The State of the Lone Star

“Thank God for Arizo na,” we now say. This is a change, because Texans used to say, “Thank God for Mississippi,” otherwise Texas would rank last among the 50 states and Washington, D.C. in vot ing rights, education and other standards of qual ity of life. Now Arizona is the worst state to live in. We’re Number 2! But don’t worry about our lower rank. We are still bottomdwellers in inclusion of all Texans, dropping from No. 49 last year. In a state which houses the largest medical center on Earth, health care in the state is poor -- the state is No. 50 for clinical care, and No. 47 for access to primary care physicians. No state has a greater percentage of residents without health insurance.

On the bright side, Texas is still good for business. Well, not as bright as before. For the first time in this survey, Texas dropped out of the top five states for business, placing sixth. We got high rankings in workforce (second), economy (eighth), technology and innovation (fourth), and capital access (third). The top four states for doing business were North Carolina, Washington, Virginia and Colorado, respectively.

All right, let’s pat ourselves on the back for all these top rankings, but there is another facet of Texas that should make us downright ashamed: our quality of life, like schools and the air we breathe, crime and simply making Texas a good place to live. In an apples-toapples comparison with other states, we are at the very bottom in living the good life. Nobody does it worse. “For all its strength as a place to do business, Texas keeps trying to outdo itself when it comes to laws and policies that are seen as exclusionary,” the ranking noted. But who or what is the ranker we have been citing? It’s the 2022 edition of CNBC’s “Top States for Business” study which found that Texas scored just 72 out of a possible 325 points in the Life, Health and Inclusion category, earning an “F” grade. The CNBC rankings also considered Texas’ non-response to Ice Storm Uri and note Texans endure nearly 20 hours without electricity per year. That is the thirdworst in the nation. We might claim that the CNBC rankers are a bunch of East Coast effete snobs, but rankings such as teachers’ pay, rate of health insurance coverage and such are flat facts. “Skilled workers are still flocking to Texas despite longstanding quality of life issues,” CNBC wrote. “When they arrive, they are finding limited childcare options, a stressed health care system with the highest rate

According to the National Education Association, Texas drops to No.35 for education, from No. 21 in 2022. Per-pupil spending is among the nation’s lowest. The U.S. Department of Education reports K-12 test scores are lagging, and Texas drops to No. 35 for education from No. 21 in 2022. CNBC finds much of Texas’ poor rankings stem from our new laws prohibiting the use of diversity, equity and inclusion in state-funded higher education, banning transgender healthcare for minors and severely restricting access to abortions. This is playing havoc with our higher education. “I was recently contacted by a headhunting firm recruiting for an academic position in Texas. I was honest in my response that I would not consider a position in Texas under the current state leadership, because it would not be safe for me or my family to live there.” –Dr. Elizabeth T. Jacobs, a professor of cancer and chronic disease epidemiology at the University of Arizona. And remember the attempted hiring by Texas A&M of esteemed journalism professor Dr. Kathleen O. McElroy. She was to lead the university’s new journalism school, but the deal unraveled after school leaders appeared to bow to pressure from conservative influences who opposed the hire in a bout of what McElroy called “DEI hysteria.” At least she stayed in Texas – at UT.

When it comes to business, “For Texas companies uncomfortable with the restrictive and anti-freedom posturing of elected officials, instead of quietly figuring out ways to make end runs around state laws to provide abortion access to the women you employ, may I offer a solution: Come to New Jersey.” -Phil Murphy is the governor of New Jersey. And at a time when cutting-edge manufacturing companies are seriously looking for reliable power, they must be considering ERCOT.

Notice Dr. Jacob’s citing she “would not consider a position in Texas under the current state leadership.” We can only wonder how many excellent professors, not to mention top-quality students, have been scared away by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s obsession with faculty tenure and our Lege enacting all sorts of crackdowns on voting rights, local control and even renewable energy. In June, Gov. Greg Abbott signed laws banning transgender care for minors, and restricting transgender women from competing in college sports. A bunch of old men in Austin are telling knockedup 16-year-old girls what they can’t do with their own bodies. There is a famous observation from our early days, “Texas is paradise for men and dogs, but hell for women and horses.” These days horses have the upper hoof.

We can be defensive and ask if things are so bad in Texas why are so many others trying to come here? (Do you ever wonder if the Border Patrol is watching the wrong river?) But as a sixth generation Texan and a card-carrying member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas, the Lone Star State has been very good to me, and to you, too, or you wouldn’t be here. So it pains me that in so many ways we have become the laughingstock of the other states. We live in a rich, powerful blessed land, and there is no reason for these embarrassing rankings. But, as usual, I have a solution that doesn’t cost a cent, but is increasingly difficult (by design): vote.

Ashby ranks at ashby2@comcast.net