by Steve Frank
I live in Simi Valley, California. A nice place, but it is in California—a high tax State, having an irrational State government, where unions pull teachers out of the classroom in Oakland to riot in the streets. California protects illegal aliens and has laws like AB 32 that kill the economy and jobs.
Last weekend my family visited Dallas, Texas for the Southern Methodist University Homecoming and Class reunions. My wife was celebrating her 40th reunion and my daughters their tenths.
As soon as we left DFW airport I knew I was in America. Gas stations have prices for regular gas at $3.19 to$3.23 a gallon. Then when we got into the Love Field area of town gas was $3.05 to$3.09 a gallon. They have clean air and a great quality of life.
The extra $.60 to $.75 we pay is really a tax for living in California. We do not have cleaner air, just pretend the various, expensive gas blends make the air better. We could use the same gas blends as Dallas does, have clean air and save $7-10 a tank full. Instead we prefer to make people poorer in the effort to convince them to give up their cars and go to work and play, when the unions will let them, at high costs, when you include the subsides. Sacramento wants the people of California to be poor.
Like California, Texas has HOV lines. Unlike California, Texas is smart about them. In our State an HOV lane is 24/7. In Dallas it is ONLY during rush hours. So, the traffic jams we have, with an empty lane to the left, does not happen in Dallas. Even their traffic policies are smarter than ours.
Very large homes in Dallas go for $4-600,000—in California over a million, even in today’s economy. Unlike California they have no income or corporate tax—making it easier for business to create jobs—something California does not want—which is why we have a 12% plus unemployment rate and a real unemployment rate north of 20%.
Before the football game of SMU vs. Tulane (SMU won) the school held a parade down the ”boulevard” running through the school (a private road). Instead of tailgating in the football field parking lot, folks rent a space on the Blvd (the slogan is “We don’t tailgate, we Boulevard”).In a town of over a million people, everybody was friendly, helpful and sharing.
In Texas, they do not protect illegal aliens, when found they are turned over to the Feds. Of course the Feds then release them—but at least Austin is not providing attorneys to oppose deportations and illegal alien drug dealers go to prison, not hid in San Bernardino.
Folks believe Texas can succeed, and it does. Over 40% of all jobs created in the United States in the past two years were created in Texas (oh, while we have 58 counties they have 254 counties). The best news is that it is illegal to extort workers to pay bribes in order to work in Texas. It is worker friendly. That means the workers get to keep the money they earn that government does not take from them. Unions are not allowed to steal in Texas. Imagine how well our economy would be if every bribe payer in California had an extra $300 to over $1,000 a year to spend on their families instead of union bosses?
Sadly, the Obama Administration is trying to kill the Texas economy and kill hundreds of thousands of jobs by changing a small portion of EPA rules. If Barack had his way EVERY oil well in West Texas would be closed—we came within 90 days of that happening. Can you imagine what would happen to the American economy if the White House had its way?
Yes, it gets hot and humid in the summer in Dallas and most of Texas. But they have a Legislature and Governor that is not afraid of growth, oil or the ACLU. If I remember the number right they have had 204 executions in the time California has had 2.
Want to visit America—go to Texas. Want to visit a Third World State stay in California.
Glad I had a chance to see America again.
Article originally posted at www.conservativeactionalerts.com
Steve Frank has been active in California politics and public policy for more than 50 years. Steve does 2-4 radio talk show interviews each week and runs California News and Views.
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