Isn't it ironic that Texas,... (Houston, Dallas: section 8, apartment, credit)

[H'ton]

the state that has benefitted the MOST under the Obama adminustration, is the most upset about his administration.

"Three Texas markets enjoyed the strongest growth in private-sector employment since 2007, led by Houston's gain of 122,800 positions. The runners-up are Austin (up 46,000 private-sector jobs) and San Antonio (up 24,500).
The only other markets to add more than 10,000 private-sector positions in five years were Pittsburgh, Dallas- Fort Worth, Oklahoma City and New York City."


Most major U.S. metros still short of pre-recession job levels - The Business Journals

[rynetwo]

Originally Posted by H'ton

the state that has benefitted the MOST under the Obama adminustration, is the most upset about his administration.

"Three Texas markets enjoyed the strongest growth in private-sector employment since 2007, led by Houston's gain of 122,800 positions. The runners-up are Austin (up 46,000 private-sector jobs) and San Antonio (up 24,500).
The only other markets to add more than 10,000 private-sector positions in five years were Pittsburgh, Dallas- Fort Worth, Oklahoma City and New York City."


Most major U.S. metros still short of pre-recession job levels - The Business Journals

Well in that case you would also have to give credit to the Gov. Rick Perry but I don't think that is likely. No where is the article does it correlate Obama policies with positive job growth. Was it Obamas policies or was the business friendly state regulations of Texas to blame?

Nice try.

[Trainwreck20]

You could argue that the growth of industry local is due to the death of industry elsewhere and not really a direct result of the current administration. I do know (there is a thread further down about it) that the EPA has been trying to hammer away at Texas and is going to much greater lengths in Texas than other states. Presumably, that is to keep the 'Texas model' from looking too good. I am hopeful that the end of this election will result in some relief in the unwarranted pressure.

Personally, I think that neither the current or former presidents had much to do with the current economy situation. Texas operates very much tied into the shifts and changes in the global economy. Relatively cheap labor/overhead costs have also promoted industry.

Finally, I am not a person that thinks 'I lost my job, it is the current presidents fault' or whatever. Our (U.S.) economy moves on the effects of thousands of pressures and changes that may interact complexly for decades.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by rynetwo

Well in that case you would also have to give credit to the Gov. Rick Perry but I don't think that is likely. No where is the article does it correlate Obama policies with positive job growth. Was it Obamas policies or was the business friendly state regulations of Texas to blame?

Nice try.

I don't think Obama deserves the credit for our economy but neither does Rick Perry. You can't give credit to any single individual or single regulation, or even a single reason. Texas's recent success is due to a multitude of reasons, and has sometimes come at the expense of jobs in other states.

Also, most of the new jobs being created in Texas are low-wage jobs...I read somewhere that something like 2/3 of new jobs in Texas are below subsistence-level wage, so that's not something to be totally stoked about. Doesn't matter much if you create 100k new jobs if you still need food stamps and section 8 vouchers to survive...

[H'ton]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

I don't think Obama deserves the credit for our economy but neither does Rick Perry. You can't give credit to any single individual or single regulation, or even a single reason. Texas's recent success is due to a multitude of reasons, and has sometimes come at the expense of jobs in other states.

Also, most of the new jobs being created in Texas are low-wage jobs...I read somewhere that something like 2/3 of new jobs in Texas are below subsistence-level wage, so that's not something to be totally stoked about. Doesn't matter much if you create 100k new jobs if you still need food stamps and section 8 vouchers to survive...

Simple cause and effect...FOR WHATEVER reason Texas has done the best during this 4 year period in comparison to other states

so it does appear that Texas is better of after 4 years. I know in Houston we currenly have close to 35-40 dense apartment buildings under constrcution right NOW inside the loop and Uptown. The place is booming and that can not be denied.

[sxrckr]

Texas thrived despite Obama, not because of him.

Don't forget Texas was shafted of a retired space shuttle under his administration when the rules were suddenly changed up, and I think that's part of why there was much less enthusiasm for him in Houston voting results in 2012 vs 2008 and the Houston Chronicle did not endorse him like they did in 2008.

[Trainwreck20]

I read somewhere that something like 2/3 of new jobs in Texas are below subsistence-level wage

Don't know actual numbers, but I suspect that is very wrong. Yes, Texas jobs are lower paying than in other states (on average). Some people have spun that to indicate that the jobs do not pay well. Cost of living is generally very low, so lower wages can be equivalent to higher paying jobs elsewhere. Also, one of the reasons that industry has been in decline in some locations is an unsustainable level of pay/benefits. It isn't necessarily that the new jobs under-pay, it is the old ones over-paid. Finally, the 'low wage jobs in Texas' articles that I have seen indicate that many are lower paid (at or near minimum wage) jobs, although the statistics can be manipulated in a variety of ways. Minimum wage is generally considered subsistence level, and subsistence level is the level at which you can provide the necessities of life. If you are subsistence level, you will not need food stamps and vouchers.

Finally, anecdotally, I see a ton of new jobs in Austin that are paying way, way above minimum wage. We have hired 20 people this year and I guarantee you they have more than subsistence pay . Samsung is hiring, Cirrus Logic, Kinnser software, etc. All professional, well paying jobs.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by sxrckr

Texas thrived despite Obama, not because of him.

Don't forget Texas was shafted of a retired space shuttle under his administration when the rules were suddenly changed up, and I think that's part of why there was much less enthusiasm for him in Houston voting results in 2012 vs 2008 and the Houston Chronicle did not endorse him like they did in 2008.

Exactly. It is not cause and effect as H'ton suggests but simple correlation.

Texas has fared well the last four years for the same reasons it has faired well since the mid-1980s recession.

- low cost of living, especially for housing
- a thriving energy driven economy, yet diversified significantly by technology, medical, and manufacturing
- low(er) taxes
- relative immunity from the housing crisis

Add in the dramatic weakening of the economy in states like Michigan and California - SOMEONE has to benefit when people move. And Texas (and Georgia and a few other southern states) was a winner.

None of this has anything to do with Obama or Bush before him.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Don't know actual numbers, but I suspect that is very wrong. Yes, Texas jobs are lower paying than in other states (on average). Some people have spun that to indicate that the jobs do not pay well. Cost of living is generally very low, so lower wages can be equivalent to higher paying jobs elsewhere. Also, one of the reasons that industry has been in decline in some locations is an unsustainable level of pay/benefits. It isn't necessarily that the new jobs under-pay, it is the old ones over-paid. Finally, the 'low wage jobs in Texas' articles that I have seen indicate that many are lower paid (at or near minimum wage) jobs, although the statistics can be manipulated in a variety of ways. Minimum wage is generally considered subsistence level, and subsistence level is the level at which you can provide the necessities of life. If you are subsistence level, you will not need food stamps and vouchers.

Finally, anecdotally, I see a ton of new jobs in Austin that are paying way, way above minimum wage. We have hired 20 people this year and I guarantee you they have more than subsistence pay . Samsung is hiring, Cirrus Logic, Kinnser software, etc. All professional, well paying jobs.

Rick Perry and his Texas jobs boom: The whole story - Aug. 12, 2011

[Trainwreck20]

Not sure what point you are trying to make with the link? The article does not indicate a single below-subsistence level job (not that there aren't any). It does say there are a lot of minimum wager jobs, but that is really nothing new to Texas, always been that way. Did you know that the minimum wage in New York is $7.25, same as Texas? Wonder how the cost of living compares. In any case, there may be people 'below subsistence' in NY but making more than minimum wage, and people in Texas at or above subsistence and only making minimum wage.

Yes, it is awful to have a minimum wage job when you could be on welfare...