Opinion: Is Texas Doomed?
Texas is the state that wakes up every day and chooses chaos. In recent times, Texas has dominated news headlines with its recurring calamities and bold decisions that defy democracy.
As of 09/02/2021, Texas is attempting to overturn Roe v Wade, essentially banning abortion and offering $10,000 rewards for information regarding women who attempt to get an abortion. This archaic practice of limiting women's rights resembles that of middle eastern Islamic practices. This is terrifying and a major regression for the state. While the state is heavily conservative and takes Christianity very seriously, the legislature is taking women back 50 years to when the Roe v Wade case decision was made in 1973.
For those unfamiliar with Roe v Wade, it was a court case regarding abortion which was ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court to be a woman's right, protected by the Constitution, to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction. This case typically falls under the 14th amendment which addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the law.
On the same day, Texas has passed legislation to allow permitless weapon carry. Previously, concealed carry required training and permitting to carry a weapon (typically a pistol) on one's person. Passing this legislation really shows where Texas' priorities are at and can be summed up into a single statement that most of Texas abide by:
Guns have more rights than women.
On top of this heinous disregard for half of their population, Texas has been at the forefront of many other disasters such as the handling of COVID and their power grid.
The State has been overly skeptical of COVID, claiming the illness, vaccines, and masks are a hoax. The Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott has even pushed orders barring mask mandates throughout the state. Keep in mind, the state has one of the highest COVID infection counts in the country due to the reckless and selfish rhetoric that is being passed around. It's extremely hypocritical that the citizens of Texas shouldn't be forced to be vaccinated with a "right to their own bodies" but that same rule does not apply to women and abortions.
Finally, Texas' power grid has been put on blast due to its inability to handle harsh weather. The standalone grid has shut down from both extreme heat and cold, leaving millions without electricity when it is needed and actually causing deaths. Unlike most of the country, the Texas Interconnection is its own power entity. There are 3 in the US: The Eastern Interconnection, the Western Interconnection, and the Texas Interconnection. The Texas Interconnection is the one in question. There's plenty of great articles on this, such as this one: https://www.texastribune.org/2011/02/08/texplainer-why-does-texas-have-its-own-power-grid/
Texas is a large and powerful state with heavy beliefs amongst most of its population. By going against the grain of what the rest of the country is doing, it opens vulnerabilities to problems that no other state faces. Reducing rights, failing infrastructure, and poor public policy handling resemble many countries that are deemed "failed states".
Doom feels imminent, and we feel for those trapped in this rogue state.