Things left unsaid

The Wall Street Journal trots out hack Michael Barone to argue the merits of Texas and something he calls the "Texas model". According to Barone, all of America's problems can be summed up in two words: taxes and unions. Texas, not being burdened by either of these, is what the rest of America should look like:

Back in the 1930-70 period, liberal political scientists hoped and expected that America would become less like Texas and more like New York, with bigger government, higher taxes and more unions. In one important respect—the abolition of legally enforced racial segregation—that has happened. But otherwise Americans have been voting with their feet for the Texas model, with its low tax rates, light regulation and openness to new businesses and enterprises.

It is somewhat odd - or it would be if right-wingers were not congenital liars - that Texas' wee budget problem goes unmentioned by Barone:

The Texas budget is expected to run a $27 billion two-year budget shortfall according to just-released state estimates.

That's worse than the $25 billion that Paul Krugman cited last week when he gleefully noted that a GOP bastion was facing deficit problems.

(Conservative pundit Kevin Williamson responded by saying that "insiders" were estimating a mere $11-$15 billion shortfall. Obviously those insiders were optimistic.)

Yep - add in batshit-insane politicians to this financial mess that is a direct result of batshit-insane fiscal policies, and Texas indeed offers some kind of model to the rest of the US!