Here in Texas, while those at the very top are sailing on calm seas, too many are treading water, praying they can find land or a boat before the storms come. Since 1990, poverty is up. Texas has the sixth highest poverty rate in the nation. Almost one in five Texans lives in poverty. Median household income is down.
Unemployment is well above the national average.
Births to teen mothers are up. 3.4 million Texans do not have health insurance. More than 1 million of them are children. We know that early testing and detection are the best possible defense against the spread of these diseases. Yet even if you are lucky enough to have health insurance, most HMOs won't let you have the test until you're 50.