“BREAKING Texas State Representative Gene Wu exposes how Republicans are directly responsible for the tragic flash flood deaths in his state and slams them for ignoring climate change when we have 500 year storms that keep hitting every single year This was a showstopping takedown by Wu The New York Times reported this year the Texas legislature funded only a very small portion of this backlog of flood management projects totaling some 54 billion said CNNs Jake Tapper 54 billion Because as you know these floods are not new This is the worst of them Tapper continued But the idea of flooding in this area and other parts of Texas is a constant threat to lives So this 54 billion went largely unfunded but the legislature did pass 51 billion of property tax cuts What was your take on that The Republican decision to slash property taxes while neglecting lifesaving flood prevention projects is a perfect microcosm of the kleptocratic MAGA ethos best demonstrated at the federal level by the Big Beautiful Bill which cuts 1 trillion from Medicaid while ramming through tax cuts for the rich Republicans are looting the treasury at every level of government from the White House down to the State House and working class Americans are getting stuck with the deadly consequences So this is one of the things that weve been railing against said Wu Democrats in this House whether this session or previous session continuously offer bills to help prepare for disasters Rep Martinez had a bill this time that would help us locate victims faster Rep Anchia had a bill to say lets have preparedness studies for these extreme storms Rep Reynolds had a bill to say lets push money into damaged communities faster Every single one of these bills and a dozen other bills were all killed by Republicans and for no reason at all Wu continued Every single time Democrats try to bring up that its not just the 100 year storm its the 200 year storms its the 500 year storms that keep hitting every single year Trump has claimed that the flooding was a hundredyear catastrophe but we know for a fact that climate change which Republicans call a hoax is making extreme weather events deadlier and more frequent with each passing year And were saying theres something wrong with that Youre not supposed to have 500 year events every single year Wu said And every time Democrats offer up legislation amendments to say lets do something about this lets save lives lets prepare its uniformly rejected on party lines by Republicans So far at least 120 people have been confirmed dead from the Texas floods At this point voting for Republicans must be considered a form of national suicide These conservative politicians care about one thing stripping this country down to the studs on behalf of their wealthy donors and corporations If they keep getting elected the body count will just keep rising as more and more wealth is siphoned away from the rest of us We are in an existential struggle for survival Vote accordingly”

Fact-Check Summary

The post by Texas State Representative Gene Wu claims that Republican legislative decisions in Texas have led to a tragic neglect of flood prevention in favor of property tax cuts, paralleling broader federal trends. Objective evidence supports these core claims. Texas faces a $54 billion backlog in flood management projects while only allocating a fraction of necessary funds, and the state recently passed $51 billion in property tax cuts. Furthermore, several Democratic-sponsored disaster preparedness bills were defeated on party-line votes. At the federal level, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” will cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid, accompanied by significant tax breaks for the wealthy. These facts have been substantiated by official government documents and nonpartisan reporting.

Belief Alignment Analysis

This content aligns with key democratic values by exposing policy decisions that prioritize tax relief for wealthier citizens over investments benefiting the broader population, including disaster resilience and public health. The post advocates an inclusive America where government acts in the public interest, rather than in service of the powerful few. By drawing attention to systemic neglect and the dismissal of credible climate science, the statement embodies the principle that America belongs to all people and underscores the necessity of holding leaders accountable to democratic norms and the public good.

Opinion

Gene Wu’s outspoken critique represents the “new patriotism”—a refusal to remain silent when lives are endangered by political negligence and denial of science. Redirecting billions from flood prevention to tax relief for property owners at a time of recurring climate disasters is indefensible. The trend of prioritizing cuts for the wealthy, while underfunding critical infrastructure and gutting social safety nets, is an affront to both economic justice and public safety. These policy choices are not inevitable; they are the result of leadership that places power and ideology above people and principle. Accountability and action are urgently needed to restore democratic priorities and ensure a safer, more inclusive future for all Texans and Americans.

TLDR

Texas Republicans have consistently blocked key flood preparedness bills and underfunded a $54 billion flood mitigation backlog, opting instead for $51 billion in property tax cuts. These actions mirror federal priorities that slash public healthcare in favor of tax breaks for the wealthy. The facts confirm Gene Wu’s assertions regarding priorities that undermine public safety and democratic values.

Claim: Texas flood tragedies are a direct result of Republican policy choices favoring property tax cuts over flood preparedness, echoing national decisions to cut social safety nets for tax breaks benefiting the wealthy.

Fact: Texas faces a $54 billion backlog in flood management, with only $669 million allocated while $51 billion was spent on property tax cuts. Disaster preparedness bills were systematically blocked by Republicans. Federally, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” enacts nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts alongside tax benefits for the affluent. These claims are corroborated by governmental and nonpartisan sources.

Opinion: Choices that prioritize wealth and power over public safety and inclusive investment betray the democratic promise that America belongs to everyone. Real patriotism means demanding elected officials put people—especially the most vulnerable—first.