March 18, 2024

The Texas-Florida Connection

Hold Your Horses, Gov. Rick Scott

Can Florida emulate Texas in creating jobs? Here's a comparison.

Cynthia Barnett | 9/28/2011

Cultural Identity

Cultural Identity

Texas' reputation for being business friendly and low tax dates to the late 19th century. Democrats and Republicans alike have "always talked about the good 'bid-ness' climate," says Paul Burka, senior executive editor at Texas Monthly and the dean of Texas political writers for four decades. "I don't think it's ever been any different."

The pro-business character threads through a tightly woven Texas monoculture. From Waco in west Texas to metropolitan Dallas in the north or the touristy Alamo down south in San Antonio, the Lone Star image is ubiquitous — mounted on highway overpasses and displayed on many businesses. Newcomers to the state immediately have a sense of what it means to be Texan.

Go to Links What do you think about the whole Florida -vs- Texas debate? Let us know, click to comment at the end of this article.
Florida's diversity makes it unlikely to develop a true statewide identity outside of tourism. On the plus side, the state's regions each have their own cultures and virtues: Southern cities like Jacksonville; midwestern like St. Petersburg; northeastern like Broward and Palm Beach counties; international like Miami. The disadvantage to Florida's city-state system, however, is that the regions don't often speak with a statewide voice, competing with each another on everything from new colleges for universities to deepening channels for ports.

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