One criticism I often hear about Texas recruiting businesses in California is that we don't want a bunch of liberals moving here and voting in liberal policies. That's true, but Texas also needs capital. The easiest capital to recruit is in Blue States. That means the capital Texas needs is often accompanied by an economically-illiterate work force. To help maintain Texas' economic climate, Texas employers owe it to themselves to increase their employees' economic literacy.
In 2012, Mitt Romney won the overwhelming support of small business owners; unfortunately, Obama won small business employees. If employees of small businesses voted the same way as small business owners, Mitt Romney would be President. When employer taxes went up at the beginning of the year, that tax increase was voted in by their own employees.
Left-wing politics takes hold when 'the Rich' are seen as some distant entity. It's a lot harder to demonize someone if you know them personally. For Texas employers, that means your employees will be less likely to vote in bad tax and regulatory policies if they see you being hurt, as opposed to some Wall St. fat cat.
Many employers will object that they don't have the time or they don't need another responsibility. That's fine, no one expects you to teach Phd. level dissertations; just the basics on government spending, taxation, and regulatory policy. Cahnman's Musings will roll out some ideas to help Texas employers accomplish this task in a cost-effective and efficient manner in the coming weeks.
Texas' business climate isn't an accident. It is the result of prudent decision making over the past decade. As a result, Texas has become an attractive location for capital fleeing hostile regimes. While that capital is a very good thing, an economically-illiterate workforce often accompanies it. Texas employers owe it to their bottom line to help sever this link.
