No Surprise: Texas Ranks as Second Worst State
Those of us who reside in Texas know that, after almost 25 years of single party control, it is now a mere empty shell of the once Great State. This fact was confirmed yesterday when CNBC published it’s annual study of states for business and livability. While Texas ranked 4th for states friendly to business, and ranked as second worst in the nation for livability. In rendering its verdict, CNBC pointed out that Texas is the hardest state in the nation to vote, has no laws against discrimination, and scored an F in livability. It also said that the only thing that kept it from falling below Arizona was the fact that Democrats walked out during the regular session of the legislature to thwart Republicans’ efforts to make voting even harder, if that’s even possible. After all these years of single party rule, Republicans have succeeded in destroying Texans’ access to healthcare, education, and the ballot box. It’s turned our school curriculum into propaganda churning out ignoramuses who have warped understanding of our history and even science. It’s worked tirelessly to deny healthcare for women, the economically disadvantaged, and the elderly. Even while making life miserable for anyone but the rich, the GOP also bungled our response to the pandemic, causing over 53,000 deaths so far, and allowed our power grid to fall into literal ruins, failing to provide power when it is needed most. The corruption and continuous lying from our politicians and RW networks have made truth unknowable, allowing bullshit to proliferate convincing people that Youtube videos are more reliable than scientists, doctors, and engineers. They have played to people’s worst traits to cling to power while suppressing votes.
As our friend Mimi Swartz wrote this week in the NY Times, Texas has truly broken our hearts.
If I had a palace in Texas,
1And a hovel down in Hell,
I’d rent out the palace
And in the hovel i would dwell.
The distinction of being the 2nd worst state on the CNBC list is an achievement that seems to be attractive to most red state legislatures, Governors and repugnantican parties. Maybe in a year, the list will have to include many states tied for 2nd worst.
2I noticed in reading about the rankings, the editors included a section that described what the strengths were for the states listed. Notably, for Texas, they said the state rated poor in all metrics, so no strengths were mentioned. Seems they should have been designated as tied for the worst state.
I grew up in New Mexico, with close family friends in El Paso and the Panhandle. So I was amused to learn of Territorial Governor Armijo’s [alleged] observation: “Poor New Mexico — so far from heaven, so close to Texas.”
In the 60s and 70s, as I was growing up, and in the 80s as I moved and watched from a distance, the quotation was a humorous dig at the weather and geography. During the Ann Richards administration, the tide turned, and for the past 25 years, the truth of the statement has become more and more clear. The geography remains, the weather is worse due to climate change. But the health care distinctions, environmental degradation, educational devolution, and growing irrelevance of state government’s decision making in most areas eroded the quality of life. “Close to Texas” really is not a good thing.
3But people continue to move to Texas in droves. How long will it take them to figure out they would have been better off staying where they were?
4The ironic thing is that millions of Texas Republicans think that that’s all a good thing while not noticing their pockets being picked. I see homeless people almost everywhere I go these days, and I’m old enough to remember not seeing any. Those reliable Republican voters would rather die than see a more equitable share of the wealth, and they almost certainly will die sooner than they should’ve.
5Know what state is worst? Arizona. Didn’t even have to look – I live there.
Know what most of the bottom 10 states have is common? They’re red states.
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