It looks like there is no need for Governor Rick Perry to entertain ideas of Texas Secession. The U.S. State Department has listed us as one of the foreign countries that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has visited this year.
They have since corrected it, but who's saying they ever made a mistake!
What is the base of the Republican Party in a general election? It's around 39% statewide.
That's the total percent of the vote Rick Perry received in 2006 in his re-election. Given 4 options, only 39% would go with Governor Perry.
Clearly Rick Perry is more out of touch than the original numbers indicate.
Rasmussen has released a poll that shows Rick Perry's call to secede from the United States of America are hugely unpopular. Only 18% of those polled would vote to secede if the election to secede were held today.
Thirty-one percent (31%) of Texas voters say that their state has the right to secede from the United States and form an independent country.
However, the latest Rasmussen Reports poll in the state finds that if the matter was put to a vote, it wouldn't even be close. Three-fourths (75%) of Lone Star State voters would opt to remain in the United States. Only 18% would vote to secede, and seven percent (7%) are not sure what they'd choose.
At the most basic levels, the Reasmussen poll indicates all of the teabaggers who hollered and shouted for joy during Perry's repeated call for secession represent an extreme minority of the state at 18%. It further shows just how out of touch the organizers of this Republican press stunt really are.
With 31% of Texans saying Texas has a right to seceded and only 18% actually wanting to secede, Perry has clearly hung his re-election hopes squarely on the far right. Will this anti-American sentiment work? Sadly, it's too early to tell. However, Texans do support our country and I would be interested in seeing some polling numbers to see how people feel about the Federal Recovery and Re-investment Act and how they feel about Barack Obama. It's clear Perry does not have his finger on the pulse of the average Texans, so let's see who does.
The Texas Workforce Commission has more bad news for Texas.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 6.7 percent in March, while the U.S. unemployment rate climbed to 8.5 percent. The Texas unemployment rate is up from 6.5 percent in February and 4.6 percent in March 2008.
Texas' seasonally adjusted nonagricultural employment fell by 47,100 in March, following a loss of 52,400 jobs in February. Texas recorded a net loss of 106,500 jobs in the past 12 months...
Gov. Perry continues to ignore the increasing job numbers. In fact, Perry has decided his office will discuss seceding rather than how to curb job loss or how to use federal money to solidify Texas' standing in the national and global markets.
There is some good news.
Trade, Transportation and Utilities added 5,800 jobs in March, and the Financial Services industry grew by 3,100 jobs. Education and Health Services gained 300 jobs in March for an increase of 59,600 jobs over the year reflecting a strong job growth rate of 4.7 percent. Industry losses hit Construction and Manufacturing the hardest, down 18,800 and 11,900 jobs, respectively.
Problem is the industries most important to our general infrastructure and growth continue to underperform or lose jobs.
There is a solution. Take and apply the federal Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding so Texas can train and help Texans find jobs.
"TWC has allocated millions in federal stimulus dollars to support training and to help Texans find jobs," said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Ronny Congleton. "Workforce centers across the state are ready to help job seekers with work search, skills training and other services."
When we don't ignore the problem, we can find solutions.
Austin American Statesman reporter Ken Herman asked Gov. Rick Perry on tape if a date had been set yet for Texas to secede from the Union, per his comments from yesterday.
"There's a lot of different scenarios. 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."
Well, regardless of how Rick Perry feels, and the fact that we fought a war back in the 1800's that kind of settled the issue, and the fact that a 5-3 Supreme Court decision kind of settled the issue, well, you get the point.
AAS: Between the Texas Constitution, the U.S. Constitution and the Joint Resolution Annexing Texas to the United States of 1845, there is no explicit right for the state to return to its days as a Republic, said Sanford Levinson, a professor at the School of Law at University of Texas-Austin.
"We actually fought a war over this issue, and there is no possibility whatsoever that the United States or any court would recognize a "right" to secede," Levinson wrote in an e-mail.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress doth consent that the territory properly included within and rightfully belonging to the Republic of Texas, may be erected into a new State to be called the State of Texas, with a republican form of government adopted by the people of said Republic, by deputies in convention assembled, with the consent of the existing Government in order that the same may by admitted as one of the States of this Union.
2nd. And be it further resolved, That the foregoing consent of Congress is given upon the following conditions, to wit: First, said state to be formed, subject to the adjustment by this government of all questions of boundary that may arise with other government, --and the Constitution thereof, with the proper evidence of its adoption by the people of said Republic of Texas, shall be transmitted to the President of the United States, to be laid before Congress for its final action on, or before the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and forty-six. Second, said state when admitted into the Union, after ceding to the United States all public edifices, fortifications, barracks, ports and harbors, navy and navy yards, docks, magazines and armaments, and all other means pertaining to the public defense, belonging to the said Republic of Texas, shall retain funds, debts, taxes and dues of every kind which may belong to, or be due and owing to the said Republic; and shall also retain all the vacant and unappropriated lands lying within its limits, to be applied to the payment of the debts and liabilities of said Republic of Texas, and the residue of said lands, after discharging said debts and liabilities, to be disposed of as said State may direct; but in no event are said debts and liabilities to become a charge upon the Government of the United States. Third -- New States of convenient size not exceeding four in number, in addition to said State of Texas and having sufficient population, may, hereafter by the consent of said State, be formed out of the territory thereof, which shall be entitled to admission under the provisions of the Federal Constitution; and such states as may be formed out of the territory lying south of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north latitude, commonly known as the Missouri Compromise Line, shall be admitted into the Union, with or without slavery, as the people of each State, asking admission shall desire; and in such State or States as shall be formed out of said territory, north of said Missouri compromise Line, slavery, or involuntary servitude (except for crime) shall be prohibited."
Yes, Texas could be drawn and quartered to become 5 total states within the Union. But Texas as a state, nor any of those subdivided states may secede from the Union.
I am fortunate that my great-grandparents moved to Texas over 100 years ago, and I am deeply proud of our state.
Every 2 years, my colleagues in the Legislature and I spend time away from our families trying to make Texas a better place. I am honored and privileged to do so.
However, I am also an American. And I am proud to be an American. There is even a song I like that says that - you probably know it.
Every Texas elected official takes an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. I take oaths seriously, and that one most of all. And every day during the legislative session we pledge "allegiance" to the flag of the United States.
We even require every public school child to recite the pledge -- every day. That is "one nation, under God, indivisible."
"Indivisible."
Yesterday, our Governor had the opportunity to disavow anti-American rhetoric of secession. He chose not to, and instead he chose affirm those who believe and actually contemplate that our nation is divisible.
What do I say to my youngest daughter when she asks "why do I recite the pledge every day at school, if our Governor doesn't believe it?"
Hopefully Gov. Perry simply made a mistake; a mistake I call on him to correct by unequivocally declaring that our nation is one and indivisible, and that talk of secession from the union is thoughtless and reckless.
Perhaps he did not understand that words are important and that talk of secession carries heavy meaning.
Some hear this talk and associate it with racial division - an issue that caused over 600,000 Americans to lose their lives in a Civil War.
Others are incited by this kind of reckless rhetoric. I believe that the role of Texas Governor is to lead us to a better place, not stoke the fires of divisions.
Talk of secession is an attack on our country. It is the ultimate anti-American statement. Serious discussion that we would even contemplate dividing our country, the greatest country in the world, shows lack of judgment -- and any words from the Texas Governor will be taken seriously. Finally, such statements -- particularly in a time when we are at war overseas, with over 4,000 American lives lost, and thousands in combat as we speak -- are both offensive, irresponsible and not the words of a patriot.
I am surprised that Governor Perry would reinforce a sentiment that is so clearly anti-American. He should choose his words more carefully unless they are intentional, and if his words were intentional, they should be condemned.
You cannot lead a state that is part of a nation by trying to divide that state from that nation.
We live in a time when ill-thought words can stoke emotions. And today we have 100,000 Texans who have just lost their jobs, through no fault of their own. A time of economic recession and possible depression. We just came off a presidential election. In times like these, our leaders should strive toward unity, not pander to the divisive elements in our society.
Our Governor should be focusing on striving to lower homeowners insurance rates, lower college tuition, improve our public schools, provide better access to health care for working families and leading our state and our nation through this time of trouble. He should not be attending fringe political rallies; he should be offering and advancing solutions. There will be time for Rick Perry to run against Kay Bailey Hutchison after session is over. He should put the good of our state above his ambition to serve another term as Governor.
