Are the state’s leaders doing a good job? According to Houston Chronicle Columnist, Chris Tomlinson, “the answer is a demonstrable ‘no.’”
With early voting beginning in eight weeks, Tomlinson showcases all the flaws in the Republican-controlled Texas legislature – which has been under GOP power since 2003.
In Tomlinson’s eyes, the 2022 election is a referendum on current leadership, which has tarnished Texans’ life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
“Twenty years is a long time for one-party rule, and the current regime seems more interested in scoring political points with extremists than serving Texans,” Tomlinson continued. “But unlike most one-party states, you can review the regime’s job performance and replace it if you like.”
The columnist pledged to dive deeper into the candidates and issues over the next eight weeks, after demonstrating the harsh reality Texans are facing.
Facts Tomlinson listed that will not make you proud you’re Texan:
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Texans’ life expectancy has dropped by 2.1 years, faster than the national average.
- Texas has the highest uninsured rate, with 1.4 million Texans lacking health coverage.
- Texas’ antiabortion law prioritizes fetuses over women’s rights by omitting exceptions for rape and incest.
- More than 2,300 workers have fled the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and 600 teenagers spend 23 hours a day locked in cells.
- The state’s low per capita government spending means more than 200,000 disabled Texans must wait a decade or more for services.
- Texas is facing a teacher exodus crisis. Thousands of public school teachers quit this year because of low pay and lousy benefits.
The list goes on and on and on.
“Most people complain the government is the problem, but the government is us,” Tomlinson says as he urges people to choose wisely and replace current Texas officials in the upcoming November elections.
