An animated Perry told the crowd at Austin City Hall — one of three tea parties he was attending across the state — that officials in Washington have abandoned the country's founding principles of limited government. He said the federal government is strangling Americans with taxation, spending and debt.
My emphasis. But, as the report rightly points out, secession is not an option:
Perry repeated his running theme that Texas' economy is in relatively good shape compared with other states and with the "federal budget mess." Many in the crowd held signs deriding President Barack Obama and the $786 billion federal economic stimulus package.
Perry called his supporters patriots. Later, answering news reporters' questions, Perry suggested Texans might at some point get so fed up they would want to secede from the union, though he said he sees no reason why Texas should do that.
"There's a lot of different scenarios," Perry said. "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."He said when Texas entered the union in 1845 it was with the understanding it could pull out. However, according to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Texas negotiated the power to divide into four additional states at some point if it wanted to but not the right to secede.
I talked briefly about this the other day. Now, my question is this: Why would Governor Perry be stoking this fire? Does he feel that it plays to his base? The AP report also talks about his upcoming re-election/primary battle with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tx). Does Perry think that hinting at the possibility of secession will help him against Hutchison?
I know that several of you are from Texas -- what's the word on the street there? Is Governor Perry blowing smoke, or is there a real secessionist movement afoot?
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11 comments:
He said he doesn't want Texas to Secede and doesn't currently see why they should, yet some time in the future there may be a reason. I think that's a valid statement to make given the situation we are seeing ourselves being forced into today.
Sending a strong message to Washington is necessary. Why do you think they had tea parties in the first place?
Sorry Anonymous, I'm not buying it.
The Tea Party movement was indeed started to send a message to Washington -- and I believe that to be quite admirable (particularly given the initial grassroots organization). But when a sitting governor even hints at secession, that is another subject altogether.
Secession is not 'sending a message'. Secession is not patriotism. Secession is turning your back on your country.
Too often I've heard Democrats accused of 'hating America' or 'hating our troops' because they want to block funding for a war. But, I ask you, what do you say about someone who casually suggests that seceding from the United States is an option that is on the table for his or her state?
It's no longer about the Tea Parties. Striving to 'form a more perfect union' cannot be accomplished by leaving said union. If you believe in The Constitution, there is NEVER a 'time in the future that may be a reason' for secession. Period.
I think a lot of people, including Rick Perry, are misunderstanding what these sovereignty resolutions, of which more than half the the states have passed in the last two years, really mean. If you look at the fine print they say nothing about actually leaving the US or seceding, which the Supreme Court deemed it unconstitutional for a state to seceded except through revolution or through approval of the rest of the states.
Which means that the only ways Texas, or any other state, can leave the Union is by either fighting and wining a War against the Federal government or by means of ratification of a secession treaty by the rest of the states.
These resolutions are non-binding statements by state governments reminding the Federal government that the constitution does not allow the Federal government to meddle in any state business that is not specifically called out as a power of the Federal government in the constitution.
I don't know, there is a certain amount of rhetoric needed in political speeches to drum up your core supporters. When the core of your supporters are angry at the government, just or not, I'd think you'd want to act on that to keep their blood boiling to continue their perception that you are on their side without actually committing to anything.
Looking back at the quote, it seems to me like it's the reporter that mentions secession, not Perry.
You are correct RA, Governor Perry indeed does not mention secession in explicit terms.
What bothers me is that he even alludes to it: 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. He leaves the proverbial door open to it.
That is messed up and that is where I have a problem with his rhetoric.
Perry is a blow hard who's only two big words smarter than W......I don't think he's trying to simply stoke flames and stay in the news for his battle with Kay Bailey nad a Dem challenger. In all honesty, I don't think he cares one bit about a future as governor of Texas. I think he has eyes on the prize for 2012. He likes to seem like the good ol' boy next door, but he's just another snake oil salesman waiting for the next good thing to come along and then he's gone. Hopefully our next governor will have at least half a brain. We've certainly struck out with the last couple, our own fault. Texans are a proud, defiant lot. But to even imply that we should secede because we're not as bad off as everyone else and shouldn't have "the man" bugging us is disgraceful.
Thanks for your thoughts John! I assume you are a Texan?
I was born and raised in Fort Worth, and I still live in a rural area a half hour from downtown (where I work).
I am from the Austin area, and active discussions on secession are few and far between from what i hear. More Texas-flavored pining for the 'good old days' than anything substantial. The reality is that Texas is too intertwined with the United States to get a divorce. The last time it was seriously attempted, it didn't work out too well, and the Republic of Texas was still in living memory.
What worries me is that first Sarah Palin, who was known to have positive feelings towards Alaska's secession was nominated as the Vice-Presidential candidate by the Grand Old Party, and now G.O.P. Governor Rick Perry is publicly musing about the possibility for his state. Who, exactly, is out to destroy the United States?
If at First You Don’t Secede ….
See
http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/04/18/if-at-first-you-dont-secede/
Perry is a traitor and should be punished as such. Why Texans tolerate this stupid shit is beyond me. It just makes them look like a bunch of bigoted, ignorant hicks (which I know they all are not).
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