Posted on 10/27/2014 1:06:46 PM PDT by thetallguy24
Conservatism is supposed to mean less government, especially in terms of spending. In Texas, nearly every Republican candidate takes a hard turn to the right to prove just how conservative they have been. This marketing strategy has proved quite successful, considering that Republicans are expected to again dominate our state executive and legislative branches. How has the record matched with the rhetoric over the years?
Last year, a massive debate swirled about how much the state was increasing its budget. The Wall Street Journal and conservative/libertarian groups like the Texas Public Policy Foundation claimed the 2014-15 budget was increasing by 26% compared to the 2012-2013 budget. Governor Rick Perry and legislators fought back by saying it wasn’t even close to that big of an increase if you took into consideration population growth and inflation. While neither side came to an agreement over a proper formula, what the debate proved was that you can make numbers look any way you want if you create the right formula. Without the formulas, the numbers don’t lie.
Since 2001, Texas has seen both great economic (real GDP up nearly 44%) and population growth (up 25%). State spending, however, has outgrown both combined. In fact, state spending has outgrown the “out-of-control spending” of the Federal government. As you can see in the chart below, Texas’ net expenditures have increased since 2001 over 87% compared to Federal outlays having increased at a rate of just over 85%. They are practically a mirror of one another.
As politicians argued in 2013, many now will say that these numbers are too simplistic. But, if you use their own formula of population growth + inflation that was used in 2013, you will only get a cumulative total of 57% (25% growth + 32% inflation), well below our states’ total spending growth.
This information certainly won’t affect the outcome of the upcoming elections, but the 84th Legislative session is just around the corner, and the budget is always the talk of the town. If you meet with your legislator before then, ask him/her if they think the Federal government’s spending is out of control. Without a doubt, most Republicans will say yes. If they do, then show them the above chart, and ask them if the same answer should apply to Texas as well. Remind them that conservatism means less not more.
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Isn’t that the same excuse Republicans made about Congress’ spending during the Bush years because we has such a great economy?
Please don’t forget the Rocky Mountain boom that’s currently going on.
Texas is not a country. It is a state.
The deficit was declining 2005-2007 under Bush.
It was at 160 billion dollars for 2007 along with 4.5% unemployment rate.
It was at that time that the nation thought it wise to turn over governance to the democrats.
I am not slightly fazed to suggest that Democrats radically increased spending in 2007 and crashed the economy in 2008.
Not only that, but the spending Bush agreed to in 2008 was paid back to taxpayers with interest because of how the law was written.
Spending should always be measured as a percentage of GDP - and if that percentage is too high, then gov should/must shrink with the economy. But with a booming economy, I’m sure all Texas financial stats are up.
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