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# Time to Throw the Bums Out!
- URL: https://nuff-sed.com/time-to-throw-the-bums-out/
- Published: 2026-10-13T18:07:23.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-13T18:07:23.000Z
- Author: Thomas Raleigh

I live in Texas. Republicans essentially run this state. They control what many call the “trifecta “— the governor’s mansion, the state Senate, and the state House. They’ve been in power since 2002, and have controlled the governor’s office since 1995\. That’s 24 and 31 years respectively.

I’ll highlight Texas because I live here, but I’m finding there’s a pattern that virtually all red states have in common. Let’s call it “red-state syndrome”.

I only analyzed data across red states with at least eight years of consecutive Republican control.

I’ll get more specific as it relates to Texas in a bit, but just to set the stage, I found that Democratic led states pretty much crush Republican led states in most quality-of-life areas like healthcare, education, baseline wealth, and personal freedoms.

Sure, there are other considerations where red states have distinct advantages. For example, Republican states most often have lower taxes and cheaper housing. But, I was hard-pressed to find many other key areas where red states clearly dominated, unless you wanted to include book bans. Really no contest on this one. Texas is way out in front with 8,193 books taken off the shelves last school year. Florida finished a distant second at 4,561.

In case you’re wondering, New York, California, and Illinois banned zero!

Here’s my beef, as it relates to Texas.

As I mentioned, Republicans here in Texas have been in control for some time. Like “MAGA control”, if you know what I mean.

Plenty of time to get stuff done, by any measure. Nonetheless, that’s not what’s happened.

Across multiple reputable sources, and despite strong economic performance, Texas consistently ranks poorly in most categories.

Yet, all I hear down hear from our incumbant, three-term, candidate for governor, Greg Abbott, are campaign promises on how he’s going to "fix" everything including property tax reform, education improvements, increased public safety, and stricter border security. He talks about his “Texas model”, touting low taxes, economic growth, and job creation, speaking as if these things were endemic only to Texas and nowhere else.

His mantra, “I will protect your conservative Texas values”. Oh, almost forgot, “and we will keep boys out of girl’s locker rooms”. 

Bottom line, his platform basically promotes his right-wing brand of fiscal conservatism, social policies, and a commitment to maintaining “Texas’ political and cultural identity”. Positioning Texas as a “bastion of freedom and faith”, as he calls it.

My question. Where the hell was this guy over the last 16 years?

Over the course of his 3-term, 12-year, watch: Texas currently ranks in 49th in overall basic “quality-of-life” measures. 34th in education. 47th in education spending. 29th in teacher salaries. 48th in healthcare. 45th in air quality. 46th in water quality. 39th in crime. 48th in overall safety. 27th in infant mortality. 46th in environment. 50th in primary care and uninsured rates. 48th in emergency preparedness.

And here’s a big one. Texas ranks 47th in civic and democratic process participation. Maybe it’s purposeful. Some type of “let’s keep ’em stupid” tactic so as to avoid any semblance of leadership accountability.

The data doesn't lie. Here in Texas, the gap between the haves and have-nots isn't closing. It's widening. Every year, the life expectancy gap grows. The education gap expands. And the freedom gap yawns wider.

In the meantime, Republicans here in Texas, and probably in your state, will keep claiming their methods are better. But in truth, red state citizens keep dying younger, earning less, and learning less while having their most fundamental freedoms stripped away. That's not a biased spin. That's what the numbers show.

VOTE THE BUMS OUT!!!

NUFF SED!!!