comment: >
  
  Texans sure are slow to realize things....
context: Well, Republicans control education in Texas, so if there's a problem you know who to blame. In fact, Republicans have controlled Texas for about 30 years, so really ANY complaints people have about the state can be laid at Republican feet. That gerrymandering they did last redistricting and are wanting to do again? Gee I wonder why people are losing faith in democracy when we're watching it dissolve in front of us. >
  
  Nah it's always the Democrats' fault. Admitting it's the GOP fucking everything up would require an inkling of self-awareness which isn't possible with conservatives. >
  
  Why not both. >
  
  Because we are talking about people acting in bad faith so labeling them appropriately is important.  The point of what they are doing is to harm the state that not conservative it’s something else. >
  
  I totally get what you say. And I really really DO NOT WANT to argue with you. I support and respect what you are saying. But from my prospective I would argue both sides are equally dangerous. Personally I have been burned by both side equally. The sequester, the patriot act, the shear amount of money we wast on the military industrial complex. Iraq/Afghanistan was a bi-partisan venture. The war on drugs, the war on the LGBTQ until only in the last 10  yearsih have the democrats finally switched. So me personally, I’m done supporting either side. Both side sent me war to kill the poorest people on the planet. Both side prolonged the war. Anyways. That’s just my experience. Don’t want to take away from yours. Good luck to us all. >
  
  Well I can see why you “don’t want to argue”. I have no respect for your useless jack-off off both sides position, and do not receive it as a good faith contribution to the discussion.,  I say good day. >
  
  45% voter participation rate in 2022. 
  not directly related to the issues in the article, but its exhausting talking to so many people who continuously complain that 'the system is broken, nothing is getting better, the reps in power dont listen to the people, etc etc' and its like 'did you vote?' always followed with 'no, the system is rigged/broken/predecided/doesnt matter/i dont agree with anyone' etc. 
  like, participation rates in the usa are reliably pathetic. fuckin participate if you want to see change. its exhausting how many people just want 'them' to fix it but they cant be bothered to actively pay attention or participate in their own future every few months. >
  
  It’s easier to complain about other peoples choices than to make a stand and not get your way. It’s the same reason people don’t study for tests they “know” they’re gonna fail, or not do any work on a group project so they can talk shit about the end result. 
  Yes, there is voter suppression but not to the degree of people just opting out bc they don’t feel like making a compromise >
  
  I don’t get why they can’t just do both. I do things all the time but still complain about it afterwards. 🤷🏻‍♀️ >
  
  The part of the article that confirms my "look at your own voting choices, fools" thoughts:
  
  The poll also found that Gov. Greg Abbott’s approval rating has hit an all-time low.
  Abbott easily won his reelection for a third term in November by 11 points against Democratic nominee Beto O’Rourke.
  But, according to the poll, 48% of Texans either somewhat or strongly disapprove of the job Abbott is doing as governor. That’s in contrast with 47% of Texans who answered the same in 2022. >
  
  They just see the “R” and the “D.”  Anything beyond that is too much thinking. >
  
  The Santos disaster is the prime example of that. They elected a guy who lied about every single aspect of his life and career but because he ran as a republican they voted for him, no questions asked. >
  
  Texan here and I can confirm.  I have zero faith in Texas democracy.
  Ken Paxton, our Attorney General has been under active indictment since 2015 on state securities fraud yet he continues to stay in office.  He actively skirts the legal system he took an oath to uphold by running and hiding from process servers tasked with issuing him subpoenas.
  Many of our voting districts are included in the list of most gerrymandered districts in the nation.  This has led to a situation where despite the fact that well over half our population votes democrat, only republicans get elected.
  Greg Abbott, our governor, uses this artificial replublican majority to pass state level laws that effectively invalidate city/county level laws passed by more progressive cities.  These laws mandate forced birth on rape victims, prohibit environmental reforms ( plastic bag bans among others ) , restrict cities ability to reform their own police departments, as well as cities ability to reduce gun violence, even in the wake of an unprecedented number of mass killings.
  On top of all that, our local elections are flooded with dark money that is used to fund the campaigns of fascist republicans who are dead set on destroying the separation of church and state.
  You're god damn mother fucking right Texans have no faith in democracy. >
  
  I agree with you. I recognized democracy was dead in Texas in the mid-aughts, so I left Texas. I'm legit surprised more people don't do the same. Life is too short to live in a fascist state. >
  
  
  I'm legit surprised more people don't do the same. Life is too short to live in a fascist state.
  
  WhY DoNt YoU JuSt MoVe is about on par with WhY DoNt YoU GeT a BeTTeR JoB ThEn? >
  
  BuT mOvINg iS hARD!
  Complain about how moving in the US is hard to an undocumented immigrant. Or a refugee. >
  
  Who’s fault is that??  Keep voting for Republicans and that’s exactly what you get
  It’s not that hard to figure out except maybe for tone deaf Texans, it may very well be >
  
  God and Guns….90% of conservatives vote on those issues and nothing more. >
  
  You forgot taxes. Many of them would rather live in their own sewage than pay taxes. >
  
  When the state continually elects and re-elects politicians whose party platform is to erode and dismantle the public institutions that provide services to better citizens, what the fuck did they think they were going to get? >
  
  Texans elect an authoritarian and think it's democracy... >
  
  "I warned you" - Plato probably. >
  
  Plato was not in favor of democracy. >
  
  Ya, I wouldn’t have confidence in those if I lived in Texas either. >
  
  The problem with public education in Texas is that it's not great, mostly because of funding. It's not funded because it's controlled by Republicans who don't want to fund it. (they want  vouchers for credit for private, or religion in school).  So then this cycle starts where people with 'good' kids and money get fed up, pull their kids out of public and go private (or homeschool).  Then the general population of the public school is worse because the smart kid is pulled out.  Then the school is worse off. The teachers are more annoyed dealing with higher percentage problem kids and eventually the teacher(s) leave.  Eventually, the public school becomes a realistic joke, and no one sends their kids there unless they have no other choice because the school is now a 3rd world country.  It's really sad. 
  If you have any doubt, look at Houston ISD as an example.  A handful of elementary schools are great.  Even less middle schools.  And very few high schools, honestly maybe 2. 
  And the schools that are good, are only good because they rely heavily on PTA donations from parents to provide the things the school actually needs.  Basically the good schools are essentially semi private.  If you think I'm exaggerating, the public school we used to go to with 800 students regularly raised 300-400k in a year.  The bad school next zone over, 8k in a year.  No wonder that school is terrible.
  Houston is an enormous city.  This should not be the case.
  We overpay for stupid shit like football, baseball,  basketball, but then can't pay for kids to have free lunch at school.  It's embarrassing. >
  
  Don’t forget the teachers who are “coaches”. One had a coach teaching class say to us that he hated it, didn’t care about teaching, didn’t care about our education, but loved coaching sports which is why he was there. >
  
  Wow, it's almost like you voted for anti-democratic aholes that care nothing for education and continually fck everything up! >
  
  The Republican attack on education and democracy is working. >
  
  Go figure: democracy and public education aren't working in Texas, so of course people are losing faith in those things. 
  The state is gerrymandered to hell, so votes don't matter the way they should; the leaders cannot be held accountable for their crimes (See AG Paxton) or incredible failures (Abbot + winter = you're gonna have a bad time); I mean what is anyone expecting?
  When government cannot meet the basic needs of its citizens, those citizens stop thinking that it's a good thing to have that government. 
  Which, in the case of every right-wing pol, is exactly what they want. >
  
  Kinda surprised it took so long. >
  
  Then stop voting GOP. It's the simplest thing in the world! Vote for people that value education and put forth policies that attempt to benefit the most people instead of just the super wealthy. >
  
  
  It's the simplest thing in the world
  
  Millions of people are literally told that a vote for the Democrats is a vote for ensuring that they themselves will face eternal torture and suffering >
  
  I see that same messaging as do millions of others, but we don't vote GOP so??? >
  
  All part of the plan! Say government is broken & break it to prove your point. >
  
  If they quit trying to destroy public education… maybe people would have a better understanding of what democracy is and how government works. >
  
  They should probably stop electong Fascists then.. >
  
  Well you get what you vote for. >
  
  Or, to put it another way, Texans as a group are getting dumber. >
  
  Well, lots of conservatives are moving there because they like the  politics. >
  
  And some of us liberals feel like we're on a sinking ship. As a straight, white male without children, I don't feel a need to flee... yet. I am not in immediate danger and by remaining I can vote against GOP malfeasance. But it still seems like the waters are rising. >
  
  If'n I could leave, I probably would. >
  
  Who’d a thought >
  
  You mean their faith is declining democracy and public education. >
  
  Harry Truman once stated there are more dumb people in Texas than anywhere else. >
  
  This should be accompanied by a photo of Greg Abbott standing in front a giant “Mission Accomplished” sign. >
  
  It’s working as intended. >
  
  As was intended all along >
  
  funny Americans faith in TexASS and it's public representatives ability to keep the lights on is also declining... >
  
  Private fascist schools are polling well then? >
  
  Keep electing Republicans. They don’t seem to believe in either. >
  
  Weird those are institutions that Republicans love to erode and put mistrust in. >
  
  Stop voting for republicans and maybe things will start looking up >
  
  They have education in Texas? >
  
  Not since Uvalde. >
  
  I'm tired of hearing TX complain, the Republicans keep voting for themselves and the Democrats don't vote. >
  
  Democracy and public education's faith in Texas is declining even faster. >
  
  This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 76%. (I'm a bot)
  
  
  More than two years since a mob attacked the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, a new survey released Friday found that fewer Texans are certain democracy is the best form of government.
  The percentage of Texas adults who rated the quality of K-12 as excellent or good dropped to 55%. The percentage of those who rated it as poor or terrible increased to 39%. "The reality is it's impossible to say exactly what led to that, but it's pretty easy to surmise that the long tail of COVID-related closures and changes to education have had an impact, but also the explicit politicization of K-12 public education with culture war issues," Blank said.
  "Two fundamental institutions of American culture have been democracy and public education," Blank said.
  
  
  Extended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Blank^#1 democracy^#2 education^#3 job^#4 Texas^#5 >
  
  Republicans want an Autocratic government and they control Texas government so sure I believe that statement >
  
  Voting for the same clowns does not help. >
  
  Republican Party propaganda is working in other words. They’re actively working against those things then claiming they don’t work. It’s like smashing your own window with a rock, then complaining you’re living in a bad neighborhood. >
  
  They should be. I think the shocking thing here is they actually realize it.
  If you want to laugh-scream go ahead and look up the Austin districts. Anyone looking at those will lose all faith that democracy still exists in Texas. >
  
  Well they did fuck all about it this last election. >
  
  Failed state. >
  
  I think the problem with Texas is it doesn't have ideological variety among its elites. They are all conservative. It's different from the coasts where rich or important people are intellectually diverse and there's a mixture of libertarian and liberal ideas and open-mindedness. Not sure why this is. >
  
  They must be figuratively and literally getting sick of being left out in the cold, powerless >
  
  The two are certainly connected! Unlike the Texas energy grid… >
  
  Reagan said “government is the problem” but he was only half right.  Government as conceived of by Republicans is the problem.  Ask Texas a more specific question like do you approve of how the current state officials are running the state and you’ll get a big fat NO! from everywhere except to the reddest rural areas. >
  
  Also the energy grid. >
  
  After the third frozen hellscape due to greed and inaction on the power grid, the partisan circus, the mass shootings with preventable deaths from police inaction (mainly Ugalde), and the failure of the opposition from making concerted gains to counter a bad government that doesn’t do their job? I too would be disheartened.
  But TX has had and is having a lot of immigration from California. As a non-Texan, I think their politics will become more functional in my lifetime, if only because both parties will stand a legitimate chance which means they may choose to compete with good policy and action. 
  I would hope they fix their power grid issues by 2030 at the latest first and foremost. People dying over something so preventable in winters waaay milder than where I live… is sad and I hope a non partisan thing everyone agrees can’t go without fixing. >
  
  From what I’ve heard, most of the people who move from CA to TX are conservatives. Back in 2018, exit polling found Beto O’Rourke more popular than Ted Cruz among TX-born voters while Cruz was preferred among those who moved to TX. >
  
  They keep voting for this - >
  
  Texans sure are slow to realize things.... >
  
  Wonder why... >
  
  
  The survey, conducted by the nonprofit Texas Lyceum, found that — of the1,200 Texas adults asked — only 40% “strongly agree” that democracy isthe best form of government.
  
  Texans are likely not outliers in no longer supporting democracy in the US in the original slave states.  The slave states are increasingly less white so the whites feel that democracy no longer works for them as they get outvoted by larger and larger margins, Bush losing by 1,000,000, Trump losing by 3,000,000 and then 6,000,000.
  Democracy despite the attacks on it by the white supremacists is still working against them and that is their real complaint. >
  
  Which is what they regularly vote for. >
  
  The far-right’s goal of destroying democracy and public education continues apace. >
  
  The worlds faith in the USA is declining even faster. Once the number of crazy idiots becomes a clear a majority, the USA will quickly turn from the most important ally to the biggest threat to human civilization.
  If they win their war against education your religious madmen will go on a crusade against the rest of the world within a generation or two. >
  
  That because they keep on electing the fascist/undemocratic party to govern your freaking state.  How many more winter blackouts, bust water pipes and mass shootings is it going to take to dump the Republicans? >
  
  Our Democracy's faith in Texas died a long time ago so I guess we'll call it even >
  
  They sure don't like voting, the number people that voted in 2022 compared to 2018 in Texas dropped as well as 70% of Texas youth not participating in the last election. Instead of the Lone Star State they should be the Do-nothing State. >
  
  This is EXACTLY what the Republicans want. Destroy effective government, get so many guns everyone can kill anyone, break utilities, end women’s rights, etc etc… and the public will vote for strong anti-democratic leaders. Classic, well proven fascist playbook. Scary as it is predictable. >
  
  TX has oil. Maybe we’ll invade them 🤷🏻‍♀️ >
  
  Oh, that’s too bad. Anyway, should I make the salmon for dinner or reheat the ham and bean soup I made last night? >
  
  Take it easy tonight and just reheat the soup. Treat yo’self. >
  
  I’m liking that option. There’s leftover meatloaf for sammiches too. Now, who will open my wine 🧐 >
  
  I am a fan of California seceding. >
  
  If I lived in Texas mine would be too. >
  
  Pretty sure both of those are desirable outcomes from the conservative side. "Likely voters" in the state lean heavily republican, which means a lack faith in the electoral system is more likely to discourage democratic voters. And a lack of faith in public education means opportunities to pump more state money in private schools. Win win from their perspective. >
  
  With the shitfest that has been Texas for the past 8yrs, my faith in Texas is declining. >
  
  You might say they’re chilling toward Abbott. >
  
  "The stove everyone told me would burn, keeps burning me yet I keep touching it." Grow up Texas, only you can "un-shit" your bed. >
  
  Abbott and Cruz. No big surprise there when you vote against your own interests. Smh. >
  
  I’m a teacher and have faith in neither of those things. >
  
  That’s what the Republican led state wants you to believe. Republicans like to keep people ignorant. (See Florida.) >
  
  Not to mention electrical power. If Punxsutawney Phil see is shadow the Texas power grid will collapse again. It's an annual event. >
  
  And? Join the club, I don’t have faith in your democracy or public education either. >
  
  It is all right, texicans still believe in cowboys, Astros, longhorns, an electrical grid that works, seems sort of woke,! >
  
  Well no shit. Abbot is their governor. >
  
  Everyone’s is dropping but for very different reasons >
  
  Yea, they live in Texas….. >
  
  You don't say >
  
  As intended >
  
  Texas is an extremely corrupt state. Anything that receives public funding has a certain degree of corruption including educational institutions and the very auditors they hire for internal reviews. It's a rotten state. >
  
  Texans also believe that the world is flat >
  
  Someone needs to Mac and Me Greg Abbott. >
  
  Texans just don’t understand how democracy works. They’ve never experienced it in Tejas’. >
  
  When you elect politicians who are anti-democracy and anti-education, they're going to destroy democracy and education. >
  
  Christian fundamentalists here have been trying to kill public education for over a decade now. They want the state to pay for their indoctrination using the budget set aside for schools and it’s working >
  
  Democracy works only if you can vote out underperforming politicians.
  With today's partisan politics and political propaganda outlets (Fox), voters focus on fluff instead of things that make the country better and stronger.  Also, gerrymandering gives incumbents safe districts where bad politicians cannot be voted out and they become unaccountable to voters.  Since Citizens United, politicians spend more time raising money from donors than crafting meaningful legislation that solves problems or puts the country on a path to prosperity.
  The real problem is democracy in Texas is that it's not democratic enough. >
  
  This has been the plan. Keep 'em stupid and they drink the koolaid. >
  
  Part of the plan.  Start losing faith, stop voting, allows fascists to take over. >
  
  I have family and friends in Texas and it's ridiculous how a state that's been completely gutted by GOP control over the past few decades has convinced the voters there that all their problems are because of powerless Democrats and California somehow. Even the left leaning people I know shrug off their state's rising prices, crumbling infrastructure, and general incompetency with 'It's because of all the Californians moving here...' as if CA had some natural disaster and is now completely empty. It's the failure of your own Republican government. >
  
  “My state sucks!”
  “Oh?  Who is in charge?”
  “Uh, liberals are the devil!” >
  
  I have seen the enemy and the enemy is us!  You get what you vote for. >
  
  Because Evangelicals want a Patriarchal Theocracy where children are educated in Sunday School and put in the workforce at age 10, like God intended. >
  
  Then they should impeach cruz an abbott instead of voting these morons back in - not a head-scratcher folks. >
  
  Well... Vote for a different party than the one who is pulling the strings I guess? >
  
  No shit? >
  
  You only live in Texas if you are to poor leave. If you can afford to live and stay you aren't American. You are choosing to assist in the removal of freedoms and anonymity by remaining and adding your voting power to a lost state of religious zealotry. >
  
  Well, Republicans control education in Texas, so if there's a problem you know who to blame. In fact, Republicans have controlled Texas for about 30 years, so really ANY complaints people have about the state can be laid at Republican feet. That gerrymandering they did last redistricting and are wanting to do again? Gee I wonder why people are losing faith in democracy when we're watching it dissolve in front of us. >
  
  Nah it's always the Democrats' fault. Admitting it's the GOP fucking everything up would require an inkling of self-awareness which isn't possible with conservatives. >
  
  Why not both. >
  
  Because we are talking about people acting in bad faith so labeling them appropriately is important.  The point of what they are doing is to harm the state that not conservative it’s something else. >
  
  I totally get what you say. And I really really DO NOT WANT to argue with you. I support and respect what you are saying. But from my prospective I would argue both sides are equally dangerous. Personally I have been burned by both side equally. The sequester, the patriot act, the shear amount of money we wast on the military industrial complex. Iraq/Afghanistan was a bi-partisan venture. The war on drugs, the war on the LGBTQ until only in the last 10  yearsih have the democrats finally switched. So me personally, I’m done supporting either side. Both side sent me war to kill the poorest people on the planet. Both side prolonged the war. Anyways. That’s just my experience. Don’t want to take away from yours. Good luck to us all. >
  
  Well I can see why you “don’t want to argue”. I have no respect for your useless jack-off off both sides position, and do not receive it as a good faith contribution to the discussion.,  I say good day. >
  
  45% voter participation rate in 2022. 
  not directly related to the issues in the article, but its exhausting talking to so many people who continuously complain that 'the system is broken, nothing is getting better, the reps in power dont listen to the people, etc etc' and its like 'did you vote?' always followed with 'no, the system is rigged/broken/predecided/doesnt matter/i dont agree with anyone' etc. 
  like, participation rates in the usa are reliably pathetic. fuckin participate if you want to see change. its exhausting how many people just want 'them' to fix it but they cant be bothered to actively pay attention or participate in their own future every few months. >
  
  It’s easier to complain about other peoples choices than to make a stand and not get your way. It’s the same reason people don’t study for tests they “know” they’re gonna fail, or not do any work on a group project so they can talk shit about the end result. 
  Yes, there is voter suppression but not to the degree of people just opting out bc they don’t feel like making a compromise >
  
  I don’t get why they can’t just do both. I do things all the time but still complain about it afterwards. 🤷🏻‍♀️ >
  
  The part of the article that confirms my "look at your own voting choices, fools" thoughts:
  
  The poll also found that Gov. Greg Abbott’s approval rating has hit an all-time low.
  Abbott easily won his reelection for a third term in November by 11 points against Democratic nominee Beto O’Rourke.
  But, according to the poll, 48% of Texans either somewhat or strongly disapprove of the job Abbott is doing as governor. That’s in contrast with 47% of Texans who answered the same in 2022. >
  
  They just see the “R” and the “D.”  Anything beyond that is too much thinking. >
  
  The Santos disaster is the prime example of that. They elected a guy who lied about every single aspect of his life and career but because he ran as a republican they voted for him, no questions asked. >
  
  Texan here and I can confirm.  I have zero faith in Texas democracy.
  Ken Paxton, our Attorney General has been under active indictment since 2015 on state securities fraud yet he continues to stay in office.  He actively skirts the legal system he took an oath to uphold by running and hiding from process servers tasked with issuing him subpoenas.
  Many of our voting districts are included in the list of most gerrymandered districts in the nation.  This has led to a situation where despite the fact that well over half our population votes democrat, only republicans get elected.
  Greg Abbott, our governor, uses this artificial replublican majority to pass state level laws that effectively invalidate city/county level laws passed by more progressive cities.  These laws mandate forced birth on rape victims, prohibit environmental reforms ( plastic bag bans among others ) , restrict cities ability to reform their own police departments, as well as cities ability to reduce gun violence, even in the wake of an unprecedented number of mass killings.
  On top of all that, our local elections are flooded with dark money that is used to fund the campaigns of fascist republicans who are dead set on destroying the separation of church and state.
  You're god damn mother fucking right Texans have no faith in democracy. >
  
  I agree with you. I recognized democracy was dead in Texas in the mid-aughts, so I left Texas. I'm legit surprised more people don't do the same. Life is too short to live in a fascist state. >
  
  
  I'm legit surprised more people don't do the same. Life is too short to live in a fascist state.
  
  WhY DoNt YoU JuSt MoVe is about on par with WhY DoNt YoU GeT a BeTTeR JoB ThEn? >
  
  BuT mOvINg iS hARD!
  Complain about how moving in the US is hard to an undocumented immigrant. Or a refugee. >
  
  Who’s fault is that??  Keep voting for Republicans and that’s exactly what you get
  It’s not that hard to figure out except maybe for tone deaf Texans, it may very well be >
  
  God and Guns….90% of conservatives vote on those issues and nothing more. >
  
  You forgot taxes. Many of them would rather live in their own sewage than pay taxes. >
  
  When the state continually elects and re-elects politicians whose party platform is to erode and dismantle the public institutions that provide services to better citizens, what the fuck did they think they were going to get? >
  
  Texans elect an authoritarian and think it's democracy... >
  
  "I warned you" - Plato probably. >
  
  Plato was not in favor of democracy. >
  
  Ya, I wouldn’t have confidence in those if I lived in Texas either. >
  
  The problem with public education in Texas is that it's not great, mostly because of funding. It's not funded because it's controlled by Republicans who don't want to fund it. (they want  vouchers for credit for private, or religion in school).  So then this cycle starts where people with 'good' kids and money get fed up, pull their kids out of public and go private (or homeschool).  Then the general population of the public school is worse because the smart kid is pulled out.  Then the school is worse off. The teachers are more annoyed dealing with higher percentage problem kids and eventually the teacher(s) leave.  Eventually, the public school becomes a realistic joke, and no one sends their kids there unless they have no other choice because the school is now a 3rd world country.  It's really sad. 
  If you have any doubt, look at Houston ISD as an example.  A handful of elementary schools are great.  Even less middle schools.  And very few high schools, honestly maybe 2. 
  And the schools that are good, are only good because they rely heavily on PTA donations from parents to provide the things the school actually needs.  Basically the good schools are essentially semi private.  If you think I'm exaggerating, the public school we used to go to with 800 students regularly raised 300-400k in a year.  The bad school next zone over, 8k in a year.  No wonder that school is terrible.
  Houston is an enormous city.  This should not be the case.
  We overpay for stupid shit like football, baseball,  basketball, but then can't pay for kids to have free lunch at school.  It's embarrassing. >
  
  Don’t forget the teachers who are “coaches”. One had a coach teaching class say to us that he hated it, didn’t care about teaching, didn’t care about our education, but loved coaching sports which is why he was there. >
  
  Wow, it's almost like you voted for anti-democratic aholes that care nothing for education and continually fck everything up! >
  
  The Republican attack on education and democracy is working. >
  
  Go figure: democracy and public education aren't working in Texas, so of course people are losing faith in those things. 
  The state is gerrymandered to hell, so votes don't matter the way they should; the leaders cannot be held accountable for their crimes (See AG Paxton) or incredible failures (Abbot + winter = you're gonna have a bad time); I mean what is anyone expecting?
  When government cannot meet the basic needs of its citizens, those citizens stop thinking that it's a good thing to have that government. 
  Which, in the case of every right-wing pol, is exactly what they want. >
  
  Kinda surprised it took so long. >
  
  Then stop voting GOP. It's the simplest thing in the world! Vote for people that value education and put forth policies that attempt to benefit the most people instead of just the super wealthy. >
  
  
  It's the simplest thing in the world
  
  Millions of people are literally told that a vote for the Democrats is a vote for ensuring that they themselves will face eternal torture and suffering >
  
  I see that same messaging as do millions of others, but we don't vote GOP so??? >
  
  All part of the plan! Say government is broken & break it to prove your point. >
  
  If they quit trying to destroy public education… maybe people would have a better understanding of what democracy is and how government works. >
  
  They should probably stop electong Fascists then.. >
  
  Well you get what you vote for. >
  
  Or, to put it another way, Texans as a group are getting dumber. >
  
  Well, lots of conservatives are moving there because they like the  politics. >
  
  And some of us liberals feel like we're on a sinking ship. As a straight, white male without children, I don't feel a need to flee... yet. I am not in immediate danger and by remaining I can vote against GOP malfeasance. But it still seems like the waters are rising. >
  
  If'n I could leave, I probably would. >
  
  Who’d a thought >
  
  You mean their faith is declining democracy and public education. >
  
  Harry Truman once stated there are more dumb people in Texas than anywhere else. >
  
  This should be accompanied by a photo of Greg Abbott standing in front a giant “Mission Accomplished” sign. >
  
  It’s working as intended. >
  
  As was intended all along >
  
  funny Americans faith in TexASS and it's public representatives ability to keep the lights on is also declining... >
  
  Private fascist schools are polling well then? >
  
  Keep electing Republicans. They don’t seem to believe in either. >
  
  Weird those are institutions that Republicans love to erode and put mistrust in. >
  
  Stop voting for republicans and maybe things will start looking up >
  
  They have education in Texas? >
  
  Not since Uvalde. >
  
  I'm tired of hearing TX complain, the Republicans keep voting for themselves and the Democrats don't vote. >
  
  Democracy and public education's faith in Texas is declining even faster. >
  
  This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 76%. (I'm a bot)
  
  
  More than two years since a mob attacked the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, a new survey released Friday found that fewer Texans are certain democracy is the best form of government.
  The percentage of Texas adults who rated the quality of K-12 as excellent or good dropped to 55%. The percentage of those who rated it as poor or terrible increased to 39%. "The reality is it's impossible to say exactly what led to that, but it's pretty easy to surmise that the long tail of COVID-related closures and changes to education have had an impact, but also the explicit politicization of K-12 public education with culture war issues," Blank said.
  "Two fundamental institutions of American culture have been democracy and public education," Blank said.
  
  
  Extended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Blank^#1 democracy^#2 education^#3 job^#4 Texas^#5 >
  
  Republicans want an Autocratic government and they control Texas government so sure I believe that statement >
  
  Voting for the same clowns does not help. >
  
  Republican Party propaganda is working in other words. They’re actively working against those things then claiming they don’t work. It’s like smashing your own window with a rock, then complaining you’re living in a bad neighborhood. >
  
  They should be. I think the shocking thing here is they actually realize it.
  If you want to laugh-scream go ahead and look up the Austin districts. Anyone looking at those will lose all faith that democracy still exists in Texas. >
  
  Well they did fuck all about it this last election. >
  
  Failed state. >
  
  I think the problem with Texas is it doesn't have ideological variety among its elites. They are all conservative. It's different from the coasts where rich or important people are intellectually diverse and there's a mixture of libertarian and liberal ideas and open-mindedness. Not sure why this is. >
  
  They must be figuratively and literally getting sick of being left out in the cold, powerless >
  
  The two are certainly connected! Unlike the Texas energy grid… >
  
  Reagan said “government is the problem” but he was only half right.  Government as conceived of by Republicans is the problem.  Ask Texas a more specific question like do you approve of how the current state officials are running the state and you’ll get a big fat NO! from everywhere except to the reddest rural areas. >
  
  Also the energy grid. >
  
  After the third frozen hellscape due to greed and inaction on the power grid, the partisan circus, the mass shootings with preventable deaths from police inaction (mainly Ugalde), and the failure of the opposition from making concerted gains to counter a bad government that doesn’t do their job? I too would be disheartened.
  But TX has had and is having a lot of immigration from California. As a non-Texan, I think their politics will become more functional in my lifetime, if only because both parties will stand a legitimate chance which means they may choose to compete with good policy and action. 
  I would hope they fix their power grid issues by 2030 at the latest first and foremost. People dying over something so preventable in winters waaay milder than where I live… is sad and I hope a non partisan thing everyone agrees can’t go without fixing. >
  
  From what I’ve heard, most of the people who move from CA to TX are conservatives. Back in 2018, exit polling found Beto O’Rourke more popular than Ted Cruz among TX-born voters while Cruz was preferred among those who moved to TX. >
  
  They keep voting for this -