UT/Trib Poll: Insiders and Outsiders
I was particularly interested in Jim Henson’s article in the Tribune earlier this week. As most readers know, Henson is the guru behind the UT/Texas Tribune poll. It addresses one of the mysteries of our times, which is why Texas voters seem to have very little interest in the major issues facing the state, and he notes the difference between the way insiders and outsiders approach the problems of government: Here is the beginning of Henson’s article:
Most insiders are political professionals working in the halls of government. In The Texas Tribune’s latest Inside Intelligence, they seem concerned with the kinds of problems that have been the province of government: above all, public education, but also infrastructure issues, like the water supply and transportation.
Texas voters, on the other hand, have recently demonstrated both in elections and polls that they are at best skeptical of and at worst downright hostile to what happens in those hallways. The problems that most worry voters lie outside areas of proactive government initiatives. They appear more focused on broad policy areas that are either outside such initiatives or point to perceived failure: the economy, jobs, immigration, border security. Public education is growing as a concern, but only among a small group.
These differences are especially pronounced if we compare the insiders with the subgroup of Texas voters exercising the most influence in elections right now: self-identified Republicans. GOP dissidents complaining loudly that the (Republican-dominated) political system in the state is tainted by insiders who have lost touch with the limited-government grassroots might have a point; people working in and around government have different priorities than GOP primary voters.
Here is how the insiders rank the major issues facing the state. The figure in parenthesis is the ranking according to Republican voters:
Insiders:
Education 30% (4%)
Water 16% (2%)
Political leadership/corruption 12% (6%)
Budget cuts 11% (3%)
Economy 8% (12%)
Transportation 8% (1%)
—–
The rankings of the most important issues as determined by Republican voters:
Border Security 21%
Immigration 18%
Economy 12%
No other issue achieved double-digit concern. Health care, the biggest single item in the state budget, was rated as important by 1% of Republican voters. Education got a 4% response.
* * * *
This is a very revealing poll, and congratulations to Henson and the Tribune for conceiving the idea of comparing the opinions of insiders and the voting bloc that dominates the state. It is as if there are two different states under the microscope here. One is the Texas that exists in the world of the Capitol, in which opinion makers worry about the issues that will determine the future of the state: education, transportation, water planning, health care, funding government. The other state couldn’t care less. Remember when the education budget was cut by $5.4 billion and everybody was wondering whether people who cared about pub ed would protest? Here’s your answer. Life went on as before. No groundswell of public opinion moved the needle of public opinion, or the consciences of elected officials.
What you see in this poll is the total disappearance of the Republican party that elected George W. Bush governor in 1994. That Republican party was a party of upwardly mobile professionals and soccer moms who cared about their schools and supported school bond issues. Today the optimism of those salad days has turned to fear and anger–with little interest in the future. Rick Perry understands this, which is why you never see him promoting initiatives like better schools and funding the state water plan. State government will not change until this generation of voters has passed from the scene. Ten more years of the last ten years.
Pri-ista says:
I think public ed will become a growing concern. In the heart of Tea Party county in Collin County, Frisco ISD raised its tax rate by 4-cents just earlier this week.
I honestly doubt that Frisco ISD’s board is made up with liberal Democrats.
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100 Year Decision says:
Very interesting article. Shows that insiders do have some inkling of what it will take to make the state successful, but the sheeple voters cling to fear issues: immigration and social issues. So we have one side (insiders) looking in the wrong ways and places for solutions, and wild eyed conservative voters looking for someone to blame.
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Texian Politico says:
“What you see in this poll is the total disappearance of the Republican party that elected George W. Bush governor in 1994. That Republican party was a party of upwardly mobile professionals and soccer moms who cared about their schools and supported school bond issues.”
Rubbish. The TX GOP today is pretty much the same as it was in 1994.
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paulburka Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Oh, I see. The tea party was going strong in 1994, right?
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Anonymous Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 3:56 pm
1992, to be more accurate.
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Cow Droppings Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 3:58 pm
I actually think 1994 was the ushering in of the angry Republican era. Paul, you might be forgetting Bush was not only elected that year, but 52 new Republican seats in Congress.
It was a total backlash to Clinton pre-triangualtion. In many ways, the politics we have today started in that year, including the taking over of the Republican Party of Texas at the 1994 state convention. I don’t think you can totally separate then from now. And I think Tea Party voters in many cases were angry Republican voters in 1994…just a new name.
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Blue Dogs Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Today’s Texas GOP is benefiting from the aggressive backlash against the Obamas (they’re NOT well liked in parts of the country including the SOUTH).
paulburka Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 12:05 am
Cow Droppings has a point. !994 was the year of the Republican revolution in Congress, leading to the impeachment of Bill Clinton, which did the GOP no good whatsoever. But the Bush era in Texas was extremely successful and an “era of good feeling.”
100 Year Decision Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 2:30 pm
The same? How? The Texas GOP has moved hard and far right, evicting KBH, fights over the speaker, the gerrymandering of districts and hard moves by DeLay and team to disenfranchise Latinos. Bush would not have gone for voter Id. Teabaggers were content in front of the TV or changing colostemy bags.The same? There is a real and distict difference between right and hard right.
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Fiftycal Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 5:54 pm
You mean to keep ILLEGAL immigrants from ILLEGALLY VOTING. There, I fixed it for you.
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Rooster Cogburn Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 8:34 am
Go back and put on yer tinfoil hat, looney.
Blue Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 7:03 pm
Voter ID is popular across the political spectrum, actually.
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anita Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 11:38 am
So were Jim Crow laws, at the time, Blue.
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Fiftycal Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 7:55 pm
So, “discriminating” against people that have NO RIGHT TO VOTE is “discriminating”? Wow, who knew? I guess I should be allowed to vote as many times as I want. How about I get to vote for the President of Mexico also?
Moderate says:
Completely discouraging post. Sure, these people don’t care about water until they turn on the faucet and none comes out. Or about schools, until their kids no longer have one. Or roads, until they and their neighbors have to pave their own street because there’s no money to fix the potholes. Everyone wants something for nothing. How bad is it going to get until they will finally realize that?
And I agree with Paul and totally disagree with Texian Politico – this Republican party doesn’t even remotely resemble the one in 1994.
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Vernon Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 10:49 am
It’s because a vast majority of people in this country, collectively and individually, never does anything unless they absolutely must.
We’re at a point now where people generally only start to care about a real issue when:
1. They can physically and clearly see the result of a problem. (Potholes in my neighborhood.)
2. That problem negatively impacts their own daily life to a significant degree. (Do I hit those potholes on my daily routes or is that my neighbor’s problem?)
Only when both conditions are present will you see people’s true outrage and pointed questions directed towards government. Otherwise they chalk it up to either not being a problem worthy of time and money or it’s simply someone else’s problem.
The sad irony is that non-real issues like Voter ID – issues that don’t impact our daily lives – get the people all sorts of fired up and angry about government.
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Blue Dogs Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 11:43 am
Most people are going to miss George W. Bush in Austin because at least he was able to get along and work with both parties to get things done.
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Anonymous says:
Paul has a point regarding the nature of the current Republican Party in Texas, but he overstates his case. Today’s GOP is the State’s majority party with various factions. The loudest and probably most dominant appears to be the group Paul decries. But I think most upwardly mobile professionals and soccer moms in Texas still lean significantly to the GOP. This has to do both with winning begetting winning and with a state Democratic Party that that is not that far off from the national Democratic Party in its uber-liberalism. Indeed, Obama’s reign is toxic for Democrats in Texas. But that reign will end. Demographics will alter the landscape, to what extent we do not know. At some point in future, a little more of George W. Bush’s Texas GOP and a little less of MQS will probably be what is needed for the GOP to continue its dominance. But that time seems farther out than anyone imagined in the 2006-2008 period.
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Blue Dogs Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 6:34 pm
You’re not comparing the current state of the TX GOP to the CA GOP, who suffered badly under Pete Wilson’s watch when he race-baited against Latinos on illegal immigration and African Americans on affirmative action.
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Vernon Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 10:56 am
What basic positions have Texas Democrats taken in the last few years that could be considered uber-liberal?
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WUSRPH says:
What makes this difference in the perspectives of the insiders and outsiders even worse is the likelihood that the findings of two studies recently done by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) also apply to Texas. The studies found that few members of the public actually know what their state government spends and for what as their view of what it does and the actuality are often far apart. What was particularly disturbing was the finding that that those who knew the least (but thought they knew the most) were the more educated (with masters degrees or more.)
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Glenn says:
Very depressing.
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paulburka says:
I don’t think there’s anything here that we didn’t already know; we just have the numbers to support what we already knew.
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Willie James says:
Somebody better wake up or we will become a national joke, and soon after: irrelevance.
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Just tired.... Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 4:50 pm
We already ARE the national joke. We’re just too stupid to hear the laughter.
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Fiftycal Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 6:00 pm
Yah, all those millions that moved voluntarily to Texas are dupes, right? All the THOUSANDS of companys that have lowered our unemployment rate to one of the lowest in the country. Yah, Taxipornia is laughing at us after we took 4 of their Congreessional seats. I know all the socialists are DYING to get a state income tax. Well, maybe after hispanics are the majority and VOTE. I’ll be gone by then. More likely the spendaholics in DC will be gone shortly. Once we fall over the cliff economically, all the deficit spending will end along with the outlandish “entitlements”. With 47% of the households getting more from the government than they are paying in TAXES, We are just a few points from being a europeon welfare state.
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Simon Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 10:45 pm
No. We’re just a few points from NEEDING a European welfare state.
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anon Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 8:36 am
You really believe this stuff, fifty? You honestly believe that millions move her because of the wonderful anti-Washington politics? But maybe you are right. They have to be dupes to believe that crap.
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Rooster Cogburn Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 9:16 am
They are moving here because Obama stopped the gas price problem and they can afford to move.
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anita Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 11:46 am
Folks have been moving here since the 80′s — it’s a trend that began long before Rick Perry left the hunting lease for Austin, started wearing custom-made boots, french cuffs and thousand-dollar suits.
I'm Pavlov. Ring a Bell? says:
Just goes to show you how out of touch all those “insiders” are in their little Austin bubble. They don’t even realize that Main St. voters only care about two things right now, jobs and the economy. Everything else is secondary, and will remain that way until things improve.
Also, it’s pretty funny to hear Paul lament the current state of the Republican Party, when it’s pretty clear that he has no understanding of it. This line in particular proves it: “…the optimism of those salad days has turned to fear and anger–with little interest in the future.”
If nothing else, it can be said that “the future” is our top concern. Why else would we be fighting so hard in every corner of the country to reverse decades of liberal decadence.
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Nick Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 7:44 pm
I think the point is that education, transportation, and other infrastructural concerns ARE about the economy. Borders and illegal immigration–not so much.
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JP says:
It’s noteworthy that with approx 40% of Republican voters concerned about immigration/border security, the RPT at their recent convention passed (by a 2 to 1 margin) a platform plank that supports a guest worker program as a means to enhance border security. Not exactly what was expected by all those from the left who believe the Republican base is made up of Neanderthals…
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Fiftycal Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 6:05 pm
What is needed is a registration program for ILLEGALs that gives them an ID and a background check. They would be banned from EVER being granted citizenship and their time in the U.S. should be limited to a pre-set time. I work in construction and there are THOUSANDS of people with real green cards. The ones that can’t get them are suspicious and likely tied to criminal enterprizes, welfare fraud or drug cartels.
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anon Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 8:37 am
We should make it retroactive and send your parents back to Germany, 1939.
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Fiftycal Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 7:58 pm
Awwwwww, po’ po’ socialist. My family has been in the U.S. since the 1600′s. I’m a “native American”.
John Johnson says:
39% of Repub voters indicating that immigration and border issues are tops on their list tells me that they just aren’t up to speed on current issues/problems. In order to be, they’d have to stop, look and listen. Watch the morning news, read a newspaper, listen to news radio instead of jive. That ain’t happening.
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Anonymous says:
Unfortunately there’s nothing sexy about water. And racist Teapublicans haven’t gotten the memo that Hispanics are no longer risking their lives to come over here. The fate of Texas is in the hands of political consultants. Whoever can tie the need to fund a state water plan to perverts and Mexicans will save the state.
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Rooster Cogburn Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Awesome post. The average Texas conservative is dumber than a box of rocks and scared of damned near everything from women to aliens to Catholics.
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Fiftycal Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 8:00 pm
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAHA You are describing MIZ Pelosi and the other socialists that are about to get kicked out of their empire.
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JohnBernardBooks says:
I’m embarrassed I live In Congressman Al Green’s CD, it could be worse I could live in Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s CD.
But hay I do live in Texas and Rick Perry is Guv that’s about as good as it gets.
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Anonymous Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Unless you need to get from Austin to Dallas on I-35. He should have stuck with TTC, but alas, he chickened out when he couldn’t get the deal done for Cintra and his former staffers. In other words, he cut off his nose to spite his face.
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WUSRPH Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Can I assume that Debbie Riddle is your state representative? You know Debbie “Anchor babies are future terrorists” Riddle whose solution to the illegal alien problem was to make it illegal to hire an illegal alien except for house maids and lawn boys. After all, we all need clean houses and neat yards.
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WUSRPH Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 5:36 pm
The above was for JBB.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 9:21 pm
unfortunately my Tex Rep is Ron Reynolds with 7 ethics violations, fined 50k by Gen Abbott and recently arrested. But dems are proud of Rep Reynolds he was outstanding freshman lege in 2011.
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Blue Dogs Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 6:35 pm
Bernard Books, Perry is the longest-serving guv’nah in state history with 12 years.
My congressman is Michael McCaul.
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anon Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 8:37 am
Hilarious. JBB, you are by far and away the best comedian on this blog! Keep it up!
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Rooster Cogburn Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 8:40 am
Al Green is embarrassed JBB lives in his district, and I’m embarassed he lives in Texas.
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BackUpMembers says:
Too many of us have never considered water and transportation needs for the future. We are living off the work that was done in the 1950′s and ’60′s. We should all learn more about the need to conserve and develop water resources. See the cover story from the new Texas Monthly.
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Fiftycal Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 6:14 pm
Yah, the “keep Austin wierd” hippys that ran the city in the 70′s and 80′s said “we don need no stinkin’ roads” and Houston, D/FW and San Antonio got all the highway money. “If we don’t build it, they won’t come” and then there was the tech boom/bomb. Now traffic is as bad or worse than Houston was in the 70′s. And those other cities are not in the TOP TEN of most congested cities in the U.S. But we do have a KEWL RAIL that can move almost 1000 people a day. IF you live outside the city. AND work downtown. But the 75000 cars that use 183 every morning and afternoon didn’t see much, if any, difference.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 12:34 am
It is a fantasy to think anyone can EVER “solve the traffic problem” in Austin with all those thousands of people pouring. It’s laughable.
And toll roads are all about BORROWING ROADS… and ignoring the hard choices, accepting the fact that government can’t have it all – education – health care and roads.
Texas like everyone else is spending beyond its means.
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Anonymous says:
Fiftycal is on to something ( insert blind squirrel joke here): the Teapublicans are acting very similiar to the old Austin hippies in that they’re both anti-growth types.
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JohnBernardBooks says:
actually teapersons aren’t against growth they’re anti-spending for wasteful liberal giveaways.
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John Johnson Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 10:14 pm
How about allowing Metroplex voters to decide themselves if they want to raise local fuel taxes to pay for expanded freeway system as opposed to tollroads build by lowest bidder…be they Spainards or Chinese or Eskimos. We’re not talking wasteful liberal spending here, JBB.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 4:51 am
Thats a perfect example JJ. The city of Houston voters voted no to a rail line in the 70′s. Democrats have brought it up for vote over and over, the voters don’t want it and won’t ride it.
Dems are determined to force it on the voters.
Taxes for roads are being diverted everyday for liberal giveaways.
Lower taxes and smaller government is like sunlight to vampire dems.
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John Johnson Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 6:42 am
In the last 10 years, has a Texas Repub led house and senate diverted TXDoT funds to other places? With Metroplex roads decaying and growing too congested, and a truly bi-partisan group of local officials deciding we needed to locally vote to add some tax to local fuel prices to pay for upgrades, why would Repub house and senate committee heads not allow this request to be heard and acted upon?
Col. Mike Kirby Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 9:40 am
In November 2007, the METRO said that the line averaged 45,000 boardings a weekday, which was not anticipated until 2020.[22] METRO said the line reached 75 million boardings in December 2011, four years ahead of anticipation
yep, 75 million boardings. sounds like no one is riding it to me.
JohnBernardBooks Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 11:26 am
“METRO said the line reached 75 million boardings in December 2011, four years ahead of anticipation”
if only they could get them to pay.
boardings are up because Metro cancelled many bus routes forcing riders onto the toy train. The boondoggle continues as Metro is recommending everyone ride for free and all the taxpayers pick up the tab sharing the wealth.
Simon Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 10:46 pm
No, they’re just anti.
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Anonymous Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 11:20 am
It takes money to make money, numb nuts.
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Alan says:
The lack of a viable long term water usage plan for this state is unsettling, but what surprises me is the people who aren’t complaining and should. I’m thinking about the farmers and ranchers for whom water shortages can mean financial ruin, and about the oil industry that employs a lot of water-intensive processes in drilling and refining.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Water plan does nothing. Usually it is about stealing water from its rightful owners.
Rain is everything.
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Anonymous Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 1:56 pm
So all the water in Lake Travis or Lake LBJ is stolen water? Interesting. So I assume to be consistent to your libertarian beliefs you are using none of that ill gotten gain, correct?
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W Tx Anonymous says:
I’m just curious. 1) How many of those commenting about this column graduated from public schools in Texas? 2) How many graduated from a state university or other university in Texas? A yes or no will do, no need to identify the school or city.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 10:49 am
I went to a private high school in Alabama. Then Princeton. Then Univ. of Texas MBA.
I think that a person can get a very good education just by studying and applying themselves at the “cheaper” colleges.
When I was at UT MBA my friend in high school was using the same econonics textbooks at the local junior college. We were learning the exact same thing.
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FLPD Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 11:09 am
Robert, when you learned your friend was using the same textbooks at the local junior college, why then did you continue to pursue your MBA at UT? Could it be that the opportunities for higher earnings also come with degrees from certain institutions?
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Robert Morrow Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 11:42 pm
Austin, TX, is a lot more fun than Tuscaloosa, AL. I spent most of my MBA time playing tennis at Pennick-Allison and pick up basketball game at Gregory Gym. That is when I was not campaigning for Michael Dukakis (I blew my chance to vote for Ron Paul in a general). I did study, too.
My friend who was studying at the JC has been paralyzed since age 18, he is the president of his family business. And he was highly motivated in his studies.
A motivated student is far more important than what school they go to. I will take a UT ace over an Ivy League loafer (not many) any day of the week.
paulburka says:
I attended Galveston public schools, graduated from Rice University, and have a law degree from the University of Texas.
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Fiftycal Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 8:05 pm
DAMM! That’s why you are so much smarter than all the rest of us.
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paulburka Reply:
June 24th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Not the point I was trying to make…just that I am, for better or worse, entirely a product of Texas education.
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Willie James says:
Plano, Southwest Texas State, Northwestern
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JohnBernardBooks says:
Nancy Pelosi has a degree and is “mind-numbingly stupid” who knew?
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/rep-gowdy-has-a-message-for-nancy-pelosi-and-her-voter-suppression-claims-mind-numbingly-stupid/
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Nick says:
Thanks for bringing this study to out attention Paul. It explains a lot, and reinforces what I’ve felt intrinsically for a while now: for better or worse, whatever problems we have in this country are really of our (“our” being We the People) own making. Politicians are just a mirror or reflection of our collective priorities. For better or worse…but that’s Democracy, ain’t it?
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MikeO says:
Because all of those soccer moms have seen more and more money poured into schools for the last ten years- and they get worse and worse in performing their base purpose of delivering a USEFUL education.
Not fear and anger as much as realizing that government remains incompetent, no matter how much money they throw at things.
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mblockhart says:
Here’s why, duh! Ignorance, purposely cultivated by media funded by the corporate powers-that-be. Watch any evening news story and you will see. Also listen to the radio stations around the state. The only reliable radio is right-wing “religious” (but really religio-corporatist) blather. The newspapers around the state, many owned by corporate right-wingers purposely screen out any information they deem “controversial” and conservative advertisers pull there ads if a newspaper dares tell the truth.
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eyeswideopen says:
You poor, ignorant, fool. You don’t have a clue. You know why conservative leaning radio stations are more successful than liberal ones? Because these are the ones that most of the people listen to. Advertisers go where they get the most bang for their buck. Liberals are tuned to the PBN.
Name the major newspapers in Texas that are owned by “corporate right-wingers”. Finally, newspapers are going the way of the Albatross because corporate American no longer advertises in newspapers.
I believe you are batting 1,000. You got everything wrong.
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