We love Texas-her independence, her strength, and the way of life possible in the Lone Star State, but the political ruling class that US Senator Ted Cruz fights in Washington, D.C. is alive and well in Austin. Political establishment elites in both parties, united with “Big Business” interests, threaten the independence and strength of Texas. The bottom line-Texas state government spends too much, borrows too much and depends far too much on the federal government to balance the state budget. The 2012 and 2014 Republican Primary results clearly demonstrate that once conservative Texas voters understand these facts, they act at the ballot box. The spineless get fired.
Session-to-session spending increased 26% during the 83rd legislative session. So flagrant was this spending spree that economist Stephen Moore entitled his June 7, 2013, Wall Street Journal editorial “Texas Goes Sacramento.” The 2013 spending binge is not an aberration, but a sharp uptick in a dangerous pattern. Texas state spending rose 310% between 1990 and 2012, while population growth plus inflation totaled only 132%. In his successful 2012 US Senate race, Ted Cruz rightly pointed out this pattern of overspending in his race against Lt. Governor David Dewhurst.
According to Legislative Budget Board documents, at the beginning of the 83rd legislative session, our state debt had climbed to $40.99 billion, an increase of 125% over the last ten years. An April 24, 2012, Associated Press account (citing federal data) stated Texas leads the nation in road debt.
Even worse, according to the Tax Foundation, Texas is #11 —near the top–in the ranking of the states that rely most heavily on federal aid! The budget passed in 2013 is balanced with $69 billion in federal funds. Federal dollars make up 35% of our state budget revenue. Although we pay plenty into the Federal Treasury, Texas has not been a donor state since 2008. In 2009, the people of Texas paid $163 billion in federal taxes, and in return, they received $224 billion from the federal government in the form of block grants, Medicare and Medicaid aid, and retirement and disability assistance.
Again, the facts prove the Texas Liberty Movement’s contention that state government spends too much, borrows too much, and relies too much on the federal government. The Austin political class doesn’t see this as a threat to Texas. The Texas Liberty Movement does, and we intend to save Texas from the Big Government Elites and their cronies in both parties. Our fight to elect reformers will continue. Bank on it.
JoAnn Fleming, Executive Director, Grassroots America – We the People PAC, Two-term chairman, Advisory Committee to the TEA Party Caucus of the Texas Legislature
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