The Lone Star State is not turning purple. Texas is a red state and that’s the way it’s staying. In fact, I suspect that Texas is turning more conservative, not less. Yes, there is a significant and growing Hispanic population. Yes, that demographic tends to vote Democrat. But there’s another demographic trend that doesn’t get much ink: red state refugees fleeing to Texas. You may say I’m a dreamer; anti-gun liberals will accompany the exodus and, eventually, carry the day. But I’m not the only one . . .
Out at the range today, a bearded OFWG Cowboy Action Shooter was adamant: Texas is drawing more and more “old-fashioned Americans” to its bosom. “Texas is like what America used to be,” he told me, after attributing the shooting genre’s success to its connection to traditional values of independence and resilience. “Blue states are driving right-thinking people out of their home towns. A lot of them are coming to settle in Texas.”
The anecdotal evidence is in. I’m constantly running into freshly minted Austinites who are also right-thinking right-leaning voters.
The guy who upgraded my alarm system left California two months ago to escape red tape and taxes. “Once I get on my feet I’m setting-up my own security company,” he said. “My wife and I saved $10k a year just by moving here.” A school Dad I met at movie night relocated his software company to Austin from the Big Apple (New York not Cupertino). Why? “Are you kidding?” he replied. “This is an incredibly business-friendly place.”
More to the point (of this website) both men are gun owners. Living in a gun-friendly city. Not once have I encountered any negativity towards what I do for a living, in a town with a reputation for hippie love-ins. Quite the opposite. When the woman working at the dry cleaners heard me talking about gun rights she had to chime in. “You’re talking my language,” she said. “I like this guy.”
Equally, the gun business is booming in Austin. Sure, America’s second largest state capital has kept new gun ranges out of the city (save for the ancient and not-at-all venerable Red’s). But Austin gun stores are doing land office business. And there’s plenty of firearms action outside Austin City limits; including plans for an upmarket members-only range.
Small training companies like Hex Tactical Resources (VP Rachea Pendley above) are springing-up to cater to the demand for the newly shortened Texas Concealed Handgun License (CHL) classes. At the same time, they’re finding paying customers for courses in low-light handgun engagement, intro to defensive carbine, combat shotgun and women-only classes.
I get the feeling Austin’s reaching critical mass: there’s a large number of gun-oriented entrepreneurs, plenty of seed capital (i.e. money) and a business-friendly environment. Could Austin could become the Silicon Valley of firearms? That’s probably wishful thinking from a blue state refugee. Then again, TrackingPoint; the fresh and funky firearms manufacturer that tapped into the local high-tech industry and the State’s passion for guns.
The Truth About Guns is here too. Me, specifically. Dan soon. And now that the weather’s turned hot (rather than roasting) and I know where to buy radicchio, I’m beginning to kick out the jams gunwise. I’ve got to say that picking-up a gun and shooting stuff has been a welcome break from writing about defending our right to pick-up a gun and shoot stuff.
There’s no doubt in my mind that our gun rights’ safety is directly proportional to the number of people who shoot guns recreationally. Once you’ve experienced that pleasure, whether you’re in New York or Texas, you don’t want to lose it. That’s a part of the gun rights debate you don’t hear often. Or, at the least, often enough.
If PA keeps going the way it’s going, I’ll be looking for a new southern home. TX, AL, TN, and GA are all in the running.
What about KY we’re pretty gun friendly well in the west we are who knows what goes on in the hills out east.
I live just across the river from those hills and roam them frequently. Ky is more permissive than my home state of OH, and Ohio has not much to object to. Eastern KY is if anything more conservative and more gun friendly than western KY.
Idk I live in western KY we still have guns at yard sales and plenty in the show n tell however i hear places like louisville and frankfurt ain’t all that friendly bu here in Madisonville and Hanson open carry goes largely unnoticed.
My old man lives in eastern KY. Aunt and uncle live in Ashland. I don’t know what their gun laws are like but everybody has them and the last time I was there they were still selling guns at yard sales and in newspaper adds. Private sales thru newspaper adds without an ffl are cool.
Oh yeah. There’s a web sight up here where guns are bought and sold. Found a genuine Costa Mesa AR-7 for 200 bucks. Near new condition. I like being in a mostly free state. Tho Oregon is horribly blue, the gun laws are near normal.
Tom, please share 🙂
Pennsylvania strikes me as an old-fashioned Democratic-leaning state, in that it tends to vote for the Democrat in presidential elections, but yet has a lot of conservative leanings and is not a gun control happy state. The gun control proposals in Pennsylvania failed post-Newtown.
Kyle, you’re pretty spot on with that image of PA.
Diddo with Florida too.
It votes democratic in national elections because of only a few counties around around Philadelphia and and Pittsburg with their huge populations. All of the other counties are republican supporting and so win at the state level
What scares me is this idea of shrinking the legislature. That would increase the influence of the philly ring counties and pump more and more money into each state house race. I like have a rep who is accessible.
There were no gun control proposals post CT. There were the annual bills introduced by the philly and ring county legislatures, and as always they died in committee with no co sponsors.
Here in STL. MO. the Proud Home of the ST. Louis Cardinals, the late great Cardinal Yogi Berra once said “Deja Vu all over again.” IMO, that’s precisely what is once again happening in the great State of TX. in that it’s “The Alamo” all over again…TX. is once again the “Last Stand” and if we lose her we lose the Union as we know it…Let’s MAKE DAMN SURE that does not happen!
Pretty sure Yogi never played for the Cardinals…though I do know he is a St.Louis native. Had a buddy got to Wash U for Grad school. Visited him a few times as was quite impressed. Dog Town was cool. my Uncle lives in Centralia. MO is a real American state.
Yogi only played for the Yankees and, briefly, the Mets. He’s now 88 years old and hardly the “late” Yogi.
Your historical analogy is broken. The Texans did lose the Alamo, but went on to win the revolution against Mexico (mostly as a result of the victory at San Jacinto). The Alamo (along with the massacre at Goliad) served as a rallying cry and motivating symbol, but was strategically worthless. Sam Houston considered the defense of the Alamo a waste of resources, and refused to send reinforcements once it became clear it was a lost cause against an overwhelming enemy. I don’t think that’s our situation today in regards to Texas and gun rights. Maybe California is a better “Alamo” in your analogy.
And that’s your Texas history lesson for today, kids. Come back tomorrow, and we’ll discuss the Galveston hurricane of 1900, and Spindletop!
Since I’m no where near retirement, there also has be a job for me in my field.
PA feels pretty stable to me. Yeah, it’s tinged purple due to farking Philly, but I don’t feel it slipping yet. Kathleen Kane is a worry, though. Like to see her go.
The fact is, Texas is growing more libertarian, which is being mistaken as “purple”. I appreciate the fact that many of my fellow Texans are now calling out BOTH parties for their misdeeds, which is necessary to a free republic.
^^ i hope this.
+1
But I am partial to neo-confederate.
I hope so too.
Austin is a great city and accepts many different lifestyles, which surprised me when I visited last year. Great food, great homes and properties, great music, and … ahem… strip clubs (some smoking hot girls), what’s not to like! And if you get a chance, go to the Mean Eyed Cat Bar, great atmosphere.
Ok. Prove it. If TX becomes an open carry state after the next session like va, nh, or even delaware (really texas?) or 20 other states I may be convinced. It’s a neocon state that’s getting bluer.
Texas a neoconservative state? Neoconservatives don’t elect people like Ted Cruz, IMO. Neoconservatives are generally okay with forms of bigger government, not big like the Democrats like, but bigger then what say a Reagan Republican would want.
Texas isn’t homogeneous politically. Northern Texas is the home of a bunch of conservative white folks and a number of white supremacist groups. The border areas are 75-85% Latin and there is nothing that scares the hell out of a redneck white kid quite like an armed Mexican. Don’t forget that Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston all have Democratic mayors.
I really don’t see gun ownership changing much in Texas for the next few decades because the folks around the borders are happy to arm themselves to keep the crazy rednecks out. So basically everyone supports gun ownership.
Not sure how no open carry == TX going blue.
Could our gun laws be better? Yes, no doubting that. It’s still plenty gun friendly and getting better all the time while other more pro-business policies are making it a better place to work and do business.
some people just love that negative kool aid. some just love to be cry babies. i think this guy fits both pretty well
You’re basing this statement on what?
Open carry alone isn’t enough evidence to support this kind of broad brush comment.
Even Ohio has open carry and has for years, with statewide preemption and shall issue concealed carry. We’re actually more gun friendly than Texas, and Ohio isn’t exactly what one thinks of as a hyper-conservative state. OC isn’t just allowed here, it’s normal enough that no one pays much attention, certainly not the cops. The worst I’ve heard off is cops suggesting that a person get a CCW so as not to upset the sheeple with open carry. Texas has a long way to go on gun rights.
In Texas we can have long guns and handgun in our vehicles without any licensing.
We can hunt large game, such as deer, with a suppressed, semi auto rifles and no limits on capacity.
Both those thing cannot be said for Ohio…
Texas is regard as a very pro gun state not because we have open carry or it’s super easy to get a CHL, though it’s getting easier and we are shall issue.
We are regarded as very pro gun because we have strong self defense laws, if you have to use your weapon. In some state you can open carry, but God help you if you have to use your weapon in self defense.
Our laws are very strong at protecting property rights and self defense.
Everyone gets all wrapped up with open carry, but it isn’t the only measure for a pro gun states.
In Texas we can have long guns and handgun in our vehicles without any licensing.
We can hunt large game, such as deer, with a suppressed, semi auto rifles and no limits on capacity.
Both those thing cannot be said for Ohio
Wrong, the only one that cannot be said for Ohio has to do with hunting regulations and honestly, who gives a crap about that? The majority of gun owners these days don’t hunt and those restrictions have been in place for decades.
so we got a long way to go. awesome. Texas is STILL one of the better states. No one says its the best one. alaska seems to have us beat by quite a large margin (if you can get over the whole no sun for x amount of hours thing)
either way, quit your whining. its not like RF moved to California. he chose to live here. move on.
I’ll take Colorado-outside-of-Denver over both Ohio and Texas *even with* our new crappy laws (no private sale without a background check, and no transfer of >15 round magazines). OC is legal here (other than Denver), AND we can have the gun on our person in the car without a permit. The only signficant hunting-based regulation is that long guns can’t have one in the chamber while you are driving, and you can’t shoot from your vehicle.
Denver, on the other hand is gun hostile, OC forbidden (somehow the state constitution doesn’t pre-empt Denver–I never understood that).
I am curious, but why doesn’t Austin allow new gun ranges in the city?
Because the noise stunts the growth of the pot plants.
Winner!
“I am curious, but why doesn’t Austin allow new gun ranges in the city?”
Eco folks, because a large part of Austin, surrounding areas have Edwards Aquifer under thin top soil (what it is sometimes called “goat country” and limestone, Other thing is Austin City Counsel is very liberal. Hence we live in Hays County, 30 miles south of Austin
I often wear one of my A Girl and A Gun T Shirts, have had a lot of gals approach interested in learning to shoot, or interested in shooting with other ladies.
I bought my acreage in Texas, just north of San Antonio. Will start building soon and moving. From Illinois…
People get fed up with hard core blue states. Where gerrymandering and 3 or 4 decades of liberal control basically has everyone in the state thinking “This is the way it is… guns are bad, people who gripe about taxes are evil rich and ungodly greedy”…
I’ve had enough. Texas will leave me alone. That is all I ask.
I was stationed in Texas for six years and loved it. I had thought about buying land in Texas just for the heck of it. I do own a house there but I want to get rid of it. I visited a few people with 4-6 acre plots of land south of the Austin area and North of San Antonio. I really wanted my own “Ranch”.
I am now in Kansas and will only be here for about 8 more months, but I like it. I can get whatever firearms I want and I would love to own a chunk of land here also, but I will probably not be back to Kansas for the rest of my career, but I will be in Texas again.
I think Texas will most likely suffer the same fate as North Carolina, though it may take longer.
Texas has a problem with a growing Hispanic population (left leaning by default) and corporations relocating to escape the crippling taxes that their own left leaning politicians inflict upon them.. and bringing employees WITH them that will vote for politicians to do the exact same thing in their new home state.
The result is not unlike a disease. The healthy parts of the country will gradually be infiltrated and infected by refugees from places like Detroit, NYC, and California.
Not to be all doom and gloom though. There might be a shot at winning if Texans take control of the Public Schools and start using propaganda (much like our opponents already do) to influence people.
Unfortunately I think there are more liberals than there are conservatives. Even relocating gun enthusiasts and conservatives can’t change that.
Look what happened to Colorado and Nevada. Solidly conservative, old time Western states that are becoming liberal havens.
You compare it to a disease. I say it’s more like an infestation. Locusts will transform a lush, green landscape into a barren wasteland. Then they move on to the next lush, green area. Liberals are the same way. Destroy California, Oregon and Washington, move into Nevada and Colorado. Next Arizona and New Mexico . . . and then Texas.
Your “disease” is called urbanization. Like it or not, urban environments are predominantly liberal, especially over social issues. Republicans may yet reclaim a part of that vote if they ditch the pro-bigot part of their party platform, but so far they have been moving in the opposite direction. Hopefully at some point they’ll move far enough on social conservative to lose so heavily that Libertarians come and take their place in the two-party system, and then we’ll see some real competition.
And all this talk about right-wingers seeking refuge in Texas etc? It may buy you a decade or two, but it’s just delaying the inevitable. Unless urbanization is reversed, more states will go blue. Heck, the only reason why the effect is not quite as pronounced yet is because red-states-turning-blue tend to practice gerrymandering more. And if all states implement proportional representation, the Dems will reliably get the majority in both Senate and the House – they would have done so in 2012, in fact.
Educated and urban folks tend to vote blue. That’s why Texas does its best to limit public education.
What an idiotic statement. Hispanics are not left-leaning by default. No one has any sort of political ideology hardwired into their brain. It would’ve been more accurate to claim that they come from countries that are predominantly leftist. But I assure you, at least here in Mexico, we have our fair share of conservatives (by American standards) and right-thinking people.
He did not write that Hispanics are leftwing by genetics.
The facts are that the vast majority of Hispanic Americans vote Dem and support left leaning positions culturally and economically. You can verify this by checking Pew polls.
“… In 2012, the Pew Research Center’s National Survey of Latinos found that among Latino immigrants who are not U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents (and therefore likely unauthorized immigrants), some 31% identify as Democrats and just 4% as Republicans…”
“The predictions about how unauthorized immigrants will vote stem from the fact that among all Latino immigrants who are eligible to vote (i.e. are U.S. citizens) many more identify as Democrats than as Republicans—54% versus 11%. And in the 2012 presidential election, according to the National Election Pool, Latino voters favored Democrat Barack Obama over Republican Mitt Romney by 71%-27%.”
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/07/22/are-unauthorized-immigrants-overwhelmingly-democrats/
More on culture here:
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-politics-values-and-religion/
If you look at the graphs in your culture link, it becomes clear that Hispanics are predominantly pro-big govt, but also more conservative than average. In other words, what Republicans actually stand for, except being honest about it. So the only reason why they actually vote for Dems is because of their stance on immigration.
Why is that man in the cowboy hat wearing pajama bottoms? Can he not afford regular pants?
because he is a total BA with two guns on his hip, so he can wear whatever he wants.
LMFAO!
Tactical pajamas?
Shhhh, pajama patrol.
Texas sounds like a paradise, with steak and rifle ranges as far as the eye can see. Now if only it wasn’t blisteringly hot and sunny there.
On a different note, can anyone tell me the advantages of that women’s hand guard? I believe its a Troy.
It is a Troy alpha rail, but the part toward the front is a magpul AFG( angled fore grip) it’s an ergonomic middle ground between a standard forend and a vertical grip
I would love to move to Texas, but I want snow for Christmas (although I have been told I could take a trip to the mountains each winter for that). I was considering Colorado, but now they have a magazine size limitation. I love the countryside of upstate New York, but this is a horrible state for business and gun rights. Kentucky’s countryside looks nice. I have heard northern Texas has some nice countryside, but I am afraid of tornados.
Come to Arizona. If you can’t stand the heat in Phoenix, there is always Prescott and Flagstaff.
Flagstaff is just plain what a city ought to be. I love that place.
Ha the panhandle has snow, and like you said, tornadoes 😀
Come to Kentucky for the most part we’re friendly folk who leave each other alone and open carry doesn’t incite a rash of 911 calls and breathless hot and bothered news stories from a pretty girl on the TV
Just recently a friend of mine met me in the parking lot of the Ashland, KY mall. We had planned a shooting trip and he was going to ride with me. We were transferring his guns from his car to mine when an Ashland PD officer pulled up. He asked us if we were going shooting to which replied in the affirmative. then he asked us where since he didn’t have a place to shoot. . . and we all admired each others guns and talked about what sort of shooting we like and where we do it.
After trading phone numbers he went on his way. . . though he keeps texting me about when he can have some time on my private range.
You know, like we’re all people, and free, and we’re in America, and all that.
Same here in the west most cops that see me out on my porch cleaning guns (hoppes 9 triggers fits in my kids from the smell) they ask what I got where i shoot and where i got some of my gear then go on their merry way although some are pricks and will pull you over for havin a headlight out ignoring the other three silver cars with only one headlight and give you a fix it ticket.
Ardent, I knew there was a reason I liked you that somehow seemed to go beyond agreeing with you. My dad is from Ashland, and I still have family in Flatwoods. If it didn’t get so damn cold there, I might move. Even though I was born and raised in Florida, the hills of eastern Kentucky have been home to my family (both sides) for at least 250 years. That’s as far back as I’ve been able to trace my family tree, and they’ve all been within 75 miles of the confluence of the Little Sandy and Ohio Rivers. I won’t even hold it against you that you’re from across the river.
Hell, we might all be relates. Born in Huntington WV, moms family from greenup county KY. Family all thru Ohio, WV and KY.
I moved from Detroit area to suburbs of MO. Gotta tell ya, I like it here, and the gun laws are very liberal (in a good way).
And how about that arrest of open carry in Austin a few weeks ago? Or, did you all forget about that.
Or Austin’s anti-gun Police Chief Acevedo. Or the lack of open carry (mentioned above). Or the adherence to Bush the Elder’s Gun Free School Zones Act (though there is an armed school marshall program now).
No question: there are better places for gun rights than Texas. But the culture is strong and supportive of gun rights and the laws aren’t anywhere near as bad as NJ, CA, NY, etc.
the laws aren’t anywhere near as bad as NJ, CA, NY
Damned with faint praise, y’all.
What about Vermont? I heard VT has the most liberal gun laws…in fact more liberal than TX according to Wikipedia.
I would have thought that the state with the most liberal gun laws is Alaska…
And having better laws than Texas is not really all that uncommon, even among blue states. Lack of open carry, and fairly expensive concealed carry licenses, drive down the score quite a bit.
I can see how some may think Tehas is going to change for the worst eventually.
I certainly hope not.
But I can see how my part of Florida the South Eastern Tri County area is going blue.
All ex frekkin NYers here……myself included but I never fit in NY anyway.
Thankfully the rest of the state tells the folks here to FOAD.
Im sure for the foreseeable future Tehas is safe.
Tejas
Robert you are correct sir (Ed McMahon voice). California has lost jobs to Texas. Here in Seattle Boeing is moving jobs to Red states like South Carolina. Love Texas.
Boeing is also moving its defense work to Oklahoma, and San ANtonio, and St. Louis. . . . . . low cost states vs. the jobs closing out of LA and Seattle areas. . . . .
The fun thing here is that, as jobs move, so do people…
If you like Detroit, you will love Obamaland!
Here in Austin it is certainly a liberal bastion in a sea of red, but the important point is that they don’t really control very much of anything. They can ban grocery bags and other silly annoying stuff, but it is nothing like San Francisco. Texans who haven’t been to San Francisco seem to think otherwise, but Austin is a very nice place to live. The liberals can’t go too far and the conservatives can’t go too far, and everyone gets along.
And where can I find a “Keep Austin Armed” shirt? One that isn’t pink, that is.
Fond it.
http://www.fullautotees.com/
RF, you just told my story to the T. The wife and I moved to central TX this summer to escape CA’s cost of living/taxes/gun laws/et al. I get the sense that Texans are leery of people moving here because of those tech companies that brought a lot of liberal employees with them. But once they see the NRA card and realize that many reds are leaving places like CA, IL & NY to avoid silliness, they realize that people are bringing their money, politics and work ethic with them.
The “hippy love inn” thing is a misconception. Think more themed play party’s with a poltical barometer leaning distinctly to exstreme sexuall libertariansim, not really socialism like hippies their kinda ecomnomically nilist in that many of them will say things like “fuck big pharma maaan” but they don’t have any ideas for collectivist economics since their whole “it’s bushes fault” thing ran face first into cold hard reality. So now it’s just down “fuck the government and live fast and legalize soft drugs maaan” I’ve been around these people a lot and most of the ones I have met are least open minded about self defense and many others are comparable to people like J Grant.
I’d move to Texas but I’m neither Republican nor Democrat, and I imagine there is a growing group of people like me.
Free State Project might be just the thing for you.
NC reporting in.
Concealed carry has broad scope here. Permits are shall-issue. Open carry is legal. Ruger, Bushmaster, and others manufacture here.
Glad to hear Texas is on the uptick, but I’m stayin’ put for now.
The top pic looks like it was taken at Best of the West.
I thought the same.
It was
Welcome again to the Republic. Texas born and bred here. Just up I-35 from you in the D/FW area. Did grad school down on 6th street.
Small business owner; I like the very much the states pro biz attitude.
But I do worry about the future with the blue state people/attitude like Wendy Davis and the Castro brothers from San Antonio trying to buy votes by giving away other peoples money like Comrade Obama. Look at your wonderful police chief as a good example of someone who thinks they know more than the people they serve. Then the next step will be “common sense gun regulations” you know “for the children”.
Please enjoy the hospitality, bar-b-cue, music scene and the pro 2A culture. I will apologize again for the heat July thru Sept.
RT
The governors race in Texas will be one to pay attention too. That may be a turning point event.
Where can I get a “Keep Austin Armed” T-shirt?
You take the shirt; I’ll take the display stand…
Not all Democrats are created equal, so there might be another ray of hope for our largest buffer state.
I live in Kansas, and while our Democrats tend (like their less enlightened bretheren elsewhere) toward tax and spend rather than don’t tax but spend anyway, personal liberty, freedom and firearms are not a partisan issue here.
Hell, our house minority leader is from Lawrence and is vehemently pro-2A.
I’d hope that a significant percentage of those Lone Star blue dudes would bear more than a passing resemblance to the Eisenhoweresque variety hereabouts.
I wish you every good fortune, Texas; may you one day be as free as we Free Staters — or even more so.
EDIT: Not all blue states are created equal, either.
I’d strongly advise Mr. Bloomberg and his minions to steer clear of New Hampshire, Vermont, Ohio, Iowa, Oregon, Pensylvania, most of Maine et cetera, and I’d advise POG to steer clear of, well the only rotten Red state that comes to mind is Lousiana — you’ve got me there.
But many Red states, while not rotten, are hardly bastions of firearm freedom — even by the standards of most Blue states.
Lumping all blue states in with the likes of Illinois, New York, Калифорния and so on is like lumping all of New York State in with Bloombergonia or all of Illinois with Chicago.
Let’s not judge the book by its color, eh?
Ohio is not a blue state sir, and only purple because it somehow lost it’s mind and voted for Obama, we have a republican governor and we’re 50/50 on senators with the southern half of the state being so republican that to run on any other ticket for any office is folly.
Noted.
And as a Kansan, I appreciate Ohio.
This is random but slowly driving me mad; the title of this post misspells ‘Random’ and more bothersome, under Leave a Reply in the comments section it states “Please use your real name instead of YOU company name or keyword spam.” If someone could change that to ‘your’ I could stop cringing.
Thanks.
Your shouldn’t let youself get so upset by litle tings.
Well played, sir!
As I understand the Hispanic voters in Texas are not nearly as Democratic voting as they are in many other states.
Just curious why RF stopped in Austin. Another 30 miles to the south and he could have enjoyed green trees all winter in San Marcos.
Once I’m out of uncle sam’s canoe club, Texas will be my permanent home of residence. DFW, in specific. No income taxes, gun friendly, business friendly, and I can have the biggest gas guzzler truck, a sports car, a huge house, and a pool, for about 1/3 of what it’d cost me back home (MD). Screw the liberals and their policies.
Dream on. Demographics is destiny and in-migration is lower than birthrate. Steve Murdock (former head of Census, my demographics prof at TAMU, and as red as can be) lays it out. http://www.teda.org/uploads/2/8/1/1/2811539/teda3_24.pdf
Texas will be blue again.
I grew up in California when it really WAS California; laid back, mind your own business, live and let live. Then, the NYC crowd, along with 10 million other east coasters moved here and voila! We have all of the taxes, nosiness, and top down bs we can stand. A lot of extreme northern and eastern Sierra Nevada is still very conservative. We are overwhelmed with San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, etc……I am beyond fed up with the taxes upon taxes, high cost of everything, and the immense government presence in every part of your life. I am looking for a job in Texas. Hopefully, my conservative mind set will be welcomed!
RF, you have restored my faith in the AI….
for now. either you’ve swayed everybody off their anti-texas my state is better than texas high horse, or everyone on them didnt bother to comment. why get into a pissing contest over who has the better state when we should be focusing on the socialist states of Illinois, New York, Connecticut, and their leader, California.
Top picture t-shirt logo re-write:
Got Milk?
i love texas…good food, the best music around, mostly like minded folks
and while i am considering heavily a move from my native state of Michigan(which is about as blue as a red state can get without making the official transition to smurf city) i must say that Texas is not one of my go to states for one simple, but very big reason.
they do not allow handgun open carry, there is very limited circumstances for 18-20 to be able to carry a firearm in public, limited mostly to rifles and shotguns.
Alaska, Arizona, Kentucky, Virginia, west virginia and even arkansas are actually much much more firearms friendly, contrary to popular(uneducated) opinion.
now if texas was to get rid of their racist open carry ban(OC was originally banned and CC to require a may issue permit in an effort to bar blacks from bearing arms, as is the case with all no OC states with exception to new york and illinois) then it would probably move to #1 on my list in a heartbeat, im a big country boy and for folk like me texas would be heaven, i just cant go there if they continue to deny civil rights based on reconstruction era laws.
Those living in the past have not noticed that Michigan is moving in the right direction. Liberal gun laws. Recently became a right to work state. Republican governor who balanced the budget. Major progress in eliminating blue death spiral in Detroit as a result of the old mayor going to jail and the bankruptcy. And we have the country’s best gun author Brian Patrick. Brian has turned the left’s academic tools back on them.
He said by default. What does that imply? That we are automatically going to be Democrats. The only reason why Hispanics vote Democrat is because of their stance on immigration. The Republicans would win an entire demographic if they were a little more accepting of immigrants.
Let me get this straight, Robert. You’ve JUST relocated to Texas, you take a layman’s demographic survey at a gun range of all places, and you feel you can safely proclaim “Texas isn’t turning purple”.
Please.
Let me clarify what is happening to you with a little analogy – the Human eye. If you stare at a bright green poster for a several minutes and then look at something else, say a white poster, it will look red.
You have just come from a blue saturated state, and right now purple is looks very red to you as a result. Give your eyes some time to adjust.
Point taken. But it’s not just the gun range. I’m all over Austin, running into people from all walks of life including UT types, dopers and musicians. If Austin is as liberal as Texas gets, it’s not that liberal. Some of the people I’ve met are Democratic voters. But all that I’ve encountered are pro-gun and libertarian.
Just because folks are libertarian doesn’t mean they lean red. However, I say that with a caveat. I’ve spent most of this year in the People’s Republic of CA, and I think most folks here think I’m pretty far right of center because of my support of the 2nd Amendment and wanting Snowden’s ass renditioned pronto. In Texas, it’s perfectly normal to be left of center and part of the AI.
>> wanting Snowden’s ass renditioned pronto.
Given that Dianne Feinstein, of all people, wants Snowden’s head, I don’t think that’s in any way a reliable indicator of left or right leanings. It does place you firmly in the statist camp, though.
@int19h Everyone who has taken that oath knows the penalties. Feel free to exercise you beliefs, but Snowden should man up and face the music.