The Governor of Texas won the Know Nothing primary for another term, defeating a sitting Know Nothing Senator.
“This election was about hard-working Texans sending a simple, compelling message to Washington: quit spending all the money, stop trying to take over our lives and our businesses,” Governor Perry said.
Actually, the election highlights just how little Texas has benefitted from conservative rule.
According to the Center for Public Policy Priorities, looking at data for 2008 (before the recession really hit, thus the current figures are even worse):
Texas’ poverty rate is the 8th worst in the country, with 15.8 percent, or over 3.7 million Texans living in poverty in 2008 (e.g., $17,163 for a family of 3) compared to a national average of 13.2 percent. Although Texas’ poverty rate is still among the worst in the nation, it is an improvement from 2007 (16.3 percent).
A significantly higher percentage of Texas children lived in poverty in 2008. Nearly one of every four Texas kids—22.5 percent, or more than 1.4 million—lives in poverty, leaving Texas amongst the 10 worst states in the country with a rank of 8th worst. The U.S. child poverty rate is 18.2 percent. Although the child poverty rate also improved from 2007 (23.2 percent), the nearly 1.5 million Texas children living in poverty exceeds the combined child populations of Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio.
Gorilla says: “Poverty remains deep in the heart of Texas!”
