Texas Won't Secede — But It Won't Shut Up Either
Texas seceded from the Union 150 years ago this month. It turned out to be a remarkably unprofitable idea.
It’s not a red-letter date, although Confederate Heroes Day (Jan. 19) is still on the books. Excepting historians and other nerds, the anniversary of the state’s decision to quit the Union generally goes unnoticed.
Most people think secession would be a pretty rotten idea now, but it still comes up sometimes. In April 2009, Gov. Rick Perry popped off about it at a Tea Party Tax Day rally where some in the crowd shouted “secede.”
After his speech, Perry ...
Comments (7)
JeffDaiell
Legal/Constitutional/Moral issues cannot be "resolved" or "settled" by war.
Jeff Daiell
BurningFeet
Would have been a lot more interesting campaign if reporters hadn't been so gullible as to spend all their time covering secessionist pandering by Perry, and spent some of it on things like the 31 billion dollar State deficit Ricky was sweeping under the carpet.
M G
The supreme court in 1869 ruled that secession was illegal in Texas v. White.
Tom Deliganis
I'm guessing that the secession rhetoric will hurt Perry in his quest for National Office
linda featherston
does ross ramsey know what federal dollars are and where they come from. could we please use correct language when purporting to be a journalist, i.e.taxpayer funded, taxpayer grants, taxpayer funded hwys, taxpayer funded stimulous, etc.
Dave Mundy
Great piece Ross! You're quite right that secession talk today has little resemblance to what happened in 1861 other than the word "secession."
Perhaps in your next one you can figure out where "federal money" comes from? A hint: I just wrote Washington a check to help provide a little bit of it.
I continue to find it surprising that you guys in far left field continue to peg Perry as a secessionist even though it's been abundantly clear since he made the statement that Texas (and any other state) has a right to secede that he did so only in an effort to pander to what he considered a "conservative" group -- Texas Nationalists. We endorsed Debra Medina instead. But don't let facts get in the way of clever rhetoric.
Jeff certainly makes a good point in his comment: Texas nationalism is not about reviving the Confederacy or doing a replay of the Civil War. The modern Texas independence movement exists because Texas has a unique culture, economy and philosophy on the role of government which sets it apart from the rest of the U.S. I, or any other Texas Nationalist, would be happy to debate anyone, any time, on why those factors argue in favor of Texas independence.
M G -- the 1869 decision was made by a Supreme Court which had just been stocked by the Radical Republicans. Secession is "illegal" only when the nation you're trying to leave destroys you militarily. Ask the residents of the new Republic of South Sudan what they think about the idea.
John Roming
I really do not know of any true Texan who believes there is or ever will be a need for Texas to worry about secession, all we have to do is be here to pick up the pieces when the other states fall completely apart. The neat thing about all of this is Texas can be picky and only include, in our choices, states that have shown some common sense. When this country falls apart...not torn apart it will be Texas that will be able to put some of it back together. Well if we can stop some of the immigration from the northern border. Not real sure the southern border is the biggest problem.