Texas Governor Rick Perry is here in Connecticut trying to lure businesses away with promises of low taxes and no regulation.
Before we get to the specifics of that, let me say this: Perry didn't invent the idea of one state competing for the jobs of another's, but over his long tenure he has brought it to an unprecedented and very aggressive fever pitch. And the next time he runs for president, somebody should press him on whether that's good for the nation. You wind up with a lot of businesses just moving around and getting paid for it with public monies. I'm not sure that makes us a more productive nation; and it seems like a big transfer of public dollars into private hands.
People who move to Texas will find the Promised Land of low taxes. They'll also find terrible air and water pollution, high crime rates, water shortages and weak public education. But it still could be worth it, right?
You can join the conversation. E-mail colin@wnpr.org or Tweet us @wnprcolin.
