Doing Just Fine Here in Texas?

To the editor:

Well, folks, we Republicans have been running Texas for more than 30 years now. Just look at what we’ve accomplished.

Texas placed 49th out of 50 for quality of life according to the CNBC 2026 rankings. That is quite impressive. We also got quite an eye-popping ranking of 50th with 16.7% of Texans who lacked health insurance (2024 Census Bureau). But don’t worry. We’ve got our priorities straight.

For example, we’ve spent plenty of time worrying about transgender children playing sports, even though we’ve already passed laws restricting their participation. Meanwhile, more than one in four Texas children experiences hunger, and our state ranks among the worst for food insecurity. Hungry children just don’t seem to generate the same political excitement as a good culture war.

Health care? Why expand Medicaid and help people get medical treatment when we can let hospitals absorb unpaid bills? Hospitals can pass those costs along to everyone else, and more rural hospitals are closing- consider St. Marks in La Grange. But if Democrats suggest expanding Medicaid, heaven forbid. Somebody might call it socialism.

Public education is another success story we’d rather not examine too closely. Texas ranks 44th in education (down from top 10 in public education when Democrats were in power) and near the bottom in spending per student. Yet we seem more concerned about which books children read than whether they receive an excellent education. Heaven forbid they encounter ideas about race, history, or someone else’s experiences in the writings of Maya Angelou or the pages of Anne Frank’s diary. Fortunately, we can put the Ten Commandments in classrooms. That should solve everything.

At our colleges and universities, we’re busy deciding which ideas are acceptable and which are too political. Removing that pesky woke curriculum should certainly make graduates more competitive, right? After all, we wouldn’t want students learning to think independently.

We’re also terribly worried about Sharia law. It’s an excellent political scarecrow, even when people know little about it. We insist that religion shouldn’t control government, then try to impose our own religious beliefs through public policy. We are fearful of religious extremists but of course Christian Nationalists are not extreme at all.

Now, about those property taxes. Texans whine as we watch them climb. Local governments must pay for schools, firefighters, emergency services, and other necessities. When the state doesn’t provide enough funding, local governments must find the money somewhere. Then state leaders can blame local officials for raising taxes. What a convenient arrangement. Promise relief, leave somebody else holding the bill, and take credit for trying.

We also hear warnings that Democrats want to impose a state income tax, despite constitutional restrictions under current Texas law. Apparently, frightening slogans are easier to sell than honest explanations of how government funding works.

Meanwhile, families struggle with housing, electricity, insurance, and medical expenses. We have a secure job and don’t worry about AI. So what if no one can live on the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Raising wages could inconvenience those who already have plenty.

Regarding government contracts. Surely transparency, competitive bidding, and accountability aren’t necessary if everyone involved knows the right people, especially if you are going to construct unnecessary walls in Big Bend National Park. And who needs sensible planning for water supplies when we can wait until shortages become emergencies? Texas keeps growing, but preparing for the future will keep us from concentrating on more important things.

You know that we must stand firm against abortion under any circumstances even when pregnancy complications threaten the mother’s health and even though The March of Dimes in 2025 gave Texas a “D” because of high rates of infant and maternal mortality. It’s a small price to pay, wouldn’t you agree?

Then there’s immigration. We don’t mind spending enormous sums on enforcement or that families face detention, separation, and uncertainty. We know that illigal aliens are all coming here to do us harm. We applaud the 287g state contracts with our law enforcement agencies that mandate partnering with ICE in order to arrest parents at school, pastors, my neighbor who is minding his own business. After all, it doesn’t matter who they arrest as long as they meet their quota. But don’t take away my cleaning lady or yard man-they should be exempt.

When Republicans retain control of the Texas Legislature we must have more cultural battles, more restrictions on women’s choices, more arguments about immigrants and transgender children, and more fights over what teachers may say.

But what about the things Texans discuss around their kitchen tables? The grocery bill, the mortgage, the electric bill, the insurance premium, and whether they can afford to take a sick child to the doctor? Surely those little inconveniences can wait while politicians wage another battle over somebody else’s personal life.

Winning is everything. So let’s keep going. Let’s argue about the issues that make people angry while postponing the problems that affect their everyday lives. After all our children are okay in their private schools and they don’t like to read anyway. Thank goodness we don’t have to worry about working families because AI will never take our own good jobs. Water and energy aren’t bothering me right now. I have medical care even though I have to go to a distant hospital because mine is closed.

Everything is under control. So keep forging towards a benevolent government that takes care of us. You’re doing such an amazing job in Austin and it’s silly for me to complain. But insurance premiums and property taxes are getting just a teeny bit high. My grocery bill is pinching my budget and with the price of gas, I’m having trouble even driving to work. I can’t afford to send my son to college because tuition is too high. But I’m sure you will fix everything. Especially trans kids in sports.