States can be a lot like people. Operating philosophies produce
certain results. Neglect tends toward tragedy and amazingly
disturbing outcomes.
Here’s how bad things are in Texas these days: The Dallas Morning
News ran a multi-page, feature report in its Points section last
Sunday with the headline, “The bottom line” (December 23, 2007, 1P,
4-10P) chronicling the social nightmare that is playing out in the
overly proud Lone Star State.
Want a study in the extended consequences of “trickle down,”
laissez-faire public policy?
Come to Texas.
The state is a model of how not to do it in just about every category
related to the prevention and relief of human suffering and societal
injustice. Talk about the power of a system gone wrong.
Here’s how the editorial board of paper leads the story:
“Hidden among Texas’ great abundance–the booming businesses and
mega-malls–are statistics that all of us would just as soon ignore.
But the state can’t afford to forget the faces behind those numbers.
. . . No liberal blog or legislator is spinning these numbers. In
fact, they aren’t even new. They are simply compiled from statistics
published by sources including the Texas state comptroller’s office,
the U. S. Census Bureau and other government agencies. . . . Looking
at the statistics, it’s almost impossible to comprehend how a state
with such a healthy bottom line has crashed to the bottom in so many
social areas. How many lives must be ruined before we get the
picture?”
Consider the facts, just the facts, about Texas:
A child is born in poverty every 7 minutes
A child is abused or neglected every 10 minutes
First in teen births and the most repeat teen births in the U. S.
25% of Texas’ children are born into poverty
49th in the number of working poor (that is, Texas is second in the
number of people who work and remain poor)
$14,700–the average annual income of the poorest 20% of Texas
families
$203,200–average annual income of the richest 5% of Texas families
(13.8 times as high as the poorest 20%)
16% of Texans live with hunger or in fear of starvation, just ahead
of New Mexico and Mississippi
48th in the nation in state and local government expenditures for
public welfare–$808 per capita
Second highest Gross Domestic Product in the U. S.
Number 1 in cancerous emissions into the air and toxic chemicals
into the water.
Ranks 50th in the number of insured people in the nation–5.5
million Texans are not covered by health insurance or 24% of the
population (compared to 15.7% for the U. S.)
1st in the U. S. in executions since the death penalty was
reinstated in 1976
2nd highest incarceration rate
60% of children under Texas Youth Commission supervision come from
low-income families
83% of these children have IQs below 100
41% experience serious mental health issues
52% come from families with a history of criminal behavior
76% have parents who are separated or never married
34% of Texas high school students drop out–8th highest in the U. S.
49th in verbal SAT scores and 46th in math
Texas ranks 41st in per capita spending on students in public
schools, compared to 25th in 1999. [Did I hear someone say, “No child
left behind”?]
8th largest GDP in the world–$1.1 trillion in 2006
1st in number of shopping malls in the nation
12th in church or synagogue attendance
Not a pretty picture.
If I’m a Texas preacher today, I figure I have a few things to bring
up with my congregation.
If I’m a Texas legislator, after I take a long look at myself in the
mirror, I figure I’ve got a few things to work on.
If I’m a citizen of the state, and I am, I figure I need to be
engaged at several levels.
Posted on
http://larryjamesurbandaily.blogspot.com/2007/12/cant-we-beat-this.html
or
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2007/dec/26/texas-can-do-better-societal-issues/
Also visit:
http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/photography/2007/bottomline/
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