I'll start this diary by stating that I am a born and reared Texan with a great deal of affection for the state I call home. After a brief stint "abroad"(meaning out side Texas) I came to the realization that many have come to before me,
you can take the girl out of Texas, but well you know the rest.
However, it has been becoming apparent over the past decade or two, that the Lone Star State has been headed down a Lonely down hill path, her star becoming tarnished almost beyond recognition. After reading these facts this past weekend, I became more specifically aware of why we in Texas are so looked down upon these days, I understand better why it is that most all of my friends from out of state have such a disdain for the place and are looking for the road out as quickly as possible.
Now, to be fair, I think it important to realize that most of the country is worse off than it was 15 years ago, and damn near all of it is worse off than it was 10 years ago. Many of these friends of whom I speak are experiencing what is a nationwide down turn from the perspective of this state, assuming the problem is singular to Texas. Let me assure them, it is not. Additionally, they, unlike me, have not had the opportunity to enjoy Blue Texas or the benefit of experiencing Texas at its independent natured best. The Texas I grew up in and the Texas I think of when I think of home. This is the Reddest Texas has ever been, and by ever, I mean since reconstruction. That's longer than the memories of most anyone left alive.
Now for the real story, an article in this months Texas Monthly Magazine really put things into perspective for me. After looking at this, there was a part of me that was ready to jump ship with my friends. After all, affection aside, who the hell wants to live in a place like this. But then the never give up, never back down from a challenge, ever hopeful true me came creeping around the corner of my mind. I'm not ready to give up yet; I'm ready to restore Texas to a place of pride, to a place where people are both happy and proud to call home. The place to start is the 2006 elections, and I believe when talking to and writing questions for debates among the potential candidates for office we can't allow ourselves or any voters to forget these facts about Texas, and we can not let anyone seeking office squeak by without answering how they feel about and how they plan to deal with these facts:
Texas is # 1 in
Child Population Growth
Percentage of uninsured children
Percentage of home refinance loans at sub prime rate
Amount of toxic and cancerous manufacturing emissions
Number of clean water permit violations
Number of environmental civil rights complaints
Per capita consumption of electricity
Number of Job Discrimination Law Suits
Percentage of Total population Un-insured
And Dead Last
Number of high school graduates over age 25
Average Consumer Credit Score
Per capita spending on government employee wages
Per capita spending on government administration
Affordability of homeowners insurance
Affordability of residential electric bill
It is also worth mentioning that while we are ranked #2 for percentage of population that goes hungry we are ranked #49 in monthly expenditures for WIC and 47th in food stamp benefits paid and % of poor receiving Medicaid benefits. In a state with as much wealth as Texas, this is absolutely intolerable and it is essential that we make sure that anyone seeking office in 06 recognizes and answers to this. It's time to restore Texas to a place that people are proud to call home, not a place people are running from starving, sick and ruined.
In the eternal words of John Edwards, I belive that Hope is on the Way, it is up to us to make sure it stays on course.