| California | Texas | |
| Population Rank: | #1 | #2 |
| Joined the Union: | 1850, ceded by Mexico | 1845, ceded by Mexico |
| Hispanic Population: | About one-third | About one-third |
| Leadership over last 20 years: | Democrat, large government | GOP, small government |
| State legislature meets: | Year-round | Meets 90 days every two years |
| Net population change: | Outflow of 1,509,000 from 2000-2009 | Inflow of 1,600,000 from 2000-2009 |
| Average teacher salary: | $60,000/yr. | $41,744/hr. |
| ACT score rank: | #44 | #30 |
| 8th grade % proficient at writing rank: | #30 | #16 |
| 4th grade % proficient at math rank: | #26 | #16 |
| Tax Policy | 8.25% sales tax, up to 10.55% income tax | 6.25% sales tax, no income tax |
| Public sector unions: | Powerful. Spent $100,000,000 (in funds levied from taxpayers) defeating legislation that would weaken the Democrat-union alliance in 2005. | "Weak or non-existent". |
| Bond Rating (an indicator of financial health) | S&P A- | S&P AA+ |
Based upon: Michael Barone, Washington Examiner.
15 comments:
You are consistently making an error.
The Texas Legislature meets once every two years for 140 days, not 90.
Although I like your idea better.
Regards,
Ric
As a current Californian, you've depressed me no end! (By confirming some of what I had only suspected before!)
Ceded my ass. Texans kicked Mexico's ass and formed a Republic.
Texas has an 8.25% Sales Tax. At least it does here in Austin, TX.
Of sales tax collected, the amount going to state gov't is 6.25%, and localities are allowed to tack on sales tax of up to 2.00%. So a total of 8.25% can be collected at the cash register. I know Houston has already reached the limit, looks like Austin has too.
California has a basic sales tax of 8.25%. Local districts can add further tax. Total sales tax in some of the LA districts is 9.75%. I don't know of any higher than that...
Texas did NOT get ceded to the US from Mexico. Texas WON independence the same way the US did, victory in battle. Texas then agreed to join the US (before seceding and rejoining) by treaty. Much different than Kalifornia.
It's disturbing how many Americans think that Texas was ceded from Mexico. It's not surprising that the Revolution is not taught in schools these days, it is the most inconvenient of truths.
You list "ACT Score Rank":
Texas #30, California #44
Except, when I clicked on "ACT Score Rank", and it took me to the site that has the original data:
http://www.mibazaar.com/education/actscores.html
It turns out that those are the ranks based on THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO TOOK THE TEST - at the top, if you click on "Average Composite Test Scores", it turns out that California ranks #13 and Texas a dismal #40.
Can't get much more dishonest then that - I just can't believe how conservative audiences eat this stuff up.
To say it more "accurately" than anonymous ... One can't come to any "quantifiable" conclusions on this data. It is suspect without having a consistent sampling of the population of graduating college students. Which they didn't.
If only 17% of the graduating students in California take the ACT, (likely because they are actually planning on going to college ... which probably reflects them being in the upper 30% of their class) it would be dishonest to take their "average" scores to that of say ... Mississippi, where 96% of the graduates are tested.
As a sample size, the lower 50% of the class that graduate, but don't have any desire to go to college or "care" about their test scores would naturally bring down the scores.
Congrats to those states with very high testing % and very high averages.
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=5605
A total of 82,640 members of the Class of 2009 in Texas took the ACT. That’s about a 10,000 student increase over the number of students in the Class of 2005 who took the college admissions exam. When underclassmen are included, 159,899 Texas students took the ACT in 2009.
Normally as the number of test takers go up, the average score declines but that didn’t happen this year.
Texas students have increased their scores on the English, math, science and the overall composite score every year since 2005. Reading scores increased between 2005 and 2008 and remain unchanged at 20.9 in 2009.
I can't find how many students took the test in California. Maybe someone else can google up that information.
(Kerri and Mike) you miss the point - When you list something as "ACT Score Rank: California 44, Texas 30", you are clearly implying that this indicates scores on the ACT.
His ranking has NOTHING to do with scores - it's simply their rank based on the % of students that take the test. If more of your students take the test, your rank moves up.
Since the basis for that "rank" is completely independent of actual scores, labelling it "ACT Score Rank" is beyond dishonest.
And I'm not sure why you want to bring up what % of students took the ACT. In some states, most students take the ACT, because that's the primary test used by the in-state colleges. In some states, it's the SAT - and, more and more, colleges will accept either.
Where I grew up, and the fine school I went to (in-state) - you couldn't use the SAT, it had to be the ACT. So, our "SAT rank", the way this clown is calculating it, would be very, very bad. But it's a meaningless measure.
I repeat - if you're actually interested in the "ACT Score Rank:" click on it above - this directs you to the source of the data - then click "Average Composite Test Score", and you'll see that California students, on average, score higher than Texas students.
You know, of those that actually take the test - seems that California is one of those states that prefer SAT over ACT scores.
I didn't miss the point. I chose not to comment on it.
The POINT of this is that the ACT information provided in the link is all that it is. It is not meant to be comparative analysis.
BTW, I'm not "clearly implying anything" about the original data in the graph. I didn't say a word about it.
Well, not until now. I didn't post the original information or mislead, so point your finger in another direction. I pointed out that statistically, that higher population averages on ACT score lower than lower population averages. So I will only give credence on comparison on like values.
Your statement ...
"Average Composite Test Scores", it turns out that California ranks #13 and Texas a dismal #40."
Is wrong. It's using bad statistical comparative analysis to come to that conclusion. That's not your fault. There is no causation in the data. It's just information. Too often, liberals and republicans want to put "This means this..." and it doesn't. They're both dishonest.
I'm not vouching for the integrity of the original bloggers analysis. I agree with you there. Someone looked at something they wanted to see, and ran with it without thinking about the source of data.
But again, that's not a Conservative or Republican issue. The liberals do that all the time.
See Anonymous, it's Coke vs. Pepsi in the end. And anyone looking to either side of this mess as having the "correct" answer is 100% wrong.
They are both liars, confusing and electrifying their electorate without a shred of honesty.
BTW, step up and chose not to be Anonymous. It creates honest humanity in the internet that it's lacking.
Most new things come from CA: technology - Apple, Google, Intel, eBay, Twitter......
ideas - its always been ahead of its times since last 100 years
climate - so many landmarks, national parks and natural beauty
entertainment - hollywood, disneyland, legislature
The closest TX comes to matching anything above is Austin which is CA wannabe...
California wannabe? Seriously?
Most new things come from CA: technology - Apple, Google, Intel, eBay, Twitter......
Um... many of those things were invented 35+ years ago (Apple and Intel) Need to check your "new" meter there. Google's even going on 15 years old now.
ideas - its always been ahead of its times since last 100 years
Yeah. Bad ideas. California is the landmark of man made ecological natural disasters. Taking most of the water in the state and funneling into LA, so they can have 80 miles deep of suburbia. California "ideas" created deserts where they weren't and irrigated deserts that shouldn't be (Palm Springs). There is more ecological disaster in California than even Texas. And Texas sucks. Ever seen a picture of all the oil derricks in Long Beach? Destruction of the Abalone?
climate - so many landmarks, national parks and natural beauty
entertainment - hollywood, disneyland, legislature
There is a lot of weather in California. Floods, Earthquakes and Droughts too. Hottest place on the planet. Hollywood is mostly known for TMZ style upskirt shots of Britney and Paris, being the epicenter of pornography, claiming "Transformers 2" as art.
The California Government has been a joke since California Legislature gave George Hearst 48,000 acres of Rancho Piedra Blanca for a song and being "a swell guy." Then they ran widow Rindge off her Malibu property. California has been one of the worst states for property rights, giving it as favors to people it wants.
Indians were constantly forced off of "Rancheros" and land. In 1903, thosands of the Cupa indians being forcibly moved to Pala California. Internment of the Japanese during WWII. Watts Riots, Compton, Gangs etc.
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