What RED state has a potential $100B deficit?

Nooohhh, that's not a blue state, it's not a deficit-loving liberal haven.

It's Tejas, controlled in governorship AND both houses of the same, part-time, Third World legislature for the whole last decade.

That's right — over the next two years of the two-year budget cycle of the unrepresentative Third World-type legislature that meets only ever other year, the current shortfall projection is $95 billion with a B. Round it up to $100 billion for convenience.

And, of course Texas Republicans never raise taxes, noooooo.

But, as documented in the story, which actually only tells the half of it, Texas Rethugs have had no problem increasing fee after fee, and even inventing new ones, over the last decade.

That said, Rethugs, now that you have a supermajority in the House and are likely to impose one in the Senate, like in 2009, you can drain away on the rainy day fun. Texas Democrats, you can't do a damned thing to influence the budget otherwise, anyway. So, you can either be ball-less Obamiacs, or force the GOP to round up unanimity to drain the rainy day fund itself.

Now, if the GOP in the Texas Senate pledges NOT to do what it DID do in 2009 - that is, lowering the supermajority bar from 2/3 to 3/5 - House AND Senate Dems may work more with their GOP counterparts. But, since the GOP now has a House supermajority, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Note: This corrects the original version, where I said the GOP had a supermajority in both House and Senate.