"The empathy Perry [left] has shown this week to those spitting-mad-at-Washington secessionists had newscaster Geraldo Rivera calling him 'grossly irresponsible' and ripe for impeachment," writes News reporter Christy Hoppe, "while former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said that Perry was being a righteous governor 'standing up for the sovereignty of his state.' What is certain is that Perry has struck a chord. And it is aimed at Texas' ultimate mythology--that because it began as a country, by gum, it could go it alone again." What do Perry's constituents think of his breakaway talk? On Twitter, at least one Texan sounded alarmed. "I saw a sea of white people at tea parties," said @yves1960. "Here in Texas things were radical. Our nutty gov. was ranting secession!" There was a similar response from a transplanted Texan, @tomthedog: "Trust me, as a Cali boy moved to Texas, it's the non-celebs who are much more embarrassing (like Rick 'Pro-Secession' Perry)." You can check out the many, many Twitter reactions here.
Of course, commentary in the blogosphere was by no means limited to Twitter. Over at the customarily staid U.S. News & World Report, contributing editor John Aloysius Farrell had a few laughs at the expense of an independent Tejas. "The new nation would have to raise an Army and a Navy and an Air Force from scratch, of course," he writes. "For the first few years, if it didn't want to be gobbled up by Mexico or intimidated by the hugely irritated United States to the north, there would probably have to be confiscatory taxation, and a draft of a million or so healthy men and women over 18, just to guard its thousands of miles of borders.... Austin would be an interesting case. Would its liberal software designers, musicians, University of Texas faculty and filmmakers stay with Texas? Or secede, in turn, from Texas and rejoin the United States? Or become a kind of laid-back Switzerland, playing both countries against each other?"
This fantasia provoked some irate comments. "If Texas were to stand up and leave the union there will be hundreds of thousands of 'northerners' moving south, for freedom and liberty, to escape the soft tyranny of the socialist states of America," insisted CAZ. And John, himself a Texan, added: "Libs in CA or NY wouldn't want to secede because they are pathetic, weak people who believe in crackpot Marxist ideas that are destroying them (which they deserve), are generally pantywaists, are already broke, and don't have weapons anyway, or else would be too cowardly anyway like you."
Here at Propeller, a related post--about Ron Paul's semi-endorsement of Texas secession--touched off a lively thread of its own. Justice4All had no problem with the Texans going off in a sulk: "If they keep George Bush, then it will be OK for them to secede. But in 20 years their economy will be more like Mexico's than like the US." Neither did frctm5: "Frankly, I wish all the red states would secede. Then we can stop subsidizing them." But there were also some stalwart Perry fans in the mix. Argued all2fun: "Texans appear to want to escape the slavery imposed upon them by the Federal Government and enforced by the Schutzstaffelesque IRS. If one must labor for 4 to 5 months out of the year simply to pay homage to our masters in Washington, what other name can be used to describe it?"
A couple of questions remain. First: is there even a shred of a legal argument that would permit Texan secession? The Dallas Morning News article cited above said no: "The fact is, the treaty under which Texas joined the U.S. provides that it could be divided into five separate states. But it is not empowered to leave the union, a question that the Civil War seems to have settled once and for all." Meanwhile, this FAQ posted by TexasSecede.org provides a resounding yes: "Joining the 'Union' was ever and always voluntary, rendering voluntary withdrawal an equally lawful and viable option (regardless of what any self-appointed academic, media, or government 'experts'--including Abraham Lincoln himself--may have ever said)." And finally, an even more pressing question--the potential impact of secession on the video-gaming industry--is addressed here.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1. Its amazing how stupid some Republicans can act! LOL! In 2004 Bush pushed(with a Repub Congress!)the John Warner Act that gave Bush complete and total control as Military Dictator over America! Yes! It really happened! In 1878 the Posse Comitatus Act protected Americans from military involvement in policing us, after our people being under Englands military BOOT! Our forefathers created this legislation so it would never happen AGAIN! Bush destroyed Posse Comitatus! In 2006, the Dem. Congress reinstated Posse Comitatus, but didn't realize a stipulation that the president did not have to go by Congress or the Constitution by the John Warner Acts wording! In 2008, Bush started a U.S. Army 3rd brigade group, for the purpose of policing Americans(like Adolf Hitler did.) Its rather obvious that his actions were INTENTIONAL!
Posted at 9:13AM on Apr 22nd 2009 by Clay
2. I am Texcan tall and proud and if you liberals do not like us i for one do not give a damn as far as I am concerned you are bring civil war upon your own selves. there is a song by Hoyt Axton called I am A
good ole rebel on playlist.com and it speaks volumes to how i feel.
you god damn liberals can all go to hell and i damn sure would stand up adn fight you to the bloody death including mine. 300000 of you paid the price with southern fever and and southern shot you invaded the south we did not invade you i only wish it has been 3 million instead of what we got. Texas is our country we are rebels and patriots to our state first and then to the south. i hope we leave and tell obama to go to hell. if he wants to play lincoln he can damn sure try to do so. no man will take my freedom from me they can lock up my body but they can not lock up my heart or my voice. and hollywood and the yankee north you son's of bitches can all go frak your selves. the only good liberal is one i can take a piss on period.
Posted at 11:39AM on Apr 22nd 2009 by southern cross ranch
3. Texas is still a republic. m I would move back to Texas if it did declare its indepandence. We would withouog doubt be the only free democracy in the western hemisphere in ten years when the commycrats get through with what was once the greatest country in the world.
Posted at 4:01PM on Apr 22nd 2009 by PERRYGEE
4.
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS IS INFILTRATED WITH IGNORANT YANKEES. YOU HAD BETTER BELIEVE WE CAN SECEED. GENERAL GEORGE PATTON ONCE SAID,
"GIVE ME A BATALLION OF TEXAS AGGIES AND I CAN WIN THIS WAR (WWII)" NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN. THE US MILITARY CAN'T EVEN DEFEAT A LITTLE COUNTRY LIKE NORTH VIET NAM. HOW DO Y0U THINK IT WOULD FARE AGAINST THE GREATEST STATE IN THE USA?
Posted at 3:23PM on Apr 22nd 2009 by PERRYGEE
5. TEXAS IS A PROUD STATE AND THE TRUE TEXANS ARE JUST AS PROUD. IF YOU DONT LIKE THE IDEA OF SUCEEDING YOU CANT IN GOOD FAITH CALL YOURSELVES TEXANS. I FOR ONE AM PROUD OF GOV. PERRY FOR STANDING UP TO THE WANT TO BE PRESIDENT, WE SHOULD REALLY THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF SUCEEDING, WE TEXANS ARE ARMED AND READY TO DEFEND OUR COUNTRY OR STATE WHICH EVER IT MAY BECOME WE DID IT BEFORE AND WE CAN DO IT AGAIN.
Posted at 3:59PM on Apr 22nd 2009 by N2WIN
6. As a citizen of Louisiana, I say that if Texas does seceed from the union, Louisiana will follow in kind. Oh, and we'll take all the lands originally included in the Louisiana Purchase with us!
Posted at 4:00PM on Apr 22nd 2009 by Karen
7. As far as the mouth from Louisiana..please by all means go. The yanks have paid out the nose for your asses to keep building below sea level. Sink and shut up already.
As for Texas..she was a Republic long before we got our nose in her beeswax. She'll need to draft an army n such huh? I think 25% of our forces (Thank you for your service)will be a good start on keeping her borders protected. Along with the oil, natural gas and electricity she produces for herself I think Texas will be just fine. It will be the rest of us who are worse off from the loss. This yank supports Texas 110%. May the 13 be bold enough to follow her example! God bless Texas!
Posted at 4:36PM on Apr 22nd 2009 by Natalie
8. Whie I realize that this whole story is just a chain being yanked by a Yankee news publication (ie the Dallas papers)but there is a real chord of discontent here that ahs developed at how a select group of NE eggheads and academia is trying to dismiss much of what made this country the great place it became after it's war for independence. Unfair/unwarranted taxation without representation is casuing some temperatures to rise. Texas, could easily provide for itself should it ever decide to secede, in my opinion. First of all we paid for the v arious military bases and have the oil and natural resourses and access to the oceans for trading purposes that would make it a successfull transition in my opinion. We have a moderate climate most of the year, could easily beef up the resevoirs in the state to trap and gather more of the abundant rain we get each year so as to increase our water supply, ramp up our aqua ranching in seafood production, and our agricultural products, cattle and chickens would be used in state or sold at a more profitable rate for our revenue needs. We have shipyards, gun savvy menfolk, and a sense of pride that is quite capable of sustaining us thru the initial growing pains. Anyway, as much negative lip service as is generated towards our state by the many folks on this site who likely have never visited here and only base their opinions on LBJ or GWB, we won'tmiss you in the least. Mexico ain't gonna jack with us either, we have dealt with them before and have all the weaponry required to do so again. As for Austin, it would likely become deserted in short order due to the fear that our independence might arouse from the liberals that infest it, but, again we could deal with that too. We are a hearty breed, and a lot less inclined to panic and tremble at the thought of true independence as our many detractors seem to think. Just my thoughts on the subject, but I'd take them seriously should any of you yahoos who foolishly think otherwise, decided to push issue.
Posted at 6:04PM on Apr 22nd 2009 by Gere
9. Please, If Texas does Secede, can the only sane people out here,the ones who actually still work for a living, join you? I wouldn't worry about having to come up with an army, I'm sure there will be plenty of people moving to Texas to get out of this new socialistic nation that Obama and his koolaid drinking masses have created.
Posted at 6:09PM on Apr 22nd 2009 by stephanie
10. Kevin D Romney, Texas is in a total mess and I am not sure Obama can resolve these issues quickly
Posted at 10:22AM on May 25th 2009 by kevinromney
11. How do I get the advertisements off my selection area so that I can use propeller. The AARP ad covers my selection area. I can't always select out of what I'm in.
Does this happen to everyone? If so how does a member get the add off his selection area?
Posted at 12:23AM on May 27th 2009 by papasmom