When Rick Perry brought it up three years ago, we all laughed. Laugh again:
"Why should Vermont and Texas live under the same government?" writes Hardin County Republican treasurer Peter Morrison, a Ron Paul supporter and author of a race-heavy Tea Party newsletter.
"Let each go her own way," he writes, demanding an "amicable divorce" from the U.S. and from the "maggots" who re-elected President Obama.
For one reason, and one reason alone, I was in favour of Rick's idea back then, and still am now. That's the redistribution of their 38 Electoral College votes. And to a lesser extent the movement of that fence from the Mexican border to the Texas abutments with New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.
Of course, there are great benefits to the remainder of America if Texas goes: there are 52 Fortune 500 companies in Texas. While the oil industry might stay in this new country, it's likely that AT&T, Dell, Whole Foods, Sysco, Kimberly-Clark, Southwest Airlines, Texas Instruments, and a host of others, will be looking for new places for their headquarters. Not to mention the 7 Air Force bases, 4 Army bases, and 3 Navy bases. Plus the economies that depend on them.
It will be tough for Texas when 37% of their income disappears. Not just from those companies and bases mentioned, but from the Federal receipts the state receives.
I don't believe for a millisecond that Texas will actually secede. And I agree with tmess' post on overall demographics, and believe that is the future, and that Texas will be blue in another 4 or 8 years. Solidly.
Back when Rick first had this idea, Keith had an answer. While the numbers have changed somewhat, the base ideas are still true. Especially the demographics are destiny part...
.jpg)