Texans For Secession
In April 2009, Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas, appeared to endorse a resolution supporting Texan sovereignty at a Tea Party in Austin, Texas, following a question from a reporter. There's a lot of different scenarios. Texas is a unique place. When we came into the union in 1845, one of the issues was that we would be able to leave if we decided to do that.... My hope is that America, and Washington in particular, will pay attention. 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, who knows what may come of that? But Texas is a very unique place, and a pretty independent lot to boot. —[6][7] On April 19, 2009, the Amarillo Globe-News posted an editorial,[8] writing that Perry "uttered some words that take that discussion to a level not heard since, oh, 1861 - when Texas in fact did secede and joined the Confederate States of America. We all know what happened next." [edit]Texas House Concurrent Resolution 50 On February 17, 2009, House Concurrent Resolution 50 was introduced and on May 30, 2009 the resolution passed in the Texas House of Representatives with amendments.[9][10] The resolution reads in part:[11] RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas hereby claim sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States; and, be it further RESOLVED, That this serve as notice and demand to the federal government, as our agent, to cease and desist, effective immediately, mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers; and, be it further RESOLVED, That all compulsory federal legislation that directs states to comply under threat of civil or criminal penalties or sanctions or that requires states to pass legislation or lose federal funding be prohibited or repealed. On April 9, 2009 Governor Perry affirmed his support for the resolution.[12] Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, said "We haven't heard as much talk about Texas sovereignty and states' rights in the last 30 years as we have in the last week."[13] However, the Texas resolution is not binding on the Federal government, nor does it supersede the existing prohibition against any state seceding from the Union. Among other things, the U.S. Supreme Court case Texas v White established this principle, and remains the last legal word in the debate.
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