One thing that many people don't know: Texas has one of the best performing state economies in the last twenty five years -- number 3 in the US. Ref: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/gdp-growth-by-u-s-state-map...

This isn't an accident. Yes, there has been a oil-and-gas boom (fracking, mostly), but it is a great place to do business, so many other non-petro industries have been furiously expanding there in the last 25 years.

Having seen both county services (including DMV) and healthcare in small-town Texas, definitely no.

Well, they're also terrible at spending state resources despite high taxes (outside of income tax). One of, if not the worst, public education systems in the country. Pretty bad urban planning, too. Decent food and music tho

By one (seemingly pretty reasonable) measure Texas has the 4th-best state education system!

https://www.stevesailer.net/p/naep-test-scores-mississippi-m...

Oh! I wonder if my field (history) is particularly bad or my social network is just particularly disgruntled.