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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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    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

    they're just on a tear to eliminate whatever they can regardless of the consequences.

     

    the funny part, trump doesn't give a shit about abbott / patrick / paxton 

    • Like 1
    Evil Bill Obrien

    Posted

    1 hour ago, CooterBrown said:

    Bill filed to eliminate TPWD. Enjoy your state parks before they are sold to the highest bidder.

    https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2025/03/17/texas-parks-and-wildlife-department-pat-curry-house-bill-hb-4938-representatives/82490153007/

    Friend who works as staff for a House member told me this morning that this bill is already dead (see how high the bill number is,  will likely never even make it to a committee hearing) and is likely just a freshman rep trying to swing his tiny little dick around. Said its likely someone at TPWD slighted that member and he is trying to get their attention...

    • Like 2
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    Satchel

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

    they're just on a tear to eliminate whatever they can regardless of the consequences.

    The entire country seems to be in a non thinking space right now.

    • Hook 'Em 3
    • Like 1
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    royiv

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Radical Larry said:

    McKinney Falls State Park brought to you by Carl’s Jr. 

    More like The Villas at McKinney Falls by DR Horton.

    Brisketexan

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

    How exactly would the average voter be able to prove their citizenship status? And realize that Trump is fighting to remove birthright citizenship. If that occurs, then showing up with a certified birth certificate means nothing other than you were born here. And just saying your parents were citizens, and therefore confers citizenship on you, may not be enough. Whos to say that your parents were citizens or their parents? 

    The elimination of birthright citizenship absolutely has this as the end-game.  You say you're a citizen?  Well, your birth certificate isn't enough.  You need to show proof your PARENTS were citizens/legal residents when you were born.  What, you don't have that paperwork?  Then GIT OUTTA HERE, YOU DIRTY FOREIGNER!*

    * Please note that this will NOT be the way the law works....at least, it won't be if your name is John Smith, Bill Jones, etc.  You only have to worry if you have a name like Juan Gomez or some dirty messican shit like that.  And don't think I'm not looking at you, too, Maheer Abdul.

    • Like 1
    HalfSack Horn

    Posted

    Just called Pat Curry’s office.  I’d recommend you all harass them too.  Fucking insanity 

    Here’s the number - 512-463-0135.  They have some kid answering the phone.  He was cordial, but I want to shame him for working for a dickhead 

    HalfSack Horn

    Posted (edited)

    8 minutes ago, South Austin said:

    Great idea. Maybe if enough people call their elected leaders and voice their outrage it’ll have absolutely no impact whatsoever.

    I don’t disagree, but it made me feel better for all of 1 minute and for the minute it took me to type my post haha.   These people answering the phones deserve to hate their jobs at least…

    Edited by HalfSack Horn
    • Hook 'Em 2
    Evil Bill Obrien

    Posted

    43 minutes ago, HalfSack Horn said:

    Just called Pat Curry’s office.  I’d recommend you all harass them too.  Fucking insanity 

    Here’s the number - 512-463-0135.  They have some kid answering the phone.  He was cordial, but I want to shame him for working for a dickhead 

    Kinda surprised you got an answer right away on the phone, have heard some rather astonishing stories of how far the phone skills of the fresh meat Gen Z new capital staffers have fallen...

    bolverk

    Posted

    25 minutes ago, Evil Bill Obrien said:

    Kinda surprised you got an answer right away on the phone, have heard some rather astonishing stories of how far the phone skills of the fresh meat Gen Z new capital staffers have fallen...

    I harangued the staff of my State Rep, my State Senator, and my U.S. Rep late Friday afternoon. It felt so good to unload on them, I'm pretty sure I'm going to make it a weekly thing to call just before 5 pm while they're getting ready to leave the office for the weekend.

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    washparkhorn

    Posted

    For all the fuckupedness Texas politicians demonstrate, I have an equal disdain for New York and South Carolina idoit politicos. The three states have produced some of the most craven windbags in the history of this nation. A pox on all of them. 
     

     

    • Hook 'Em 1
    royiv

    Posted

    The lege is really going after the furries and the anime dorks (probably quite a bit of overlap in that Venn diagram) this session. 

    speed817

    Posted

    🤣🤣🤣

    Screenshot_20250317-183849.thumb.png.7dbc771ac9120206cfce342a43929d03.png

    • Haha 6
    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
    Longhorn_Fan68

    Posted

    shit. I guess the border crisis is over and all rapes averted. well done, govner!

    • Hook 'Em 1
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    Tonesky

    Posted (edited)

    8 minutes ago, speed817 said:

    🤣🤣🤣

    Screenshot_20250317-183849.thumb.png.7dbc771ac9120206cfce342a43929d03.png

    I hope my kid's theater department selects a fuck you Abbott version of Cats for their next production.

    Edited by Tonesky
    • Hook 'Em 6
    • Like 3
    speed817

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, Tonesky said:

    I hope my kid's theater department selects a fuck you Abbott version of Cats for their next production.

    Abbott won't STAND for that kind of disrespect 

    • Like 1
    • Haha 2
    Macanudo

    Posted

    Pat Curry seems like he sucks.

    Pat Curry earned a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M. His career experience includes working as an entrepreneur, owning and operating multiple businesses, and as a farmer and rancher. 

    https://ballotpedia.org/Pat_Curry

    • Hook 'Em 2
    Chuckie Finster

    Posted

    31 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

    Pat Curry seems like he sucks.

    Pat Curry earned a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M. His career experience includes working as an entrepreneur, owning and operating multiple businesses, and as a farmer and rancher. 

    https://ballotpedia.org/Pat_Curry

    He looks exactly as you would expect with that bio.

    Spoiler

    🚨 Rusty Surette on X: "State lawmaker Rep. Pat Curry (and an Aggie) has  filed a bill to get rid of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and  spread their services/duties to

     

    • Haha 1
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    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    44 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

    Pat Curry seems like he sucks.

    Pat Curry earned a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M. His career experience includes working as an entrepreneur, owning and operating multiple businesses, and as a farmer and rancher. 

    https://ballotpedia.org/Pat_Curry

     

    fucking aggie 

    • Hook 'Em 1
    Pato del Muerto

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Chuckie Finster said:

    He looks exactly as you would expect with that bio.

      Reveal hidden contents

    🚨 Rusty Surette on X: "State lawmaker Rep. Pat Curry (and an Aggie) has  filed a bill to get rid of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and  spread their services/duties to

     

    He looks like dan ackroyd as the judge in nothing but trouble 

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Like 2
    • Haha 1
    Biff Tannen

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Chuckie Finster said:

    He looks exactly as you would expect with that bio.

      Hide contents

    🚨 Rusty Surette on X: "State lawmaker Rep. Pat Curry (and an Aggie) has  filed a bill to get rid of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and  spread their services/duties to

     

    image.jpeg.5fd2f9251efe4533930919d6cd4b3883.jpeg

    1 minute ago, Pato del Muerto said:

    He looks like dan ackroyd as the judge in nothing but trouble 

    Came here to post this. And I did. 

    • Haha 1
    TwiceHorn

    Posted

    13 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

    The bill transfers all employees and current appropriations and property to other agencies.  It doesn't save a nickel.

    The real reason here. https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/texas-lawmaker-deer-breeder-abolish-tpwd/

    All in the name of protecting deer breeders, like himself.

    Piece of shit.

     

    Can't edit.  Some things I learned.  Native deer are legally publicly owned, regardless of the "living" or "breeding" conditions.  TPWD thus regulates even private herds as game animals.  This can be unpleasant and expensive for deer breeders, especially if some mad cow crops up.  TPWD can order destruction of the herd.

    Curry wants to have "private" deer herds that are (un)regulated as livestock.

    That's the whole reason for this.

    • Like 2
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    bolverk

    Posted

    8 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

    Can't edit.  Some things I learned.  Native deer are legally publicly owned, regardless of the "living" or "breeding" conditions.  TPWD thus regulates even private herds as game animals.  This can be unpleasant and expensive for deer breeders, especially if some mad cow crops up.  TPWD can order destruction of the herd.

    Curry wants to have "private" deer herds that are (un)regulated as livestock.

    That's the whole reason for this.

    It always boils down to corruption in some form or fashion. If sanity is ever going to prevail, "corruption, corruption, corruption" has to be the leading message to the masses...on repeat and ad nauseum. There's nothing ideological about it, and everyone "gets it" on a gut level, so the head-in-the-sand independents, low-information voters, and the conscientious conservative crowds could, theoretically, eventually comprehend what the fuck is going on if hammered home consistently and constantly.

    • Hook 'Em 2
    • Like 3
    ChiTownDoc

    Posted (edited)

    26 minutes ago, bolverk said:

    It always boils down to corruption in some form or fashion. If sanity is ever going to prevail, "corruption, corruption, corruption" has to be the leading message to the masses...on repeat and ad nauseum. There's nothing ideological about it, and everyone "gets it" on a gut level, so the head-in-the-sand independents, low-information voters, and the conscientious conservative crowds could, theoretically, eventually comprehend what the fuck is going on if hammered home consistently and constantly.

    It will only work if this admin causes them pain - in meaningful numbers.  And that may actually be happening.  Hammering anyone by saying shit does jack shit.  

    Edited by ChiTownDoc
    • Like 1
    bolverk

    Posted (edited)

    55 minutes ago, ChiTownDoc said:

    It will only work if this admin causes them pain - in meaningful numbers.  And that may actually be happening.  Hammering anyone by saying shit does jack shit.  

    Oh yeah, of course, they've got to feel pain, and I'm all for that. That's a given which should go without saying. But I'm also suggesting we "shape the battlefield" or "condition them" so they're more amenable to the idea when each of them gets burned. And it will. And God help them when it does. Repeating the word "corruption" a) is fucking true, b) has no ideology, c) plants the idea, and d) will be fertile fucking ground. Even the non-evil numbskulls of the bunch will get it. Shit, the idea that everything is fucking corrupt is what actually brought down the Iron Curtain.

    Edited by bolverk
    • Hook 'Em 2
    • Like 2
    Updawg

    Posted

    Fun to read about that TPWD bill while camping in a state park. Fuck that guy and that bill better die

    • Hook 'Em 3
    DaysOff

    Posted

    Why in the flying fuck would this state need to breed deer? Every hill country neighborhood is overrun with scrawny malnourished deer scrambling for water and food.

    • Hook 'Em 2
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    Mrs Whiggins

    Posted

    25 minutes ago, DaysOff said:

    Why in the flying fuck would this [landowners]state need to breed deer?

    To put it succinctly since I'm derailing the thread: money.

    Less succinctly, the way I understand it has to do with a messy convergence of private property rights, high vs. low fencing, canned hunts on large tracts of private land (where one can introduce those bred deer), and a general trend towards serfdom in rural areas wherein a few wealthy landowners (either individuals or corporate) own swaths of land and the remaining smaller outfits exist to provide services (plumbing, HVAC, etc). If one essentially creates a barrier wherein wildlife cannot escape, then it's been argued that the situation resembles the sheriff of Nottingham and the monarchy wherein the public no longer can access 'their' deer and it is the possessive 'their' that is the sticking point. Wild life as was mentioned were considered as belonging to the state, but some landowners having gone to the trouble of feeding them and whatnot, considered them 'theirs.' Thus when enterprising folks began breeding deer, it introduced a whole 'nother level of complications. Add CWD to the mix and the usual corrupt nature of Texas politics and here we are.

    (I didn't even get into the whole poaching and/or setting up blinds near fence lines type behaviors. I don't have a dog nor deer in this hunt, just things I've observed and if I'm off base, feel free to chime in)

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Like 2
    Eskimohorn

    Posted

    It always boils down to corruption in some form or fashion. If sanity is ever going to prevail, "corruption, corruption, corruption" has to be the leading message to the masses...on repeat and ad nauseum. There's nothing ideological about it, and everyone "gets it" on a gut level, so the head-in-the-sand independents, low-information voters, and the conscientious conservative crowds could, theoretically, eventually comprehend what the fuck is going on if hammered home consistently and constantly.

    It is about corruption. According to FOX voters, Biden had the most corrupt administration ever, after Clinton and Obama.

    Among the less braindead, we have bothsiders who believe both sides are corrupt and that money rules politics, which it does. Nevermind that democrats are the only party that wants to do something about it.
    Captainant

    Posted

    13 hours ago, TonyTexas said:

    That story has a common thing I've noticed among conservatives - he came in with a notion that they were serving tons of children but has ZERO evidence to back it aside from his """sincerely held belief""". So much of their horse shit is backed by belief and not reality or evidence. They're so goddamn vulnerable to disinformation so long as it fits their worldview, it's maddening

    • Hook 'Em 3
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    Pescado_Rojo

    Posted

    If ever there were a man that needed to be force fed a 100mg gummy and locked in a room with an 8hr "chill mix" and some headphones it would be Dan Patrick

    DigglerontheHoof

    Posted

    7 minutes ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

    If ever there were a man that needed to be throw off a bullet train it would be Dan Patrick

    fify

    • Hook 'Em 3
    pacman

    Posted

    Don't forget to watch Texas "DOGE" today, 1030am house.texas.gov/videos

    Clickable Live button will show up in the DOGE row at 1030

     

    Not to be confused with the Sunset Commission or DIR, despite clearly duplicating the purpose of both existing functions

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Like 2
    South Austin

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Disco Strangler said:

    Johnny:  Teacher, what does "adultery" mean in the seventh commandment?

    Texas Public School Teacher:  Well Johnny, adultery is what President Trump did when he raw dogged a porn star's worn out vagina with his mushroom dick while Melania was home taking care of little Barron.  It's also what Ken Paxton does with his mistress because his wife Angela doesn't want to stick a finger in his butthole when she's sucking him off.   

    Johnny: [insert WTF gif here]

    Note to self:  Look for substitute teaching gigs.

    • Fuck Around and Find Out 2
    miguelito

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Disco Strangler said:

    Johnny:  Teacher, what does "adultery" mean in the seventh commandment?

    Texas Public School Teacher:  Well Johnny, adultery is what President Trump did when he raw dogged a porn star's worn out vagina with his mushroom dick while Melania was home taking care of little Barron.  It's also what Ken Paxton does with his mistress because his wife Angela doesn't want to stick a finger in his butthole when she's sucking him off.   

    Johnny: [insert WTF gif here]

     

    Hell, they should add a picture of Trump winking next to each of the commandments. He's probably hit for the cycle.

    • Hook 'Em 2
    tx 3 putt

    Posted

    Gov. Greg Abbott praised President Donald Trump’s efforts to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education on Thursday, waving away concerns that the move would create uncertainty for funding and civil rights protections in public education.

    • Rage+1 4



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