This is Leadership?

This is the type of success that the Rethuglican leadership crowd in Bush's party is bringing to Texas.

Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, this morning released the 2007 version of his profoundly depressing booklet “Texas on the Brink: How Texas ranks among the 50 states.” It’s a handy quick-reference to exactly how bad things are in Texas. Shapleigh’s office has compiled the rankings, complete with footnotes and all, for three straight sessions. Perusing the numbers, you realize Texas is actually worse off than you thought. A few of the highlights (and we’re using that term loosely):

49th in per capita tax revenue raised;
50th in per capita state spending;
47th in average SAT scores;
50th in percentage of population over 25 with high school diploma;
1st in percentage of uninsured children;
1st in percentage of population without health insurance;
49th in percentage of women who vote;
1st in air pollution emissions;
1st in toxic chemicals released into water;
1st in cancer-causing carcinogens released into air;
44th in home ownership rate;
50th in electric bill affordability;
1st in number of executions;
1st in number of gun shows.

This is also the type of success (criminal negligence) that we see on display in Washington under Chimpie and his group of incompetents. Can't wait for 2008.
Posted on The Human Stain