Great post. But you've done an excellent job of illustrating how big business owns the politicians and thus the levers of government in Texas. For example, the insurance industry has been allowed by the legislature to perpetrate extortion on all Texas homeowners. We pay the exorbitant rates for limited coverage. Insurers are allowed to raise premiums for issues like black mold and at the same time drop coverage for the same issue. Then of course there is the pollution, which is a scandal. The corporate-sponsored rethug officials have made Texas a great place for corporations to run a business irresponsibly and a terrible place to live and own property.
Posted by Jesusland Joe at July 31, 2005 01:01 PMTuck Fexas!
Posted by at July 31, 2005 02:03 PMInteresting post, Pessimist. A real tour de force from the geography-is-destiny school of thought.
As for the rest of the world's obsession with Texans' self-obsession, I think it's one of the most useful tools in our belt. We feed off of the fascination. And we are immunized by the variety of political movements that arise here. Over the course of just my own lifetime, this country has seen the last of the New Dealers and the first of the Anti-Terrorist Warriors emerge from this one state.
Thanks for the love letter, notwithstanding your questionable grasp of History.
Posted by Toby Petzold at July 31, 2005 03:24 PMi>New Dealers and the first of the Anti-Terrorist Warriors
Anti-Terrirst Warriors = Incompetent Buffoons
Ahhhh, Texas! Where the real men hide their lack of penis length with big belt buckles.
And once again, Toby proves to be the kind of Texan who gives the rest of us a bad name.
Posted by Jesusland Joe at July 31, 2005 05:17 PMIn reading the original post, I found at least one error. But you guys are mostly calis and so you know that everyone else in the state wishes your piece of land would break off an float into the pacific. Even though I have to focus on the end of term with my job, I will post a point by point rebuttle to err.
But for now, explain why YOU in cali chose yet another actor for your gov. I can eplain w. Can you explain arnie after w?
Joe, they think we are all idiots and have nothing to offer. The time is ripe to show the cali types that we won't take the carpetbaggers anymore.
Time willing, I will correct this post -- I have a lot of papers to correct ahead of yours.
Posted by Michelle at July 31, 2005 05:28 PMThen, after Texans decided that being their own nation wasn't up to their liking, the United States Congress voted to allow Texas to join the Union in 1845 - just in time for the nation to get caught up in a border dispute with Mexico (that was instigated by Texan encroachment of Mexican territory) to ensure that US forces would be in place to block any attempt by Santa Ana to reclaim Texas during the transition from a sovereign nation to a state.
NOT TRUE. Travis, then Houston begged for help to establish the nation of Texas, but the US would not help. And that happened way before the rush of 1849.
You are so wrong. I will show it point for point asshole.
Posted by Michelle at July 31, 2005 05:39 PMThe fact that Texas was an independent country before joining these crappy states has always been a thorn in your sides. How did you join the union cali? by vote? democratically? like Hawaii? were you a nation? There are some like me who wish we had never joined. That we would have freed slaves without a war. That would have this been a free nation without our young By electing yet anothet actor. You cali guys are a riot.
Posted by Michelle at July 31, 2005 05:52 PMto clarify the cut and paste omissions
That we would have been a free nation, without our young being killed in Iraq. We would have never let the bushes in nor let them run this state.
Cali's electing another actor for gov. is worse than what has happened in TX. We are poised to change, are you?
I will, for free, move w and pappy and toby out of the state -- free of charge.
Any offers for arnie?
Posted by Michelle at July 31, 2005 06:21 PMThe fact that Texas was an independent country before joining these crappy states
And that's what gauls these asshole Texicans. They honestly think they should be country instead of just a state. And not even the biggest state at that. A nice country it would make, too. Something like Haiti, only more poorly run.
Posted by phidipides at July 31, 2005 06:21 PMwhat gauls
Sorry, gall. I don't want to confuse Texicans with the more reasonable French.
Posted by phidipides at July 31, 2005 06:24 PMThat is all you have? Phidip, if you reside in cali, then of course you don't understand. Having been born and raised a Texan, i don't get you cali types can elect yet another actor.
My offer still stands to move w, his pappy and toby out of the state for free.
M
Posted by Michelle at July 31, 2005 06:48 PMJust to be clear, I and the other forty-seven states would be happy if California and Texas both exploded. Because they're both completely full of shit.
Posted by Florida at July 31, 2005 06:51 PMyeah fla, the w is on you like shit sticks. but for fla, w would be picking weeds forever.
check that shit on your ass before pointing at the shit on someone else's
Posted by Michelle at July 31, 2005 07:02 PMJudith please bless us with your eriudite phases.
Posted by Michelle at July 31, 2005 07:05 PMPhidip, if you reside in cali, then of course you don't understand.
No, I don't. I do love the San Diego area. I keep hoping to catch a day sail on the Star of India, and would love to do an overnight Tuna run to Mexico. I do try to visit often. I would rather live in Ensenada. Bushco and their tax plan is fucking that all up.
I do drive through Texas often. It's amazing to see how the state is going downhill, and it's happening too quickly. Once thriving areas look like East Saint Louis. It's a shame what you people have allowed to happen to the state. You do have many lovely and big Assembly of God churches...in areas that look like they've been nuked. I meet many friendly hispanics, asians and middle easterners. The caucasians are generally worth shit. Some are okay, most are not.
Posted by phidipides at July 31, 2005 07:16 PMMichelle, do you mean "erudite"? Thanks for the compliment on my "extensive knowledge", but I am too tired tonight to expound.
Posted by Judith at July 31, 2005 07:31 PMTexas is the state that produced Molly Ivins, Jim Hightower, and, yes, Lyndon Johnson, who managed to be simulataneously one of the greatest and one of the worst presidents ever. (If you want to argue against Medicaid, the civil rights act, the voting rights act, head start, etc., good luck with all that.)
There is a long history of corruption and cronyism here, certainly, but I'm not sure how that makes Texas different from New York or Chicago. The current Republican tribalistic bullshit is certainly suffocating and toxic, don't get me wrong. But I don't see the point in bashing by geography. Bash by ideology and deed and you're considerably more accurate with your fire.
That's East Saint Louis, Illinois. :) Phidipides, stay out of East St. Louis. It's not good for your health.
Posted by Judith at July 31, 2005 09:01 PMYour diary, as well as the post which reads "Tuck Fexas" does cause a native Texan to pause, ponder and resort to the greatest philosophical foundation of all: WWWD - What would Willie do?
Willie would take a breath...then he would hold it...and hold it a little more...then exhale finally with the following thoughts:
First of all, as the result of poor financial management, inflation and panic, the Republic of Texas incurred a large debt by the time it entered the United States. To relieve Texas of its debt, Texas deed over most of New Mexico, parts of Colorado and even a touch of Wyoming to the USA. So don't be saying that we never gave you anything.
On Alaska, he might see a kindred spirit relationship as like Texas, Alaska is filled exclusively with renegades who are all running from something and armed to the teeth - only colder and prefer vodka over tequila.
AS for the legacy of Brown & Root, Haliburton, and all of the others who followed, he probably would suggest that they all go to hell as he never cared much for them. After all, it was during the Reagan/Bush I years that the IRS gave him such a hard time when they in fact were the ones robbing the country blind.
As for SBC, he might be a little conflicted to say anything without talking to his accountants or lawyers as SBC partly sponsored his picnic last 4th of July in Ft Worth, but the more he thought about it the more pissed he might get and be inclined to tell THEM to go to hell, too.
A pissed off Willie is a bad, bad thing and wreaks bad karma on all who cause it.
They shall get theirs.
Posted by Tug at July 31, 2005 09:09 PMGood points Chris, Thanks.
Posted by Jesusland Joe at August 1, 2005 05:17 AMSome people are a little too sensitive. Try living in Massachusetts and you'll quickly get used to being blamed or the being the root cause of most of civilizations ills. Massachusetts, where it all began, and I'm not talking just about the revolution. Really relax and stop taking it all so personal.
Posted by mass native at August 1, 2005 06:10 AMThis post illustrates something that most Americans have come to realize; Texans can dish it out, but they sure can't take it.
I lived in Texas for almost 20 years and call many Texans my dear friends and family. But virtually all of them have a huge blind spot: they cannot or will not accept any sort of criticism of their state. Michelle and Toby are 2 sides of the same coin. Toby is typical of much of wing nuts who inhabit much of the state. Unfortunately, if Michelle is truly a teacher, she well illustrates the abysmal state of education in Texas. Instead of gently pointing out Pessimist's errors, she launches an irrelevant tirade about basically nothing. Perhaps she can discuss the state of education funding for Texas schoolchildren?
One last bon mot for Joe, who brings up a good point about homeowner ins. rates. Although virtually everything else was more expensive when I transferred out of Texas, my HO insurance rates dropped dramatically. My agent explained to me that Texas suffers from more natural disasters than other states simply because of it's sheer size. You have hurricanes, tornadoes, hailstorms, flooding, snow, sleet and ice, termites fire ants and other vermin, and high humidity (which helps cause mold). The insurers charge accordingly.
I miss a number of things about Texas, but the superiority (inferiority?) complex is not one. Cheers!
Posted by weinerdog43 at August 1, 2005 07:18 AMerriposte is not my student and so your point is?
Rest assured, Texas does not miss you. Why didn't you take the bushi with you when you left?
Posted by Michelle at August 2, 2005 09:36 PMdirected at weiner
Posted by Michelle at August 2, 2005 09:38 PM487056: Hey, does anyone know where I can find a list of gas stations with low prices in my area?
Posted by Debra Riley at October 18, 2005 12:02 PMTwo types of people Texans and people that would like to be Texans
Posted by JGW at March 2, 2006 05:00 AMHey JGW, you must be pretty dense. If you haven't noticed the two types of people are those who blindly love Texas, and those that absolutely hate it. And hey guess what... there are more of us then you. Tell you what, after the next civil war, when you idiot Texans decide to backstab the rest of the United States again, we're going to sell you bastards off to China for cheap labor. Which should suit you people well since you apparently are used to mindless heavy labor. It's no wonder the engineers coming from this state have become progressively more stupid over the last 30 years.
Posted by Tex Sux at March 15, 2006 08:11 PM