Strange; I visit various cities in Texas repeatedly throughout the year on biz trips. I have remarked repeatedly that it is the one place in the USA that I travel to that is doing well, economically. No entirely empty office parks as in Illinois, no sales clerks telling me they can’t get jobs as certified teachers anywhere in southern California, no government near bankruptcy trying to pay state employee pensions as in Rhode Island. I’ve been told repeatedly when I’m there by people who have moved to Texas in the past few years that anyone can get a job there; it may not be the best job you’d like to get but its available, it pays and Texas is a heck of a lot cheaper in living costs than almost anywhere else I’ve been. Of course, what I’ve seen personally as an out-of-stater doesn’t fit the political agenda of the press.
I was there once last year, found that no one working in the service stations and fast food places spoke english as a first language.
You should stop by Killeen, Copperas Cove, Lampasas, etc. We’ve got closed store fronts popping up like mushrooms.
My son’s been trying to get a *good* job. he joined a ‘matchmaking’ service. every morning he gets 4-5 job openings, for jobs that pay $12-16 an hour that he’s qualified for.
And within a couple of hours, there are 600+ applicants for that one slot.
I’m sure it’s worse in many places; but it’s murder here, too.