Perhaps more than any other state, President Donald Trump has shown an affinity for the policies and politicians of the Lone Star State. He’s installed Texans like Rick Perry and Rex Tillerson in his cabinet, and his low-tax, anti-regulation attitude is closely aligned with the philosophy of Texans like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
It begs the question: Does Trump want to make America like Texas?
The Houston Chronicle took a look at what America would look like if the nation at large came to resemble Texas—and the results were a mixed bag.
If the U.S. were like Texas, America's public school students would score better on math and science tests. And the nation would see its labor force grow by 2.5 million more people.
On the flipside, almost eight million more people would be living in poverty, and 24 million more would lack health insurance. And the teenage birth rate would grow by 140,000 more girls per year.