Don’t Mess With Texas! Bumper sticker
That bumper sticker is at least 30 years old. It dates back to some long gone pissing contest between Texas and the gubbmint, threatening to actually secede from the union if the government persisted in it’s overreach! Really?
Question. How often can Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor play each other, since they won’t be a part of the NCAA anymore? How about Dallas and Houston when they’re not in the NFL anymore? And what happens to the economy when the US government shutters all of its military bases and goes home? The whole thing was ridiculous from start to finish.
But in a very real sense, the current iteration of the GOP is formulating ideology and policy that is basically the same as seceding from the union. But they’re not doing it governmentally, they’re doing it in the business arena. I’ll explain.
Every state, both Democratic as well as Republican, has a state department that is solely devoted to attracting new business to the state long term. They offer tax abatements, business tax bennies, infrastructure and construction assistance, and even bonds to help build facilities. And nowhere has this been more successful in what is being called The New South.
Virginia led the way by aggressively recruiting tech and other industries to the state. North Carolina ended up with its own Tech Corridor of tech businesses. South Carolina attracted tech, as well as a foreign car maker factory. Georgia took its share, and even deep red Alabama ended up with a Mercedes Benz plant. And all of those states have enjoyed a renaissance that has improve the lives of almost everyone in the state.
But this renaissance comes with a price. With the rise of not only social media, but also social conscience among the younger workers that all of these companies are vying to hire, companies could no longer rely on tax abatements and sweetheart land deals to make a decision. They have to take into account the feelings of not only their employees, but prospective employees as well. After all, an office or a factory doesn’t do you any good if you can’t get people to work there. And that’s where the GOP is consistently fucking up.
A few years ago, the GOP dominated North Carolina legislature, with a GOP Governor, signed an insane trans gender bathroom law. As a result, not only did movie and television companies cancel contracts to film in North Carolina, the bloody NCAA announced that they were cancelling all NCAA tournaments in all sports from North Carolina venues, a crippling decision considering that North Carolina was scheduled to host the first two rounds of the March Madness basketball tournament. It cost the state millions.
In 2021, following on the heels of Trump’s Big Lie, the Georgia legislature passed a ridiculous voting rights restriction law. Major companies nationwide put out full page ads in major newspapers lambasting the legislature. Despite Stacey Abram’s pleading, movie and television companies canceled contracts to film in Georgia. And even Major League Baseball pulled the All Star game from Atlanta and gave it to Denver instead.
And suddenly Texas is leading the charge. In following the Big Lie, the Texas legislature passed an uber restrictive voting rights law, which led to universal condemnation from some of the largest companies in the US based in Texas. And then Abbott doubled down, passing and signing a totally moronic constitutional carry law that allows anybody with the scratch in their wallet to not only purchase a hand gun, but to strap it to their hip, and walk down the street. No training, no background check, Rambo time. That law has a 14% approval rating in Texas. And let’s not even get started on the Texas basic abortion ban, SN8, which has an approval rating of less than 20% in Texas.
Look, every state, whether red or blue, needs a strong corporate and business base in order to remain solvent. You need the state income taxes from employees, the sales taxes that employees spend on shopping, the real estate taxes they spend for living there, and the corporate taxes on the company itself. And the Trump GOP is making it almost impossible for red states to attract and maintain the business interests they require to prosper. Sooner or later, something has to give.
Follow me on Twitter at @RealMurfster35
Don’t mess with texas was an anti littering campaign.
How come they didn’t throw out the trash,(cruz,abbott,etc.)? Lol. Yeah I live in NC. The bill Duke Power’s governor signed was a disaster. Seems to be a red specialty.
They still have a lot of Big Business donors, plus the US Chamber of Commerce.
I wish the Federal Government would demand the “US Chamber of Commerce” rename itself because far too many people believe that it’s some sort of Federal Agency when, in truth, it’s a completely private company with absolutely no connection to the US government.
GOOD ONE MURPH .. but you forgot #Medicare and #Medicaid spending in #TEXAS hospitals … ALL GONE BYE BYE if Texas secedes.. LET alone everyone quitting and really moving to California!
Will some corporations leave a state over various and sundry laws impacting social issues, etc.? Maybe. If or when they do we can see others will take their place: Musk looks to be doing something in texass and one would be a fool to think he will be the only corporation to move there even with the anti-everything climate. Hard to believe someone originally from South Africa is going to raise an eyebrow at voting restriction laws which largely have an adverse impact on P.O.C. I’m reasonably sure there are other corps. like hobby lobby that give a sh*t about women’s issues.