[Bob Mc]

"I don't get it. I was sure that only Kaliforniastan was a jackbooted socialist cesspool, and that Texas was a shining paradise of liberty. What gives?"

Austin, Houston, San Antonio are also becoming socialist government cesspools. In fact so are most of the major "big" cities across America. Remember the red/blue county by county map that showed where Bush won and Gore won. Rural America voted for Bush, cities voted for Gore. Texas was one huge red for Bush map, except for the counties containing Austin, Houston. These big cities are getting the kind of government they want.

[Dog Gone]

Actually, Bush carried the counties around and including Houston, too. The city limits of Houston is carefully managed to make sure it stays reliably Democrat, but the unincorporated suburbs are quite conservative. Think Tom DeLay.