'I'm done': Fed up with California, some conservatives look to Texas (Los Angeles: tech job, college)

[majoun]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

But majoun, part of the misconception is that Austin is the only liberal place in a sea of red. Every Texan knows that laughable and we natives find it funny that so many transplants think Austin is the best city in Texas. Every Texan knows city-wise, for diversity, mix of politics, COL, amenities that Houston or Dallas are the cities to go to. To give people perspective that would be as if a bunch of Texans moved to California and started raving about Sacramento and totally left out LA or SF in the conversation. Wouldn't you guys laugh and think it's weird that bunch of transplants are wax on rhapsodic about Sacramento but care not or bash Los Angeles and SF?

Austin mostly has the crunchy aspects and the beautiful terrain down pat. The established tech and creative scene helps attract younger creative people but for the most part people of other stripes are far more attracted to Houston or Dallas because they're bigger and more cosmopolitan.

I wonder if some of that is racial...

(I don't know if Sacramento is the best comparison there because while Austin is to the left of the other Texas cities, even if Dallas has become increasingly liberal in recent years, Sacramento is to the right of the other California big cities, even if like San Diego it has become increasingly liberal)

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by majoun

I wonder if some of that is racial...

(I don't know if Sacramento is the best comparison there because while Austin is to the left of the other Texas cities, even if Dallas has become increasingly liberal in recent years, Sacramento is to the right of the other California big cities, even if like San Diego it has become increasingly liberal)

Yes some of it is racial, as more white creative yuppie types flock to Austin while African Americans love Houston and some don't think much of Austin. But the idea that Austin is somehow more liberal than Houston or Dallas is also a misconception. Austin is certainly more crunchy and culturally liberal but it's, like all other Texas cities, bound to the Texas constitution. Houston for one is more blue Democrat in the old sense like a big Detroit. Or I should say it's the difference between Detroit and Portland. Houston has a much more extensive public healthcare system that allocates a lot of healthcare to people who cannot afford it than Austin, which relies a lot more on community and charitable clinics. The Harris County Healthcare System in Houston is amazing. The same goes for Houston's public housing and affordable housing initiatives which house many people who cannot afford a place.

For instance, one of my good buddies has severe clinical depression and other mental ailments that keep him from finding steady work, yet he prefers Austin to Houston. He'd be in Austin in a heartbeat but has found their social services there to be lacking compared to Houston. Houston has provided him with life saving medical attention, housing and counseling services he says he tried but couldn't find in Austin, at least not to the extent Houston provides.

Austin is not even close to being a liberal peer to San Francisco or LA. It's just more culturally liberal on the outside. There are more things that are superficially liberal.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Its ironic. Austin is by far the least racially progressive city in Texas, yet people view it as super liberal. Houston and Dallas are far more welcoming to other ethnicities and races. Austin is sort of a white people paradise.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by Cowboys fan in Houston

Its ironic. Austin is by far the least racially progressive city in Texas, yet people view it as super liberal. Houston and Dallas are far more welcoming to other ethnicities and races. Austin is sort of a white people paradise.

I said it once on this forum but someone asked where they could find the CA blonde bombshell and I joked, Austin, TX.

[ringwise]

Originally Posted by Cowboys fan in Houston

Its ironic. Austin is by far the least racially progressive city in Texas, yet people view it as super liberal. Houston and Dallas are far more welcoming to other ethnicities and races. Austin is sort of a white people paradise.

Which is why it makes sense that it's become the place that most Californians move to. Because in spite of their ranting, most ultra liberal Californians don't want to live in a diverse place. Great to talk about. Not so much to live in, as far as they're concerned.

Which is why I just chuckle when my ultra lefty friends in CA comment about how racist Texas is.

[boulder2015]

Originally Posted by ringwise

Which is why it makes sense that it's become the place that most Californians move to. Because in spite of their ranting, most ultra liberal Californians don't want to live in a diverse place. Great to talk about. Not so much to live in, as far as they're concerned.

Which is why I just chuckle when my ultra lefty friends in CA comment about how racist Texas is.

Thats not it, though. Most are drawn there by the tech jobs, which Austin has attracted more of than Dallas or Houston. Not defending Austin, though, it still has the awful heat and humidity of Dallas and Houston. But it also has hills and isnt as flat and boring looking.

[boulder2015]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

But majoun, part of the misconception is that Austin is the only liberal place in a sea of red. Every Texan knows that laughable and we natives find it funny that so many transplants think Austin is the best city in Texas. Every Texan knows city-wise, for diversity, mix of politics, COL, amenities that Houston or Dallas are the cities to go to. To give people perspective that would be as if a bunch of Texans moved to California and started raving about Sacramento and totally left out LA or SF in the conversation. Wouldn't you guys laugh and think it's weird that bunch of transplants are wax on rhapsodic about Sacramento but care not or bash Los Angeles and SF?

Austin mostly has the crunchy aspects and the beautiful terrain down pat. The established tech and creative scene helps attract younger creative people but for the most part people of other stripes are far more attracted to Houston or Dallas because they're bigger and more cosmopolitan.

So younger creative people prefer austin to dallas and houston in a TX context, but prefer large cities like SF, portland, and NYC in a larger context. The general trend is young creatives mostly moving to large cities, yet for some odd reason they are not drawn to Houston or Dallas. Gee, think there may be a reason for that?

Note also that for some people, the arts, music, access to nature, high paying tech careers trump a cheaper COL, diversity, and "amenities" .

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by boulder2015

So younger creative people prefer austin to dallas and houston in a TX context, but prefer large cities like SF, portland, and NYC in a larger context. The general trend is young creatives mostly moving to large cities, yet for some odd reason they are not drawn to Houston or Dallas. Gee, think there may be a reason for that?

Note also that for some people, the arts, music, access to nature, high paying tech careers trump a cheaper COL, diversity, and "amenities" .

Speak for yourself. I left LA for Texas when I was 26. Austin felt extremely vanilla. I grew up in Torrance and what I loved about that part of the South Bay was the diversity. Cities like Austin and Portland never came up on my radar as options to move to. San Francisco didnt hold any appeal to me either. I would have considered San Jose and the South Bay if it werent so expensive.

Diversity is a way of life for me. If COL is cheap enough, nature can be achieved by taking an airplane somewhere.

Also, Dallas has more tech jobs than Austin.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by boulder2015

So younger creative people prefer austin to dallas and houston in a TX context, but prefer large cities like SF, portland, and NYC in a larger context. The general trend is young creatives mostly moving to large cities, yet for some odd reason they are not drawn to Houston or Dallas. Gee, think there may be a reason for that?

Note also that for some people, the arts, music, access to nature, high paying tech careers trump a cheaper COL, diversity, and "amenities" .

Yeah I agree not every city is going to meet the needs /desires of every person .
But I wouldn't say that Houston doesnt have access to the arts .

Some info on the Houston theatre district for example which is huge .
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hous...eater_District

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by jm1982

Yeah I agree not every city is going to meet the needs /desires of every person .
But I wouldn't say that Houston doesnt have access to the arts .

Some info on the Houston theatre district for example which is huge .
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hous...eater_District

Houston has the best fine arts scene in the South. The museums, theater, and symphony are unmatched anywhere else in the South. I laugh when people think Austin is a city for the arts.