Republicans control Texas. They control the governor’s office, the Legislature and the agencies that issue licenses, regulate businesses and enforce state law. Their party also controls the White House and Congress.
So why are we still being warned as though nobody is in charge?
The Fright Machine Is Loud. The Government Is Not Working.
The danger is real.
Chinese criminal networks do help move money for cartels. Fentanyl equipment and drug paraphernalia have been sold through major online platforms. Cryptocurrency, money-transfer systems and shell companies can all be used to hide criminal activity.
Texans should take those threats seriously.
The problem is that Republican leaders seem more interested in frightening Texans than in explaining why they have not stopped them.
Republicans control Texas. They control the governor’s office, the Legislature and the agencies that issue licenses, regulate businesses and enforce state law. Their party also controls the White House and Congress.
So why are we still being warned as though nobody is in charge?
If Chinese-linked companies are improperly moving cartel money, who approved their licenses? If federal money-laundering laws are too weak, who has the power to strengthen them? If cryptocurrency mines or foreign-owned businesses threaten Texas infrastructure, who is responsible for inspecting and regulating them?
The people sounding the alarm are often the same people who have the authority to act.
This reminds me of the screwworm.
While politicians spent their time warning Texans about dramatic invaders at the border, the real invader was smaller, quieter, and far more dangerous to Texas agriculture. Screwworm did not arrive carrying a flag. It did not give campaign speeches. It simply moved closer while leaders focused public attention somewhere else.
That is how the fright machine works.
It takes a real danger, wraps it in patriotic language, adds China, cartels and national security, and then leaves out the most important question:
What have the people in power actually done about it?
Fear without action is not leadership.
A government should not receive credit merely for identifying threats. It should be judged by whether it prevents them, regulates them and protects the public from them.
Texas Republicans have been in charge long enough to stop campaigning as though they are helpless observers.
The danger may be real.
So is their responsibility.
Footnote: The danger did not disappear when the headlines did. Confirmed screwworm cases continued to rise, but federal reporting shifted from frequent public announcements to dashboard updates and occasional summaries. The bad news was still there; it simply stopped receiving the same public attention.
