The economy of Texas is one of the largest and most rapidly growing economies in the United States. As of 2011, Texas is home to six of the top 50 companies on the Fortune 500 list and 51 overall, (third most after New York and California). [9] The Texas economy is the second largest in the nation and the 15th largest in the world based on GDP (nominal) figures. As the largest exporter of goods in the United States, Texas currently [when?] grosses more than $100 billion a year in trade with other nations.
I wasn’t saying those guardsmen, soldiers, veterans, etc. are in the employ of Texas or any way linked to Texas other than by residence. I was saying they live there, and I’d assume at least some of them would join in the defense of the state, if Texas hypothetically seceded. And the equipment is of course federally owned, I was talking about privately held arms.
I mentioned their industrial and economic capacity because it would allow them to fund and equip an army. Under the assumption they are peacefully seceding and the US remains allied to them (the petition mentioned Texas staying allied with the US), then what grounds for sanctions, tariffs, etc. would there be?
The economy of Texas is so impressively massive, imagine releasing it from the confines of our current federal government and allowing it to live under much more reasonable taxes (as, the hope would be, an independent Texas would levy) and fewer regulations.
Are you saying that Texas should have a trade preference over other countries that the United States currently trades with? Our (U.S. ) current international trade agreements would probably preclude this. In terms of “Texas” industrial base, how many of those companies would line up under the U.S. or under Texas? Capital? How much would repatriate to the U.S.? I think there would be a lot of closings of Texas branches, offices, etc. of national and mulitinationals until the dust settled.
Kinda like leaving home at 18 under less than ideal circumstances, better be able to carry your own load or find some roommates.
I’m (partially) operating under the assumption that Texas would be allowed into NAFTA or a similar free trade agreement.
It isn’t an easy task, establishing a new nation. I don’t have all the answers. But it’s been done before, clearly. I believe the business-friendly environment would prevail in Texas. I also have a sneaking suspicion that were they to secede, there might be quite a few states following them along the Rocky mountains/great plains.
show us in the Constitution where it says the States are forbidden to secede? Not there? Then by default it is a State power by the 9th and 10th Amendments. This country was created through secession, by divorcing ourselves from Great Britain.
AND the defeatist. Thank all that is holy my ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War and the Texas War of Independence didn’t share their testical size.
BTT:
White House may respond to Texas secession petition
Yes, it will likely fall to the Supreme Court to decide. They already ruled against it once, likely would again if it ever in a million years it got that far. This will all die down and fall back into the realm of fringe politics, just as it did in California when Bush was elected for a second term.
From my layman’s view, it seems to fall under contract law…
The states formed the Federal government. The states are therefore parties in a contract. Assuming they fill their contractual obligations, what prevents them from exiting said contract? Where is the clause which regulates that?
If we live under the state government, and government derives its power from us, was created by us, and we live under this government by our consent in a social contract, we are allowed to leave as individuals, to exit that contract. We are allowed to expatriate, by law. Why is a state any different?
The federal government should not be regarded as the creator of anything. The federal government is a creation of the people by way of the states and therefore must remember that it is obligated to respect the states. If state sovereignty was granted respect, we wouldn’t be having this discussion, because the president/congress wouldn’t have say in jack shit with the exception of foreign policy, border control, currency, infrastructure, and regulating the District of Columbia (to oversimplify, and assuming an originalist interpretation of the constitution’s enumerated powers).
A null & void contract, the federal government has long been in default of its sacred “contractural” obligations to secure the borders, and balance the budget!
The fed, by all rights, should be immediately dissolved, its enablers silenced. Good luck with that…
Well, so far the only White House news I see is that Obama is considering John Kerry for SecDef, which iirc would just be rubbing his ass in the collective face of legit veterans everywhere. Of course at this point it’s just Drudge trying to stir things up, but still.
I’d assume Texas would allow the neighboring states to join in, or at least ally with them to some extent. Little reason not to, aside from pride.
AFAIK, Texas would have to buy back federally owned land (including bases), or simply declare it Texan land and tell the fed to take whatever’s not nailed down and GTFO (I like that one)
They’d be making a smart decision to let the troops stay, but I think the troops might be obligated to leave due to each soldier’s enlistment documents with the federal government, right? Probably be considered desertion to stay in Texas against orders?
As a fellow Texan balls to bone, I have to say this is ridiculous. The Texans that could actually live a happy, sustained life if this DID happen probably account for 1% of those signatures. It doesnt matter what our GDP is (as previously stated); its largely that way due to those Texas based multinational companies being so in-bedded with foreign oil conglomerates and world bank CEOs.
Im glad D-towns Tea Party chapter found time in-between Cosmos to go-online and think this could actually pan out. :rolleyes:
On the topic of mexican cartels taking over the state…NO.
As stated, that’s not the intent. With 25K signatures, the administration is expected to respond, officially. They don’t want to secede, they want the administration on record having to deny it. That’s the win.
Vitriol much? Why would you treat an emerging nation and 15th largest economy in the world that’s directly on your southern border as an enemy? Does that work in your favor somehow? If so, please do explain!
As for the rest of your hateful screed, you’d probably find more people lining up to become citizens of Texas that you would the other way around. It’s a two way street in case you forgot. And those multinational corporations? They go wherever the money goes. If Texas has it, they’ll stay. I do believe their economy is FAR more robust than California’s.
Texas will just revert to being Mexico’s northernmost province.
I think we already are there…
USA needs The Port of Houston:
The Port of Houston is a port in Houston — the fourth-largest port in the United States. The Port is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities located a few hours’ sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico. It is the busiest port in the United States in terms of foreign tonnage, second-busiest in the United States in terms of overall tonnage, and thirteenth-busiest in the world.[2] Though originally the port’s terminals were primarily within the Houston city limits, the port has expanded to such a degree that today it has facilities in multiple communities in the surrounding area. In particular the port’s busiest terminal, the Barbours Cut Terminal, is located in Morgan’s Point.
Texas will never leave the USA for a multitude of reasons. Texas has the wrong demographics for starters. This state is going to be a democrat strong hold soon, and more importantly Texas and Texans are dependent on our neighboring states just like everyone else.
The more important thing we need to do is for us folks that feel the constitution is important to come together and take back this country.
