Texan or American?

Interesting result from a poll commissioned by the Texas Tribune.

- Click here for the story.

In the February 2014 University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, we asked respondents whether they considered themselves Texans first and Americans second, or Americans first and Texans second. Overall, just over a quarter of registered voters — 27 percent — considered themselves to be Texans first.

Democrats and liberals overwhelmingly identify as Americans before they identify as Texans (84 percent and 92 percent respectively), and while majorities of Republicans and conservatives identify as Americans first, significant proportions (35 percent and 36 percent respectively) identify first as Texans. This difference is a probable reflection of the current Republican statewide dominance and, in turn, each voter’s willingness to identify with the state.

The Texas-first crowd also includes more men than women. While 32 percent of men describe themselves as Texans first, only 23 percent of women make the same choice.

Looking to the future, it’s possible that those identifying as Texans will
grow. The members of the racial/ethnic group most likely to describe themselves as Texans first are not, in fact, Anglos, among whom 27 percent describe themselves as Texans, but are instead the growing population of Hispanics, among whom 33 percent identify as Texan first.

Maybe even more surprising, younger voters are more inclined to call themselves Texans first. A slight majority of 18- to 44-year-olds (53 percent) consider themselves to be Texans first and Americans second. By comparison, only 40 percent of 18- to 44-year-olds consider themselves to be Americans first and Texans second, a 13-point gap. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, 40 percent identify as Texans before they identify as Americans, far outpacing any other age group. It’s not grandpa that places the Lone Star over the Stars and Stripes, but his grandchildren.

From the Texas Tribune: Texans Like Parts of Federal Health Law

While the law is unpopular in the state - mostly among Republicans - aspects are popular.

From the Texas Tribune: What's the most important problem facing Texas today?

Here goes: 



And for good measure:

Public Policy Polling - Texas

I'm adding a link to Public Policy Polling's section on Texas, will refer to it periodically. It'll help us keep track with where opinion in Texas diverges from opinion in the US as a whole. Here are recent highlights:

- It's early, but Hillary Clinton is polling well in Texas and could possibly win the state is she decides to run for president in 2016. If that happens it would be the first time since 1976 that a Democrat won the state.

- The governor's support seems to be slipping - even among Republicans. He might be vulnerable to a challenge from Greg Abbott, though no Democrat seems likely to have the ability to do so.

Might Texas decriminalize marijuana?

We spent time in a couple of classes discussing the consequences of the marijuana legislation passed in a couple states in November and what the national government might do about it since marijuana is still illegal according to national law. I suggested, based on what I've read elsewhere, that Obama might be waiting to see what direction public opinion is moving on the issue, and how quickly, in order to determine whether he should continue to enforce national laws against the states.

There may be a shift underway in attitudes about the law. That will help determine whether the feds should yield to the states, which is the thing to do in a democracy.

On that note, the Texas Tribune reports the Texas Legislature may make a minor move in the direction of liberalizing marijuana policy by allowing a bill that simply allows doctors to discuss marijuana as a possible medicinal option with their patients, and allow that discussion to be taken as a defense if the patient is arrested for possession.

The bill has been introduced previously, but has never made it out of committee. It just might this session. That's a baby step if that's all that happens, but its something.

Bills to follow:

- HB 594
- HB 184

Texans is far less supportive of legalizing marijuana than the country as a whole, unless the respondents are asked if they favor legalizing and taxing it.