Texas -- a failed state

[Mo Horn 8807]

I'm not a native Texan, but spent most of my formative years there. Have moved a lot, and left and returned and left again over the years. We've lived in other states since 1998, some very blue, others very red. Our plan has always been to retire back in Texas. Family and extended family is there.  There is something to a Texas state of mind that I grew up with, and still carry. I haven't been there for all the politics for over 20 years, but it's still home and I'm still looking forward to coming back. 

[Brisketexan 104537]

Yeah, gonna disagree here. We got problems that’s for sure, but our residents aren’t leaving in droves for other states like CA and NY residents.

I wish we could all get along and work together.

Texas, about a decade ago, was something like 57% coming in to 43% going out.
The last 5 years, its been 47, 47, 45, 45, 45.  But Texas is no longer a top 5 inbound state.  It has fallen behind Idaho, Arizona, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida and is barely ahead of Colorado, in terms of %. 

Yep....look at the trends. And yes, while anecdotal, I know of at least 5 families, including ours, that are either actively looking to leave or planning to do so when the time is right.

Don’t look to what was happening five years ago - look ahead to what the trend will be like in five years. Texas is going to start losing many of the people it can least afford to lose.

We are run by Gumps, who are relentlessly re-elected by Gumps. Time to leave it to the Gumps. Let them have their crashing paradise.

[Longhorn_Fan68 33831]

 

[DonkeyCigars 144]

4 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

 

Yep....look at the trends. And yes, while anecdotal, I know of at least 5 families, including ours, that are either actively looking to leave or planning to do so when the time is right.

Don’t look to what was happening five years ago - look ahead to what the trend will be like in five years. Texas is going to start losing many of the people it can least afford to lose.

We are run by Gumps, who are relentlessly re-elected by Gumps. Time to leave it to the Gumps. Let them have their crashing paradise.

 

In 5 years will it be run by gumps? What does the data say? The trend line? Population demographics growth? Election result trends? Don’t leave before the work of turning it purple or blue is done! 
 

 

Hang in there Bubba! 

[Dr. Teeth 5824]

12 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

 

I get they don't want to invest in plows, but can't they have an agreement to pay Arkansas to plow?

[6th Street 6354]

Texas does a great job of selling low taxes and lack of regulation until they get badly exposed by black swan events like the 2021 freeze and Hurricane Harvey a few years ago.

Houston is probably the prime example - always talking up explosive growth and sprawl without considering flooding implications that destroyed the city a few years ago. The refusal to acknowledge climate change at the local and state levels is a huge problem given how volatile the area is.

[Longhorn_Fan68 33831]

Just now, 6th Street said:

Texas does a great job of selling low taxes and lack of regulation until they get badly exposed by black swan events like the 2021 freeze and Hurricane Harvey a few years ago.

Houston is probably the prime example - always talking up explosive growth and sprawl without considering flooding implications that destroyed the city a few years ago. The refusal to acknowledge climate change at the local and state levels is a huge problem given how volatile the area is.

"Republicans are full of shit. News at 9."

[Sawbonz 27392]

1 hour ago, Dr. Teeth said:

You people are rich. My poor ass had to shop at Weiner's when I was a kid and hope to find a polo shirt with an upside down logo to wear.

 

[WBT 20411]

21 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

 

seems legit

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19092]

1 hour ago, WBT said:

seems legit

Yeah that seems like bullshit. I know the Panhandle has snow plows, and I'd imagine NE Texas does too.

Edited February 17, 2021 by PenelopeWitherspoon

[Sawbonz 27392]

9 minutes ago, 6th Street said:

Texas does a great job of selling low taxes and lack of regulation until they get badly exposed by black swan events like the 2021 freeze and Hurricane Harvey a few years ago.

Houston is probably the prime example - always talking up explosive growth and sprawl without considering flooding implications that destroyed the city a few years ago. The refusal to acknowledge climate change at the local and state levels is a huge problem given how volatile the area is.

“Low taxes” is a myth unless you have a high income and choose to live in an inexpensive home, especially with the new property tax deduction caps

[Brisketexan 104537]

In 5 years will it be run by gumps? What does the data say? The trend line? Population demographics growth? Election result trends? Don’t leave before the work of turning it purple or blue is done! 
 

 
Hang in there Bubba! 

The data says two things: the blue trend is stalled, and the Repubs are going all-in on voter suppression. They have another 20 years to keep doing damage. Texas doesn’t have 20 years of seed stock left to burn. It’s only going to get worse, and past the point of no return....if it hasn’t already.

Smart people get off a sinking ship. Idiots argue that we should wait until it’s resting on the bottom at 100 fathoms before we do so.

We’ve been warning about this path for decades. We’ve been bailing as fast as we can, as the Republicans counter that and open the scuppers as wide as they can, forever swamping us. How about this, you brainless fuckstick - how about YOU stop supporting policies and politicians that are filling the hull with water? This is the state you wanted. You can fucking have it. Don’t call me when you or a family member freezes to death during our next polar blast. You chose this, and continue to force it on everyone else. Fuck you to hell.

[washparkhorn 9934]

 

[Longhorn_Fan68 33831]

Wonder if old Elon is rethinking moving his shit here now.

[tantric superman 4667]

2 hours ago, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

Let’s say you leave Texas.  Where do you go?  

Amsterdam. 

I think Brisket would dig it the most.

[Spankytoes 1735]

1 hour ago, Handcruser said:

Yeah, gonna disagree here. We got problems that’s for sure, but our residents aren’t leaving in droves for other states like CA and NY residents.

I wish we could all get along and work together.
 

That is such a BS narrative pushed by the media. First, there more parts to NY than NYC. No one is leaving Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, etc. Second, a lot of people are going to their 2nd homes in FL (Or TX for me) because the work narrative has changed. Most industries in the city have offices that either can’t be entered or can only be a capped number of people. (25 last I checked) If you can work remotely, why stay in NYC? It’s like paying for a ticket to Six Flags when all the rides are shutdown. Last, people are still furloughed. Why hang around when you need money now and finding a job in the most populous area is almost impossible? The amount of actors, hotel employees and food service employees here is a pretty good chunk of the population.

In conclusion, your mom is a failed State.

[Longhorn_Fan68 33831]

We're literally a punchline

 

[YChang 3430]

Man you’re a beating sometimes, but I totally understand your point of view as well. I moved back from Ca about 2 years ago. Don’t regret it and if anything I’m more determined than ever to help turn this state purple. I love Texas, I dunno... as an immigrant and naturalized citizen it just means something different to me and immediate family.

But I’m also lucky enough that I can always move back Ca if I really wanted to. 

[6th Street 6354]

10 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

“Low taxes” is a myth unless you have a high income and choose to live in an inexpensive home, especially with the new property tax deduction caps

Still much lower taxes than CA and IL

[mdmost 42827]

But this time next week, Biden will once again be the right's boogeyman. 

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11668]

1 hour ago, Michael Knight said:

The problem with Texas is that its always been run by Texans.

/longshanks

[washparkhorn 9934]

13 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

Wonder if old Elon is rethinking moving his shit here now.

He publicly slammed ERCOT for failing to provide reliability. 

Six days ago, he stated Austin was on the brink of booming. 

Things can change quickly. 

Edited February 17, 2021 by washparkhorn

[workswithseed 2033]

Hey, @Brisketexan. Do you mind giving you sources? I was gonna make a case that Oregon is as bad but with a Democrat government, but anything close that showed what you posted was this

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oregon 

its numbers are from 2018, and I want to make sure. I disagree with some of what you're saying, and we're no better here even on energy, but we do have water, but we should have been more ready than Texas in weather treatment since it's more likely to freeze in Oregon than Texas. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/4-die-from-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-during-winter-storm/ar-BB1dJujQ

 

 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19092]

That is such a BS narrative pushed by the media. First, there more parts to NY than NYC. No one is leaving Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, etc. Second, a lot of people are going to their 2nd homes in FL (Or TX for me) because the work narrative has changed. Most industries in the city have offices that either can’t be entered or can only be a capped number of people. (25 last I checked) If you can work remotely, why stay in NYC? It’s like paying for a ticket to Six Flags when all the rides are shutdown. Last, people are still furloughed. Why hang around when you need money now and finding a job in the most populous area is almost impossible? The amount of actors, hotel employees and food service employees here is a pretty good chunk of the population.
In conclusion, your mom is a failed State.

NYC is better without all the fucking tourists.

[FondrenRoad 4378]

8 minutes ago, Spankytoes said:

That is such a BS narrative pushed by the media. First, there more parts to NY than NYC. No one is leaving Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, etc. Second, a lot of people are going to their 2nd homes in FL (Or TX for me) because the work narrative has changed. Most industries in the city have offices that either can’t be entered or can only be a capped number of people. (25 last I checked) If you can work remotely, why stay in NYC? It’s like paying for a ticket to Six Flags when all the rides are shutdown. Last, people are still furloughed. Why hang around when you need money now and finding a job in the most populous area is almost impossible? The amount of actors, hotel employees and food service employees here is a pretty good chunk of the population.

In conclusion, your mom is a failed State.

You got it backwards. Ignoring the covid year anomaly, the NYC metro is the only part of NY that is growing. All the other cities you mentioned except Albany have been dying a slow death for a few decades now. NYC will be fine once tourism comes back. The rest still won't be fine. 

[troph 24560]

I’m having a really hard time with this one. A year of existential crisis for all of us some more than others. Meme worthy statements of distraction from leadership. 
 

you know what? 
 

Our leadership spent the last two cycles demonizing me and where I pee instead of making sure Texans have healthcare, reliable power, public health resources and quality education. 
 

this shouldn’t be hard, government services need to be the priority not demonizing the different. 
 

I’m so mad I’m almost ready to pause my career and run for office on the idea that bathroom rights are not the conversation, power grids, education, health care, water planning, access to rural Texas and corruption are the only topics that matter.

 

I’m just spitting mad about this right now.

[mdmost 42827]

12 minutes ago, washparkhorn said:

He publicly slammed ERCOT for failing to provide reliability. 

Six days ago, he stated Austin was on the brink of booming. 

Things can change quickly. 

I chuckle at the thought of him, Rogan, James Van Der Beek, and others who left socialist California because Texas is deregulated heaven. And now they get to enjoy freezing their balls off because of exactly those policies. 

Edited February 17, 2021 by mdmost

[Mdhorn 5910]

59 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

 

Yep....look at the trends. And yes, while anecdotal, I know of at least 5 families, including ours, that are either actively looking to leave or planning to do so when the time is right.

Don’t look to what was happening five years ago - look ahead to what the trend will be like in five years. Texas is going to start losing many of the people it can least afford to lose.

We are run by Gumps, who are relentlessly re-elected by Gumps. Time to leave it to the Gumps. Let them have their crashing paradise.

 

Honestly, and feel free to correct me--where you going to go?  Texas has always seemed like a pretty good retirement option. We've admittedly been looking at it's sister state, now Blue, Virginia for retirement.  However, it's still gumps once you leave the cities. But with all the people coming in from Liberal areas into Texas, it really seems like it should be turning blue in our lifetimes.  I like Maryland but I'd ideally like to leave the city when I get older--but again gumps.  Our electricity is solar and renewables so I don't understand when my sister tells me the wind turbines are frozen in Texas, but I do know her news source.  Also, aren't Liberals the growing party?  

[DonkeyCigars 144]

28 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

The data says two things: the blue trend is stalled, and the Repubs are going all-in on voter suppression. They have another 20 years to keep doing damage. Texas doesn’t have 20 years of seed stock left to burn. It’s only going to get worse, and past the point of no return....if it hasn’t already.

Smart people get off a sinking ship. Idiots argue that we should wait until it’s resting on the bottom at 100 fathoms before we do so.

We’ve been warning about this path for decades. We’ve been bailing as fast as we can, as the Republicans counter that and open the scuppers as wide as they can, forever swamping us. How about this, you brainless fuckstick - how about YOU stop supporting policies and politicians that are filling the hull with water? This is the state you wanted. You can fucking have it. Don’t call me when you or a family member freezes to death during our next polar blast. You chose this, and continue to force it on everyone else. Fuck you to hell.

This is a monumentally bad take. Post a link illustrating Texas' blue trend having stalled out. Cite something here please, because this seems like an outright lie. The first 5 credible sources (Atlantic, Texas Monthly, Texas Tribune, Vox, etc.) all are saying Texas is or will be purple and will be in play to be blue in the next X years. Please show me where you are getting your data that shows teh blue trend is stalled.

The only thing that will stall Texas turning blue is if you and likeminded folks give up now, right as you are about to crest the hill. So go for it, I guess. But I'd like to see you hang in there little guy! I want you to get what you want. 

[Mdhorn 5910]

13 minutes ago, FondrenRoad said:

You got it backwards. Ignoring the covid year anomaly, the NYC metro is the only part of NY that is growing. All the other cities you mentioned except Albany have been dying a slow death for a few decades now. NYC will be fine once tourism comes back. The rest still won't be fine. 

People have been leaving NYC for the Hudson valley, especially since covid.  They are still within an hour and on train lines so there's no need to be in the city.

[Goredho 17341]

3 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

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 6^th 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.

 

 

You are not at all wrong.  We moved from Austin to Colorado four years ago because the state's leadership saw no value in providing an education for kids with special needs so that they don't grow up to be homeless vagrants littering the streets of a city like Austin.  It was the best decision we've ever made for our family.  I will always love Texas, but there are a lot of vile assholes in the state government turning it into an unforgiving capitalist's thunderdome.

[Bookman 4610]

Texas is a poor state. We lucked out with having cheap land an doil, but it wasn't for that we'd be another Oklahoma or Alabama.

[DonkeyCigars 144]

8 minutes ago, Mdhorn said:

Honestly, and feel free to correct me--where you going to go?  Texas has always seemed like a pretty good retirement option. We've admittedly been looking at it's sister state, now Blue, Virginia for retirement.  However, it's still gumps once you leave the cities. But with all the people coming in from Liberal areas into Texas, it really seems like it should be turning blue in our lifetimes.  I like Maryland but I'd ideally like to leave the city when I get older--but again gumps.  Our electricity is solar and renewables so I don't understand when my sister tells me the wind turbines are frozen in Texas, but I do know her news source.  Also, aren't Liberals the growing party?  

exactly all this, but i guess it doesnt fit his doomsday narrative and what is brisket without a doomsday narrative to be victimized by.

[956 Worldwide 34411]

36 minutes ago, Spankytoes said:

That is such a BS narrative pushed by the media. First, there more parts to NY than NYC. No one is leaving Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, etc. Second, a lot of people are going to their 2nd homes in FL (Or TX for me) because the work narrative has changed. Most industries in the city have offices that either can’t be entered or can only be a capped number of people. (25 last I checked) If you can work remotely, why stay in NYC? It’s like paying for a ticket to Six Flags when all the rides are shutdown. Last, people are still furloughed. Why hang around when you need money now and finding a job in the most populous area is almost impossible? The amount of actors, hotel employees and food service employees here is a pretty good chunk of the population.

In conclusion, your mom is a failed State.

I’m not going to blame the “lib government,” but this is absolutely not true. Plenty of upstate New York is shrinking and seeing a net outflow and/or lagging well behind national overall growth. Buffalo and Rochester are on that list. 
 

https://eu.pressconnects.com/story/news/local/2020/05/27/new-york-cities-had-largest-population-gains-and-losses/5258841002/

[NAVY 6738]

Ok, cool. Can they please stop with the Texas patriotic truck ads now? 

[Brisketexan 104537]

Hey, [mention=593]Brisketexan[/mention]. Do you mind giving you sources? I was gonna make a case that Oregon is as bad but with a Democrat government, but anything close that showed what you posted was this
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oregon 
its numbers are from 2018, and I want to make sure. I disagree with some of what you're saying, and we're no better here even on energy, but we do have water, but we should have been more ready than Texas in weather treatment since it's more likely to freeze in Oregon than Texas. 
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/4-die-from-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-during-winter-storm/ar-BB1dJujQ

 
 

Grabbed them from US news....there are plenty of other comparable sources. And the key is the spread....we have the #15 economy....but rank #38. We have squandered our wealth. We have funneled it onto a handful of pockets at the expense of ANY common good,

If we had a shit economy based on dried apricots, I’d understand and forgive collapsing infrastructure (I’m drawing on my experience in Armenia for that comparison). If we had the #35 economy and ranked #38, that would be understandable.

We are where we are because ANY extremist system - be it communism or anarcho-capitalism - produces a similar result: a wealthy elite, and a suffering people and state.

This is a monumentally bad take. Post a link illustrating Texas' blue trend having stalled out. Cite something here please, because this seems like an outright lie. The first 5 credible sources (Atlantic, Texas Monthly, Texas Tribune, Vox, etc.) all are saying Texas is or will be purple and will be in play to be blue in the next X years. Please show me where you are getting your data that shows teh blue trend is stalled.
The only thing that will stall Texas turning blue is if you and likeminded folks give up now, right as you are about to crest the hill. So go for it, I guess. But I'd like to see you hang in there little guy! I want you to get what you want. 

The sole bright spot was Beto’s performance v Cruz, and that was only because Cruz is so fucking awful.

And you must have missed the point about voter suppression: Abbott had made it a declared top legislative priority this session. It is the openly stated goal of the Republican Party - they aren’t shy, they brag about it. Rest assured that it is going to be much more difficult for blue areas and clue voters to cast their ballot in 2022.

Texas is a poor state. We lucked out with having cheap land an doil, but it wasn't for that we'd be another Oklahoma or Alabama.

We would be. Anyplace that was a cotton economy was a shithole. We got lucky a d struck oil. That’s the only thing that sets us apart. But we squander being the #15 economy, spending none of that wealth on the commonwealth.

[DonkeyCigars 144]

43 minutes ago, workswithseed said:

Hey, @Brisketexan. Do you mind giving you sources? I was gonna make a case that Oregon is as bad but with a Democrat government, but anything close that showed what you posted was this

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oregon 

its numbers are from 2018, and I want to make sure. I disagree with some of what you're saying, and we're no better here even on energy, but we do have water, but we should have been more ready than Texas in weather treatment since it's more likely to freeze in Oregon than Texas. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/4-die-from-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-during-winter-storm/ar-BB1dJujQ

 

 

 

delete

Edited February 17, 2021 by DonkeyCigars

[Handcruser 2805]

You got it backwards. Ignoring the covid year anomaly, the NYC metro is the only part of NY that is growing. All the other cities you mentioned except Albany have been dying a slow death for a few decades now. NYC will be fine once tourism comes back. The rest still won't be fine. 

Looks like his mom is a failed state.

[DonkeyCigars 144]

9 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

 

 

Grabbed them from US news....there are plenty of other comparable sources. And the key is the spread....we have the #15 economy....but rank #38. We have squandered our wealth. We have funneled it onto a handful of pockets at the expense of ANY common good,

If we had a shit economy based on dried apricots, I’d understand and forgive collapsing infrastructure (I’m drawing on my experience in Armenia for that comparison). If we had the #35 economy and ranked #38, that would be understandable.

We are where we are because ANY extremist system - be it communism or anarcho-capitalism - produces a similar result: a wealthy elite, and a suffering people and state.





The sole bright spot was Beto’s performance v Cruz, and that was only because Cruz is so fucking awful.

And you must have missed the point about voter suppression: Abbott had made it a declared top legislative priority this session. It is the openly stated goal of the Republican Party - they aren’t shy, they brag about it. Rest assured that it is going to be much more difficult for blue areas and clue voters to cast their ballot in 2022.




We would be. Anyplace that was a cotton economy was a shithole. We got lucky a d struck oil. That’s the only thing that sets us apart. But we squander being the #15 economy, spending none of that wealth on the commonwealth.

 

 

extremely flimsy data and reasoning informing such a torrid, emotional and declarative take.

So you are essentially saying that the data and trends and trajectory show a blue stall, not growth, because of what you think is going to happen as you make a hypothetical for the extent and efficacy of voter suppression? 

If anything, Texas is going to mirror Georgia in demographics (minorities) and major urban citycenters versus rural, and Georgia was able to overcome alleged voter suppression, so you are actually arguing that a not-real-hypothetical-catastrophic-voter-suppression effort is going to retroactively create a blue thaw or blue stall, today, and you are saying that is what "data say". 

The first time you took liberties with data and facts in the israel thread and really only had an opinion based on anecdote from people at your weird church, I took your apology for being sloppy at face value. Now I'm starting to see a trend. 

Here is some constructive feedback; I need you to demonstrate your leadership capabilities and show me you are coachable. You have a bias towards overreacting and being hyperbolic in an attention seeking way and you have a bias towards anecdote and passing that off as data. Do better.

Edited February 17, 2021 by DonkeyCigars

[Brisketexan 104537]

extremely flimsy data and reasoning informing such a torrid, emotional and declarative take.
So you are essentially saying that the data and trends and trajectory show a blue stall, not growth, because of what you think is going to happen as you make a hypothetical for the extent and efficacy of voter suppression? 
If anything, Texas is going to mirror Georgia in demographics (minorities) and major urban citycenters versus rural, and Georgia was able to overcome alleged voter suppression, so you are actually arguing that a not-real-hypothetical-catastrophic-voter-suppression effort is going to retroactively create a blue thaw or blue stall, today, and you are saying that is what "data say". 
The first time you took liberties with data and facts in the israel thread and really only had an opinion based on anecdote from people at your weird church, I took your apology for being sloppy at face value. Now I'm starting to see a trend. 
Here is some constructive feedback; I need you to demonstrate your leadership capabilities and show me you are coachable. You have a bias towards overreacting and being hyperbolic in an attention seeking way and you have a bias towards anecdote and passing that off as data. Do better.

And you have a bias for supporting proven failed policies. You LIKE the leadership that brought us here. You want MORE of it.

You won’t do better, so fuck off.

[DonkeyCigars 144]

7 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

And you have a bias for supporting proven failed policies. You LIKE the leadership that brought us here. You want MORE of it.

You won’t do better, so fuck off.

You are the one starting insane premised thread with lies as justification. Hang in there, Bubba!

[washparkhorn 9934]

someone wants to be crowdsourced banned so he can brag about it to his sales buddies. 

Edited February 17, 2021 by washparkhorn

[Brisketexan 104537]

You are the one starting insane premised thread with lies as justification. Hang in there, Bubba!

I guess my data of millions of Texans being without power in a life-threatening situation is made up.

And our consistent shitty rankings in things like healthcare and education are made up, too.

The percentage of our bridges being in a critical state: all made up. Dams in critical state: all made up.

Texas has loudly and proudly proclaimed that we ain’t doing shit for the common good. No tax, no spend! This is not a shocking outcome. Your resistance to these glaringly obvious outcomes is so fucking on-brand. You will trumpet our glory as we have people from broken-ass places like former Soviet republics who don’t believe what’s actually happening here.

How about this...find a remotely reliable source that ranks our education and healthcare in the top 25. I’ll wait.

[hookemATL 11602]

Goddamn if there was ever a time to start this thread it’s now. More dissembling from the Daily Texan Avengers. Shut the fuck up. 

[TwiceHorn 31240]

1 hour ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

 

Someone pointed out that all the liquor stores are on the AR side, lol.    But that is pretty clearly plowed, I believe.

I'm really surprised that Texarkana, AR maintains snowplows.  Or really any place along the north Texas border until you get pretty far west.

[UpperWestside 6126]

1 hour ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Yeah that seems like bullshit. I know the Panhandle has snow blows, and I'd imagine NE Texas does too.

I wanted to see if I could find out if that was actually Texarkana by zooming in on a business sign in that video. I googled the sign that said Tri-State Auto Sales and that is legit also because of the street location for the business. I am guessing someone flew a drone overhead to get that footage.

[boilerhorn 1334]

1 hour ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

Wonder if old Elon is rethinking moving his shit here now.

Not likely.  If he liquidates $1B in Tesla stock, he saves around $140mm in taxes by doing it here in Texas.

[Js1 85085]

31 minutes ago, DonkeyCigars said:

extremely flimsy data and reasoning informing such a torrid, emotional and declarative take.

So you are essentially saying that the data and trends and trajectory show a blue stall, not growth, because of what you think is going to happen as you make a hypothetical for the extent and efficacy of voter suppression? 

If anything, Texas is going to mirror Georgia in demographics (minorities) and major urban citycenters versus rural, and Georgia was able to overcome alleged voter suppression, so you are actually arguing that a not-real-hypothetical-catastrophic-voter-suppression effort is going to retroactively create a blue thaw or blue stall, today, and you are saying that is what "data say". 

The first time you took liberties with data and facts in the israel thread and really only had an opinion based on anecdote from people at your weird church, I took your apology for being sloppy at face value. Now I'm starting to see a trend. 

Here is some constructive feedback; I need you to demonstrate your leadership capabilities and show me you are coachable. You have a bias towards overreacting and being hyperbolic in an attention seeking way and you have a bias towards anecdote and passing that off as data. Do better.

We could heat all of Texas with your gaslighting 

[DonkeyCigars 144]

13 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

I guess my data of millions of Texans being without power in a life-threatening situation is made up.

And our consistent shitty rankings in things like healthcare and education are made up, too.

The percentage of our bridges being in a critical state: all made up. Dams in critical state: all made up.

Texas has loudly and proudly proclaimed that we ain’t doing shit for the common good. No tax, no spend! This is not a shocking outcome. Your resistance to these glaringly obvious outcomes is so fucking on-brand. You will trumpet our glory as we have people from broken-ass places like former Soviet republics who don’t believe what’s actually happening here.

How about this...find a remotely reliable source that ranks our education and healthcare in the top 25. I’ll wait.

Straw men and moving goal posts; nothing you said addresses the fact that Texas is trending in the “right” direction as a purple or blue state in the near to medium term, versus the blue stall or republican choking out the blue growth, as you said. My whole point was giving up now is stupid because you are so close to getting what you allegedly want, which is more voice or power or representation as the state goes purple. Leave if you want, but doing so (and advocating likeminded others to do so), actually hurts the progress and makes it harder on the very folks like you who are fighting the good fight.

or just admit you are being emotional and venting and it’s self/help and therapy for you, and you’ll be ready to buckle down in a few days and resume the good work. It’s better than lying.

Edited February 17, 2021 by DonkeyCigars

[Eskimohorn 5610]

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 6^th 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.
 
 

We have been starving our infrastructure since the 1980’s. Oil booms and LBJ-Fed dollars only go so far. We’re attracting transplants, and they’re just making it worse for existing residents. Thats opposite of what should happen.

Want to see Texas trajectory? We were the 1990’s Dallas Cowboys. We had Jimmy Johnson and the triplets. Then we turned it over to Jerry and Barry. Cant PR your way out of very bad decisions with no accountability in the GM position.