White House Rejects Petitions to Secede, but Texans Fight On
By MANNY FERNANDEZ
Published: January 15, 2013


AUSTIN, Tex. — More than 100,000 people who signed an online petition calling on the Obama administration to allow Texas to secede from the United States and create an independent government received an official 476-word response from the White House last week.

The short answer was no.

But the response — in which a White House official said the founding fathers established the United States as a “perpetual union” — hardly discouraged the Texas secession movement, which has been simmering for decades but gained momentum after the re-election of President Obama.

On the opening day of the Legislature here last Tuesday, supporters of the Texas Nationalist Movement — a group that wants Texas to sever its federal ties and become an independent nation — met with Republican leaders, including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. It was another sign that ideas once regarded as radical and even unpatriotic have found a measure of support, or at least sympathy, among some conservatives.

The movement also scored a mention in one legislator’s opening-day speech, though it was not a reference that pleased supporters of the cause. “Our economy is so vast and diverse that if Texas were its own country — and no, don’t worry, that isn’t something we’re going to do this session — but if we were, we’d be the 14th-largest economy in the world,” the speaker of the House, Joe Straus III, a San Antonio Republican, told lawmakers.

Obama administration officials were reacting to a flurry of secession petitions filed by residents of Texas and other states on a section of the White House Web site. The Texas petition, with 125,746 signatures, declared that withdrawing from the Union was “practically feasible” since the state had a balanced budget.

The director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, Jon Carson, wrote in his response that free and open debate was good for democracy, but also cited some of the legal arguments against secession, including Texas v. White, an 1869 Supreme Court ruling that found that individual states did not have a right to secede.

“Our founding fathers established the Constitution of the United States ‘in order to form a more perfect union’ through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self-government,” Mr. Carson wrote. “They enshrined in that document the right to change our national government through the power of the ballot — a right that generations of Americans have fought to secure for all. But they did not provide a right to walk away from it.”

Mr. Carson was answering secession petitions filed by residents of Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and five other states, as well as one counterpetition seeking the deportation of everyone who signed a secession petition.

The communications director for the Texas Nationalist Movement, Jeff Sadighi, shrugged off the White House response and pointed to a section of the State Constitution that says Texans have the right “to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think expedient.”
At the opening of the legislative session, the group rallied on the steps of the Capitol and went to the offices of lawmakers seeking support for a referendum asking Texas voters to accept or reject secession. They got a warm reception: the group’s president, Daniel Miller, met with Mr. Dewhurst for about an hour.

“We had a lengthy discussion about the U.S. Constitution, the Texas Constitution and the future of Texas,” Mr. Miller said. “He was cordial and engaging on the issues with which we are concerned.”

A spokesman for the lieutenant governor, Matt Hirsch, said that Mr. Miller was one of several constituents who met with Mr. Dewhurst on the first day of the session, but that as a proud veteran Mr. Dewhurst believed in preserving and protecting the Union.
A version of this article appeared in print on January 16, 2013, on page A11 of the New York edition with the headline: White House Rejects Petitions To Secede, but Texans Fight On.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/16/us/politics/texas-secession-movement-unbowed-by-white-house-rejection.html?_r=0
[img]http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Imgs/Gif/VolcanicPast/StateMaps/map_usa_states_texas.gif[/img]

Texas of course is also the largest oil producing state in the USA. If you have ever heard of the oil company Texaco, it is named after Texas and short for "Texas Company" that produces refined oil and natural gas.
Do you think this has a bearing on why it wants its "independence"?
Of course the other major reason is Obama. The texans don't want a black man as their president so they want to form their own country and "self-determine"

Do you think USA should stay united? Or states should have the right to secede from it?

also, what can Nigerians learn from this?

Texas has been a racist state for as long as I remember, so I'm not surprised.
However, I never thought they'd be nearly as stupiid as to try seceeding, considering the heavy Federal Government presence in the state, as well as the many things they've benefitted from being in the union, like the army training schools in El Paso, to the FG-aided NASA.
Secede and all that shiit dries off straight up!
Don't be fooled by the rise of Austin City. All that shiit goes straight to the gutter as soon as this state stands on its own. The Federal Government plays a huge role in Texas' success.

Should they pull out, how are they going to support the huge explosion of their civil force (from the civil workers they'd be inheriting from the FG)?
Unemployment would sky-rocket, recurrent expenditure would be off the charts, and their numerous tax hand-me-downs from the FG would be gone.

Oil money can't sustain all that.
On a fiscal basis, the state would become a disaster.

But at the same time, America would find it difficult to live without Texas, considering it is the highest energy producing state.
The country's economy would take a serious hit. It would find it difficult to stand on its feet, so I think a secession would only be settled with a war, of which Texas would undoubtably lose thoroughly.

@C.Fours:

You'll help me unpack this article into this thread. It states why states like Texas won't find it easy should they secede.

http://theweek.com/article/index/236871/what-would-happen-if-texas-actually-seceded

just about anything and everything is possible these days. Hmm.... Mankind!

Not suprised. I have always known Texas as a rebel state. Like they did to secede from mexico and initially wanted to stay as an autonomous state only to join the United State union later. Barely 10years in the union, joined the league of other 10states again to secede from the union to form the confedrate states.

And we are here trying to hold back Biafra by force

Texas CAN actually secede, other states can't.

Texas didn't join the union with the same condition as other states, they're not tied down.

Ileke-IdI:
Texas CAN actually secede, other states can't.

Texas didn't join the union with the same condition as other states, they're not tied down.

What of Biafra that were forced to join, who asked Biafra for conditions before they were bundled into a backward union with the north and west?

those that gain more in any relationship never want others out.
its a worldwide thing, though they preach freedom freedom always but they mean slavery.

if texas want out its their choice let them have it.
i hate it when ppl are denied of their human right(freedom).

turn around the tide and see these guys that hold them down crying like baby for freedom too

its so sweet and easy to play God on minorities or others we hold down,

slaves want freedom
servants want freedom
prisoners want freedom
abductrs want freedom

why is it hard to let them have it.
even if they accept the union yesterday cant they change mind today.

wateva reason texas want out of USA, as soon as majority of them suports it let them have it its their right.
EVEN GOD GAVE US WILL AND CHOICE and that is freedom.
GOD gave man freedom but man deny freedom on another. SHAME.

masu: those that gain more in any relationship never want others out.
its a worldwide thing, though they preach freedom freedom always but they mean slavery.

if texas want out its their choice let them have it.
i hate it when ppl are denied of their human right(freedom).

turn around the tide and see these guys that hold them down crying like baby for freedom too

America is invested in Texas, the land more so than its people. Texas doesn't like Obama so they want to take their cake and go, they cannot be allowed to do that and if the tables were turned Texas wouldn't want other states to leave. This is not about freedom it is about selfishness and irrationality.

TX isn't going anywhere, even if they begin at from the court and fight it all the way to the Supreme Court, by the time the process is exhausted, Obama will have exited his second administration. Then again, how do you divide TX?

If Texan residents say they don't want secession, then they have to fight it through the ballot system, which takes months perhaps a year or two (with a legislature), after the ballot, then there will be chaos of folks on agreeing with the results.

Then u have people petitioning with several "PROPOSITIONS", after all said and done, by the time it's gone through state judicial review, then judicial review, then the supreme court, even Congress hasn't stepped in, someone tell me 20years, it hasn't ended? Isn't this classic case of madness?

Oops, did I forget that SCOTUS WILL NEVER side with this secession idea if it's brought to them in a challenge? Abeg, the group is breathing hot air... NOTHING ELSE.

BY CROWE;
America is invested in Texas, the land more so than its people. Texas doesn't like Obama so they want to take their cake and go,

This is why the world is a messed up place,dialogue is the solution here, the same america invested in bahamas more than bahamians, how do they manage it, let them manage it the same way.
2)your second point is laufable, check your facts well bcus long b4 obama texas has been demanding for freedom. but even if they want out bcus of obama if i hav been living hapily in apartment until the new house owner whom i dislike, dnt i hav right to pack out. wat is wrong with human being.

they cannot be allowed to do that and if the tables were turned Texas wouldn't want other states to leave. This is not about freedom it is about selfishness and irrationality.

there is always a weak reason for a dominant to refuse freedom to his captors.
the japanese never knw the value of freedom and how others cherish freedom untill they loose WW2.

Ileke-IdI:
Texas CAN actually secede, other states can't.

Texas didn't join the union with the same condition as other states, they're not tied down.

From that link I posted, Texas actually CANNOT secede, but can break itself to as many as 5 states if the Texans so wish.

For God's sake, someone paste the contents of that link I just posted here.
I don't really like the ignorance I'm seeing from some peeps here.

masu:

This is why the world is a messed up place,dialogue is the solution here, the same america invested in bahamas more than bahamians, how do they manage it, let them manage it the same way.

I am not sure what you mean by that so I cannot be sure you understand what I was saying either.

masu:
2)your second point is laufable, check your facts well bcus long b4 obama texas has been demanding for freedom. but even if they want out bcus of obama if i hav been living hapily in apartment until the new house owner whom i dislike, dnt i hav right to pack out. wat is wrong with human being.

You have a horrible grasp on the metaphor, the implication here is that texans should be allowed to leave the united states not remove the land from it(deny the new owner ownership of your apartment). Texans do not want to leave because of Obama, there are of course a few other reasons why they want to leave, Obama was the "last straw" if you will

"But the response — in which a White House official said the founding fathers established the United States as a “perpetual union” — hardly discouraged the Texas secession movement, which has been simmering for decades but gained momentum after the re-election of President Obama."

Does that work for you?

A better metaphor would be you entered a business deal with somebody, he has spent a lot of money on your end of the deal "as someone said most of the power plants in america are in texas, surely you don't think the state government paid for them by themselves and then there is the interstate roads and other major roadways and projects in Texas like the space station etc" all these things are how your business partner spent money on you for everybody's benefit then when things aren't going to well you want to take your cake along with the part he built up and leave screwing him. does that better explain things for you?

Americans are all immigrants, if you don't like the situation in it just like you said, stop being a tenant, pack up and leave the same way your parents did all those years ago from their respective countries, unless the entire union (all Americans whose tax dollars was used to help build Texas) are ok with the people cutting the nation to bits otherwise they can forget about it and again this is not about freedom.

masu:
there is always a weak reason for a dominant to refuse freedom to his captors.
the japanese never knw the value of freedom and how others cherish freedom untill they loose WW2.

And China who knew what it meant to be oppressed in on an endless imperialism campaign in asia now, no relevance here.

There was a thread on this a while back... https://www.nairaland.com/1102011/secession-bid-texas-obamas-war#12952575

the racist bastards, the same people who started a war because they didn't want to free the slaves! good see not much has changed in the past 100 years. . . . .

queensmith: the racist bastards, the same people who started a war because they didn't want to free the slaves! good see not much has changed in the past 100 years. . . . .

They did not start a war, they wanted to secede, if they had been allowed to do so there'd have been no war. You need to relax, you own discrimination is spilling over.

CROWÉ:

They did not start a war, they wanted to secede, if they had been allowed to do so there'd have been no war. You need to relax, you own discrimination is spilling over.

They wanted to secede so they can keep their slaves. If that's not inhuman racism you tell me what it is.

Anyways, Texas, unlike the other states actually has a right to secede based on the agreement they had with the US before joining the union. However, the problem is, if they secede, they'll be an oil rich country close to the US . . .
That means the US will invade them

toshmann:
They wanted to secede so they can keep their slaves. If that's not inhuman racism you tell me what it is.

Anyways, Texas, unlike the other states actually has a right to secede based on the agreement they had with the US before joining the union. However, the problem is, if they secede, they'll be an oil rich country close to the US . . .
That means the US will invade them

Ejiné:

From that link I posted, Texas actually CANNOT secede, but can break itself to as many as 5 states if the Texans so wish.

Your ignorance is baffling, Ejine.

Ejiné: For God's sake, someone paste the contents of that link I just posted here.
I don't really like the ignorance I'm seeing from some peeps here.

LOl @ wikipedia link

Ileke-IdI:


Your ignorance is baffling, Ejine.

This is from Time.
http://ideas.time.com/2012/11/19/can-texas-really-secede-from-the-union-not-legally/

Educate yourself.

toshmann:
They wanted to secede so they can keep their slaves. If that's not inhuman racism you tell me what it is.

Anyways, Texas, unlike the other states actually has a right to secede based on the agreement they had with the US before joining the union. However, the problem is, if they secede, they'll be an oil rich country close to the US . . .
That means the US will invade them

that is if mexico doesn't invade them first.
If I remember my history class lessons correctly, the only reason they joined the USA was because they needed protection against Mexico. USA actually fought a 2yr long war against Mexico on Texas' behalf and in exchange for that, Texas agreed to join the USA.
and besides, the land originally belonged to Mexicans until americans moved there to overpopulate it and then claimed it as their own free independent state. LOL

If they want to separate I wish them luck.
I wouldn't want to live there by then.

By the way, USA fought a war with Mexico simply for greed. All the land from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, parts of Colorado, Utah, up to California all belong to Mexico. Americans fought them, took all that land, then out of guilty conscience they paid Mexico $10million for Arizona and pretended to be a generous country. God punished them with a civil war.

That's why even till today most of those places have Spanish names, like Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco , Sacramento, Santa Fe, etc

US history worry o. Even here where I live, Ohio is an Native American name. Same for Minnesota, Massachusetts, Oklahoma ( where native Americans were "deported" to) etc

The race card is not really at the forefront. It's about money and Texas has a lot of it.

Born & partially raised in Texas and no, I didn't vote for Obama.

SAFO: no, I didn't vote for Obama.

correct I knw we've got something in common!