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So What If Texas DID Secede From The Union?
Tony Romm is now a contributor for The Cram, a student news arm of the newly launched PoliticsDaily.com. To follow his future work, click here.
The blogosphere is still rumbling this week after a suggestion by Texas Governor Rick Perry that the (now
literally) Lone Star state secede from the embattled union. It does not help, of course, that a poll released on Thursday by Research2000 merely confirms the unfortunate truth that Perry's comments may have resonated among some Texans: In the survey, nearly 35 percent of respondents, mostly Republicans, indicated they felt Texas would be better off as an "independent nation."
It would be naive to take these findings seriously; gauging public opinion on any topic is difficult and daunting, especially when the questions themselves are indulgent and practically invite silliness. It is likely that many of the survey's respondents answered only out of jest, submitting to Perry's gaffe without the slightest contemplation of what secession would actually mean for their state, personal or geographic.
But that hasn't stopped a plethora of pundits from jokingly hypothesizing on their behalf. Earlier this week, Daily Kos noted a few drawbacks to Texan secession: the loss of its coveted military bases, exorbitant NASA funding and most of its dirty industry. Preceding that prediction was Nate Silver, who reminded politicos at FiveThirtyEight that an America without Texas would have catapulted the Democrats to a filibuster-proof supermajority in Congress -- even without Al Franken's help -- and ensured that not another Bush family member could have won the White House in 2004.
Indeed, we can attribute to Texas' departure a number of interesting benefits (that only those wary voters who stuck out the economy's apoplexy could reap). For example...
(CLICK TO READ MORE...)
In the realm of higher education, an America without Texas would save the federal government more than $1 billion in Pell Grants (.xls), the program provided annually to college students who demonstrate significant financial need. In the 2006-2007 academic year, the Department of Education awarded Texas enough Pell Grant assistance to cover more than 440,000 college students -- money that would obviously disappear if the state left the union. To give this figure more perspective, recall that the most recent federal stimulus included a provision to increase Pell Grant funding by more than $13 billion dollars, almost $300 per student. When you subtract Texas from that equation and add the money saved by its absence, the United States could opt to cover more students or increase eligible students' current awards (even if only by a tiny amount).
A more substantial benefit from Texas' exit, however, is environmental in nature. According to The New York Times' assessment of state environmental quality, Texas emitted 224.76 million metric tons of CO2 last year -- ranking it first in total pollution. Presumably, this is because Texas also boasts the second largest population in the United States, weighing in at well over 22 million residents. Unfortunately, population totals matter little when state or federal agencies must offset carbon output. It currently costs the country anywhere between $1-30 per metric ton to address troublesome emissions, which would translate in Texas' case to anywhere between $224.76 million and $6.7 billion in CO2 offset fees. Of course, the Lone Star state's withdrawal would not exactly address the root environmental problem here; Texas would still emit pollutants at an alarming rate. However, secession would absolve the United States of its responsibility to pay for or fix it -- good news to the few voters who still weep openly about deficit spending.
And, finally, for those in the nation's capitol still bitter at Sen. John Cornyn's, R-Texas, vote against D.C. voting rights, Texas's exit would permit the District -- should it ever receive statehood -- a spot on the flag. Unlikely, but nonetheless important to the same cadre of cynical voters who first brought you Hippos for Hypocrites.
Indeed, many of these "benefits" are moot; the Lone Star state's exit would severely dent U.S. exports, among other areas of the economy, and test President Obama's foreign policy credentials. Then again, perhaps Obama too stands to gain from Texas' secession -- in some perverted sense, it would finally offer the ersatz Lincoln-ite the chance to walk in his idol's footsteps in more than just name.
The blogosphere is still rumbling this week after a suggestion by Texas Governor Rick Perry that the (now
literally) Lone Star state secede from the embattled union. It does not help, of course, that a poll released on Thursday by Research2000 merely confirms the unfortunate truth that Perry's comments may have resonated among some Texans: In the survey, nearly 35 percent of respondents, mostly Republicans, indicated they felt Texas would be better off as an "independent nation."It would be naive to take these findings seriously; gauging public opinion on any topic is difficult and daunting, especially when the questions themselves are indulgent and practically invite silliness. It is likely that many of the survey's respondents answered only out of jest, submitting to Perry's gaffe without the slightest contemplation of what secession would actually mean for their state, personal or geographic.
But that hasn't stopped a plethora of pundits from jokingly hypothesizing on their behalf. Earlier this week, Daily Kos noted a few drawbacks to Texan secession: the loss of its coveted military bases, exorbitant NASA funding and most of its dirty industry. Preceding that prediction was Nate Silver, who reminded politicos at FiveThirtyEight that an America without Texas would have catapulted the Democrats to a filibuster-proof supermajority in Congress -- even without Al Franken's help -- and ensured that not another Bush family member could have won the White House in 2004.
Indeed, we can attribute to Texas' departure a number of interesting benefits (that only those wary voters who stuck out the economy's apoplexy could reap). For example...
(CLICK TO READ MORE...)
In the realm of higher education, an America without Texas would save the federal government more than $1 billion in Pell Grants (.xls), the program provided annually to college students who demonstrate significant financial need. In the 2006-2007 academic year, the Department of Education awarded Texas enough Pell Grant assistance to cover more than 440,000 college students -- money that would obviously disappear if the state left the union. To give this figure more perspective, recall that the most recent federal stimulus included a provision to increase Pell Grant funding by more than $13 billion dollars, almost $300 per student. When you subtract Texas from that equation and add the money saved by its absence, the United States could opt to cover more students or increase eligible students' current awards (even if only by a tiny amount).
A more substantial benefit from Texas' exit, however, is environmental in nature. According to The New York Times' assessment of state environmental quality, Texas emitted 224.76 million metric tons of CO2 last year -- ranking it first in total pollution. Presumably, this is because Texas also boasts the second largest population in the United States, weighing in at well over 22 million residents. Unfortunately, population totals matter little when state or federal agencies must offset carbon output. It currently costs the country anywhere between $1-30 per metric ton to address troublesome emissions, which would translate in Texas' case to anywhere between $224.76 million and $6.7 billion in CO2 offset fees. Of course, the Lone Star state's withdrawal would not exactly address the root environmental problem here; Texas would still emit pollutants at an alarming rate. However, secession would absolve the United States of its responsibility to pay for or fix it -- good news to the few voters who still weep openly about deficit spending.
And, finally, for those in the nation's capitol still bitter at Sen. John Cornyn's, R-Texas, vote against D.C. voting rights, Texas's exit would permit the District -- should it ever receive statehood -- a spot on the flag. Unlikely, but nonetheless important to the same cadre of cynical voters who first brought you Hippos for Hypocrites.
Indeed, many of these "benefits" are moot; the Lone Star state's exit would severely dent U.S. exports, among other areas of the economy, and test President Obama's foreign policy credentials. Then again, perhaps Obama too stands to gain from Texas' secession -- in some perverted sense, it would finally offer the ersatz Lincoln-ite the chance to walk in his idol's footsteps in more than just name.
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momofdjt
2:50PM 2:50PM Apr 27th 2009
You sir may live in Texas, but you are not a TEXAN.
Bye-bye... We don't need or want you vile kind here polluting our beautiful state.
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joeinbost
5:34PM 5:34PM Apr 28th 2009
MO Tell you once I can sell my house I am gone from here, and going back to the US. Texas is the land of the cheat liar, men who sleep with their Moms put a twenty on the Dresser and gets a Ten Spot back, and a legal system that is no better than the KKK. 30 men freed on DNA evidence, another 20 had been executed.
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TEXAN
3:18PM 3:18PM Apr 27th 2009
If TEXAS would secede, at last I could be PROUD of my State for the first time since Obama and his Congressional crowd were elected to office. No gay marriage, no income tax, no federally dictated public school agenda, no federal regulations of auto standards, and all of the petroleum supply and refineries we will ever need. We can concentrate on controlling the amount of Mexicans we want to come in, allow them to come in and work cheaply without Federal taxes to pay, and no social security to pay, and no forced medical and education requirements for their kids. What is wrong with this deal. Texas has more billionaires than most other states...who needs to support California, New Hampshire, Vermont, and the idiots in Massachusetts that keep electing Kennedy, Frank, and Dodd.
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T. Hurst
4:06PM 4:06PM Apr 27th 2009
I live in this wacko state. The only thing wrong with Dallas and Austin is that it is surrounded by Texas! These people are certifiably NUTS. Ignorant, uneducated and not very traveled (unless you count the military types, then its trailer-type travel)
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a b yosarium III
12:31PM 12:31PM Apr 28th 2009
Then leave b!tch!!
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Gregory Dittmer
4:45PM 4:45PM Apr 27th 2009
b-fromBigD
1:04AM 1:04AM Apr 27th 2009
The fact remains that our President does not represent most Texans; neither is he legitimately holding office because U.S. presidents must be natural born citizens. He has never proven that he was natural born and, in fact, his grandmother who told the newspapers that she was present at his birth [in Kenya] died suddenly as he took office.
######################################################
This whine by the right wingnuts is really getting old. Obama DID produce his birth certificate, but right wingnuts got some half baked idea that he is required to have something, ANYTHING other then an actual birth certificate.
For some reason, EVERY right wingnut now seems to think they are experts on determining the legitimacy and the required information to be on a "proper" birth certificate. Just because Obama's does not contain certain information, the claim is it is a fraud or it does not contain suffcient information to be used for certain things like getting a passport.
I still have my ORIGINAL birth certificate issued two weeks after my birth. I have used this certificate for every possible need from getting a marriage and driving license, getting a passport, registration to enter school, on and on. I have NEVER been required to produce anything other than this for any reason.
This is ALL of the information on the certificate... it has a 5 digit "registration number," it lists my full name, it has the date of my birth, it lists my sex, it has the date of issue and it has a certificate number that is simply the particular piece of paper on which all is written... and thats it!
Nowhere on it does it list the actual physical location of my birth. It makes no mention whatsoever about my parents or my race, nor does it mention anything about the hospital or the doctor. This tattered little certificate is about 2.5" X 4" on heavy weight paper with the raised seal of the state Department of Health.
I have seen both the original and copies of birth certificates for my wife and our children... NONE of them have ALL the information right wingnuts seem to think is so vital!
Now, whether YOU like it or not, Obama IS the POTUS meaning he is YOUR POTUS as welll as he is the POTUS of ALL Texans and ALL American citizens. You don't have to like him, you don't have to agree with him or his policies... but he IS your President.
Now please... I have been asking this for the past year yet NOT ONE single right wingnut has provided ANY evidence to support their claims. If you have ANY proof to support your claims of where Obama was born and EXACTLY what must be listed on a birth certificate to please the right wingnuts... PUT UP OR SIT DOWN SHUT UP!
As for your low class inference that Obama's grandmother's death was suspicious or sudden, you are WAY out of line. His grandmother died after a long battle with cancer!
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raymond
5:33PM 5:33PM Apr 27th 2009
secede and the commuists win..stay and fight for your country and the communists lose..
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Jann Tremont
5:59PM 5:59PM Apr 28th 2009
This is the first time I have ever entered my comments into a blog. I was born & raised in Phila, PA, where we know a little something about the founding fathers & freedom.Due to my job, I have spent the last 8 mounths living in & touring Texas.
I have been to the Alamo and felt the strong spirits of the brave men who died there. I have been throuh many small towns & big cities. I have enjoyed the "Old West" in Ft. Worth & Austin, & enjoyed the energy in Dallas & San Antonio. I have been proud to enjoy the space exhibits in Houston.
The people here have always been kind, warm, welcoming, & inclusive despite me being a "Yankee". My job here ends next month & and I will move somewhee else in this great country. I look forward to the adventure, but I will miss the Texas I have come to know with my whole heart.
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Dan
1:21AM 1:21AM Apr 28th 2009
Whoa yall!
Kinky Friedman for Prez.
Willy Nelson for V.P.
Bevo for Sec.of State.
Hook em Texas!!
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Streit Rhoades
7:24AM 7:24AM Apr 28th 2009
We don't need Texas. As far as the federal tax coffers go, it's just barely above a break-even state. We could make up the difference by kicking out a couple of 'welfare red states' like Alabama or Mississippi. Let Gov. Rick Perry get his flu medicine from Mexico and the next time he needs disaster relief he can get it from the budding nation of 'Missiissabama'
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angie
8:54AM 8:54AM Apr 29th 2009
Texas has the most stable economy in the country right now, thats why every one is moving here,
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Pickypain
8:45AM 8:45AM Apr 28th 2009
If Texas succee's I will move to Texas. I want to be free.
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L
12:17PM 12:17PM Apr 28th 2009
Looking on the net, I see Texans pay more than $35 billion into the federal government each year in the form of income taxes, so the loss of Texas would be a financial loss to the US. Poor states receive more federal money (money paid into it by its citizens) than they pay out. Texas is not a poor state.
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L
12:20PM 12:20PM Apr 28th 2009
You don't like blacks?
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CM
1:53PM 1:53PM Apr 28th 2009
Craigushka - keep it up. I salute you. You talk sense.
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CM
2:00PM 2:00PM Apr 28th 2009
TEXAS pulling out of the Union is not a bad idea. In fact, it would be better for the Americans to splinter into several independent states in order to do away with the current trend of solicialism and transnationalism. With independent states, Chavez would not be able to pull down America deeper into black hole.
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solange99
4:54PM 4:54PM Apr 28th 2009
Let Texas secede. Let's get rid of all of those dim witted idiots that have spawned more dim witted idiots. That 1 billion dollars in Pell Grant money will come in handy for students who want to learn more than abstinence education. And we won't have to pay for your pollution either. And as an extra bonus, we can just put a fence around Texas and YOU can worry about immigrants!
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T. Williams
6:01PM 6:01PM Apr 28th 2009
If Texas did seceede I would love to see my state, Georgia, and the rest of the South follow. I used to not be one of those redneck "the South will rise again" types and I have always thought of slavery and racism as evils, BUT the more I pay attention to politics and trends it seems that the rest of the country is against every value that Southerners hold dear. Christianity is continually being stomped out wherever the ACLU and company sees a chance, the second ammendment is continually ignored, the federal government under both Bush and Obama has become FAR too large, FAR too powerful, and encroached FAR too much into the lives and businesses of its citizens and I think it needs to stop. I think if something doesn't change soon Texas and every state that agrees with it SHOULD secede and leave this sick and dying country to its debt and devices.
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lol
6:01PM 6:01PM Apr 28th 2009
What you are missing is one thing--- those pell grants are being paid for by the TAXPAYERS from Texas. You may think you are gaining something- but in the long run- you would lose oil refineries, computer companies, food etc. Sadly, you look at one aspect ( a typical liberal view), write and article and attempt to sway the American people with one single little arguement. As for Obama- well, He will go down as a dismal failure that has the common sense of a gnat, the brains of a flea and the vote of the narrow minded individuals that see 2 things- his color and the fact that he is not Pres. Bush. It will all come out in the wash and the people holding the dirty water will be the ones that voted for Obama
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T. Williams
7:29PM 7:29PM Apr 29th 2009
If Texas did seceede I would love to see my state, Georgia, and the rest of the South follow. I used to not be one of those redneck "the South will rise again" types and I have always thought of slavery and racism as evils, BUT the more I pay attention to politics and trends it seems that the rest of the country is against every value that Southerners hold dear. Christianity is continually being stomped out wherever the ACLU and company sees a chance, the second ammendment is continually ignored, the federal government under both Bush and Obama has become FAR too large, FAR too powerful, and encroached FAR too much into the lives and businesses of its citizens and I think it needs to stop. I think if something doesn't change soon Texas and every state that agrees with it SHOULD secede and leave this sick and dying country to its debt and devices.
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