Austin Has Been Invaded by Texas The progressive paradise is over for some, and they're fleeing to b

[Demovictory9]

Austin Has Been Invaded by Texas The progressive paradise is over for some, and they’re fleeing to bluer pastures.
By Casey Quackenbush



https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/11/the-people-fleeing-austin-because-texas-is-too-conservative.html

To hear Stettin tell it, that is precisely why he is moving out of what Rick Perry once described as the “blueberry in the tomato soup,” a predominantly Democratic city full of liberal expats like himself seeking progressive politics and an urban lifestyle at a red-state cost-of-living discount. “It was easy to just be in Never Neverland, floating with a bunch of other transplants having a good time,” said Stettin, who relocated from Dallas to Austin five years ago.





But then 2020 happened. As the pandemic raged, Governor Greg Abbott banned municipalities including Austin from implementing COVID measures such as mask mandates. The following year, amid a brutal winter storm, the state’s electric grid failed, killing hundreds and leaving millions freezing in the dark, and it has yet to be fixed. That summer, Abbott codified permitless carry and further restricted voting access. This past February, he ordered investigations into the parents of trans children for child abuse. By June, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Texas was ten months ahead, having already effectively banned abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest and topped it with a $10,000 reward for informants.

“It’s like how a frog boils one degree at a time,” Stettin said. “They trigger-banned all abortion and they’re offering a bounty! What more do you need if you are a remotely liberal person to get the fuck out of here?” His destination was Massachusetts. “At least if I’m going to get into an argument with a guy in Boston,” he said, “he’s probably not carrying an AR-15 in his trunk.”

This summer, that anxiety pervaded a stratum of liberal Austin, namely women, LGBTQ+ folks, parents, and people of color who fear a future in Texas and have the means to escape. The overturning of Roe seemed to remove the last obstacle in the state’s march to the far right, which is likely to be cemented in the upcoming election where Beto O’Rourke is way behind Abbott. While the Democratic mayor and the liberal city council institute token measures such as decriminalizing abortion, it’s cold comfort. One 25-year-old woman said she had her tubes tied, fearing the consequences of an unwanted pregnancy. One couple may relocate to the Northeast to carry out their pregnancy. Some job candidates are refusing to relocate. At Stettin’s party, his friend Jeff swiped open his phone to a note entitled “New Austin Cities” — a list of places that are what Austin used to be to him before he moved here from New York. It read, “Pittsburgh, Durham, Boise, Columbus, Jackson Hole, Chattanooga. Factors: Climate change, demographics, economy, location, taxes, nature, weather.” He plans to stick it out at least for now. “Global warming in the next ten years,” he said. “That’s gonna be fucking real.”

[usonian]

1. California welcomes expats back.

Get into an argument here, and expect to find a trunk full of ....

[JI7]

2. They left because California is expensive and that hasn't changed

[usonian]

3. Life lesson learned. One can always scratch out a few bucks.

Being shot by the neighbor, or spending time in prison for buying contraceptives is a damn lot harder to undo.

There's more to life than money.

Rosebud!

[madville]

12. Austin real estate prices make CA

Look almost reasonable.

[Marcuse]

4. I still foresee a purple Texas.

[area51]

5. I hope you're right. Any trend toward blue. n/t

[SoCalDavidS]

6. Next Century? nt

[roamer65]

9. I see a Texas trying to migrate north in 20 years due to climate change.

Hopefully we have compiled a climate denier database to deny them migration northward.

[madville]

13. Eventually

Beto may be on his 17th attempt at statewide office, but one day…

[yowzayowzayowza]

7. South Austinite here.

This guy is a Dallas dolt. We're made of stronger stuff than that. We twernt runnin in the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s er 10s. Certainly not in the 20s.

[Celerity]

8. kick for visibility

[Ace Rothstein]

10. Most of those "New Austin Cities" probably aren't any better.

Boise and Jackson Hole? Idaho and Wyoming are full of crazies and wont be far behind Texas. Columbus? Ohio seems to be trending more and more red every election.

[UTUSN]

11. Austin just always wanted to be kewl.

[harumph]

14. I live in Texas.

Austin has always been overrated. My god - how the New York Times loves to use Austin as an exemplar of
hip urban living! In my experience, it's a hyped up city full of day drinkers with a fair live music scene - but not much in the
way of other cultural attractions. Houston is way more cosmopolitan and Dallas has much more in the way of
classical, theater, ballet, art museums, etc.. San Antonio has much more authentic 'old Texas' flavor.
The traffic is awful b/c they couldn't get their shit together and expand their infrastructure. I'd much rather be
stranded at the Starlight in Terlingua than anywhere in Austin. And BTW, unless you're rich forget Jackson Hole.
Chattanooga is a nice little town and last I heard has municipal wide wifi. That said, it's in TN.