Ochi reason number one...

[Grumpy]

Bush's record in Texas as governor...which I am sure you have all seen....

"UPDATE: 3/8/00:


And now, a response to all the people in chatrooms, on BBSes, radio and TV who have been telling us about how great things are in Texas with George W. Bush in charge and that he should be the President.


Bush on Education

Texas is 36th in Teachers salaries. (halfway through first term)(7)
Texas is 38th in Teachers salaries. (beginning of 2nd term) (7)
Texas is LAST in Teachers salaries. plus benefits. (7)
Texas is 41st in average spending on a student kindergarten thru 12th grade. (14)
Texas is 46th in High School Completion Rate. (8)

Bush on Children and The Family

Texas has the 2nd Highest number of children living in poverty. (9)
Texas has the 2nd Highest number of children without health insurance. (9)
Texas has THE HIGHEST percentage of children without health insurance. (9)
Texas has THE HIGHEST percentage of poor working parents without insurance. (9)
Texas has the 2nd Highest percentage of population without health insurance. (9)
Texas has the 5th Highest Teen Birth Rate. (10)
Texas is 48th in Per capita funding for public health.(10)
Texas is 47th in Delivery of social services. (10)
Texas is 45th in number of Mothers receiving prenatal care. (15)
Teen smoking - down nationally, flat in Texas. (11)
Teen drug use - down nationally, up in Texas. (11)

In fact, Teen Drug Use in Texas has gone up substantially under Bush's time as governor.

Teen drug use is now 30 percent higher than under Ann Richards governorship. (11)


1994 1996 1998
Ever Used Any Illicit Drug
Ever Used Inhalants
Ever Used Marijuana
Ever Used Cocaine/Crack
Ever Used Hallucinogens
Ever Used Uppers
Ever Used Downers
Ever Used Alcohol
Ever Used Tobacco 27.8%
18.7%
25.3%
5.6%
5.9%
7.0%
4.5%
74.1%
54.5% 33.7%
19.8%
31.2%
7.1%
7.4%
7.9%
5.6%
73.3%
55.2% 36.1%
22.0%
34.5%
9.3%
7.3%
8.2%
6.6%
72.1%
54.7%


Bush on The Environment

Texas is FIRST in Pollution released by manufactuting plants. (12)
Texas is FIRST in Pollution by industrial plants in violation of Clean Air Act. (12)
Houston is FIRST in number of Smog Days. (12)
Texas is 49th in spending for the environment. (14)

Bush on Quality of Life

Texas is 48th in spending for parks and recreation. (13)
Texas is 48th in spending for the arts. (13)
Texas is 46th in number of Public libraries and branches. (14)
Texas is 48th on a list of "The Best States to Raise Children"(15)
(It was 29th when Bush was elected)

Texas is FIRST in number of poor counties. (14)
Texas is THIRD in Overall Hunger (adults and children) (14)
Texas is 48th in Literacy. (14)
Texas is FIRST in deaths as a result of DWI. (14)
Texas is FIRST in gun-related child injuries and deaths. (14)




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UPDATE: 6/13/00:
We all know that crime has been going down all around the nation, right? Well, maybe not ALL around the nation. It turns out that Texas, despite having committed more executions than anyplace else in the Western Hemisphere... despite having concealed handgun laws that allow a weapon to be carried almost anyplace... despite having some of the most well armed citizens this side of the Michigan Militia... crime in Texas has gone up during Bush's term!

Click here to read the full FBI report (Must have Adobe Acrobat Reader) or check out a few choice picks from the bigger cities below.

Austin, Texas Crime Totals for 1998: 39,446.
Austin, Texas Crime Totals for 1999: 40,185.


Beaumont, Texas Crime Totals for 1998: 9,355.
Beaumont, Texas Crime Totals for 1999: 10,144.


Brownsville, Texas Crime Totals for 1998: 7,783.
Brownsville, Texas Crime Totals for 1999: 8,669.


Dallas, Texas Crime Totals for 1998: 101,974.
Dallas, Texas Crime Totals for 1999: 106,342.


El Paso, Texas Crime Totals for 1998: 35,787.
El Paso, Texas Crime Totals for 1999: 36,125.


Fort Worth, Texas Crime Totals for 1998: 35,491.
Fort Worth, Texas Crime Totals for 1999: 37,354.


Houston, Texas Crime Totals for 1998: 127,817.
Houston, Texas Crime Totals for 1999: 131,776.


Waco, Texas Crime Totals for 1998: 9,535.
Waco, Texas Crime Totals for 1999: 9,832.


Further evidence shows that this crime problem is limited to Texas and not a regional one.

Crime Index Trends By Geographic Region

Region

Total -7
Northeast -7
Midwest -8
South -4
West -10


Every region of the nation saw a reduction in crime to some extent. But note that the South, under which Texas is included in the FBI's crime reports (Click here for a listing of states by FBI region), had a much smaller drop than did the rest of the nation. That's because of the across-the-board crime upswings throughout the State of Texas.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Crime Totals for 1998: 24,569
Baton Rouge, Louisiana Crime Totals for 1999: 21,668


And, in case you were wondering, Arkansas is counted as a Southern state by the FBI as well:

Little Rock, Arkansas Crime Totals for 1998: 18,604
Little Rock, Arkansas Crime Totals for 1999: 17,499


Meanwhile, here's a Midwestern neighbor:

Wichita, Kansas Crime Totals for 1998: 23,303.
Wichita, Kansas Crime Totals for 1999: 20,977.


As falls Wichita, so falls Wichita Falls? Not where crime is concerned:

Wichita Falls, Texas Crime Totals for 1998: 5,891.
Wichita Falls, Texas Crime Totals for 1999: 5,973."

More to come as to why I am embaressed that this man is President....