Jaw-Dropping Statistic of the Day…
More than half of the jobs created in the last year… were created in Texas alone.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 214,000 net new jobs were created in the United States from August 2009 to August 2010. Texas created 119,000 jobs during the same period. If every state in the country had performed as well, we’d have created about 1.5 million jobs nationally during the past year[.]
And the lessons do we get from that?
What does Austin know that Washington doesn’t? At its simplest: Don’t overtax and -spend, keep regulations to a minimum, avoid letting unions and trial lawyers run riot, and display an enormous neon sign saying, “Open for Business.”
The irony in that statement is from what I heard, Austin’s local government doesn’t know that, but the rest of the state does. Still, you should definitely read the whole thing.
But, gee, it’s almost like as if you beat up businesses enough, that they will flee the jurisdiction. Imagine that.
But remember, if you think Obama is a job killer, well you are just a racist. There is no two ways about it.
But of course! As Barack learned in church: there is only “The One Way”.
His narcissistic personality disorder translated that to mean “There is only The 0ne Way”.
IgotBupkis (9eeb86) — 10/18/2010 @ 8:49 amAwww, poor innocent business. Boo-fuckity-hoo.
Tax cuts will solve all our problems!!!1!!1!
Leviticus (cf8ec3) — 10/18/2010 @ 8:54 amThis may have a lot to do with that statistic
Two percent of Texas home loans were in the foreclosure process at the end of 2009, compared with a national rate of 4.58 percent, according to a summary of activity by the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association.
Texas is one of only seven states with a foreclosure rate of 2 percent or lower. In the third quarter of 2009 it was one of eight states at this level.
Whereas Florida, which is at or above the national unemployment level, is one of the worst affected states in this foreclosure mess. And we’ve had a legislature dominated by the GOP and a GOP governor (first Jeb Bush, now Crist even if he was only a RINO), so it’s not exactly a state where regulation has run amok. High foreclosure rate means fewer new houses built or old houses renovated, which means less jobs in the building trades.
kishnevi (3cf898) — 10/18/2010 @ 9:03 amBut remember, if you think Obama is a job killer, well you are just a racist. There is no two ways about it.
Maybe that’s it! If unemployed people are racists, they’re getting what they deserve and there’s no problem here. Move along.
Kevin M (298030) — 10/18/2010 @ 9:13 amkishnevi, I have a vague recollection that there are some Texas specific restrictions on mortgages and equity that arguably resulted in lower foreclosure rates.
SPQR (26be8b) — 10/18/2010 @ 9:18 amIn any case, foreclosures result from not keeping up with mortgage payments, and the main cause of that is loosing your job and not being able to find a new one.
So, of course, Texas would have a lower foreclosure rate than other states, just because of their job environment.
LarryD (f22286) — 10/18/2010 @ 9:28 amWhat’s amusing to me is that I know several Cali transplants here in the Austin area who vote in favor of policies that screwed up California.
I think the recent economic problems have really helped ensure Texas does not go in that direction as a state.
Kishnevi has a point. There are many factors in play here.
But I note that of all the places in this country, the California coastline is the most blessed. It’s beautiful, has tremendous resource, has many brilliant people, has a huge tourism industry. These factors could lead to a stable economy. I’m sure there are many blessings going deeper than low forclosure helping Texas along, but at the end of the day, we just do better with what we have than California does.
And I note, the economy is not on fire in Texas. We’re just weathering the storm better. What really irritates me is the cold war Obama has waged on our economy.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 10/18/2010 @ 9:34 amI have little confidence in the Floridalegislature, more than Molly Ivins had in the Leg, but not much more,
ian cormac (6709ab) — 10/18/2010 @ 9:37 amYeah, Florida is a purple state, Ian. It’s ‘Republican’ in the Crist way, not the Texas way.
It’s also our nation’s weirdest state. Any time I read about a completely ridiculous event, I always check for that Florida town next to the byline.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 10/18/2010 @ 9:41 amI got filtered for saying the F word.
Leviticus (f0f166) — 10/18/2010 @ 9:48 amLarryD–around here the high foreclosure rate is mostly due to people defaulting on mortgages they couldn’t really afford in the first place (that, and “investors” welching on mortgages once they discovered that real estate prices don’t always go up).
Dustin–that’s true about the state, which is why Crist was successful heretofore and why there is now about a 50/50 chance the Democratic candidate to replace him will win–but not about the legislature: Jeb Bush sometimes had trouble with the legislature because they were more hardcore conservative than he was (especially the state House). The Democrats in the legislature have for many years been reduced to a rump representing part of the South Florida metroplex, Tampa/St. Pete and Jacksonville. In part that’s because of where the GOP and Democratic voters are geographically, and in part because of GOP arranged gerrymandering during the last redistricting go-round.
kishnevi (3cf898) — 10/18/2010 @ 9:57 amI’m sure it would have added nuance to your deep thoughts.
quasimodo (4af144) — 10/18/2010 @ 10:17 amNorth Dakota is not even in recession. Why ? Drill, baby, drill.
Mike K (568408) — 10/18/2010 @ 10:37 am“I’m sure it would have added nuance to your deep thoughts.”
– quasimodo
My bad.
TAXES SUCK!!!!
THE EPA IS A FREEDOM DESTROYING INSTITUTION!!!!
GM JOBS DON’T COUNT!!!!
How’s that for nuance, quasi?
Leviticus (02aed5) — 10/18/2010 @ 11:11 amHe was elected pretending he was something he was not, he helped loot the state party funds with Greer, his handpicked apparatchik
ian cormac (6709ab) — 10/18/2010 @ 11:14 amSo true.
Michael Ejercito (249c90) — 10/18/2010 @ 11:40 am“According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 214,000 net new jobs were created in the United States from August 2009 to August 2010. Texas created 119,000 jobs during the same period”
Going by just this statement it looks like he’s comparing two different numbers: national *net* jobs created with Texas jobs created. He doesn’t link to the BLS, so we can’t really double check.
imdw (8bb588) — 10/18/2010 @ 12:00 pm“According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 214,000 net new jobs were created in the United States from August 2009 to August 2010. Texas created 119,000 jobs during the same period”
Going by just this statement it looks like he’s comparing two different numbers: national *net* jobs created with Texas jobs created.
imdw (25d965) — 10/18/2010 @ 12:00 pm“According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 214,000 net new jobs were created in the United States from August 2009 to August 2010. Texas created 119,000 jobs during the same period”
Going by just this statement it looks like he’s comparing two different numbers: national *net* jobs created with Texas jobs created (not net).
imdw (8a8ced) — 10/18/2010 @ 12:03 pmLeviticus
i tried to fish you out of the filters, but i am not finding the comment. i am not sure there is a language filter, honestly.
i might be clueless in MT and that is the problem. i don’t know.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 10/18/2010 @ 12:06 pmand imdw, alot are getting caught as spam and then for some reason is flagged and need approval. don’t ask me why.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 10/18/2010 @ 12:10 pm“What does Austin know?”
Wrong question! Should be “What does Texas know?”
As a 67 year old native Texan and native Austinite who fled Austin 15 years ago, I can assure you that if it were up to “Austin”, Texas would be Massachussetts. Also, our legislature meets for six months every two years (Some of us wish it were two months every six years) so they don’t really have a lot of time to screw things up.
TexasBob (6a68a2) — 10/18/2010 @ 12:10 pmAaron Worthing – imdw tried to get himself banned, that is why all of its idiocy is in the filter.
JD (9343e6) — 10/18/2010 @ 12:13 pmit’s because he posted Patterico’s personal address, info on his wife, and other stuff, while we were discussing Brett Kimberlin blowing people up and his links to bradblog.
I believe Patterico said he would release imdw’s comments from moderation when he came to them, if they were reasonable, but imdw should expect that to take a little while sometimes.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 10/18/2010 @ 12:13 pmAnother great point for Texas. Imagine how much better the USA would be if this had been the rule for the US congress for the past 100 years!
Dustin (b54cdc) — 10/18/2010 @ 12:14 pmAnd just why is IMaDickWad back in the fold?
AD-RtR/OS! (56f7fd) — 10/18/2010 @ 12:29 pm“i tried to fish you out of the filters, but i am not finding the comment. i am not sure there is a language filter, honestly.”
– Aaron Worthing
No, it’s up now, #2. Plus, if I get filtered for any reason I figure it’s a good one – so don’t worry about it.
Leviticus (02aed5) — 10/18/2010 @ 12:48 pmLet me know when someone in this tiny room comes up with something other than premise, assumption and surmise on this one. Rich Lowry didn’t go beyond that.
Larry Reilly (ae99e7) — 10/18/2010 @ 1:05 pmUh, maybe BP oil just hired a gazillion claims adjusters.
One good example of premise/assumption/surmise here is the comment about the low foreclosure rate in Texas having something to do with it.
Well, no. But that’s the reasoning of the entire blog post.
In 1998 Texas passed a law saying you can’t loan more than 80% of the appraised value, and also the state did not allow home equity loans before that date. The first part of that was rather smart for a state that now wants school textbooks to say the earth has been here for only 6,000 to 10,000 years or whatever wackiness they’re up to down there now.
“In 1998 Texas passed a law saying you can’t loan more than 80% of the appraised value, and also the state did not allow home equity loans before that date”
Sounds like restricting business is a good idea.
imdw (150cd7) — 10/18/2010 @ 1:12 pmTexas Bob: just think how better off Texas would be if the legislature met only for three month every two years. as the old saying went “work expands to fill the time allotted” can also mean that, if you reduce the time the legislature is in session, the legislators will have little time to dream up and pass idiot bills.
Longwalker (996c34) — 10/18/2010 @ 1:12 pmLarry, I don’t like the textbook wars either, however that’s got whackos from the left and the right.
If you’re seriously needing more evidence that the Texas economy is superior to a blue state’s you are so out of the loop you probably cannot be convinced of anything.
Let me guess, you voted for Obama, didn’t you?
Dustin (b54cdc) — 10/18/2010 @ 1:12 pmDustin, he is not just boot-licker, but licks from the inside.
AD-RtR/OS! (56f7fd) — 10/18/2010 @ 1:19 pm…a boot-licker….
AD-RtR/OS! (56f7fd) — 10/18/2010 @ 1:19 pmThe trick word in the Texas claim is the word “net”.
Texas has played this game for a few years running now. The numbers change, but it’s basically the same statistical sleight-of-hand.
Kman (d25c82) — 10/18/2010 @ 1:28 pmkman, how many net new jobs did Texas produce? Anyone have a source for this?
Dustin (b54cdc) — 10/18/2010 @ 1:38 pmI don’t know, Dustin. Haven’t looked into it.
I’m not saying that this is total B.S. — I’m just saying that I’ve every six months or so, I keep hearing/reading claims like this. Maybe it is true this time, but I know it hasn’t been in the past….
Kman (d25c82) — 10/18/2010 @ 1:42 pmIn this Milken Institute poll of the top 200 metropolitan areas, Texas cities hold 5 of the top 10 and 11 of the top 25 positions in their ability to create and sustain jobs.
DRJ (d43dcd) — 10/18/2010 @ 2:35 pmI know plenty of people in Texas who are out of work. It took me almost seven months to get a job the last time I was laid off.
It’s not all butterflies and unicorns here.
However, culturally and politically, Texas tends to be business friendly. The current Democrat running for governor is pretty much running to the right of Perry.
I also would just like to ask all of you lefties to stay in California, Michigan, New York, etc., and not poison a state that actually puts people to work.
I mean you seem happy enough with what you have, we would just prefer not share your good fortune since it seems to be working so well and all. Texans are generous that way.
Ag80 (743fd1) — 10/18/2010 @ 5:37 pmDRJ, did you notice who number 6 was on that list?
Austin is 2 this year and 1 last year, which seems to contradict some of the comments in this thread.
kishnevi (2b3e28) — 10/18/2010 @ 7:51 pmAg80 (#34 — 10/18/2010 @ 5:37 pm) wrote: “The current Democrat running for governor [former Houston mayor Bill White] is pretty much running to the right of [GOP incumbent Rick] Perry.” Bill White is indeed dressing up his advertising with claims about his supposed fiscal conservatism and pro-business attitude. But it’s a charade.
I’ve known Bill since we worked together on the Texas Law Review (of which he was editor in chief in 1978-1979). We traveled in the same circles as Houston trial lawyers, and he and his then-partners tried to hire me in 1985. I like Bill, and I respect him, and I happily voted twice for him as mayor. But nothing he could say could possibly convince me that his current campaign pitch is sincere.
If you want to know what kind of governor White would be, don’t look at what he did as mayor, which is a mostly nonpartisan job in Houston. Look at what White did as (1) Ass’t Secretary of Energy for Clinton and (2) Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party. You don’t see White mention either of those credentials anywhere in his commercials, and Perry and pro-Perry support groups have been very stupid not to hang those two jobs around White’s neck.
Even considered by itself, the harm that White’s veto pen would do to conservative interests in the upcoming redistricting fights can be measured as somewhere between two to six congressional seats — for a decade. We’re going to have four new congressional districts starting in 2012, but with a flick of his pen he can deadlock the whole process, which would inevitably result (as it did in 2002) with a court-drawn redistricting map that would continue to perpetuate Marvin Frost’s pro-Democratic gerrymander from 1991. (That’s how long the Dems have have a vastly disproportionate representation in Congress as compared to their lack of success in electing candidates to state-wide office — a disproportionality that has persisted even to today because of the Voting Rights Act, which effectively immunizes minority Congressmen and -women (e.g., Sheila Jackson Lee) from ever having to face serious competition for reelection.)
White’s an awfully smart guy, and he’s far and away the most appealing candidate the Dems have run for any state-wide race in Texas in the last decade. But Bill White is a committed life-long Democrat who has been thoroughly steeped in national Democratic Party politics. He’ll be a friend to Obama, plaintiffs’ tort lawyers, and labor unions if he’s elected — which pretty much by definition means he’s not really going to be a friend to business, no more than, say, Chris Dodd or Henry Waxman or Nancy Pelosi.
Beldar (fa3a16) — 10/18/2010 @ 8:47 pmYikes, forgot to close my italics tag! Done now, I hope.
Beldar (fa3a16) — 10/18/2010 @ 8:48 pmkishnevi – #35 …
While cities can drive jobs away by making local regulations overly onerous, they generally cannot draw jobs to them, unless they outright offer some form of bribe (“We’ll give you this 60 acre property for $1 if you build a factory here and stay for at least 10 years”) … at the state level, state taxes and regulations tend to make a much bigger difference (Boeing jobs/plant being chased out of the State of Washington to its new plant in South Carolina) …
Alasdair (205079) — 10/18/2010 @ 8:50 pmkishnevi – I’m not surprised Washington DC is growing because government is growing. As for Austin, I don’t know all the reasons it’s growing — government could play a role — but it looks like most of the growth is in the suburbs, particularly the Round Rock area.
Beldar – I think the last paragraph of your comment should be italized, and maybe even bolded.
DRJ (d43dcd) — 10/18/2010 @ 9:25 pmThis statics so nice to me so I like this details ..
Muscle X (26648f) — 10/19/2010 @ 2:54 amSame thing with Massholes who are moving to New Hampshire and turning it purple. I’m sure New Yorkers are doing the same thing to North Carolina.
It takes a special kind of stupid to flee an unlivable liberal state for a functional conservative one, then vote for the same policies that screwed up the place you just left.
They’re like locusts. They’re moving from state to state… their whole civilization. After they’ve screwed everything up they move on. Nuke ’em. Let’s nuke the bastards.
schizuki (cbd193) — 10/19/2010 @ 7:38 amYeah, the inmigrantes from el norte are screwing up Big D too…not that it needed much help.
seguin (a4caab) — 10/19/2010 @ 8:41 amschizuki (#45 — 10/19/2010 @ 7:38 am) and seguin (#46 — 10/19/2010 @ 8:41 am), I’m going to quibble with you about the new immigrants to Texas from Blue States. I think you’re noticing the ones who don’t fit in, and yes there are some of those, and yes they stand out.
But most of the people who move to Texas through self-selection come for the right reasons and are welcome additions when they land here. In fact, they represent the cream that’s risen to the top, the survivors and trend-setters in the social-Darwinistic dynamic that’s already gutted several northeastern states and is in the process now of gutting California.
What makes me sad is pondering the fate of those still stuck in California (or New York or New Jersey or Ohio or Michigan or Massachusetts) — the millions of basically conservative citizens in those states who aren’t part of the Left or even on the margin, but who are just outnumbered. They can’t be blamed; they’ve been adhering to traditional American values. But a slim majority or, often, even just a plurality has made the series of disastrous decisions that have put their states into such bad shape.
And unfortunately, it’s going to get a whole lot worse in those states before it begins to get any better. That’s not a prediction or even an opinion, it’s a certainty based on cold, hard pension arithmetic and the ruthless progress of actuarial tables.
Beldar (fa3a16) — 10/19/2010 @ 8:41 pmI’ll add a quibble. I think seguin is right about Big D. Dallas is where W got the idea for compassionate big-spending conservativism.
DRJ (d43dcd) — 10/19/2010 @ 8:48 pmkishnevi (and Beldar), those are very good points.
And Austin is a great place to live, albeit many of the local fiscal policies here are not ones I agree with. I probably should just admit I stand corrected, and much of the reason for the politics here is that Austin has so many government workers.
However, I think Austin is so prosperous in spite of those policies, such as the ruinous spending on a rail system and special bike lanes (amazingly expensive). I do see much of this as similar to fiscal irresponsibility in blue states. Pensions and compensation for a few government employees here also seems excessive to me, but I doubt it’s anywhere near the scale of the problem on the left coast.
I am happy to see some businessman relocate from Cali to Texas.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 10/19/2010 @ 8:48 pm