What's your take on Texas breaking off from the US?

It’d be incredibly nearsighted and foolish.

Oh my God, please do it. It’s already a different country down there anyway.

I don’t think it will ever actually happen.

And no, Chuck Norris is not a politician. I thought the whole Chuck Norris pop culture obsession was over… Did I miss something?

History books would start referring to the mid 1860’s as CWI, Civil War I.

I thought Chuck Norris was killed by Bruce Lee?

in way of the dragon :P

He might be able to get it done though..

Texans probably think it’s a good idea for some strange reason. Or maybe it’s better for the rest of the United States. Texas wouldn’t last long after seceding from America. Would I vote for Chuck Norris as president of Texas? After hearing him sing the horrible theme to his failure of a television program, Walker Texas Ranger, I don’t think there is anything left that he could do good except for maybe giving a round house kick to a few stray cattle or a defunct oil well.

@TitsMcGhee CN might not be a politician but there were a couple of news spots about how he volunteered to run if Texas seceded.

@Dr_C: Yeah, I know, I just meant that people shouldn’t take him seriously for that fact alone.

No one actually wants to secede, Gov. Perry was trying to fire up conservative voters he’ll need for his upcoming reelection at an anti-tax rally, so he threw it out there as an empty threat if “Washington doesn’t get its act together”... he’s since distanced himself from (or at least qualified) the statement as have just about every other politician from both parties. It’s not a possibility.

Do we have some crazies that think it’s a good idea, of course. But Texas leaving the union is right up there with alien invasion in terms of likelihood and reason for concern.

Local coverage -
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/gen/ap/TX_Perry_Tea_Party.html
http://www.statesman.com/search/content/editorial/stories/04/27/0427young_edit.html

As for Chuck Norris, maybe he could run with Kinky Friedman who’s running again this time around.

@funkdaddy
don’t rain on my parade :)

I dont think Texas understands that they will lose any rights to be Cocky, as a state ya Texas is pretty big and what not, but if it becomes a country, it will be a nothing, no power, not the biggest anymore, Texans will lose bragging rights (well I guess now they can say they succeded)

and as far as Chuck Norris for President, i would have to say my vote would go to Kinky Friedman

Hell, let Texas and Caly break off and go live with Hawaii.. I’d move there.

We would invade, dominate, screw up.

I’d find it amusing. They’d be foreigners, doesn’t most Texans hate foreigners? lol

I am SO embarrassed to live in this state. Gov. Perry is a total idiot. I think he and Gov. Palin (or at least her secessionist hubby) should go find an island and found their own nation. Maybe they could call it TexAss.

I don’t think anyone actually wants this, or that it will happen any time soon. But if they did, I would encourage it. It would be sort of an experiment and could set an example (either positive or negative depending on the outcome over a few decades) for other states. if it goes well, then other states could follow its example. If not, other states could either not want to take the same risk and remain with the US, or learn from Texas’ mistakes and try separating on their own. I think saying they shouldn’t do it at all makes no sense… it doesn’t hurt the US or other states to lose one, they’re only hurting themselves. I don’t know why it would necessarily fail. I mean it seems to be the consensus that “they’d be sorry.” But, why? I mean, Texas would be smaller and subject to invasion, like @Triiiple says above, but if the US doesn’t invade smaller nearby countries now, why would it invade Texas? Also, I think it’s funny that people assume no state, community, or territory can survive without US support. That’s sort of arrogant, to me. There are plenty of countries the size of Texas and smaller who function happily. It’s not landlocked, so it can import and export from other countries. It’s multicultural, it’s got tourism sites, it’s got everything it needs to survive on its own, just like all other states do if they would want to secede. If they’re wrong then, they’re wrong. But don’t assume anything until it happens. Nobody can declare what is best for anyone else and nobody can see the future, so live and let live.

let them. if the swine flu turns out to be the killer pandemic everyone fears it is, then texas wouldn’t get any vaccines from the union, while the litle viri would continue flowing in from mexico.

What’s next? Houston breaking off from Texas? How about independent tribal areas like in Pakistan?

It’s not what I call progress in a globalized world. In most cases separatism accomplishes nothing. Very few cases make sense.

Governor Perry is an idiot, but he is photogenic and has good hair.

However, I would never vote for Chuck Norris. He isn’t even a Texan (born in Oklahoma, raised in Kansas and Southern California).

OTOH, Kinky Friedman is a definite possibility. He wasn’t born in Texas but he got here as fast as he could, and at least he would be amusing. Chuck is way too serious.

I’d identify with the USA more if Texas left. Sounds interesting; without giving it a lot of thought, I’m for it in theory. Especially if they don’t take any WMD’s with them.

It’s just a bunch of hot air, of which there is no shortage down there. There is some talk, but only among the looniest of the loonies. No shortage of them, either, but they are still a small minority. Texas is still around 40% Democratic, despite Republican efforts to gerrymander them into oblivion. The state will stay in the union.

i think if Texas Succedes Mexico should invade and take Texas over and then all the Texans who are racist and hate Imagrants will be an imagrant, that would amuse me :D

^secedes^

We never should have allowed Texas in the Union in the first place. All power to Gov. Perry!

@daloon i just realized what your avatar reminds me of… ever heard of Brooklyn Decker?

@Dr_C
Nice…I was thinking about the old Brooklyn Dodgers today but now I am certainly on a different wavelength…although, Brooklyn Decker is pure Midwest.
Now here’s a Brooklyn Girl

@Dr_C As a Texan, I’m offended. ;]

Contrary to what seems to be the popular opinion, not all Texans are backwards, shit-kicking, gun-toting hillbillies who hate anyone who isn’t a Texan. Some of us are pretty progressive and * gasp *... educated! I’m embarrassed that so many people have this narrow-minded view of us.

rant over

So, no. I don’t think we should secede from the Union. That would be stupid. I’m ready for Perry to get the hell out of office and for the Bible thumpers to stop ruining all our fun, but no, I would not be down for secession.

@essieness
you of course will have to evacuate…no seriously, my highly generalized stereotype was meant in jest..:)

@SeventhSense This is true. If Texas seceded, the crazy conservatives would take over and I would die of the crazies.

@Dr_C I’m not really mad, just giving you shit

@essieness i was waiting for you to chime in on this thread sweety!
For the record i made no assumptions about texans, their intelligence, level of education, creed and or use of reason and/or common sense… having said that… i found an awesome little vid i would like to share here

@Dr_C
is there such a thing as a left handed apology?

@SeventhSense It’s all in good fun.. and to be perfectly honest i haven’t seen the whole video…. i was actually looking for a map image but i can’t upload it here.

@ All…. ok.. i just finished watching the vid… it’s funny but it might be offensive to some… for this i apologize in advance saying… “my bad”

Poor Texas. it is terrible to be unpopular.

@Dr_C
Don’t sweat it..or pant as the case may be… as dogs of course don’t sweat. :)

You all hate Texas just because y’all are jealous.

@Darwin Damn skippy!

@Darwin jealous of what? Nothingness, cowboys, and oil fields? Nah not really :P

this would be a disaster. if the state of texas decided to leave the union because of the financial bailouts in D.C., etc. etc., residents in other states who are also tired of the crap would move to texas. we would be overcrowded. it would be just like when katrina happened and we got slammed with people from new orleans. forget it. not gonna happen.

But on the other hand, I kind of like the idea of an autonomous homeland for the rightly marginalized Republican party. They appear to have no hope of regaining power, so why not give them the U.S. equivalent of Gaza? It wouldn’t have to be in Texas, although it would probably have to be in the South somewhere. Maybe Louisiana, although New Orleans might want to stay in the U.S.

@uberbatman – If you don’t know I for damn sure ain’t gonna tell you.

@Darwin
Well we already have the Naked Cowboy in NY. What else do we need?

@Darwin I don’t know about you, but I spend my days on my horse, Bucky, with my cowboy hat on riding through the nothingness of Texas. Sometimes I mosey on up to one of them there oil rigs and get me a roughneck or two for the night then head on home for some fresh roadkill casserole. And that my friend, is what Texas is all about.

Obviously, they have us pegged ;)

@essieness – Well, let’s not disabuse them of their notions. That way they won’t try to mosey down here but will stay up thar in New York City whar they belong.

Yeehaw! Get along there!

No…...I know that cowboys really wear pants. :)

@Darwin Whoo doggie!

We all know that this is Texas
and this is New York:

Best analysis I’ve seen of the issue can be found on 538.com, particularly here, here and here. For once, I have nothing of value to add, I tend to agree with just about everything they said. And assuming they’re right, which they so far always are, I’m gonna say, good riddance if it does happen….though I was hoping to hit SXSW some day and that might make it a bit more difficult. Such is the price I’d have to pay for a permanent shift to the left in US politics…I’ll take that trade.

And of course my answer was a ^JOKE^

@SeventhSense Can you dig it?

LMAO….I wish I had been in on this thread a week ago! I kept scrolling down since I knew that essieness would surely have her say. @essieness “gasp!” you really mean it when you say some of us are e-d-u-c-a-t-e-d???? OMG! Don’t we have some of the best universities here in Texas? UT…A&M…How in the hell do some of us dumb ass Texans ever graduate from those schools? @uberbatman I can think of nothing I’d rather have in my yard than an oil or gas well…how many friends do you have that are taken care of the rest of their life because of that stupid money making oil well on their property? Hmmm….I have some. Oh, and I bet you don’t even know about all the cotton we produce down here. And those poor ole cotton farmers….they have to run those tractors around the oil wells on their property. Have any friends like that? I do. Can you walk down the street where you live and have all the strangers say hello to you? We can. I guess that’s because we are all a bunch of stupid, shit-kicking, gun-toting hillbillies (thanks essieness) dealing with immigrants from other states because the cost of living here is still affordable! Please forgive me..I’m not trying to step on any toes here but just had to have my say, right essieness?

That’s my mom! LOL… :)

@ptarnbsn: oh yeah! Speak your truth, baby!

That’s exactly the kind of attitude that makes me wish Texas had never become part of the Union! That, and the fact that the state unleashed George Bush II on us. ;-)

@ptarnbsn I ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE A POST BY ESSIE’S MOM!!!!!

@essieness I totally get it now… Only an amazing woman could have such an incredible daughter…

Much lurve to you both!

If only her sense of humor had passed down to me.

@ptarnbsn any baby pics of essiness, mm?! hahah

Rest assured that my intent was not to ruffle any of those northern feathers with my dry humor. However, I must say that we Texans take alot of crap, some deserved, some not. Please don’t judge all of us by the actions of a few. I’m not going to waste my time judging folks from other states just because they happen to live there. But if you MUST pick on someone…go pick on someone your own size :)

@eponymoushipster I sure do…want to see the one in her cowboy boots and hat?

@ptarnbsn zomg YES PLEASE!

@eponymoushipster Do we have a crush or are we looking for ammunition?

@ptarnbsn i think it’d just be interesting… :)

Oh my…

@essieness hehehe

@eponymoushipster check facebook, she may have some there

@Dr_C Thanks for a thought provoking question!

@ptarnbsn done and done! and oh by, i need to thank you for running a dance school, ma’am. well done! i’m also very thankful my mom doesn’t like computers or there’d be some very embarrassing photos of me on the interwebs.

@eponymoushipster the dance school was a long time ago…oh my how time flies! Wasn’t she cute? LOL Thankfully, she’s the one that posted the embarrassing photos

@ptarnbsn yeah. well, we all have a dance class somewhere in our past.

@ptarmbsn those facebook pics are cute!! No one here looking 4 ammo… And who wouldn’t have a crush on essie?

@Dr_C yeah, she’s pretty special. Cute and smart to boot! But don’t forget who raised her! LOL, LOL

heck yeah perry is an idiot. especially when it comes to what he believes is right for our education system in Texas.
another thing, Texas is actually quite diverse.
what i don’t understand is a lot of people think that all we do down here in Texas is round up cattle and ride on horses all day. Are you serious?
I suggest those who think like this to take a trip down here one day.

@NazNthahouse23 That’s not what I think you do all day. You’ve got to head on over to the oil well every once in a while to make sure she’s still pumping, don’tcha? And don’t ya’ll do some barbecue on Sundays? Yep. I think that if you have to go to Texas, it’s best to be there on Sunday. Unless it’s football season. No self-respecting Yank would be caught dead within five hundred miles of the ‘Boys.

I feel i need to clarify a couple of things.

My question was never meant to imply or suggest anything about texans in general be it good or bad.

I love the state of texas. I have family in San Antonio, McAllen and my best friend from boarding school is from Houston.

Every time i´ve visited Texas has been a great experience. The people (most) are friendly, courteous and respectful.

One of the finest facilities in my profession can be found in Houston (One of the best medical centers in the country).

And of course a lot of great jellies hail from Texas.

(Plus spring break in South Padre is second only to Cancun or Cabo).

So remember people.. the point of the question was a political reaction to secession and in no way a comentary about the people of the state. Let´s try to keep that in mind… you can find ignorant people all over the country.. and a few online (myself included).

Cheers.

@daloon: you’re quite the comedian.

@Dr_C Thanks for your clarification although us Texans knew you weren’t trying to imply anything about us as a group. I do find it amusing that the answers to a number of the questions I’ve seen such as yours find their way to bashing Texans. But we take it all in stride because many that bash us “don’t know what they don’t know”.

@NazNthahouse23 You got it. My tongue is firmly in my cheek. Certainly there are attitudes held by some Texans that bother me (those that got George Bush elected as Governor, and the drill, drill, drill, no matter what philosophy), but my response is to the cartoon arrogance of Texans. You know, everything is bigger in Texas? Well, Dallas ain’t the only cow town with a football team.

“Those that got George Bush elected as Governor, and the drill, drill, drill, no matter what philosophy” are typically not Texans, but some form of carpetbagger from up north. George himself is actually from Greenwich, CT.

I was under the impression that the only people who could vote for the position of Governor of Texas were Texans. Also, I believe that Texans are responsible for most of the enforcement of environmental and commercial laws governing business activities in their state. The Feds also have some responsibility, but I think it’s mostly on Texans. I could be wrong, of course.

If you live in Texas and register to vote there you are considered Texan enough for government purposes. However, if you were born and raised elsewhere and only come to Texas to make money from the “oil bidness” you are not a Texan.

@Dr_C Like I said before… I ain’t mad at ya!

@Darwin The Japanese are like that, too.

@daloon: freaking george bush is an idiot. i was like 1–2 years old when dumb ducks voted him governor, so I have no idea what they were thinking. I mean you can’t blame Texas for the football thing, it’s the media through out history that made the cowboys known especially with all that they’ve won. It’s just a well-known team and Dallas today is just…so much more…i don’t know what the words are to express it. We’re sure as heck not living up to the standards the media put us in for football and basketball, so I don’t understand all the hype myself.

And the debate goes on…................

@daloon “Dallas ain’t the only cow town with a football team.” Yeah, ask any Broncos fan!

I think that if Texas were ever allowed to secede, the Federal Government would fail, and the result would be several regional governments, and they would probably be divided along lines similar to this: Texas, Alaska, Northeast, Old South, Midwest, Northern Tier (North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming), Northwest, California, Mountain West, and Hawaii.

@Yetanotheruser: Speaking of the Broncos, they beat up on the Giants pretty well last night!

@TitsMcGhee Yeah, after a disappointing previous few weeks. Maybe this’ll get them back on a roll.

@Yetanotheruser: I’m crossing my fingers!