Chicago's Not in Trouble But Texas Is

Governor Rick Perry has special intel about the safety of Chicago. At least that seems to be the motivation behind his latest campaign to bring more jobs to Texas. On Monday, Governor Perry launched a new ad campaign in Chicago telling business owners to "Get Out While There's Still Time" and that "The Escape Route is Clear... All the Way to Texas." Apparently, he believes the city is in some grave danger or economic collapse is imminent. Either way, between this ad campaign and the one he launched in California, it seems Perry doesn't have Texas on the mind but the whole country. 

Obviously, Perry likes to brag about his "success" in job creation (Reality check: most of the jobs being created are low paying and without benefits), but there seems to be a bigger motive here. It leads me to believe that Perry just might try his hand at the presidency again in 2016. This is good and bad for Texans. Good because it means the "Forever Governor" will be out of our legislature and there could actually be potential for change. Bad because we're likely to be made fools on the national stage when Perry spews on about how great Texas is. 

From First Read on the Austin American Statesmen,

Perry, and most Republicans, look at Texas as a fantastically successful enterprise, and they view their low-tax, low-regulation policies as fundamental to that success. Perry’s governing philosophy is pretty much to make Texas as desirable a place as possible for business to do business, and everything else will, more or less, take are of itself, though the Legislature is now fully engaged in serious efforts to build infrastructure to keep pace with the hurtling growth that is, in essence, their proof of Texas’ success.

The reality is that the system in place to bring businesses to the state is the same one killing our citizens. In the sixth edition of Texas on the Brink, released just this week, research points to what is really going on in this state.

Here are just a few "highlights" from the report of where we rank in the nation (51 is last, 1 is first). You can read the full report here.

• #51 average monthly (WIC) benefits per person-- $29.30 to be exact
• #51 women's voter turn out
• #51 percentage of voting age population that votes
• #50 number of citizens who graduated from high school
• #50 per capita spending on mental health care
• #2 percentage of uninsured children
• #2 number of births
• #2 elementary and secondary public school enrollment
• #1 number of uninsured residents 
• #1 number of executions
• #1 amount of carborn dioxide emissions and hazardous waste generated 

Last session, lawmakers cut $5.4 billion to public education. Medicaid expansion for Texas is an unnecessary uphill battle. Oh and Perry is still calling for cutting taxes.

Are the people of Chicago really the ones that should be trying to get out while they still can?