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innovation-hacking2

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[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign.." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised.", ">\n\nWell, if we give them money for this, they'll just become dependent on handouts." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised.", ">\n\nWell, if we give them money for this, they'll just become dependent on handouts.", ">\n\nWhen are people going to realize that folks like Abbott don't want to solve problems? Their power depends upon generating and maintaining chaos and anger." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised.", ">\n\nWell, if we give them money for this, they'll just become dependent on handouts.", ">\n\nWhen are people going to realize that folks like Abbott don't want to solve problems? Their power depends upon generating and maintaining chaos and anger.", ">\n\nRegardless of what he says, you can see he looks up to Biden." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised.", ">\n\nWell, if we give them money for this, they'll just become dependent on handouts.", ">\n\nWhen are people going to realize that folks like Abbott don't want to solve problems? Their power depends upon generating and maintaining chaos and anger.", ">\n\nRegardless of what he says, you can see he looks up to Biden.", ">\n\nMaybe he should have been responsible and made better choices. \nYou know, the same thing he and his ilk tell poor people whom they’ve completely fucked over." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised.", ">\n\nWell, if we give them money for this, they'll just become dependent on handouts.", ">\n\nWhen are people going to realize that folks like Abbott don't want to solve problems? Their power depends upon generating and maintaining chaos and anger.", ">\n\nRegardless of what he says, you can see he looks up to Biden.", ">\n\nMaybe he should have been responsible and made better choices. \nYou know, the same thing he and his ilk tell poor people whom they’ve completely fucked over.", ">\n\nfuck every single idiot that voted for this pig" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised.", ">\n\nWell, if we give them money for this, they'll just become dependent on handouts.", ">\n\nWhen are people going to realize that folks like Abbott don't want to solve problems? Their power depends upon generating and maintaining chaos and anger.", ">\n\nRegardless of what he says, you can see he looks up to Biden.", ">\n\nMaybe he should have been responsible and made better choices. \nYou know, the same thing he and his ilk tell poor people whom they’ve completely fucked over.", ">\n\nfuck every single idiot that voted for this pig", ">\n\nPhoto looks like he’s willing to do “anything” to get that sweet border money." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised.", ">\n\nWell, if we give them money for this, they'll just become dependent on handouts.", ">\n\nWhen are people going to realize that folks like Abbott don't want to solve problems? Their power depends upon generating and maintaining chaos and anger.", ">\n\nRegardless of what he says, you can see he looks up to Biden.", ">\n\nMaybe he should have been responsible and made better choices. \nYou know, the same thing he and his ilk tell poor people whom they’ve completely fucked over.", ">\n\nfuck every single idiot that voted for this pig", ">\n\nPhoto looks like he’s willing to do “anything” to get that sweet border money.", ">\n\nFuck Greg Abbott" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised.", ">\n\nWell, if we give them money for this, they'll just become dependent on handouts.", ">\n\nWhen are people going to realize that folks like Abbott don't want to solve problems? Their power depends upon generating and maintaining chaos and anger.", ">\n\nRegardless of what he says, you can see he looks up to Biden.", ">\n\nMaybe he should have been responsible and made better choices. \nYou know, the same thing he and his ilk tell poor people whom they’ve completely fucked over.", ">\n\nfuck every single idiot that voted for this pig", ">\n\nPhoto looks like he’s willing to do “anything” to get that sweet border money.", ">\n\nFuck Greg Abbott", ">\n\nCut taxes, plead poverty, ask for handout, get handout. Repeat." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised.", ">\n\nWell, if we give them money for this, they'll just become dependent on handouts.", ">\n\nWhen are people going to realize that folks like Abbott don't want to solve problems? Their power depends upon generating and maintaining chaos and anger.", ">\n\nRegardless of what he says, you can see he looks up to Biden.", ">\n\nMaybe he should have been responsible and made better choices. \nYou know, the same thing he and his ilk tell poor people whom they’ve completely fucked over.", ">\n\nfuck every single idiot that voted for this pig", ">\n\nPhoto looks like he’s willing to do “anything” to get that sweet border money.", ">\n\nFuck Greg Abbott", ">\n\nCut taxes, plead poverty, ask for handout, get handout. Repeat.", ">\n\nF Texas" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised.", ">\n\nWell, if we give them money for this, they'll just become dependent on handouts.", ">\n\nWhen are people going to realize that folks like Abbott don't want to solve problems? Their power depends upon generating and maintaining chaos and anger.", ">\n\nRegardless of what he says, you can see he looks up to Biden.", ">\n\nMaybe he should have been responsible and made better choices. \nYou know, the same thing he and his ilk tell poor people whom they’ve completely fucked over.", ">\n\nfuck every single idiot that voted for this pig", ">\n\nPhoto looks like he’s willing to do “anything” to get that sweet border money.", ">\n\nFuck Greg Abbott", ">\n\nCut taxes, plead poverty, ask for handout, get handout. Repeat.", ">\n\nF Texas", ">\n\nso, abbott has been governor of Texas since 2015. I think it logical that Abbott should shoulder most of the blame for the on-going or worsening problems. He's been on the job for seven freaking years in texas. But, this guy feels it's appropriate to put blame on the current president. Methinks Abbott is running from his responsibilities and inadequacies as a governor." ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised.", ">\n\nWell, if we give them money for this, they'll just become dependent on handouts.", ">\n\nWhen are people going to realize that folks like Abbott don't want to solve problems? Their power depends upon generating and maintaining chaos and anger.", ">\n\nRegardless of what he says, you can see he looks up to Biden.", ">\n\nMaybe he should have been responsible and made better choices. \nYou know, the same thing he and his ilk tell poor people whom they’ve completely fucked over.", ">\n\nfuck every single idiot that voted for this pig", ">\n\nPhoto looks like he’s willing to do “anything” to get that sweet border money.", ">\n\nFuck Greg Abbott", ">\n\nCut taxes, plead poverty, ask for handout, get handout. Repeat.", ">\n\nF Texas", ">\n\nso, abbott has been governor of Texas since 2015. I think it logical that Abbott should shoulder most of the blame for the on-going or worsening problems. He's been on the job for seven freaking years in texas. But, this guy feels it's appropriate to put blame on the current president. Methinks Abbott is running from his responsibilities and inadequacies as a governor.", ">\n\nI thought only Democrats wanted to spend “government tax money”. I thought you wanted to secede from the US… go for it!" ]

[ "In April, Abbott began chartering busses to drop migrants off in other parts of the country, like Washington, DC, and Chicago, without giving those cities any notice — a program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\nTexas had spent $12 million on the efforts as of August, the Texas Tribune reported at the time. By November, the amount spent busing migrants out of state had risen to $20 million, according to local outlet WFAA.", ">\n\n\na program that Texas has spent millions of dollars on.\n\nIf you looked at the numbers, the amount paid and how many asylum seekers they trafficked, they could have sent these folks to the Blue States on airplanes in business class. \nIf you pried the lid off of this scam, I bet you discover a bus company owner who's a close personal friend to Abbott.", ">\n\nI wonder if it's to do with air travel being so heavily regulated federally. Like if using airlines would open them up to federal crimes where the buses wouldn't.", ">\n\nThis isn’t really the point being made though :)\nIt’s the fact that the amount of money ‘spent’ minus the amount of money it actually functionally took them to transport them, equals a ton of money that went easily unaccounted for and likely into the personal pockets of whom ever kingpin was involved in the deal with Abbot. It’s embezzlement.", ">\n\nYeah. They could have just given these poor people homes and jobs. But nope.....", ">\n\nCruelty and embezzlement in one convenient package.", ">\n\nWouldn't have sent the \"right message\" to their constituents or benefactors, apparently.\nFucking sad.... fucking embarrassing", ">\n\nThey are incompetent and throwing more money under their control just means that his buddies will get richer and still blame Biden", ">\n\nHe said that Biden should have visited ASAP in his presidency instead of two years later because of the \"damage he's done\". Apparently whatever the heck the Trump administration had been doing up until Biden's inauguration held no bearing on the border situation.", ">\n\nYeah like it was great under trump, but suddenly on day 1 of Biden's presidency it was fucked. How does that work?", ">\n\nI haven’t heard a single one of them screaming about a migrant caravan the last 2 years", ">\n\nThat's because they all upgraded to migrant Grand Caravans. They're kind of like the ones that used to be built in the USA, but now we import them from Mexico.", ">\n\nsoon they will be upgrading them to Astro Wagons.", ">\n\nWhat about the $1B he wasted to help the Trump administration fundamentally paint border fence? What a loser", ">\n\nWhose the real loser? The grifter or the people voting for them?", ">\n\nIt's losers all the way down.", ">\n\nAlways has been..", ">\n\nTexas is the worst state now. What’s fucked up is that the federal government allows shit politicians to drive states into the ground and everyone else hand waved it off as voters voted for it. What a shit show in the USA", ">\n\nIt’s so bad and it makes me so sad. My 75 yr old mom just told me she couldn’t take it anymore and she’s gonna move. Her grandparents built the town we live in. It’s heartbreaking.", ">\n\nMy husband and I are mid 60’s. After our whole lives in Texas, we left a year and a half ago. One kid and their family left too, the other is working on it. The rest of our extended family is happy to stay. I’ll always be a Texan but just can’t take Texas anymore. I tell people who ask, it didn’t use to be like this. It didn’t. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. \nWe maintained our Texas residency while living out of state, traveling back and forth to visit, doctor appointments, and so on, but mainly so we could vote this past election cycle. The turnout among democrats and the youth was poor, and yes, suppression is a huge problem. But apathy is worse, to me. Can’t even put up a fight? That was it, the last straw. We’re officially residents of New Mexico now. We love it here but miss a lot of things, mostly just the familiarity of home. \nI hope your mom finds her place. Tell her a kindred stranger is thinking about her.", ">\n\nThis is the sweetness of Texas I miss. I always say “you never stop being from Texas” 💜 but neither of us can live with this kind of hostility.\n New Mexico is gorgeous!! I wish you many beautiful sunsets.", ">\n\nFellow former Texan and current New Mexican checking in! \nPeople kept telling me it’s the same everywhere. It’s not. Being in NM is a delight compared to Texas (or Arizona).", ">\n\nYou’re giving me a lot of hope for my future. Thanks for sharing. It’s a tough decision to make, but it’s nice to hear I’m not alone.", ">\n\nBiden just needs to say it would be fiscally irresponsible to give Abbott more money after wasting so much shipping migrants to other states \"for the lolz\". Repubs love when you bring up fiscal responsibility, remember?", ">\n\nHe needs to point out that Abbott literally said in his debate with Beto he had billions of excess money sitting ready to be used to help Texans. I heard so many Republicans say they were going to vote for him specifically because \"he's the one who saved all that money to use for Texas.\" \nBut here he is crying about not having any money 🙄", ">\n\nIf he has a bunch of money saved up, it's because he hasn't been spending it to help Texas. He's been hoarding it. The stupidity of the people who voted for him astounds and infuriates me.", ">\n\nFor real. He's taxing them and not returning it to the people in any way as taxes are meant to be. They should be furious.", ">\n\nI sure as hell am, but I sometimes feel like I'm the only one.", ">\n\nMaybe they should use some of the State of Texas’ $8.7B rainy day fund? Maybe the money they’re begging for should go to fixing the grid, like they were supposed to do ten years ago? Maybe they should spend their ESF on addressing Texas’ Maternal Mortality Rate, which happens to be the worst in the fucking country. \nFuck Texas.", ">\n\nThe state’s budget surplus is unprecedented, with estimates showing it to be at least $27 billion, and possibly as high as $35 billion.\nIdk why Texas needs more federal money. Biden should withhold funds until Texas expands Medicaid which is paid by the federal government.", ">\n\nI'd rather see that money go back into public shools and help fix Texas education. I know the first thing we can do. Get rid of charter schools. Secondly, get rid of no child left behind. Third thing we can do is help parents with special needs children and behavior issue kids.", ">\n\nTX Rs: \"Best we can do is cut funding to public schools, spend more on charter school vouchers, make NCLB more stringent, and reprimand parents to raise their special needs kids better by threatening their safety nets if they don't without any extra information or assistance from us.\"", ">\n\nThat sounds way fucking accurate. They are trying to destroy public schools before everyone realizes it. Charter schools don't even offer a better enviroment for learning. They can also kick out kids for behavioral problems and other fucked up shit they choose to do. They also cost you more as a parent and there is no public transit and most don't even have elective sports.", ">\n\nYou would think no sports in high school would be a non starter for Texans", ">\n\nYou'd be surprised how many people here don't give a shit about sports. Yes football might be king but even then it is starting to have a down turn. Honestly unless you live in small town or a privileged community the stands are pretty empty.", ">\n\nOne of the many reasons my wife and I are actively looking for a place outside this festering shithole.\nReminder that Abbott, our shock-jock-turned-lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, and criminally indicted attorney general Ken Paxton all won re-election by double digits.", ">\n\n2022 gave truth to the lie that Texas is \"going purple!\" like people have been parroting since 2016. The major cities may have some well-educated people who can see beyond a 12-month time horizon, but the state as a whole is a dumpster fire. It's not going to get better.", ">\n\nIt's totally gerrymandered lol. The more purple it gets the more they move the lines.", ">\n\nGerrymandering didn't cause the parents with dead children in Uvalde to come out and vote for their kids to die more. They made that decision on their own. For the people in their right minds, get them out. Let the state sink.", ">\n\nIf he’s got money for political stunts he doesn’t need more federal money. He can ask his own legislature to increase taxes if he misspent and has run out of money.", ">\n\nOur legislature only meets every other year. They meet this year, so he couldn't have asked for the last year. \n(I have to point this out because of how fucking stupid it is these jackasses only work every other year.)", ">\n\nI agree that the Texas Legislature is a bit of a joke, but I feel the need to point out that the governor, if he really needed the money, could call the legislature into special session at any time to ask for a tax increase.", ">\n\nYou mean like...work? clicks mouth Yea that ain’t happening bud.", ">\n\nHe wants a government handout? Thats socialism!", ">\n\nSo he went from owning the libs to begging the libs...", ">\n\nStandard practice for Rs. They'll harshly criticize any federal government spending, oppose raising the debt ceiling every year, threaten government shutdowns, call anything dems want to send on \"wasteful\" and then quietly turn around with their hand out after they finish. There's a reason why the debt still goes up when Rs are in charge.", ">\n\nTexas needs more money while having no income tax. Time to tax those wealthy new Texans like Elon musk and joe rogan.\nedit:\ni get it, ya'll have other taxes. i've got income tax, property tax and sales tax. all i'm saying is these GOP clowns are more than happy to give tax breaks to the rich and get handouts from the feds. Texas should figure out their own \"Elon Musk\" tax.", ">\n\nHe spent plenty of our money on his bs political stunts. We may not have a state income tax, but we have sales tax that gives them plenty of money to spend on things we absolutely don't want them to spend it on. So much fun living somewhere where voters vote against their own wants/needs /s.", ">\n\nIt seems crazy that he has spent millions on that. Seems like an audit should be in order", ">\n\nWhat, you gonna get the indicted-since-2015- attorney general to do it?\nHe's in on it. We're being held hostage. It's hard to get your vote counted in texas. It's a criminal fucking enterprise that we can't get out from under.", ">\n\nJust saw the TX senate is going to ban reporters from the floor, so yeah its going good over there.", ">\n\nHey, I for one agree with Greg, the numbers aren’t adding up. \n3~4 million tax returns collected from illegal immigrants using ITIN with their employment information per year\nUp to 25 arrests per year for employing legal immigrants \nMaybe we could get more funding if we looked at where these millions of illegals are employed and arrest their employers, it’s not like they voluntarily tell us and give us money too… oh wait.", ">\n\nThat would hurt his donors, though. That's why they insist on going after those seeking a better life and not the ones who employ them. If they forced the employers to stop hiring illegals by actually enforcing the laws around that (with attention, fines, or arrests) it would mean they'd have to pay more in labor costs. When that happens, the cost of everything from produce to handbags would skyrocket. \nMeanwhile, Scabbot knows that for every undocumented working immigrant arrested, there are 20 more waiting to take that job, so it keeps prices low and the rabble from rioting because they're paying $30/lb for potatoes and apples. \nThere's also another added benefit. Republicans love that, because these people are undocumented, the employers can keep them in shitty and unsafe working conditions with low pay and no benefits. That plays right into their hardon for no worker's rights/safety regulations, and where the employer controls the worker's life. This fact is what really keeps him at half mast at all times.", ">\n\nBussing people all over the country isn’t cheap. Neither is not maintaining your grid so it requires costly repairs when it fails. \nYou’re on your own Mr Lone Star.", ">\n\nBusing is quite cheap. Busing with your friend's bus company isn't. They have spent $2000 per person. Not justifying busing the practice, but Greyhound gets you there for $150 then add in $150 for food.\nThe point is creulty with a grift on the side.", ">\n\n“Hey Kamala, can you ask Joe for more money so I can traffic people to your front yard again? Pretty please?”", ">\n\nI wish Biden would pat him on the head and tell him he already spent his allowance and should learn better fiscal responsibility", ">\n\nNot one penny more. Not one. You've proven that you are a despicable human being. One that cares nothing for those who are suffering. You don't deserve to be Governor of Texas. You don't deserve to be a resident of Texas. You don't deserve to be a citizen of this country.", ">\n\nAnd where will that money actually go? Another $20 million to bus legal migrants/asylum seekers in the dead of winter into a blue state with no prior warning? Or $19,998,000 into his friends’ pockets while bussing the migrants there with what’s left? \nDon’t give them anything. If they wanted to actually do something and help, they would have, but they don’t. The money is only a grift with no oversight.", ">\n\nIn the span of just 10 days, that poser wasted $9 billion on an 'immigration' stunt — $4B from Texas and $5B from the rest of the country — that got literally no results. He didn't intercept one single gram of fentanyl or any other drug.\n\nThe Week: Abbott's border policy cost the U.S. almost $9 billion in just 10 days\n\nThere is nobody more irresponsible with other people's money than republicans. The party's claim on \"fiscal responsibility\" is just a marketing slogan that the press amplifies but never interrogates.", ">\n\nFuck you, Abbott.", ">\n\nTexas wants Biden to say no so they can use it as a talking point on Fox News. Biden should ask them to show what theyve done with the likely billions theyve already been sent.\nTexas is defrauding the US government with these human trafficing stunts. Personally, I think the federal government should be asking for a refund.", ">\n\nHe sent a few buses to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. No warning, just left them in the cold to let someone else to help then. \nGreg Abbott can get a big fat load of nothing.", ">\n\nHow about you legalize cannabis and use the tax dollars to fund whatever immigration delusion you’re touting? Fucking dunce.", ">\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit", ">\n\n\nWhat a rolling pile of shit\n\nTexas, proudly earning it's one star year after year. \nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved. \nOh wait, Texans hate Mexicans but love exploiting their labor, I forgot.", ">\n\n\nTexas should just make it illegal to hire undocumented people and enforce it like an abortion ban, problem solved.\n\nThis is the answer!", ">\n\nThey need to call it domestic outsourcing.\nAlso, I wonder how all these people got the idea that crossing the border without a visa is legal?", ">\n\nSorry bud, Kevin McCarthy's House of Representatives has decided to cut government spending and governments ability to obtain revenue. \nMaybe Abbot should vote for Democrats who understand a government needs to be funded to operate.", ">\n\nMaybe pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Abbott, or whatever other shitty saying you Republicans like to use. Fuck off.", ">\n\nHe will spend any amount of taxpayer money for campaign stunts as will most other GOP elected officials. The GOP will not spend any making the people's lives better. Vote in 2023 in all local and state elections. Every election matters from the school board to the white house. Vote every time you can.", ">\n\nIt’s almost like these red states don’t have enough tax revenue to fund their state services. Hmmm. Interesting. \nshrugs in conservative voter", ">\n\nWhy are they asking the rest of us taxpayers? I thought they were so independent. Independent enough to cede the Union in fact. That’s what they threaten all of the time.", ">\n\nHonestly, I thought Texans were not a fan of big government stepping in. Let Texas pay for whatever they want to do. As someone who lived in Texas for 15 years I totally understand how much the Republican party lie to their people and how much they want to remain independent from the federal government. So screw them.", ">\n\nYou know what we need money for? Mental healthcare, education and affordable health care, but no these fucks keep crying about boogeymen.", ">\n\nGov. Greg Abbott said Texas 'desperately needs more money' to address the border after spending millions on human trafficking.*", ">\n\nI have no sympathy for Texas. They keep voting for these idiots.", ">\n\nHow about:\n1.) Let them in.\n2.) Get them jobs.\n3.) Increase GDP.", ">\n\nGuess funneling a shit ton of federal covid bux into OLS while cutting Guard members' benefits wasn't enough", ">\n\nNo. -Texan", ">\n\nAnd they want other states to subsidise them? Nah bruh, raise your taxes.", ">\n\nAsking for a handout Greg? \nYou'll appreciate it more if you work for it. \"Give a man a fish...\" and all that.", ">\n\nHey, it's Texas' border! It's a state problem.\nAsking for Federal money is just plain old socialism.", ">\n\nI live in Philly, where we are overwhelmed with [mostly white] opiate addicts. \nI would gladly trade Abbott one of our addicts for every two of his unwanted immigrants. I've worked closely with immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Those folks work HARD. They have FAMILY VALUES. They are COMMUNITY MINDED. They start small businesses. And, not for nothing, they often have awesome food and great tunes.\nIn the neighborhoods I canvassed during the 2022 election, if there was one thing that stood out to me was how nice and safe our low-income Latino neighborhoods were in comparison to the nightmare on Kensington Ave. So yeah, Greggers—I'm happy to trade you our white people for your brown people.", ">\n\nWait.. isn’t the GOP allegedly the party of fiscal responsibility?", ">\n\nHere’s a thought: Provide migrants with a work visa and then work with various US cities that have labor shortages to bus migrants to places that they want to go to.\nOh Chicago, you need more workers? Great, we have an influx of people that want the opportunity to work, let’s ask and see if they want to head up there.", ">\n\nHuman trafficker Greg Abbot seeks taxpayer bailout.", ">\n\nFuck that asshole. Ship red state MAGA lunatics by the busload to Greg Abbotts house. Make a trade- immigrants for MAGA losers.", ">\n\nAbbott totally mismanages and now wants Biden to bail him out. Typical republican.", ">\n\nNeed more money? I thought Republicans didn't want government spending? Maybe the Texas republican government needs to budget better, stop buying lattes and stop buying avocado toast? Where are the BOOT STRAPS?", ">\n\nSorry, no. That would be socialism. Can’t have any of that in Texas.", ">\n\nI thought Republicans were against government funding?", ">\n\nsounds like that's his problem.", ">\n\n(I have posted this before but I think it is relevant here.) \nThere is a super easy way to stop illegal immigration. It won't cost the government anything and no one has to go to jail. Use those vile civil asset forfeiture laws and go after the ill gotten gains of the people who benefit from the labor of illegal immigration. If it’s perfectly okay to seize a car or a home or a business for the crime of a little bit of weed then apply the same standard to those who commit the crime of employing illegal workers. \nIf an illegal immigrant is stocking shelves at a WalMart, seize the Walmart and auction it off. If an illegal immigrant is working construction, seize the construction site and the assets of the contractor and auction them off. Working at a nail salon? Seize the nail salon and auction it off. Mowing my neighbors yard? Seize his home and auction it off. Working as a nanny? Same thing. Seize the home and auction it off. If a farmer is using illegal immigration, seize the farm and auction it off.\nDo that a few hundred times and there will be next to no illegal immigration because no one will come here because they will starve to death if they do. But doing that will require going after rich white people who break the law of the land by paying them instead of the poor brown people who break the law of the land by coming here.\n-OR we could go the sane, rational route.-\nWe could be honest about this issue. We could address the fact that paying low wages is the ultimate end game of the businesses that exploit this labor. We could hold them accountable for shutting out American workers in favor of cheaper and more exploitable labor. We could acknowledge the fact that politicians use illegal immigration as a cheap dog whistle in order to pander and stoke the fears of their ignorant base. We could also address the fact that there is a place in our society and our economy that the labor of illegal immigration fulfills.\nPersonally, I think if someone comes here willing to work, they should be given a Social Security number, a warm smile, a firm handshake welcoming them to America and the legal protections in the work place we all enjoy. There should be swift and fierce retribution to any employer who exploits them.\nI work with illegal immigrants everyday. They are good, hardworking, decent, moral, human beings that only want to provide a better life for themselves and their families. \nBetween 1910 and 1925 All 4 of my grandparents walked off ships and started working. They along with all working people are what made America great.\nI will add that no illegal immigrant has ever hurt me. The demographic group of people who have hurt me have mainly been rich, old, straight, so called Christian, white men in suits. Because of them The only affordable healthcare I can get is through my job. Because of them I have a shitty 401(k) instead of a pension. Because of them I don’t have a union and all the protections they secure. Because of them my 16-year-old may very well be in massive debt by the time he graduates college. Because of them that same 16 year old will probably not be able to earn a true living wage once he does graduate college. Because of those old rich white men ALL of our rights are slowly being eroded away one idiotic piece of legislation and one ridiculous court decision at a time. If the old rich white men have their way the world will be a toxic waste dump in a few hundred years because why leave the world a better place for future generations when there is a few more cents to be added to the quarterly earnings per share statement now? Old rich white men are the ones who are truly suppressing this country. \nAnd yet people are still hung up on immigrants!", ">\n\nMaybe he should stop drinking starbucks and start meal planning. I hear thats the thing to do to save money", ">\n\nTake it out of his pocket. He had no business using funds on busing migrants to other states and the obvious money Laundering by these corrupt politicians, desantis im looking at you, needs to stop.", ">\n\nDon't they need first and foremost an updated power and water grid? Last I heard nothing much has changed on that front. Almost like they don't give a damn for their actual constituents. Rather waste money on wild goose chases, even though most illigal drugs and imigrants come by conventional means into the US. But I guess my European brain is just rotten with socialism or something and I don't get it.", ">\n\nSounds like Texas needs to get a second job, stop having avocado toast, and start making coffee at home. Where's that self-sufficient can-do spirit I keep hearing about? /s", ">\n\nNot a single fucking cent. \nTexas has been GOP controlled for 27 years; everything failing in Texas is failing because of Republicans.\nNot another cent.", ">\n\nHe's free to tax his residents and raise the money in-state.", ">\n\nI don't doubt texas needs money to address the migrant issue. What I do doubt is texas WISELY spending any federal funds on the migrant issue.\nWhen you waste money making political stunts, they bite you in the ass when you actually need money.\n(Read a book: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)", ">\n\nI hope Abbott destroys the Texas economy beyond recognition. Then maybe we can vote for the right person instead of this crooked sorry excuse for a governor.", ">\n\nThe republican majority in the House signals it wants to cut spending.", ">\n\ncreate an issue so that you can siphon more money, cool beans moron", ">\n\nAnd some people still think the GOP is a party interested in rooting out wasteful spending.", ">\n\nDoes Texas want government money or not, they seem to want to take but never let anyone else have any", ">\n\nUgh, welfare state looking for federal handouts. Pull yourself up by your boostraps.", ">\n\nFix your infrastructure, damn man.", ">\n\nr/fuckgregabbott", ">\n\nDidn't Greg Abbott and his Republicans also say we don't need taxes or the IRS?\nWhere does he think this money is going to come from?", ">\n\nThe Federal Government should be slashing funds going to Texas, due to their rampant abuse of funds they are already parasitizing from Blue states.", ">\n\nAren't they going to secede anyways? Fuck em.", ">\n\nSeriously? \nGreg already finished wasting all that money Trump gave him?\nWhat a loser.", ">\n\nMaybe he shouldn't have spent that money!!!", ">\n\nTough shit gregg, should have used the federal funding smarter..... Texas deserves better than you", ">\n\nHa! They spent all their money bussing illegals into the country that they ran out of money to keep them out of the country! This was a poorly thought out plan. I'm going to laugh even harder now! Hahahaha!", ">\n\nI can't believe this fucking guy got re-elected.", ">\n\nTax oil millionaires. And you're a state, income tax is not your only tool. You can tax property. They can keep the first $10 MM, for their pension savings, What's the rest for? Political garbage. Tax it away.", ">\n\nAh, the hypocrisy of Republican politicians. It knows no bounds.", ">\n\nRemember Patriots, it's only socialism is somebody else gets the money! /s", ">\n\nIt doesn't matter how much money the federal government throws at problems in Texas. The legislature there has no actual intention to fix anything. They'll pocket the money and continue to blame Biden when things don't improve.", ">\n\nI have had it with Texas, tho. They talk crap about Californians all the time, call us a welfare communist state. But they are constantly begging for cash.", ">\n\nLOL Texas is the biggest joke in the union. Secede, vote for it. I'd love to see how fast it turns into a 3rd world nation with such leadership and infrastructure.\nA tumor attached to the US.", ">\n\nhe needs money for immigrants which he wasted on bussing them. yet not for upgrading the electrical grid...", ">\n\nThey could always, you know, raise taxes on the rich to pay for it.", ">\n\nStop wasting our tax money on your ridiculous and fullish bussing policy", ">\n\nShouldn't have spent so much money shipping migrants to states with humanity.\nAlso, maybe if Texas just laces up its bootstraps and lays off the avocado toast, they can pay for frivolous things like security.", ">\n\nSomething something something bootstraps", ">\n\nThe hypocracy...", ">\n\nI’d love to see Biden tell Abbot to go fuck himself.", ">\n\nMaybe if they legalized and taxed cannibis LOL", ">\n\n“The party of fiscal responsibility” 🤡", ">\n\nGreg Abbott needs to come up with a plan on how to spend these new funds complete with progress reports, etc., and he needs to submit a request for those funds, and Biden gets to appoint a commission on monitoring Abbott's plan and progress.\nAbbott must sincerely and cluelessly believe Biden will write him a blank check?", ">\n\nAnd he'll do it again because he won't face any consequences.", ">\n\nGlobalization mixed with wage stagnation has caused the younger (40-) generations to fall below replacement levels on having children. Japan went/is going through this. 1st world nations will be clamoring to accept immigrants from anywhere they can get them soon enough. Not sure what the end game is here for the US. Do they expect massive breakthroughs in automation very, very soon?", ">\n\nSo he wants more money from blue states to make his red dreams happen.\nStop asking for habdouts, moocher.", ">\n\noh idk, maybe we could legalize pot?", ">\n\nIt’s amazing how almost every red state is a welfare queen.", ">\n\nImagine being such a twisted, hateful creature that you keep voting for a human trafficker who keeps using millions of dollars of your tax money to torment people who don't speak the right language or have the right skin color. You don't care that your grandparents and kids are dying every time the electricity grid fails. War-torn Ukraine is able to repair their bombed grid within 24 hours, but as soon as Ted Cruz bounces to a whole different country because there is no electricity in his home, you just excuse him with, \"Well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it!\" \nAt this point, everyone who voted for the republicans in texas are aiding and abetting criminals themselves.", ">\n\nWe are in the largest worker shortage to date in the history of the world. I say - fuck Abbott and let em in. As Marge Simpson would say “it goes to the economy”", ">\n\nBetter pull yourself up by your bootstraps, Texas. You hate handouts.", ">\n\nWhat about the 221 million he took from the mental health and addiction assistance program?", ">\n\nI got a great idea for that dumbass: Make Marijuana and gambling legal and tax it.", ">\n\nPlease give me more money to put into my friends and my-not-so-secret-pocket.", ">\n\nJust a quick reminder that these fear-mongering lies about undocumented immigrants are the same lies that Hitler told about Jews. \n\n“They are dangerous criminals”\n“They are undermining the economy”\n“They spread disease”\n\nAll of those are demonstrably false (Although republicans will use anecdotal evidence to try to defend those lies. Just ask them for stats that aren’t from a qanon blog.)\nDon’t let them get away with this disgusting bigotry. Hold people accountable for their hateful rhetoric. \nUndocumented immigrants are a massive population (10 mil?) consisting of parents, children, friends, coworkers, playmates, neighbors… These already-marginalized people don’t deserve to have their lives made even worse because the Republican base is hateful and ignorant.", ">\n\nSorry Greg, that sounds like socialism to me.", ">\n\nmaybe raise tax? Oh you are a republican so you can’t Lol…good luck with money that you ‘desperately’ need", ">\n\nWhat about all the money you spent on bussing immigrants across the US? You can’t fuck off fast enough.", ">\n\nTexas: \"Lets elect the same guy who keeps spending all our money again!\"\nGuy: \"Spends all their money.\"\nTexas: \" :o \"", ">\n\nAs a New Yorker, fuck Greg Abbott.", ">\n\nIm from south Texas mission, TX.. Literally 30 seconds from the river... The drug invasion n migrants isnt what its portrayed. For sure it aint here.", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should secede so the rest of the country doesn’t have to spend our taxes on Abbot’s horse shit stunts?", ">\n\nFederal Money? Fuck You!", ">\n\nTexas desperately needs more bootstraps.", ">\n\nIs Texas a socialist state? They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.", ">\n\nThe majority of Abbott job is owning the libs through Political Theatre, sad.\nMeanwhile we have grid issues, schools are falling behind, urban property tax rates are soaring, maternal death rates are the highest and have a paper plate/ghost car epidemic.", ">\n\nTexas needs to pull its own weight and stop asking for handouts", ">\n\nSo, socialism, Greg? You know, working together goes both ways. You can't only do it when you need money.", ">\n\nTexas has a budget surplus of between 27 and 35 Billion dollars.This guy is just being greedy.", ">\n\nSounds like a handout", ">\n\nYet Texans still vote for this trash. You reap what you sow. Don't be surprised if he implements an income tax. That's the only thing keeping dogshit republicans in the state.", ">\n\nHe should pull himself up by the bootstraps!", ">\n\nYes because shipping migrants to other states is far more important than fixing the failing power grid.", ">\n\nHow on earth did they spend $12m bussing people around the country?\nDoes his brother own the bus company or something?", ">\n\nPeople might be more willing to give Texas money if they knew Greg Abbott wasn't deciding how it's spent.", ">\n\nTexas shouldn't receive a single penny after these degenerate stunts. Otherwise they would never learn.\n​\nI mean, who are we kidding? Republicans would never learn.", ">\n\nSo go hit up your darling Musk. I hear he loves spending money on frivolous go-nowhere projects.", ">\n\nHere’s an idea, Greg, stop bussing legal migrant workers and homeless people across the country for a publicity stunt. You’re creating a vacuum that needs to be filled, and illegal immigrants are filling those positions.", ">\n\nHas Abbott stopped rape yet?", ">\n\nI'm always baffled by this immigration issue in the US.\nThe reason these people are crossing is that they're seeking a better life. If you have a minimum of empathy, you recognize that you would probably do the same in their shoes.\nThe fact that the Republicans voters think they can solve this without empathy is so laughable. This isn't a problem you can fix by building walls or paying buses. Europe has a 500 km water wall and it still does not deter these people in a quest for a better life.", ">\n\nJesus, what an absolute disaster for Greg Abbott. I am happy that his theatrics are having major consequences.", ">\n\nWhat a douchebag.", ">\n\nThen tax your rich. Personally, I'm beyond caring about another state that burn millions trying to make a photo op for a governor that makes bad decisions.", ">\n\nIf Democrats acted like Republicans we’d cut their funding. Personally I think we are soft on Republican welfare states.", ">\n\nSend lots of money. Tons of it, in fact.\n​\n....just earmark it for immigration centers, and benefits to bring in MORE people. Fuck that xenophobe.", ">\n\nTake those millions out of the annual hurricane & flooding relief the federal government give Texas each year because their infrastructure cannot handle the stress storms put on them. I swear these red states are such pathetic poverty wastelands. Always begging the federal government, that they claim to hate so much, for money because they can't pay their own bills.", ">\n\nAbbott is no Leader. Why Texans think he is, is a mystery to many.", ">\n\nAbbot is an asshole trying to create bigger problems out of things that admittedly may be handled better, to push their own shitty agenda. As bad as social media is for human societies it also helps to let us see through the bullshit republicans are trying to narrate. Their “play book” directs them to do this so they can give themselves some kind of relevance in a society that no longer needs their outdated and cruel beliefs. All of this is of course for a shameless power grabs because they really stand for nothing more than the principles of Fuck you, me first and of course to keep America white and “Christian”. Fuck Greg Abbot, he has run Texas into the ground and set us on par with Florida, just fucking shameful.", ">\n\n*Texas doesn’t know how to operate nor budget/spend money correctly. Wannabe Conservative said what?", ">\n\nI was told Mexico was building the wall.", ">\n\nThis is why we need Beto in Texas.", ">\n\nWhich would be answer if I were Biden, also Nee York should send him a bill for housing them", ">\n\nI don't think Abbott can be trusted with the money. He's already abused Texas taxpayers. There must be another way to insure it is used for its intended purpose.", ">\n\nThat sounds like socialism.", ">\n\nNobody asked you to do that. No regard for human beings.", ">\n\nWhat is this? I’ve had people\nFrom Texas laugh at me and tell me they are self sufficient and they don’t need shit from anyone including the government.", ">\n\nI don’t understand how a state that threatens to regularly secede from the rest of the United States could be begging for money", ">\n\nCan someone explain to me how any Republican takes their leaders seriously, when their leaders are drenched in hypocrisy of the highest order?\nGreg Abbott who lets his state freeze to death and wastes money on this shit. Matt Gaetz who's a pedophile and sex trafficker but no single republican cares. Trump being a sexual predator and an anti-democracy moron is their god-emperor. Roy Moore. Herschel Walker.\nHow can you simultaneously revere these leaders and spew the groomer shit, the family values shit, the christian values, how can they as Republicans not SEE the burning hypocrisy in front of their eyes. Not to mention how many times the staunchest anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are found out to be gay or being with a trans sex worker. How can they not understand it's absolutely and utterly impossible to take them seriously. It's cartoonishly goofy.", ">\n\nTexas gets about 26 billion a year in federal funding. Where the fuck does it go abbot?", ">\n\nAh, so Republicans asking for handouts after the mishandle their funds. Say it ain't so.", ">\n\nThis is just setting himself up so that when republicans put it up in the house only to be shut down in the senate he can complain about Democrats.", ">\n\nSounds like the governor is unqualified for the job", ">\n\nIsnt the whole texan image to be super self sufficient and to hate big government especially the federal government??\nProbably another case of free money for me but not everyone else", ">\n\nFuck you Abbot", ">\n\nMaybe Texas should pull itself up by its bootstraps. We wouldn't want to give them any of that money from those dirty evil lib states they hate so much.", ">\n\nMaybe you should raise some taxes then.", ">\n\nAsking for more money.. from the gubment..? Sounds like socialism to me, Abbot. \nWhat a useless sack of human waste.", ">\n\nTexas cannot be trusted to spend federal funds appropriately so the Feds should step in and take care of emergency management.", ">\n\nThey said they wanted a wall, they claimed they built the wall, & Biden didn't take their \"wall\" down. In reality, they just continued a 90s project circa Clinton admin's Operation Gatekeeper infrastructure. It's all just theater for them.", ">\n\nAbbott is inhuman scum and doesn't deserve the freedoms he abuses along with his lowlife supporters.", ">\n\nRaise your state's taxes. Don't look for handouts, that's beneath you.", ">\n\nI wonder if the 5th district court’s decision to block the Biden administration from changing Trump’s border policies will be overturned soon.\nSeems so strange how the Border policies that have been in place since before Biden took office are the Biden administration’s shortcoming. So strange", ">\n\nWeren't they trying to leave the union a couple years ago? Oh how the mighty have fallen.", ">\n\nThat governor deserves whatever he has coming. He spent all that money. Just like all his cohorts. What a toatal piece of crap", ">\n\nI hope Abbott is told \"That money was for the border. It's not my fault you spent it on political stunts that backfired. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I thought Texas was tough?\"", ">\n\nWild, it's almost like Greg Abbott is a monumental piece of shit", ">\n\nWhen Democrats want money for something, it's socialism that is the bane of the country. When Republicans want money, it's a clear need that solves a real issue.\n...apparently.", ">\n\nThis guy is a top 5 scumbag in this country and that is a hard list to get on.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Abbott just use the money that wasn't spent on improving the power grid.", ">\n\nSounds like socialism to me Greggypoo. Bootstraps man", ">\n\nAh fuck it. You know what? \nFederal government needs to stop bailing out states with poor infrastructures when they like to be independent.\nIt's like a sibling who never learned their lessons or was babied too much from being a reasonable adult to function on their own and has to call mom or pops to take care of them when they had plenty of time to learn.", ">\n\nThoughts and prayers, Greg.", ">\n\nAsking government for money is socialism!", ">\n\nIt’s time to introduce Texas republicans to the idea of small government. They just want to run up the credit card. But who’s going to pay for it?", ">\n\nYeah. Bill shit. No more money to these states who didn’t use COVID money, education money or any federal money for its intended purpose. We need more accountability.", ">\n\nOh look, the classic red state crying for federal hand outs issue.", ">\n\nThe border is a national security budget item not a state item.", ">\n\nThey made their Bed by trying to be Wise-guys, now they have to literally Pay the Piper for their Stupidity… I am sure Gov. Abbot has allot of supporters he played up to, that can contribute to a GoFund campaign..", ">\n\nThe only thing he needs to be using money for is fixing their electrical grid so that people aren’t dying every winter from completely avoidable and known issues that he seems to not care a lick about.", ">\n\nThis is r/leopardsatemyface territory", ">\n\nAnother stunning display of fiscal responsibility from the GOP.\nGee, I'm so surprised.", ">\n\nWell, if we give them money for this, they'll just become dependent on handouts.", ">\n\nWhen are people going to realize that folks like Abbott don't want to solve problems? Their power depends upon generating and maintaining chaos and anger.", ">\n\nRegardless of what he says, you can see he looks up to Biden.", ">\n\nMaybe he should have been responsible and made better choices. \nYou know, the same thing he and his ilk tell poor people whom they’ve completely fucked over.", ">\n\nfuck every single idiot that voted for this pig", ">\n\nPhoto looks like he’s willing to do “anything” to get that sweet border money.", ">\n\nFuck Greg Abbott", ">\n\nCut taxes, plead poverty, ask for handout, get handout. Repeat.", ">\n\nF Texas", ">\n\nso, abbott has been governor of Texas since 2015. I think it logical that Abbott should shoulder most of the blame for the on-going or worsening problems. He's been on the job for seven freaking years in texas. But, this guy feels it's appropriate to put blame on the current president. Methinks Abbott is running from his responsibilities and inadequacies as a governor.", ">\n\nI thought only Democrats wanted to spend “government tax money”. I thought you wanted to secede from the US… go for it!", ">\n\nAs i read these comments, it is encouraging to note how many people know the truth about the level of corruption in Texas. I just wish the Republican voters would see it and clean house." ]