the number at 6.

     

    coming soon to your local school board ....

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    On 1/21/2025 at 8:47 AM, tx 3 putt said:

     

    this is how oklahoma ended up with a church of satan statue at the capitol lol

    If we're gonna have religion in schools, that means we can post other religious  shit on the wall too, right? Like the Seven Tenets of the Temple of Satan, or Anton Levey's 11 Satanic Rules?

    Also if we do school vouchers that fund religious schools with public money, I sure hope someone opens a Lucifer Charter School or something similar.

    What's good for the goose is good for the gander, as they say.

     

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    7 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

    these three idiots are in charge of the worlds 8th largest economy, just a fyi ...

     

    IMG_2723.jpeg

    Those are some alpha men right there. Right out of central casting.

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    14 minutes ago, Paper_jam said:

    If we're gonna have religion in schools, that means we can post other religious  shit on the wall too, right? Like the Seven Tenets of the Temple of Satan, or Anton Levey's 11 Satanic Rules?

    Also if we do school vouchers that fund religious schools with public money, I sure hope someone opens a Lucifer Charter School or something similar.

    What's good for the goose is good for the gander, as they say.

     

     

     

    IMG_2724.jpeg

    IMG_2725.jpeg

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    45 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

    these three idiots are in charge of the worlds 8th largest economy, just a fyi ...

     

    IMG_2723.jpeg

    who they think they are

    image.thumb.jpeg.68a4974060d6224443d0cba2a4469bc3.jpeg

     

    who they actually are

    image.jpeg.991701255ac939314b972adf371021ed.jpeg

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    52 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

    these three idiots are in charge of the worlds 8th largest economy, just a fyi ...

     

    IMG_2723.jpeg

    not a single one of them is looking the same direction and two of them are looking in different directions -  if there were 5 cameras there then I would be impressed. truly special googly-eyed freaks. yep, that pretty much sums up Texas politicians.

    Edited by Longhorn_Fan68
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    1 hour ago, tx 3 putt said:

    these three idiots are in charge of the worlds 8th largest economy, just a fyi ...

     

    IMG_2723.jpeg

    Is Patrick transitioning?

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    7 minutes ago, Burt said:

    Is Patrick transitioning?

    Daniella Patrick looks fabulous. She is a piece of shit but I will respect her choices. 

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    18 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

    not a single one of them is looking the same direction and two of them are looking in different directions -  if there were 5 cameras there then I would be impressed. truly special googly-eyed freaks. yep, that pretty much sums up Texas politicians.

    Ken is always looking in 2 different directions.

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    On 1/21/2025 at 6:21 AM, hookem2010 said:

    From the article:

    Quote

    "We can't hold our society back or hamstring the teaching of national pride and basic principles and morality because of someone, some way, somehow being offended," Creighton said in an interview...*Creighton is state senator Brandon Creighton.

    Umm, is it just me, or did he just describe DEI and certain reactions to it but inverse? I mean, he's referring to his 'morality' which I'm not going to take a stab at guessing how he defines that but I have a pretty good idea that he comes out okey-dokey but others not so much.

    Then I like (sarcasm alert) this next quote by the senator:

    Quote

    ...adding that the commandments are "principles that simply encourage people not to tell a lie to one another or to dishonor your mother or father."

    It's called a commandment because that is how (you) wish to wield it. It's not encouraging, it's enacting rules and laws that bind others to these while ignoring that many of the earliest documents were crafted by people who were fleeing just such type of "encouragement."

    The very first commandment, which I notice is lacking mention in the interview is that one shall have no other Gods before me. What principle in education is that serving exactly?

    What happens if a student takes the Lord's name in vain (#3) in the classroom? Who decides the spectrum upon which the penalty of "vain-ness" is enacted? Is a by gawd it's hot in here going to get a seventh grader sent to detention?

    Instead of working to assist with restricting access to weapons, mental health support, and other useful ways to spend tax dollars to actually improve education, yes let's command via the law that public schools place the ten commandments in the classroom. It can go right alongside thoughts and prayers the next time commandment #6 is violated.

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    24 minutes ago, royiv said:

    We’re Mississippi with oil money.

    And tex-mex.  That's very important and oh-so-Texan: "Tex-mex - we love the food, but hate and want to deport everyone who created it, prepares it, and serves it!"

    Edited by Brisketexan
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    Keep seeing far right wackos on the internet up in arms about the "Democrat Empowerment Act of 2025" in the rules for the State House that they voted on yesterday. Looks to me like they got exactly what they wanted tho: no Democrats will chair House committees...

    Texas House GOP cuts off Democrats from top committee spots | The Texas Tribune

    ...But every committee will have a Democrat vice chair that has similar power to the chair

    Quite funny that they got exactly what they asked for and are still mad about it 

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    embarrassing 

     

    budgets have been released. 

    $1 Billion for 60,000 students  to attend private schools, $3.85 Billion for the 5.6 million students in public schools. 

    $16,667 per private school student. 
    $686 per public school student. 

    Our #txed students, teachers, and families deserve better.

    https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/22/texas-budget-school-vouchers-teacher-raises-border-security/

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    12 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

    embarrassing 

     

    budgets have been released. 

    $1 Billion for 60,000 students  to attend private schools, $3.85 Billion for the 5.6 million students in public schools. 

    $16,667 per private school student. 
    $686 per public school student. 

    Our #txed students, teachers, and families deserve better.

    https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/22/texas-budget-school-vouchers-teacher-raises-border-security/

    Don't forget the $6.5 billion of spending on the performative theater of "Operation Lone Star" which has the sole purpose of "strut around and act like you're doing something tough on immigration while not actually accomplishing much of anything."  $6.5 billion of your tax dollars are being spent so pathetic Republican officials can go to daddy Trump and say "see, we're tough like you!  Don't you love us?"  It's the most pathetic simp bullshit around, but Republican voters think that being a simp for Trump is actually being tough, because up is down and all that shit.

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    The Harris County/City of Houston property rate tax hike got me pretty good.   Got an email from my mortgage company that I was late on my payment.   I looked at my bank and I had paid January back on the 7th.   I didn't realize that my property taxes has gone up ~$500 per fucking month.   I'm lucky.  I can cut back on my caviar and champagne spending and come up with an extra $6,000 a a year for the difference.  But how many can't afford to cut back from Beluga to Sevruga caviar and skip the Veuve Clicquot and settle for Taittinger.

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    On 1/24/2025 at 5:49 PM, tx 3 putt said:

    embarrassing 

     

    budgets have been released. 

    $1 Billion for 60,000 students  to attend private schools, $3.85 Billion for the 5.6 million students in public schools. 

    $16,667 per private school student. 
    $686 per public school student. 

    Our #txed students, teachers, and families deserve better.

    https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/22/texas-budget-school-vouchers-teacher-raises-border-security/

    Seems like the republican goal is to have Texans sneak across the border to have their kids educated in Mexico.

     

    Where did you get your numbers for the 60,000 private school student from?

    Edited by Nivek
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    15 hours ago, Macanudo said:

    The Harris County/City of Houston property rate tax hike got me pretty good.   Got an email from my mortgage company that I was late on my payment.   I looked at my bank and I had paid January back on the 7th.   I didn't realize that my property taxes has gone up ~$500 per fucking month.   I'm lucky.  I can cut back on my caviar and champagne spending and come up with an extra $6,000 a a year for the difference.  But how many can't afford to cut back from Beluga to Sevruga caviar and skip the Veuve Clicquot and settle for Taittinger.

    Gotta love unpolled tax increases! No income tax though amirite hurrrrdeeeeehurree

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    Maybe goes in texpatriate thread too. Is he just getting THAT much from beer lobbies for THC to be that high on the list?

     

    Lt. Gov. Patrick’s Priority Bills:

    Senate Bill 1 – Senate’s Budget for Texas
    Senate Bill 2 – Providing School Choice
    Senate Bill 3 – Banning THC in Texas
    Senate Bill 4 – Increasing the Homestead Exemption to $140,000 ($150,000 for seniors)
    Senate Bill 5 – Combatting Alzheimer’s – Establishing DPRIT (Dementia Prevention & Research Institute of Texas)
    Senate Bill 6 – Increasing Texas’ Electric Grid Reliability
    Senate Bill 7 – Increasing Investments in Texas’ Water Supply
    Senate Bill 8 – Requiring Local Law Enforcement to Assist the Federal Government’s Deportation Efforts
    Senate Bill 9 – Reforming Bail – Keeping Violent Criminals Off Our Streets
    Senate Bill 10 – Placing the Ten Commandments in School
    Senate Bill 11 – Protecting the Freedom to Pray in School
    Senate Bill 12 – Establishing a Parental Bill of Rights in Public Education
    Senate Bill 13 – Guarding Against Inappropriate Books in Public Schools
    Senate Bill 14 – Texas DOGE – Improving Government Efficiency
    Senate Bill 15 – Removing Barriers to Affordable Housing
    Senate Bill 16 – Stopping Non-Citizens from Voting
    Senate Bill 17 – Stopping Foreign Adversaries’ Land Grabs
    Senate Bill 18 – Stopping Drag Time Story Hour
    Senate Bill 19 – Stopping Taxpayer Dollars for Lobbyists
    Senate Bill 20 – Stopping AI Child Pornography
    Senate Bill 21 – Establishing the Texas Bitcoin Reserve
    Senate Bill 22 – Establishing Texas as America’s Film Capital
    Senate Bill 23 – Removing the Cap on the Rainy Day Fund to Secure Texas’ Long-term Financial Future
    Senate Bill 24 – Educating Texas Students on the Horrors of Communism
    Senate Bill 25 – Making Texas Healthy Again

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    19 minutes ago, bluto said:

    Maybe goes in texpatriate thread too. Is he just getting THAT much from beer lobbies for THC to be that high on the list?

     

    Lt. Gov. Patrick’s Priority Bills:

    Senate Bill 1 – Senate’s Budget for Texas
    Senate Bill 2 – Providing School Choice
    Senate Bill 3 – Banning THC in Texas
    Senate Bill 4 – Increasing the Homestead Exemption to $140,000 ($150,000 for seniors)
    Senate Bill 5 – Combatting Alzheimer’s – Establishing DPRIT (Dementia Prevention & Research Institute of Texas)
    Senate Bill 6 – Increasing Texas’ Electric Grid Reliability
    Senate Bill 7 – Increasing Investments in Texas’ Water Supply
    Senate Bill 8 – Requiring Local Law Enforcement to Assist the Federal Government’s Deportation Efforts
    Senate Bill 9 – Reforming Bail – Keeping Violent Criminals Off Our Streets
    Senate Bill 10 – Placing the Ten Commandments in School
    Senate Bill 11 – Protecting the Freedom to Pray in School
    Senate Bill 12 – Establishing a Parental Bill of Rights in Public Education
    Senate Bill 13 – Guarding Against Inappropriate Books in Public Schools
    Senate Bill 14 – Texas DOGE – Improving Government Efficiency
    Senate Bill 15 – Removing Barriers to Affordable Housing
    Senate Bill 16 – Stopping Non-Citizens from Voting
    Senate Bill 17 – Stopping Foreign Adversaries’ Land Grabs
    Senate Bill 18 – Stopping Drag Time Story Hour
    Senate Bill 19 – Stopping Taxpayer Dollars for Lobbyists
    Senate Bill 20 – Stopping AI Child Pornography
    Senate Bill 21 – Establishing the Texas Bitcoin Reserve
    Senate Bill 22 – Establishing Texas as America’s Film Capital
    Senate Bill 23 – Removing the Cap on the Rainy Day Fund to Secure Texas’ Long-term Financial Future
    Senate Bill 24 – Educating Texas Students on the Horrors of Communism
    Senate Bill 25 – Making Texas Healthy Again

    My priorities in bold. I only bolded the bitcoin one because I own some. :)

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    Senate Bill 14 – Texas DOGE – Improving Government Efficiency

    This could be the worst of them all.  

     

    Edited by CooterBrown
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