Glenn Beck, the radio and TV commentator whom some have described as a modern day Howard Beal, "mad prophet of the airwaves," may be the latest person to tell his neighbors, "You can go to Hell. I'm going to Texas."
Beck seemed to suggest Texas was in his future in an interview with Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Beck's Mercury Radio Arts company, which controls a small media empire that includes his radio show, an online newspaper called "The Blaze" and a fledgling subscription TV talk show on GBTV has 150 employees.
Texas has a number of advantages for a business over New York, currently Beck's base of operations. Texas has no personal state income tax and a regulatory environment that encourages the formation of small businesses. New York, on the other hand, has a confiscatory tax system and a regulatory regime that would put the Byzantine Empire to shame.
Beck may also have a personal motive for contemplating a move to Texas. Recently he and his family were attacked by a group of ruffians while in New York's Bryant Park. There is nothing like a good old-fashioned New York City street altercation to motivate a man into pulling up roots and moving to a more friendly environment.
Beck is not unfamiliar to Texas. He got his start in Houston as a shock jock, long before he kicked a variety of addictions and got religion. He was a friend, incidentally, of Dan Patrick, then a TV sports announcer, now a radio mogul and Texas state senator.
Beck would not be the first conservative radio talker to flee New York and its taxes and regulations. A number of years ago, Rush Limbaugh, the father of all conservative talk radio, moved from New York to Palm Beach, Florida where he now broadcasts his nation-wide show. By not venturing into New York, Rush avoids quite a few taxes that would otherwise drain his considerable income.
Beck, who is ending his TV show on the Fox News Network, and Rush have certain advantages over other talkers, such as Sean Hannity. Hannity, who has a long-running TV show on FNC, is bound to New York by that particular gig. While CNN has been headquartered in relatively low tax Atlanta, Georgia, Fox News has remained in New York, perhaps on the theory that being in the biggest media market in the world offsets the tax and regulation headaches.
Even so, maybe Hannity could find a way to broadcast from a Fox studio in--say--Dallas or Orlando in order to avoid the hassles of living in New York. Either place would be glad to have him, just as Rush is welcome where he is and Beck will no doubt be welcome in Texas if and when he moves there.
Texas resident Mark Whittington writes about state issues for the Yahoo! Contributor Network.
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