Changing Texas

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Introduction
Looking at the diversity and complexity of modern Texas, we notice that an average Texan is considerable less conservative and overly static, however not applicable to everyone. The state is a home to a diverse population comprising of a wide variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds. The state consists of a significant regional variation with a wide variety of economic interest and activities. The interplay of varied historical, economic, institutional, social and geographical forces continually redefines the way Texans think about themselves. It implies that becoming a Texan means being independent, doggedly determined, individualistic, religious, materialistic but moralistic, believing on survival for the fittest and competition. Domestic and international immigration is swelling and diversifying Texas population and the newcomers to the state will induce cultural and policy change in the medium to long term since the Texans are considerably less conservative.
Just like other parts of the United States, Texas population is also growing fast, diversifying rapidly, facing an aging population and selectively education its population. The state is also experiencing rapid demographic transformation which is influenced by various factors such as diversity, education, age and the level of income among other factors. Considering education, More Texans are attaining higher education degrees after graduating from high school currently than ever before.

However, the attainment is staggeringly among those disadvantaged economically (Blanchard n.p.).
Political Implications of Rapid Demographic Change in Texas
Texas has been experiencing rapid demographic changes. Since the year 1990, the state has surged from approximately three million inhabitants to over 18 million residents, and the population is still growing rapidly (Bouvier and Martin n.p). The face of the state also is changing from the state where non-Hispanic whites used to be the dominant population of a state of diverse ethnic and multiracial population. The state is rightfully proud of being attractive to newcomers. The driver of this growth is mainly immigration which has contributed to the change in the population of the state. Based on the Census Bureau’s projections, the current immigration level is likely to produce a further speedy change in the ethnic alignment of the nation. The Bureau estimates that “at the turn of the century,” the proportion of the whites is likely to shrink to71.5%, Asians and Hispanic will grow to 5.1% and 11.1% respectively, and the blacks have their share at 12.3%. By 20202, it is estimated that the whites will shrink to 63.9%, Asians 7.6%, Blacks 13.3% and Hispanics 15.2%. Based on these statistics, the nation will be non-majority society. The changes in the population of Texas in the past, as well as the projected changes in the future, also tend to mirror these projections in the entire United States.
The population of Texas in 1990 was approximately 17 million. In 1994, the state overtook New York as the largest state when more than 300,000 immigrants settled in Texas legally. The state also received illegal immigrants of approximately 50,000. Immigration there recounted 35% of the population growth in Texas in that five-year period (Bouvier and Martin n.p.). In the event the trend will continue for the next few years to come then the challenges for the policy makers of Texas will emanate from this growth and also the composition shift in the population will also be enormous. The challenges will include decisions on allocating scarce resources to state programs like medical services, education and labor force training services. As far as the politics of the U.S. is concerned, the Democrats have not won Texas in a statewide election in almost the last two decades. However, the Rapid Demographic Change in Texas might make things different. Things might turn out differently for the Democrats if they can capture a greater share of the fast-growing population of Hispanic in Texas. Steve Munisteri who was the chairman of the Republican Party in Texas warned that “The Republican Party could never win a national election again unless it did a more effective job at reaching more diverse communities” (HORSLEY n.p). It implies that the rapid changes in Texas are likely to change the political landscape of the state.
The past two presidential results in 2008 and 2012 provide evidence that the rapid demographic changes with regard to racial diversity can affect the outcome of an election in the state. It is evident that the racial minority of the country pushed President Obama over to the top. However, it is not only racial diversity that will have an effect on the political landscape of Texas but also the age demographics of the region. The overall population in Texas just like the rest of the nation is growing older. The aging is due to the maturing generation of the baby boom, making up the largest segment of Texas population. The baby boomers in 2003 spanned the age of approximately 39 to 57. However, it is estimated that the youngest baby boomers will be 60 by the year 2024. It is vital to note that the fast expanding Hispanic population consists of different age structure compared to Anglo population. The age group population above 35 years old in the year 2000 was predominantly Anglo. For instance, 66% of Texas’s residents aged 55-59 comprised of Anglo, unlike 20% that comprised of Hispanic. On the contrary, 44% of the Texans aged 5-44 were Hispanic, unlike 39% who were Anglo. In the event, the expectations of rapid changes in the demographics of Texas hold true for the state then Hispanics are likely to make up a greater percentage of most age groups in many years to come (by 20140) (Bouvier and Martin n.p.). The age differential will have vital implications for political landscape of Texas, education as well as state services.
The demographic shift to both racially diverse older electorate as well as the younger electorate is likely to change the playing field with regards to how Republican and Democrats parties appeal to such shifting blocks that normally have different interests. The demographic changes in Texas will leave great imprints on the voting population, forcing candidates as well as parties to recalibrate their success strategies (Kasinitz and Bouvier 581). The rapid changes in demographics of Texas will only shape the political landscape of the states. It is essential to acknowledge that shaping the outcome is different from determining them. As much as forces of demography is a great factor to consider, it is also necessary to acknowledge that the result of an election also depends on economic conditions of the state. Also well as the degree to which the candidates and political parties are capable of generating enthusiasm that may be rated in voter turnouts as well as candidate preference. Based on the statistics, it is right to say that the attitudes of the young are very different from today’s politically active generation.
The economy, political culture, partisan choices, and analysis of the new Texas
Texas is recognized as the second biggest state in the U.S. with four different geographical regions. Each region has played a certain role towards pushing the economic growth of the state. The economy of Texas has been influenced by great innovations in cattle and cotton production, the high-tech industry as well as the oil industry (Champagne and Harpham 1-11). One of the oldest crops in Texas is the cotton which has increased sharecropping and tenant farming. Ranching emerged as a dominant economic activity in Texas in the late 1800s. The discovery of Spindle top field resulted in an oil boom in Texas. The state started expanding into a high-tech realm in the 1980s to diversify its economy. Until the 1900s, the state was predominantly rural, but the oil boom catalyzed its urbanization and led to population increase in cities like San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. Texas City is one of the global front-runners in the petrochemical business. The city also gives access to global markets. Dallas is a Texas’s commercial center known for real estate and banking development. The economy of San Antonio focuses on medical research, tourism, educational institutions as well as the national military base. The cities in Texas have been politically in the past years, and this may not be the same case for the coming years.
The political culture of Texas can be well described by three philosophical streams which include populism, social conservatism, and classical liberalism. The politics of Texas historically shows a strong one-party tradition, business dominance, and provincialism. However, these trends may be weakening since the Republican Party is strengthening its muscles in the states besides the continuing urbanization. Classical liberalism in the state has fueled the support for civil liberties and religious tolerance for both entrepreneurship and individualism.
The political history of Texas gives us insights on the Texas political culture. Several years after reconstruction, the Democrats enjoyed political dominance on all state government levels. The rule of the Democrats was dominated by conservative white political elites that promoted economic developments strongly but resisted the change in either race relations as well as social programs meant for the poor. It was until the civil rights movement intervened in the 1950s. However, Republicans were not left out completely since Texas supported candidates of Republican in 1952, 1956 as well as 1972. The political history of Texas reflects the political culture of the state. The size of Texas, its cultural and political diversity as well as its unique history has led to the formation of a “pragmatic center.” The state can be attributed to pro-business policy preferences, relatively conservative but periodically affected by mobilized groups with no power to remain influential for a long period (Weeks 606-627)
. The political culture in the state has rewarded making of deals over ideological purity, pragmatism as well as compromise. The key features of policy and political climate in Texas right after the civil right movements are is a reflection of this pragmatism as well as the strength of conservatives. The features may include:
Culturally conservative social policies in various areas such as religion, education as well as civil rights.
Limited environmental regulation
A work environment that is generally anti-union
Relatively low level of services maintained by hostility towards progressive income taxation.
The political culture of Texas mentioned above has deep political roots that can be traced several years back. However, over the history of Texas, these societal policies and consensus have been modified and challenged to some extent but were never overturned completely. Some of these political cultures, therefore, continue to exert great influence through to the current days. Political culture normally brings unity to people by providing a language and symbols that are commonly understood. Political culture, however, it may also divide people by raising differences in interests, understanding as well as experiences. Consequently, it also shapes and reflects the terms of society’s competing interests.
In the opening remarks, it was mentioned that the state of Texas is undergoing redefinition continually by the interplay of diversities in terms of varied historical, economic, institutional, social and geographical forces. It implies that the political and social identities of individuals in Texas are continually shaped by these forces through a process known as political socialization. It is a process that commences practically from the time we are born. A person’s parent is the first and in most cases the most influential socialization agent. The process normally continues at the moment we are exposed to broader social spheres. Various influential socialization agents may also include education, religion, popular culture as well as family and friends. As much as there exist various forces that reinforce cultural continuity over a given period, these forces also permit change of the political culture. In certain circumstances, there exists evolutionary change while in other situations the state may experience a dramatic change. These forces ensure a balance between change and continuity in the politics of Texas.
The newcomers to the state will induce cultural and policy change considering the past as well as the current trends of cultural and policy changes. Therefore, Texas is likely to emulate other states such as New York. There is the likelihood that the conservative political culture of Texas is likely to diversify. For instance, one of the recent polls indicated that 74% of the Latino registered voters are pro-choice. Latinos, particularly women, also show high levels of support for same-sex marriage. It is a clear evidence of the cultural change that is currently being experienced in the state. The rapid demographic transformation which is influenced by various factors such as diversity, education, age and the level of income among other factors is likely to induce cultural and policy changes in the state. Considering education, More Texans are also attaining higher education degrees after graduating from high school currently than ever before. However, the attainment is staggeringly among those disadvantaged economically.
Conclusion
Considering the facts discussed here above, we may conclude that the newcomers to the state are likely to induce cultural and policy change in the medium to long term considering demographic changes. The demographic changes have been associated majorly with immigration, ethnic diversity, differences in the level of income, increasing education levels as well as the aging population in the region. The ideology that persisting institutions and cultural values are resistant to change in short to medium term may not apply to Texas, and the fact the Texans are generally conservatives may soon change due to changes in the rapid demographic changes in the state.
Work Cited
Blanchard, Bobby. “More Texans Earning Degrees, But Progress is Slow”. The Texas Tribune. N.p., 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.
Bouvier, Leon and John Martin. “Shaping Texas: The Effects of Immigration, 1970-2020”. Center for Immigration Studies. N.p., 1995. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.
Champagne, Anthony and Edward J Harpham. Texas at the Crossroads. 1st ed. College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 1987. Print.
HORSLEY, SCOTT. “Big Growth Could Shake up Texas’ Old Political Equation”. NPR.org. N.p., 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.
Kasinitz, Philip and Leon Bouvier. “Peaceful Invasions: Immigration and Changing America.”. Social Forces 72.2 (1993): 581. Web.
Weeks, O. Douglas. “The Texas-Mexican and the Politics of South Texas”. Am Polit Sci Rev 24.03 (1930): 606-627. Web.