After years of Texas trying to lure businesses away from other states, New York has struck back — with an ad that paints the Lone Star State as unwelcoming and discriminatory to the LGBT community.
The two-minute ad released by New York’s chief economic development agency highlights the Empire State’s principles of inclusion and equality, claiming these characteristics make it welcoming for all businesses.
Gov. Greg Abbott disputed the ad and pointed to New York’s taxes and regulations as a hostile business environment.
The ad begins against a backdrop of black-and-white video of the Statue of Liberty and immigrants at Ellis Island. A woman’s voice states, “For hundreds of years, New York state has stood as a beacon — a beacon that arose to welcome those unwelcome in other places.”
New York has opened its doors to the LGBT community when others have not, the ad continues. Headlines from newspapers around the country indicate Texas, North Carolina and Mississippi have pushed for discriminatory policies.
[…]
In 2013, former Gov. Rick Perry launched aggressive campaigns in New York, California and Illinois to attract businesses to Texas. In New York, he spent $1 million on TV advertisements that promoted the Lone Star State’s pro-business approach and strong economy.
Abbott has continued his predecessor’s work, even urging British businesses to declare independence on July 4 by moving to Texas.
You can see the video embedded at the Tribune link. First of all, if you’re going to aggressively market your own state as the best place ever for businesses to move to, then you have no grounds for complaint when another state does that to you. I mean, how wimpy is that? The proper response, if one is going to take this path, is to chuckle dismissively and pat New York on the head for being so adorable as to even try to keep up with us. This? It’s just weak. Or, as one of Greg Abbott’s favorite politicians (who, by the way, is from New York) would put it, SAD!
Also, too, and not to put too fine a point on it, but thanks to Greg Abbott and his Republican Party, there’s a whole lot of merit to this accusation, with more on the way next year. Abbott didn’t bother addressing the issue, because honestly what could he say? If we don’t want states like New York attacking us for being hostile to the LGBT community, then maybe we should try not being hostile to the LGBT community. It’s so crazy it just might work.
Your post makes me think you hope it works. Maybe teach all the democrats who voted against the equal rights ordinance in the City of Houston a lesson. Put em out of work. That will teach them.
What I’m hoping is that he recognizes the truth in what New York claims in its ad, that opposing marriage equality and promoting anti-LGBT legislation is fundamentally incompatible with a robust and welcoming environment for business. It’s a lot more than that, of course, but promoting a healthy business climate is something Abbott claims to care about, so you’d like to think he would have the self-awareness and critical thinking ability to consider the claim on its merits. If he thinks they’ve got it wrong, then by all means make that case. His non-responsive tweet makes it clear that he is unwilling (possibly unable) to engage that argument. That’s a problem we should all be concerned about.
Change is incremental and doesn’t start or stop with one person.
Regardless, I didn’t realize just how ignorant houston city council and the state legislature were until i ran for office.
I agree with most of what you say. However sometimes when I hear all of the anger coming from you I think I am reading a tea party blog (just angrily arguing the opposite). I just take issue sometime with all of the anti-houston sentiment coming from your blog when things don’t go your way.
Don’t forget the ERO ordinance was voted down by democrats not republicans. To say they were tricked (like Parker said in her press conference) is insulting to your own fellow democrats and just proves you are to close to the issue to be objective.
I still say you are the most informative blogger in the City. These are issues that I just wouldn’t follow but for your faithfulness to these issues. For whats its worth I would say keep on slugging.
Having compared other major US cities and the benefits they provide public sector employees and the protections they provide private sector employees.
I’d say when it comes to policy ideas, city council and county court are some inept politicians.
Change may incremental, but laziness and ignorance have no place at city hall or county court.
A much more honest analysis would say the equal rights ordnance was voted down by Kubosh voters.
Chris, really? I believe it is that type of analysis that caused its defeat.
The gloating over the HERO ordinance defeat was unseemly. Steven Hotze and Jared Woodfill, aided and abetted by Pastor Ed Young, won the day. Dan Patrick and Greg Abbott weighed in too. It was a glorious day for the ordinance’s opponents. New York certainly has the right to draw attention to these and like accomplishments. Let market forces have the last word.
Solution: Remive the transgender text from HERO, wait 2-3 years then add it.
If Stardig, Knox, Kubosh, Boykins, etc won’t support it because of legal and financial impact on business.
Then they are wankers and haven’t done their research. But we already knew they were desk-lamps.