“Sorry I didn’t circlejerk” they sniff with superiority as they bravely parrot “blue state good, red state bad” in [email protected]. Yet again, however, this conversation isn’t about which state is good and which state is bad - it’s about which is more important and valuable, and in both cases, the clear answer is Texas.

You’re correct that it’s not currently the largest state economy (Texas would be the 8th largest economy in the world), but you’re ignoring the fact that Texas’s economy and population is growing much faster than California’s (whose population is currently shrinking), which is the relevant metric here, fueled by its natural resource wealth, strategic position, and appealing location for both public and private investment. In the long term, Texas is currently significantly more valuable than California is, and is on track to eclipse its sister state in both economic size and population in the next decade or so.

That has nothing to do with whether this is a good thing or not, of course, but it is a demonstrable fact.

Come talk to me when Texas isn’t violating human rights.

Come talk to me when you can separate your performative moral outrage from a conversation it’s not even relevant to.

Texas isn’t valuable or important and is on the verge of collapse as people are moving out in droves.

Unfortunately, you being real, real mad at the big meanie red state doesn’t change the fact that Texas is seeing an economic and population boom that hasn’t been seen in the US in decades. And while it’s certainly possible that their deeply unpopular policies may inhibit this growth somewhat, that hasn’t been borne out by the data (yet).