10 things the U.S. would loose if Texas actually seceded...

[lonestar2007]

Originally Posted by Restrain

Tens of thousands of kids being sent north across the border without parents, and we are supposed to take care of them instead of their own parents. All at the behest of the idiots in Washington, DC.

I am tired of my tax money being taken from my school district and sent to south Texas and the inner cities to educate illegals who are not paying taxes.

Call me a bigot if you want but I am tired of taking care of someone else's mess.

You've got lots of company in this! I'm sick and tired of it and everyone I know is too.

[Eastcoasting]

Everybody settle down.

This is a troll thread started by a hispanic gay fella who couldn't make it in Orlando and moved to a cold and lonely existence in crappy old Boston. Observation, not an attack.

Texas is doing just fine, huge economy, population growth that most of the world desires and natural resources to boot!

[doctorjef]

Originally Posted by Eastcoasting

Everybody settle down.

This is a troll thread started by a hispanic gay fella who couldn't make it in Orlando and moved to a cold and lonely existence in crappy old Boston. Observation, not an attack.

Texas is doing just fine, huge economy, population growth that most of the world desires and natural resources to boot!

Actually, Boston is a beautiful city with a lot to offer. Like any large city, it's got its less salubrious parts -- one can say the same of Houston. One thing I like about Boston is that it actually has good public transport. It also has a lot of history, beautiful architecture, great areas like Beacon Hill, and the beautiful harbor -- amongst many other salutary features.

[Eastcoasting]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

Actually, Boston is a beautiful city with a lot to offer. Like any large city, it's got its less salubrious parts -- one can say the same of Houston. One thing I like about Boston is that it actually has good public transport. It also has a lot of history, beautiful architecture, great areas like Beacon Hill, and the beautiful harbor -- amongst many other salutary features.

I think were are going to disagree here, I have spend loads of time there and absolutely disliked it.

It's really not a large city, does it even break the top 20 by pop?

As for history and architecture it's fine but I actually prefer Philadelphia and DC, to a lesser degree Providence.

YMMV

[doctorjef]

Originally Posted by Eastcoasting

I think were are going to disagree here, I have spend loads of time there and absolutely disliked it.

It's really not a large city, does it even break the top 20 by pop?

As for history and architecture it's fine but I actually prefer Philadelphia and DC, to a lesser degree Providence.

YMMV

I live a 40 minute drive (in good traffic) from Center City Philly, and don't much care for the place. It does have a great restaurant scene, and yes there's history and some major museums. However, I much prefer the ambience of Boston. DC is great, very walkable,has a great Metro system, a place that I spent significant years of my childhood, and the closest city that I really enjoy going to. We don't get up to Boston all that much because it's a pretty lengthy journey by train (although beautiful on Amtrak going along the Atlantic coastline), but I find it a really attractive city that feels a lot more genteel and much less gritty than Philly. Of course, we're not going to spend time in Southie or more dubious parts of Boston. I'd have to look at Boston's actual population to know if the city itself is in the top 20, but it's one of those cities that is hemmed in by a bunch of other towns, so the metro area is pretty big.

Here's a thought: I think we should generally refrain from insulting each other's states, cities, and regions, at least in broad, generalizing terms. A guy I know through my church often puts up stuff on Facebook about Texas politics and makes comments like, "This shows that Texas is a s--thole state..." He's actually a Connecticut Yankee whose lived in Philly for years. He's very socially inept, so I never say anything or challenge him on his broad denigration of the state in which I was born and spent the greater part of my life. We actually pretty much agree on political views, I think, and I sometimes post stuff on Facebook making fun of particular Texas politicians, but without the broadly denigrating comments. It actually hurts to feel that one is on the receiving end of these insults, even though those issuing them usually don't know what they're talking about (I doubt this guy has ever been in Texas). In the same way, I don't want to hear people broadly and ignorantly badmouthing Delaware, when they likely have no actual experience of the state. On the other hand, some people on forums like this one don't seem to understand even a nuanced critique and instead take it as an attack.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by pipo11

States like Texas or Florida, without state income taxes, are more dependent on federal money than states with local taxes. Texas receive more federal money than it currently pays to the federal government.

State income taxes have nothing to do with net donor state or net recipient status. It has much more to do with what the federal government does in a a particular state - military bases, federal agencies, etc.