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Big, Hot, Cheap, and Right: What America Can Learn from the Strange Genius of Texas by [Grieder, Erica]

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Big, Hot, Cheap, and Right: What America Can Learn from the Strange Genius of Texas Kindle Edition

by Erica Grieder (Author)

58 customer reviews

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Texas may well be America's most controversial state. Evangelicals dominate the halls of power, millions of its people live in poverty, and its death row is the busiest in the country. Skeptical outsiders have found much to be offended by in the state's politics and attitude. And yet, according to journalist (and Texan) Erica Grieder, the United States has a great deal to learn from Texas.

In Big, Hot, Cheap, and Right, Grieder traces the political history of a state that was always larger than life. From its rowdy beginnings, Texas has combined a long-standing suspicion of government intrusion with a passion for business. Looking to the present, Greider assesses the unique mix of policies on issues like immigration, debt, taxes, regulation, and energy, which together have sparked a bonafide Texas Miracle of job growth. While acknowledging that it still has plenty of twenty-first-century problems to face, she finds in Texas a model of governance whose power has been drastically underestimated. Her book is a fascinating exploration of America's underrated powerhouse.

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Product details

File Size: 520 KB
Print Length: 306 pages
Publisher: PublicAffairs (April 9, 2013)
Publication Date: April 9, 2013
Language: English
ASIN: B00BPY5PHI
Text-to-Speech: Enabled

X-Ray:

Not Enabled

Word Wise: Enabled
Lending: Not Enabled
Screen Reader: Supported

Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #697,809 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #173 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > United States > State & Local Government
- #378 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > History > Americas > United States > State & Local > Southwest
- #446 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Ideologies & Doctrines > Democracy

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3.8 out of 5 stars

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Accurate with one caveat

March 21, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I have lived in Texas for 15 years, feel at home here and feel that this book accurately portrays the ethos and culture of Texas.

I subtracted one star because of what I felt was an animus by the author towards social conservatives. I am not a social conservative but they (who are present in both the Democratic and Republican parties) are a powerful force in Texas (up to a point) and understanding their motivations is important. The author seems to take for granted that they are a retrograde and undesirable influence. This view does not further understanding.

7 people found this helpful

Comment

Hill Country Bob

Informative light book

May 20, 2014

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

In interesting and insightful combination of Texas history and politics over the years. I am trying to better understand Texas, my adopted home after I retired. This book helped me to understand better how the left views Texas and its prosperity. It is neither pure history nor pure current events. Ms. Grieder has mixed some history with some political analysis of Texas over the years. It is not really in depth which is understandable given the size and complexity of hte state and its issues.

I did notice one issue on page 63 where she states: "The state has expanded gun rights further since then, In 2007, it passed a new "stand your ground" law like the one that became notorious in 2012 when after a Florida man shot and killed Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager who apparently hadn't been doing anything more suspicious than being a black teen age in public at night." Stand your ground law had nothing to do with the Florida case. Recommend reading up about the case on a blog called Legal Insurrection where an attorney and author Mr. Andrew Branca covered the case extensively. Mr Zimmerman was found not guilty of a crime as he acted in self defense when Mr. Martin attacked him and was pounding Mr. Zimmerman's head into the ground.

The parts dealing with oil and Texas were interesting as Texas has been blessed with oil and natural gas, and has worked hard at taking advantage of the opportunity to create jobs and wealth. One of the advantages has been the ability to drill and tap off shore gas and oil. Only Louisiana can explore and recover off shore gas and oil. The federal government has banned the other states from any off shore drilling. It got me to thinking about how some other states like Louisiana, Oklahoma, Alaska, Pennsylvania and North Dakota have aggressively worked to discover and recover oil and gas. Other states like California have stopped after one bad experience of a spill in the Santa Barbara channel, which is less than natural seepage over the years of the oil. I certainly agree that other states could learn something from Texas about holding down taxes, improving student performance without just throwing more money at the teachers unions, and in general reducing regulations where possible. The local state citizens know what is best for their state.

3 people found this helpful

Comment

Good idea, but lacking in execution

August 9, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I bought this after watching a Reason.tv interview of Erica Grieder. She seemed to know her stuff in the interview. The book, however, is mostly a high-level history lesson; you could learn as much by watching an hour-long documentary (I suggest the BBC's "You Can Go To Hell, I'm Going to Texas", starring Rich Hall). It doesn't really define what the "strange genius" is or how it is applicable to other states. The prose is muddled and repetitive and reading it is a slog. I wanted to like the book, and I still think Grieder is well-informed, but just not a good writer.

Comment

Great book for Texas-philes, Texas-phobes, political junkies and the non-political

June 21, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This book is well-written which makes it an easy-ready. The author takes a very balanced view, discussing what is good and what is bad about TX. However, she explains why things are as they are in TX based on history and culture.

I has three take-aways:
1) TX can best be explained as a practical (or perhaps, imperfect) application of conservative populism (which is becoming a bigger topic in political discussions).
2) TX equates rights with economic rights, defined as the ability to earn a living, make a profit and move up the economic ladder. This is interesting because it demonstrates that different groups define rights, or what is important, differently. This leads to the final lesson.
3) Perhaps, there is a larger argument for federalism. States and geographies have different histories and cultures which lead them to give different things, different values. Then perhaps, they should encouraged to pursue these priorities and measure success on their own terms.

One person found this helpful

Comment

August 10, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book is a genuine delight, witty, sometimes downright funny, learned and informative -- a startling eye-opener about what's really going on in The Lone Star State. Whatever you think you know about Texas is probably wrong, due to the exaggerations of Texans themselves, the animus of pundits elsewhere, and a veritable tsunami of misinformation about the state currently inundating the culture. Erica Grieder will set you right, though, in this very entertaining and illuminating book. Grieder thinks for herself and has a passionate respect for facts, which makes her an oddball among modern journalists and a most refreshing one.

One person found this helpful

Comment

Loved this book !!!

April 29, 2013

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Erica Grieder has written a well organized, informative book, and to top it off, it's a fun 'read' as well. If you are unfamiliar with Texas, and wondering what all the fuss is about, this book would be a great primer. If you are considering relocation, this book might inspire you to 'make it happen'. For those of us like myself who have been lucky enough to live in Texas, and had to leave, this book is an affirmation of why we are putting it together and heading back to Texas. It is without hesitation that I recommend Ms. Grieder's excellent book.

5 people found this helpful

Comment

June 23, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

There are some interesting facts about Texas in this book, but if you are a Texan and you love the state this book is going to annoy you. The author takes too many cheap shots at the Lone Star State.

2 people found this helpful

Comment

May 13, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

So laughably biased, I don't know why this isn't labeled comedy. If she were actually a better balanced and factual writer I would've enjoyed this and the topics she attempts to address, but it's unpleasant to read a book so obviously slanted toward one direction, either way. I don't even want to bother selling this...into the trash it goes.

One person found this helpful

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