Iowa Governor Branstad: Don't let Texas secede from U.S.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Texas shouldn't be allowed to secede from the United States, despite renewed debate over the issue following Britain's vote last week to withdraw from the European Union, says Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad.

"No, we are not the European Union. We are the United States of America and this is a unified country," Branstad told reporters Monday at his weekly news briefing. "But we are also a federalist system, and one of the concerns that a lot of people in Texas have, and a lot of people in Iowa have, is that the direction that this country has been going is that we are seeing the states’ rights being whittled away by the federal government, by actions of the administration and by the courts. And there is great concern among many states, including people throughout the United States, on that issue.”

Branstad said he recognizes that Texas has an interesting history in which the Lone Star state declared its independence from Mexico in 1836, forming the Republic of Texas. Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845. However, Texas citizens voted in a referendum in 1861 to secede from the Union during the Civil War.

After the so-called "Brexit" vote last week, supporters of secession in Texas have expressed renewed interest in leaving the Union, describing their push for "Texit," a combination of Texas and exit.

Branstad recalled the words of frontiersman Davy Crockett, a former member of Congress from Tennessee, who was known for his statement, "You can go to hell — I'm going to Texas." However, the governor then noted that Crockett was a defender at the Alamo, which led to his death.

"I don't know if that was a great decision on his part," Branstad added, chuckling.   http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2016/06/27/branstad-dont-let-texas-secede-us/86434008/

This guy does not appear much of a leader, not knowing that Texas secession was not done by a vote of its citizens, but by a state convention.

And his laughing at the death of brave defenders of the Alamo like Davy Crockett is just plain despicable.

I guess one becomes brain-dead after being a politician for over 40 years and not doing much anything else in life.

[austingirl]

Chuckling over the death of the brave Texans fighting for freedom at the Alamo- how much lower could one sink?

I reject the notion that "we" are a unified country. "We" are a Union of Sovereign States and, as we saw with the European Union, what has been joined can be separated.

[Just_Victor]

Chuckling over the death of the brave Texans fighting for freedom at the Alamo- how much lower could one sink?

I reject the notion that "we" are a unified country. "We" are a Union of Sovereign States and, as we saw with the European Union, what has been joined can be separated.

One could hope that we are still a union, but reality might argue the contrary.  But the foundation of that union is the Constitution, which was intended to prevent the union from becoming a tyranny.  If the Constitution is in shambles, then the union is already dissolved.

[goatprairie]

Chuckling over the death of the brave Texans fighting for freedom at the Alamo- how much lower could one sink?

I reject the notion that "we" are a unified country. "We" are a Union of Sovereign States and, as we saw with the European Union, what has been joined can be separated.

"We" are a Union of Sovereign States "


Point me to the section of the constitution that states that please.

[Ghost Bear]

I find it somewhat interesting that the meme of "Texit" seems to be spreading around. Not quite viral yet, but still, for it to be well-known enough for an Iowa newspaper to ask the Iowa governor about it shows that it has some legs, so to speak.

I wonder if the thought of breaking away from the Union has a broader appeal to people than is first apparent...   

This Edit was not found.

[HoustonSam]

Chuckling over the death of the brave Texans fighting for freedom at the Alamo- how much lower could one sink?

Yet another of the causes which impel us to separation.

[austingirl]

One could hope that we are still a union, but reality might argue the contrary.  But the foundation of that union is the Constitution, which was intended to prevent the union from becoming a tyranny.  If the Constitution is in shambles, then the union is already dissolved.

The Uniparty with their unfathomable greed and decades-long careers as "public servants" who exempt themselves from laws they pass for us, the abuse of power by the executive branch and the legislation by the SC have effectively destroyed our Republic. The Union is indeed dissolved. And what the ruling class has in store for us is more of the same and worse.

[RetBobbyMI]

Of course he and many other states don't want Texas to secede. Where else would Uncle Sugar get money to freely pay for freebies in their states? At some point the cookie jar will go empty.

And as far as some low life farm boy desecrating the honor of those who fought at the Alamo, F&$! 'em.

[INVAR]

If the Constitution is in shambles, then the union is already dissolved.

The Constitution is already irrelevant.  We are a post-Constitutional system emerging into an outright top-down tyranny.

As such, the "union" as it were - no longer exists.  To the Statists at Mordor on the Potomac, the idea of Federalism is irrelevant and there is only one central government that should control everything.. The Sovereign state issue is in all practicality - dead and non-existent, as is individual liberty.  Everything must serve the state.

As I have said since 2014 - this government no longer has any legitimate moral authority over a righteous people.    It has unkinged itself in the tyrant as Mayhew argued at the onset of the idea of independence from the Crown.

All this tyranny now ruling us has, is guns that their agents will put to your heads to force compliance with whatever they say you must do in the name of whatever law they decree.

And the majority of your countrymen call that freedom as we are slowly being turned into North Korea.

It is past time to ignore them.  To defy them.  To resist them.

Texit is the wisest choice a people who want to remain free will have in the very near future.

[austingirl]

The Constitution is already irrelevant.  We are a post-Constitutional system emerging into an outright top-down tyranny.

As such, the "union" as it were - no longer exists.  To the Statists at Mordor on the Potomac, the idea of Federalism is irrelevant and there is only one central government that should control everything.. The Sovereign state issue is in all practicality - dead and non-existent, as is individual liberty.  Everything must serve the state.

As I have said since 2014 - this government no longer has any legitimate moral authority over a righteous people.    It has unkinged itself in the tyrant as Mayhew argued at the onset of the idea of independence from the Crown.

All this tyranny now ruling us has, is guns that their agents will put to your heads to force compliance with whatever they say you must do in the name of whatever law they decree.

And the majority of your countrymen call that freedom as we are slowly being turned into North Korea.

It is past time to ignore them.  To defy them.  To resist them.

Texit is the wisest choice a people who want to remain free will have in the very near future.

Well said. 

[geronl]

He wants to force Texans to keep subsidizing his ethanol!

[geronl]

The Constitution is already irrelevant.  We are a post-Constitutional system emerging into an outright top-down tyranny.

The federal government has abrogated the union in all but name, and the states should be free to go it alone or reform a new union (or two...)

[TomSea]

Texas is on Uncle Sam's dole with all of those military bases; hardly anywhere gets as much federal funding per border enforcement as well.

Texas begged to become part of the Union and then, became a slave state, so maybe they can do some good but as a minority majority state, I doubt this would ever fly.

[TomSea]

Chuckling over the death of the brave Texans fighting for freedom at the Alamo- how much lower could one sink?

I reject the notion that "we" are a unified country. "We" are a Union of Sovereign States and, as we saw with the European Union, what has been joined can be separated.

Enslaving human beings made in God's image is pretty low as well.  That was one of the first things done in the Texas Constitution. Just as long as people are bringing up history.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

I find it somewhat interesting that the meme of "Texit" seems to be spreading around. Not quite viral yet, but still, for it to be well-known enough for an Iowa newspaper to ask the Iowa governor about it shows that it has some legs, so to speak.

I wonder if the thought of breaking away from the Union has a broader appeal to people than is first apparent...   

This Edit was not found.

Good point, he might be trying to restrain his own citizens from considering the same. I note was initially elected governor in 1983.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Enslaving human beings made in God's image is pretty low as well.  That was one of the first things done in the Texas Constitution. Just as long as people are bringing up history.

Another attempted hijack from a one dimensional person.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Texans viewpoints of themselves is pretty laughable:



Right smack in the middle of taxpayer returns on taxpayer outlays.

[txradioguy]

The writer as well as the Governor don't seem to understand the reason there is talk of this in Texas is that because until the mid 20th Century...the Texas Constitution still had the right reserved for Texas to become it's own country again.

[txradioguy]

Texas is on Uncle Sam's dole with all of those military bases;

Those bases are on state owned land.  If Texas were to secede base closures and turnover of the property would be negitoated like we do with any other foreign country that we close military bases on.

hardly anywhere gets as much federal funding per border enforcement as well.

Link?

Last time I checked we footed the bill for the Texas National Guard to go do what DHS was refusing to do.

Texas begged to become part of the Union and then,

Actually President Tyler came to us to work a deal.

became a slave state,

They did that at the behest of Tyler.  He'd gotten wind of the Brits wanting to emancipate slaves in Texas and was trying to prevent it.

Pays to know your Texas history.

so maybe they can do some good but as a minority majority state, I doubt this would ever fly.

If we became the Republic of Texas again tomorrow we'd be one of IIRC the top 10 oil producing countries in the world.

The U.S. would suffer more from Texas leaving than Texas would suffer from parting ways with the U.S.

[Smokin Joe]

This guy does not appear much of a leader, not knowing that Texas secession was not done by a vote of its citizens, but by a state convention.

And his laughing at the death of brave defenders of the Alamo like Davy Crockett is just plain despicable.

I guess one becomes brain-dead after being a politician for over 40 years and not doing much anything else in life.

This puke, whose son is/was a lobbyist for the ethanol industry, is the one who said Cruz 'must be defeated, whatever it takes' because Cruz would have removed a Federal MANDATE to blend ethanol with gasoline and let the ethanol fuel industry sink or swim on its own merits.
(That mandate isn't for a percentage of fuel at a percentage of ethanol, but for a number of gallons of ethanol to be blended into whatever gasoline is sold that year. At present EPA mandate levels, that amounts to a percentage nearing the 10% 'blend wall', beyond which small engines, outboard motors, generators, and older vehicle (car/truck/motorcycle/farm implement/construction equipment) engines suffer fuel system damage, although some do now at lower ethanol levels.)

Maybe he is fine with states' rights so long as his sacred cow gets fed, but he is not beyond using the Federal Government to mandate it. 

[thackney]

Texas is on Uncle Sam's dole with all of those military bases; hardly anywhere gets as much federal funding per border enforcement as well.

Texas receives less dollars from the Feds than it sends to the Feds.  We are not on the dole, we are paying for others dole.

http://visualeconomics.creditloan.com/united-states-federal-tax-dollars/

Texas begged to become part of the Union and then, became a slave state, so maybe they can do some good but as a minority majority state, I doubt this would ever fly.

Stop trying to hijack #Texit threads with rehashing the civil war.

[thackney]

Texans viewpoints of themselves is pretty laughable:



Right smack in the middle of taxpayer returns on taxpayer outlays.

That chart sure looks like it far more going out than going in.  Other sources show Texas receiving less dollar back for dollars sent to the Feds.

http://visualeconomics.creditloan.com/united-states-federal-tax-dollars/

[Just_Victor]

Stop trying to hijack #Texit threads with rehashing the civil war.

It's all about Ted Cruz, donchaknow....

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Stop trying to hijack #Texit threads with rehashing the civil war.

I believe it is still jealousy or fear guiding the ones who divert.  I also notice they never take up launching their own thread on the subject either.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

That chart sure looks like it far more going out than going in.  Other sources show Texas receiving less dollar back for dollars sent to the Feds.

http://visualeconomics.creditloan.com/united-states-federal-tax-dollars/

The graphic is from this article:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/05/which-states-are-givers-and-which-are-takers/361668/

This is per dollar given to DC in taxes, meaning Texas gets back more than it gives. States on the lower end give way more than they get back.