Thread: Texas secession?

Too bad for your argument that they gave up much of that sovereignty to join the larger unit of the USA.

Originally Posted by haymarket

Too bad for your argument that they gave up that sovereignty to join the larger unit of the USA.

If states are not sovereign what's the point of having them in the first place? Why not just let DC decide?

Originally Posted by Canell

If states are not sovereign what's the point of having them in the first place? Why not just let DC decide?

Perhaps as a functional layer of local government.

As a native Texan, and as I stated in an earlier post. It doesn't matter whether or not Texas could secede tomorrow - meaning without out any legal hitches what-so-ever with the Federal Government. It all boils down to what it cost and what resources are needed to run an independent country.

Texas doesn't have the economic or resource strength to become its own country...period. It would never survive being an independent country. Well, maybe it could if we in Texas want to become another Haiti or the like.

Originally Posted by haymarket

Too bad for your argument that they gave up much of that sovereignty to join the larger unit of the USA.

I'd love to see your evidence that the states gave up their sovereignty by entering into an compact with each other. States enter into treaties and compacts all the time. They do not automatically give up their sovereignty by doing so.

Originally Posted by MadLib

The problem with something like this is how far the "independence" idea can stretch to. If Texas or any other state can secede from the U.S., then wouldn't it be the right of an individual to secede with his own property?

I like where this is going. It is well within their rights to secede from any form of government, otherwise the government is coercive.

Another issue is that people worry about "States Rights" all the time without much thought to our territories. Centinel sees that, if there was a civil war over Texas, that would turn Texas into an occupied territory, and he sees that as wrong; however, we do already own territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa that do not have representation in Congress yet have to listen to federal law anyway.

A national shame.

Originally Posted by Removable Mind

As a native Texan, and as I stated in an earlier post. It doesn't matter whether or not Texas could secede tomorrow - meaning without out any legal hitches what-so-ever with the Federal Government. It all boils down to what it cost and what resources are needed to run an independent country.

Texas doesn't have the economic or resource strength to become its own country...period. It would never survive being an independent country. Well, maybe it could if we in Texas want to become another Haiti or the like.

So Texas, a very prosperous state, would suddenly become a third-world nation if it was to secede? This is pretty ridiculous. They have many times more capital than Haiti, and enacting policies that encouraged capital accumulation would make it a very rich nation indeed.

Originally Posted by haymarket

Too bad for your argument that they gave up much of that sovereignty to join the larger unit of the USA.

The states delegated various specific powers to the federal government. In no way does this action repeal or limit sovereignty. Furthermore, any power which has been delegated may be un-delegated in the future.

del·e·gate
verb \-ˌgāt\
: to entrust to another

Originally Posted by phattonez

So Texas, a very prosperous state, would suddenly become a third-world nation if it was to secede? This is pretty ridiculous. They have many times more capital than Haiti, and enacting policies that encouraged capital accumulation would make it a very rich nation indeed.

Saying it would be 3rd World may be a bit of an exaggeration, but there's no question that it would hurt Texas economically.

Originally Posted by rocket88

Saying it would be 3rd World may be a bit of an exaggeration, but there's no question that it would hurt Texas economically.

Wouldn't a share of $16 trillion national debt hurt Texas as well?