Spend a couple years in Texas and you’re sure to hear about the “Texas Miracle.” The term was coined after the 2008 recession, when Texas was mostly spared the deep economic pain faced by other states and enjoyed “faster-than-average” job creation during the recovery. Some claimed that “miracle” was the product of a conservative policy approach: low taxes, light regulation, and a pro-business attitude. Others pointed to investments in the most foundational systems in the state: public schools, public universities, healthcare, and public infrastructure. Whatever your outlook on what once led to the “Texas Miracle” – today, it is under threat.
Whenever state lawmakers convene in Austin, they churn out some of the worst, most extreme ideas on nearly every single issue. Special legislative sessions, once reserved for emergencies and unfinished business, are now used to score political points and earn clout with an extreme minority, securing their aims to the exclusion of any other issue. Every time lawmakers pass an extreme right-wing law, they send the message to businesses and investors that Texas is closed for business. Take your millions elsewhere.
The ceaseless charge to the far right threatens the prosperity of Texans and Texas business. As new laws become more and more extreme, Texas is falling behind other states on the metrics that matter the most, like school funding and student outcomes, child health insurance coverage, and mental healthcare access. Lawmakers realistically cannot focus on growing businesses and the economy when the top priority is activist policymaking at the bidding of right-wing billionaires. Texas has fallen from one of the best to arguably the worst place to live, learn, work, or worship – all because of extremist policies.