Despite the desperate hope of shrill liberals eager to grow taxes and expand further the size of government, Texas isn’t on the brink of disaster or teetering on the edge of an economic abyss. There is a relatively simple solution to the state’s possible budget woes: don’t spend so much.

What the liberal loons babbling in the blogosphere, and on the editorial boards of Texas’ newspapers, fail to recognize is that the Lone Star State’s projected budget shortfall is categorically different than the real-world deficits and debt faced by California, Illinois and so many other states. Remember, those states followed the liberal prescription of tax-tax-tax and spend-spend-spend.

The Dallas Morning News, aided and abetted by Bill White’s fan club (which are pretty much one and the same) is even pushing the silly notion California is fiscally better off than we are.

(Take a second, stop laughing, then continue.)

Apparently the editorialists haven’t paid much attention to what every business-climate and economic observer has said about the two states in recent years. Or noticed the number of Californians abandoning their state for the better economic climes of Texas…

The Orange County Register opined just yesterday that “while California’s policies may advance government expansion and control, they run counter to the economic needs of residents and businesses.”

No need for pesky facts to interrupt the daydreams of liberals hoping for a sudden leftist ascendency on November 2.

But facts are facts. California was engaged in reckless overspending by tens of billions of dollars every year to finance big-government agendas and union demands. While lawmakers in Sacramento barely balanced their budget (100 days overdue) this year, the press there is already reporting the veneer is coming off and a billion-dollar budget fissure is about to re-open shortly after the election.

The Associated Press reports California’s next governor is “expected to face a multibillion dollar deficit” upon entering office.

In California, they have constantly over-spent and over-taxed and over-borrowed, budget after budget, year after year. They had maxed out their credit cards, overdrew the banks, borrowed from neighbors and pawned off silverware. Spend, spend, spend. Borrow-borrow-borrow.

As a result, California has been exporting jobs — mainly to Texas, thank you very much.

Texas’ budget situation is completely different. Texas budget has not overspent revenues. What people are talking about right now, going into the 2011 legislative session, is a projected difference between what some want to spend, and the possible revenues others think will be available. There is no deficit in Texas, because there is no 2012-13 budget. It has not yet even been written.

That they fail to understand the difference says a lot about the economic illiteracy gripping the blathering left. Thank goodness they are losing.

Michael Quinn Sullivan

Michael Quinn Sullivan is the publisher of Texas Scorecard. He is a native Texan, a graduate of Texas A&M, and an Eagle Scout. Previously, he has worked as a newspaper reporter, magazine contributor, Capitol Hill staffer, and think tank vice president. Michael and his wife have three adult children, a son-in-law, and a dog. Michael is the author of three books, including "Reflections on Life and Liberty."

RELATED POSTS