Why Texas Shouldn't Mess with Secession Posted by Patrick Barry

With secession nonsense flaring up again in Texas again, I think it's a good time to recollect that the Lone Star state would face some pretty catastrophic consequences were it to actually break off from the Union.  Annie Lowery had what I think is the most definitive contribution on the subject. Here's an excerpt (though you should really read the whole thing for a sense of what Texans could expect after seceding):

In short: the state of Texas would rapidly become direly impoverished, would need to be heavily armed, and would be wracked with existential domestic and foreign policy threats. It would probably make our failed states list in short order. Probably better to pay the damn taxes.

A friend of mine also observed to me this weekend, that given the size of Texas's Aerospace and Defense industries, the secession-induced economic collapse would probably be hastened by the canceling of billions of dollars in government contracts.  Unfortunately, anti-secessionist arguments run into the problem of depending too much on reality, when pro-secessionists live in a fantasy theme-park, where Rick Perry reigns supreme.

Comments

[jc]

They already act like a third world country, with the way they treat their American citizens, their hiring of cheap labor, their poor quality educational system and their bigotry. Just think how much money the federal government could save if they were not sending it to Texan.
Their governor might want to check with the real people of texas, not just the politicians.

[amanda]

I live in Texas in Austin... I was there... I loath these people...

they aren't thinking about the bloody war EACH TIME A NEW FLAG FLEW OVER TEXAS! the don't remember the histories of their families OR THEY ARN"T EVEN FROM HERE!

I also loath the thoughtlessness and I think they really want a war over, A BLACK PRESIDENT! believe me all you got to do is stand your ground and if they get nuts call the police or walk away...

the only place your argument is going to end; is a fist fight.

I am NATIVE and not just born here..
though the history of this content, my family was born on this soil... and we love the Scottish and the Irish as well...

TO all SECESSIONISTS

IF YOU DON"T LIKE IT LEAVE...

my family history has seen too much blood shed over who calls texas what...

I will not play, My family history is the brutality of war...
revolutionary war
civilwar
blackhawk war
spanish american war..
etc..
ww1, ww2, korea, vetnab, iraq,
war on drugs... ect

texas sherriffs where successfully prosecuted in the 1990's san jacinto texas for waterboarding suspects...

and murdered women and children...
murdered farmers fur trappers, cowboys, share croppers...
and the 5 civilized tribes
slavery, massacres, natural disasters, hurricanes, invasions
and cheif bowles...

be careful what you ask for... bring this war to my door... and i'll have to remind you I AM TEXAS as well... and I do not want my family to shed its blood once again... we made it his far...
disrupting utopia is not the mission of god!

[amanda]

they are messing with texan's and the TRUE NATIVES WITH HISTORIES OF TRUE WAR, are beginning to fume over the secessionist Zionist carpet corporate toll road loving bastards

[ranman]

"Democracy Arsenal"??????? first of all, to all you lib's, WE ARE NOT A DEMOCRACY! check your facts and go to sites that promote the fact that we are a REPUBLIC. i know you people brush this nameplate off and say that it means nothing, but if you really did your homework with an open mind, you would understand that your "democracy" website is nothing more than a step toward socialism and communism.
i know, now you are about to tell me i am a racist and a nut, but the facts are the facts. please take the time to google the CZARS (interesting title????) that Obama has appointed. THEY, IN THE MAJORITY, ARE SELF PROCLAIMED MARXISTS!!!! WAKE UP DEMOCRATIC PARTY, YOU ARE BEING DRUGGED INTO BELIEVING YOU ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING... AND THE ELECTIONS OF 2010 WILL PROVE YOU WRONG.

[Joe B.]

ranman: Is your tinfoil hat on too tight? I'd call you ignorant because you have no idea what Marxism, communism, etc. really means and no grasp of how your ranting only makes you seem more and more unhinged, but people like you are not ignorant. Ignorance implies never having the opportunity to learn a particular point of fact. You are willfully ignorant. You’ve had multiple opportunities to learn but you don't want to so that makes you an imbecile. Even if you twist facts into completely illogical fallacies, like our republic is not a democracy, even as you ignore the fact that the people do elect their own representatives, then you are just mentally ill which still results in your being an imbecile.

This entire issue is about racism, plain and simple. Showing a tea-bagger an African-American president is like showing fire to Frankenstein’s Monster. What's it been? Less than 8 months out of power and already the frothing-at-the-mouth, knuckle-dragging, slack-jawed, racist, authoritarian, theocratic bullies of the Republithug party are waiving their pitchforks for armed rebellion and secession?! Yet they call the progressive majority “un-American”?! Now that’s the height of illogical lunacy. It would be funny if they weren’t so damn dangerous. The Republithugs will be banished forever as a party if the neo-Nazi, KKK, militia types they’re now pandering to commit any act of domestic terrorism or attempted assassination. It would be good to see them go, but the thought of any harm coming to our progressive elected leaders frightens the daylights out of me. We all need to send good Karma and/or pray, if that’s your thing, for this time of rightwing intimidation to pass without violence.

[Dave Mundy]

You guys might want to use facts on occasion.

[Mutt]

Im a peaceable fellow, but Ive been saying for YEARS- its well past time to go to War with Mexico & make them take Texas back.
Its not worth the grief its "leaders" cause. Its inhabitants drag down the national IQ. But build a fence. A TALL fence!! We dont want them sneakin in here......

[C]

This article ignores pretty critical facts, such as the fact that the state of Texas sends more money to the federal government than it gets back. That is because Texas is the third wealthiest state in the country. The poorer states are net gainers in the federal tax system. Texas also has more Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Texas than any other state in the union. Saying that Texas would be immediately impoverished is a total joke and ignores the economic reality in Texas. Further, inter-state trade between Texas and the other states would likely continue unimpaired.

If any state can pull off a successful secession it's probably Texas, though the federal government contracts argument is an important one. I'd like to see actual dollar figures though and not just an ambiguous blanket statement that losing these federal contracts would crush the state.

I am by no means advocating Texas leave the union - it's probably the most important state in the country besides California given its large economic engine. But this article uses hyperbole at the expense of the facts.

[netlog]

Thanks for this post. Its very nice on this niche

[Sane Lady]

How about an Expel Texas movement? Let 'em go! How many of those companies would stay in Texas if it were off on its own? It would become a third-world country immediately. Really think that Dell for one would stay in Texas? How much of that economic engine is fueled by government? No more military contracts. No more grants to UT for scientific research. So what's left? Oil? Cows? Also, overweight smokers who cost taxpayers a bundle. A high divorce rate. Bible-spouting racists. Texas: Go away!