Politico’s Andy Barr says Texas Governor Rick Perry’s “star is rising” in the wake of his speeches for yesterday’s Tea Party protests:
Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s star is rising among a new constituency — the anti-tax “tea party” crowd — in the wake of his recent endorsement of a Texas state House resolution affirming the state’s sovereignty.
The resolution urges that “all compulsory federal legislation that directs states to comply under threat of civil or criminal penalties or sanctions or that requires states to pass legislation or lose federal funding be prohibited or repealed.”
Which is great, so far as it goes. But then there’s this:
Speaking to an energetic and angry tea party crowd in Austin Wednesday evening, the Lone Star State governor suggested secession may happen in the future should the federal government not change its fiscal polices.
“There’s a lot of different scenarios,” Perry said. “We’ve got a great union. There’s absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that. But Texas is a very unique place, and we’re a pretty independent lot to boot.”
Perry might one day make it to the Senate, but otherwise, this statement is — and should be — the end of any White House ambitions he might have entertained. The secession issue was settled, quite forcefully, in 1865 at a little place called Appomattox. And a good thing, too.
UPDATE: Doug Mataconis agrees.
I am from Austin, I moved here in 1981. I do not believe this is as big a deal as you make it. For as long as I have been here one of the most popular bumper stickers has been “Texas Secede”. Govenor Perry did not go very far out on a limb here. I saw an article the other day that showed Senator Hutchinson has a slight lead among republicans in the state, he was probably trying to draw a line between himself a state politician and Senator Hutchinson a national politician, always a good play in Texas. I have no more fear of secession than I have of socialism, not a good statement but the future is always in flux.
Blaine –
That stuff might play in Texas, but in most of the rest of the country, it’s (and ought to be) a DOA pronouncement for national ambitions.
There is a great resentment among Texans that some how the issue of Texas right of secession was settled long ago and we are obligated to observe the Federal government as our sole focus of loyalty. Not so. There is and has always been a spirit of independence in Texans that supersedes the allegiance to the government. We know that point is coming at us like a tsunami. The lack of border enforcement , the question of sovereignty and the casual disregard by government in squandering our security and wealth.
We know that the green movement is socialism in disguise. We know that amnesty is an attempt to dissolve our citizenship . We know that limited property rights is empowering government at the cost of individual liberties. We know that the creeping strangulation of regulation is driven by the ACLU. WE know that blind groping greed is the blood of the Democratic Party. We know that our guns, our families and our religion are the last articles of faith we have left in this corrupt and lost world.
When we may decide to abandon them is not a matter to be bandied about by lawyers and politicians . Ultimately, you may be surprised to find that some spirit of resistance still lives deep in the heart of Texas .
Well, Mataconis was predicting a primary-election backlash that could make Hutchinson the 2010 GOP nominee for gubnor. Which would be worse for the Texas GOP if she won than if she lost, IMO.
It’s worked wonders up here in Canada. Quebec whines and the federal government bends over backwards to appease the whiners including stealing money from Alberta to payoff Quebecers through “equalization payments”.
This discussion illustrates the total degeneration of the American political conversation. Won’t any of you entertain the possibility that some of our politicians really care about the job they were elected to do?
Just maybe Governor Perry doesn’t lie awake at night dreaming of the presidency? Could it be that Sarah Palin’s only regret is that she wasted some valuable time that could have been better spent looking out for the citizens of Alaska?
Roy, that was the part I did not put in my post. With 50 governors and 100 senators not everyone is setting up to be the ONE and is concerned with the job at hand. There are worse things than being DOA for the national stage.
Stephen:
Governor Perry’s statement is a very mild and reasonable reminder that the current direction of profligate spending and federalization of everything is alarming, and may require further action. As well as a gentle reminder that our rights as a sovereign state remain undiminished. I disagree that he speaks of secession. Any educated Texan knows that belief is a canard. However, you should know that the Governor perhaps was referring to Texas’ right to subdivide into 5 states (10 senators). Now that would be delicious! I, however, doubt that any sane Texan would subdivide our great state. But in extremis…..
In Vodka Semper Amicus
GC
Who would fight to preserve the Union at this point?
Not me, not my children. Does anyone truly want to raise arms against other americans over this?
Goofy Berkley-style lefty politics aside, it might be worth our while to let California go. We might lose some GDP, but on the other hand, the rest of the country could no longer kick back and let the west coast drive a large part of our regulatory system, since so many take their lead from Sacramento.
I wouldn’t mind losing Massachusetts as well. Serve those tax-crazy buggers right, even if we also lose the magnificent Red Sox.
…And if Texas ever did secede, I would immediately apply for immigration!
Stephen Green: “That stuff might play in Texas, but in most of the rest of the country, it’s (and ought to be) a DOA pronouncement for national ambitions.”
It sure as hell isn’t for me. (I live in Idaho)
The question may have been resolved pragmatically, but it was never addressed legally and has always been settled in favor of secession morally. What is pragmatic can change over time, and has changed vastly since 1865. It is no longer settled at all.
Casey, “might” lose some GDP if California secedes? Maybe you aren’t aware, but California pretty much feeds a good portion of us, entertains most of us, and has an economy that is bigger than Canada and Mexico combined. Also, places like Colorado and Arizona would be paying through the nose for produce and things shipped from China if California secedes. Nice thought exercise, but you forgot the thought part.
As for Massachusetts, the facts don’t back up your thoughts again. Massachusetts isn’t the tax hell it is portrayed as being, especially when all taxes (Fed/State/local) are combined. It’s no Aruba-like tax shelter by any means, but I’m pretty sure Minnesotans and Illinoisers pay more.
jon,
Why, with a friendly food growing nation so close, would Arizona and Colorado buy their crops from China? Did you think all the farms in California would suddenly stop selling their produce?
Perhaps you should think a little harder before you accuse others of lack of thought?
Personally, I wouldn’t mind at all if Texas decides to leave. In fact, I would join Casey in applying for immigration.
Maybe you aren’t aware, but California pretty much feeds a good portion of us,
So? They’ll keep selling us food, they need the money.
entertains most of us,
So? They’ll keep selling us movies, they need the money.
and has an economy that is bigger than Canada and Mexico combined.
…not for much longer, unless they pull their heads out and get their $#!t together.
I seriously cannot believe people would entertain thoughts of secession….as if we can’t vote the man out of office in 4 years..you know, like we’ve been doing since the beginning.
Is it worth another Civil War? Are you people high? I agree with 95 percent of the stuff I find on this site, but when I read something like Texas should secede, I wonder if all those stereotypes about Texans being idiots doesn’t carry some water.
Nick –
There’s a hell of a lot going on besides Obama. How about EPA deciding CO2 is a greenhouse gas? How about continuing to kick the Social Security can down the road? How about the fact that the Republicans held both houses of congress for 6 years and ignored Bush’s attempts to set Fannie and Freddie straight?
I’ve been beating the Tenth Amendment drum this week, because voting Obama out, or restoring Republican control of Congress, is less than a band-aid. Oklahoma has a state sovereignty law pending (as does Texas and several other states), and hopefully over the next few years we will see a roll-back of federal power (although it’s going to take a bunch of educating to convince people to repeal the 17th Amendment). But if worse really and finally comes to worse, I expect Oklahoma to follow if Texas leaves the Union, because it won’t be the same Union the Founders bequeathed us.
Governor Perry did not use the words ‘secede’ or ‘secession’: You Did. Vodka Pundit did. Stop putting words in his mouth to set up a straw man as Whore-aldo did, as MSLSD media does.
When/If Governor Perry states that the Policy of the Republic of Texas is Secession, And Bye Bye: I’ll be at the border, to defend against Well Fed Government. I elected him twice, he represents me.
Now don’t start in on me about how doomed we would be if we did, BECAUSE GOVERNOR PERRY HAS NOT EVEN USED THE WORD(S) ‘SECEDE’ OR ‘SECESSION’ (YET)! YOU DID!!
And that is libel. I don’t appreciate people telling me what I can and cannot do. And show some respect. Don’t mess with Texas.
“Department of Corrections” indeed.
You stand corrected, now Stand and Deliver!!
I have a feeling that if California seceded, the result would be more expensive produce (no, I doubt they’d embargo us.) And the real winner is? Mexico. But really, it’s all an exercise in frivolity since it just isn’t going to happen. Anyhow, with the state by state redistribution of wealth that goes on, most of those low tax states would lose big if they seceded. Otherwise it would have happened again and again over the past century.
About twenty years ago, on the Byte Information Exchange (BIX),
this subject came up, as did all the others which flash and fade
on the Net. Three recollections:
1) The Federal Government seems all-powerful and irresistable,
to an individual, but its power rapidly diminishes as the size
of its opponent increases. Furtherandmore, most of the muscle
the State has goten used to wielding comes from the Tax-and-
Redistribute technique, which works well in good times;
Not so much when there is nationwide Depression.
2) The U.S. military gives strong and specific instruction to
its officers and men on the difference between armed insurrection
against the Constitution, and lawful resistance to unconstitutional
acts committed by an Administration. Basically, stay out of political
conflicts, even if they become violent. Oh, yes, there is also the Q&A:
Soldier, what would you do if ordered to fire on U. S. citizens ?
Sir, I would shoot the *** who gave the order. Good answer.
Unrealistic ? Not when the Brits are asking their soldiers that question.
3) A serving officer was asked:
If a civilian administration ran the country in the ditch, to the point that
a couple of years of Martial Law were required to get it back on track,
would the military give power back to the civilians ?
What about the second time, and the third ?
Answers: Certainly, probably, no way.
See also Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers”, where an individual earns the right
to order the State by voting only after a career spent serving the State,
as a Civil Servant, or a Soldier.
jon, besides luxury foods such as strawberries or oranges,just what does California feed us? And (as rosignol observes) they need to sell their food somewhere, no?
While Hollywood generates movies, they also consume huge tax credits from cities all over the country who would persuade them to film a movie “here,” for any given value of here. All those credits go away if CA becomes “foreign.” They need us as customers at least as much as we need them as producers, and (honestly) I can go without 99% of the Hollywood produce…
You claim that “facts don’t back up” my thoughts with respect to Massachusetts, but (alas) you fail to actually cite any specific facts as contra-positive.
Andy, thanks for getting my back. We can homestead side by side in the great Republic of Texas, just like Farmer In The Sky.
Nick: take a deep breath, calm down, and reflect; we are having fun with a mildly ridiculous -albeit attractive- suggestion. Why so serious, commissioner?
Jack Okie does touch on some very serious issues which do resonate with our derisive speculations here. To be quite honest, it looks as if Barry is seriously intent on creating an “administration as nanny” style of government. Alas, the US historical record shows that very few bureaucratic constructions are ever de-constructed, once created.
So we will be stuck with all this oppressive crap for, well, forever…
Damn few places to run to, these days.
Casey,
The overall tax burden on citizens of Massachusetts is high for Federal taxes (because they’re almost as high-earning as that of Connecticutters/Connecticutians/Connectfourprettysneakysis/people from Connecticut. But their state taxes are pretty moderate overall. (I looked this up on some retirement site which cited some tax foundation survey.) Those crazy tax-raising guys just aren’t keeping up with the memes, I guess.
http://www.taxfoundation.org/files/sr163pdf is the citation I didn’t provide. I got no facts, just opinions.
I’ve done some searching, and all I’ve found is Governor Perry, saying, “..try as I may, I’m not going to wait that long, Adios.”
Not a legal standard, it comes down to this:
taunts- free speech
libel- illegal
# 17 is incomplete, it would perhaps require a measure, or a Resolution in the Legislature: but we have not gotten anuwhere near such a thing. But if we do, ditto.
there are some pretty strong taunts in #’s 17, and especially 18,
and silence only proves my point. If someone wants to voluntarily drive the media memes, that’s their business, but they will be called out. Lazy-ness is danger-ess,
And silence is not a pocket veto.
Let’s agree to disagree instead.