What's troubling is not that 75 percent of those polled by Rasmussen Reports would vote to remain in the United States; what's troubling is that 18 percent of those surveyed said they would prefer that Texas secede.
It's not surprising that one in five Texas adults surveyed indicated a preference for secession -- their state's governor, as recently as two days ago, indicated he believes secession is an option for the state.
But Perry is wrong in his belief that Texas has the right to secede.
Contrary to what some in Texas apparently believe, Texas was not given any special dispensation when it joined the Union.
And even if it had been, any special dispensation went out the window when Texas joined the Confederacy, took up arms against the United States, and then was defeated.
President Andrew Johnson's Proclamation declaring the end of hostilities between the United States and Texas made it abundantly clear:
"And whereas, the President of the United States, by further proclamation issued on the second day of April, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, did promulgate and declare, that there no longer existed any armed resistance of misguided citizens, or others, to the authority of the United States in any, or in all the States before mentioned, excepting only the State of Texas, and did further promulgate and declare that the laws could be sustained and enforced in the several States before mentioned, except Texas, by the proper civil authorities, State, or Federal, and that the people of the said States, except Texas, are well and loyally disposed, and have conformed or will conform in their legislation to the condition of affairs growing out of the amendment to the Constitution of the United States, prohibiting slavery within the limits and jurisdiction of the United States;
"And did further declare in the same proclamation that it is the manifest determination of the American people that no State, of its own will, has a right or power to go out of or separate itself from, or be separated from the American Union; and that, therefore, each State ought to remain and constitute an integral part of the United States ..."
That's what happens when you lose a war.
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Comments
Personally I wouldn't mind if they did secede. And take most of the South with them.
Posted by: eurotom.myopenid.com
| April 20, 2009 10:09 AM
Well the war was won by a lot tougher and more determined guys than the likes of the talkers and whiners like you now in power. If you don't like us that's fine-take your crappy federal programs and get out.
Posted by: skippy
| April 20, 2009 5:31 PM
If we did secede, Texas and the rest of the south would succeed very nicely. The rest of the country is made up of the bankrupt, failing states anyway. Typical lib who would want to get rid of the successful and keep the failure.
Posted by: kellirc
| April 21, 2009 2:47 PM
If Texas did secede, the new country of Texas would be one of the leading countries in the world for GDP.
We would dominate in oil, energy, manufacturing, ranching, but mostly common sense. Of course, we'd still be #1 in capital punishment (we're #1, we're #1).
We also know that it's possible to produce oil and nuclear energy and be environmentally conscious at the same time. We'd have a trade surplus every year, low taxes and no unions.
Posted by: kvb
| April 21, 2009 8:50 PM
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