By Jim Hightower
Once again, there’s a tempest brewing in the national tea pot. We’re talking secession.
Well, some of us are. Actually, very few are — and some of them aren’t too tightly wrapped.
There’s now a secession drive in a mess of red states, but it started right here in my crazy state of Texas, when someone identifying himself only as ”Micah H” posted a petition on the White House website shortly after President Barack Obama’s re-election. Expressing exasperation with Obama’s policies, Micah demanded that we Texans be allowed to decamp from the Union and become our own, separate nation.
Bam! Micah’s petition exploded in the blogosphere, drawing raucous applause and huzzahs. Naturally, most of the cheering came from out-of-staters, delighted with the thought that Texas and its notoriously nutty, right-wing political leaders might leave.
In case that nuttiness factor was in doubt, a GOP official in Southeast Texas rushed out to demonstrate the intellectual depth of the secessionist sentiment by militantly declaring: ”We must contest every single inch of ground and delay the baby-murdering, tax-raising socialists at every opportunity. In due time,” he added, ”the maggots will have eaten every morsel of flesh off the rotting corpse of the Republic, and therein lies our opportunity.”
By “maggots,” he meant Obama supporters, but I guess you knew that.
Many in the national media have expressed shock and alarm that Micah’s online petition has drawn some 118,000 digital signatures. But, get a grip — let’s remember that there are more than 26 million Texans, including 3.5 million Obama voters. So, sorry America, but Texas isn’t going anywhere. And, even if it did, Austin has already filed a counter-petition to then secede from Texas and operate as its own state.
Jim Hightower is a radio commentator, writer, and public speaker. He’s also editor of the populist newsletter, The Hightower Lowdown. Distributed via OtherWords.
Samuel Smith says
There’s the 5 texans that signed the petition, and then there’s the other 117,995 that want to see texas go. Next stop, florida:
http://gifs.gifbin.com/florida.gif
LoneStar says
Where do I sign up to get Florida into secession ? Either that or remove the “maggots” that were just elected. I’m disgusted with these ANTI-AMERICAN liberal, communist losers.
Lonewolf says
The secessionists are so patriotic that they want to leave the USA. Is this confusing or what?
Anon says
Is Allen West posting here under another name?
Dorothea says
@LoneStar
This here liberal maggot and supporter of your alleged “communist losers” politicians paid my federal taxes for years so that all the secessionist states could receive far more from the federal government than they paid. So, speaking of “communists losers,” that would make your secessionist states leaning far more in the direction of at least socialism. So go for it, seceede and stop sponging off the rest of us. That is if the secessionist states can afford to support themselves.
confidential says
Why other than wasting time in these useless petitions, don’t they get busy petioning their DC GOP
elected politicians pass legislation to start collecting billions and trillions in unpaid taxes by the cheaters listed below. Taxes that we need to improve the revenues for our national budget to fund our infraestructure repairs that will create millions of jobs that will generate also income tax and improve our decaying economy?
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-03-01/costa-concordia-hearing/53317694/1
http://www.sfbg.com/politics/2011/06/03/protesters-target-apple-tax-cheat
an the list goes on forever…
http://www.payupnow.org/
Outsider says
I find it surprising that so many on the left are opposed to this. You are always complaining about us gun- toting, knuckle dragging Neanderthal rednecks; I’d think you would be happy to get rid of us. Of course, the real reason this scares you is that you would have to fund your socialist Utopiah without MY money. But according to your logic, I’m just a drain on the system anyway. Well, go ahead and keep believing that if it makes you feel better AND makes you more receptive to the idea.
Nancy N. says
I say we trade them for Puerto Rico. I hear they want to be a state. Then we won’t even have to redesign the flag!
Stevie says
To secede is to cower. Quitters. Thieves.
All we have to do is sit back and wait. What Obama is proposing has never worked and won’t now but it will be fun to watch the rich get taxes since most of them are HIS friends and supporters.
“Let me sum up this New Geography article (via Instapundit): Top states with most $250K households: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington DC. Top metro areas with most $250K households: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, San Jose, Washington DC. States with highest average housing values / mortgages: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, New York, Washington DC. Metro areas ”
and this is what is going out on the conservative blogs as a strategy.
to endure all this silliness.
” History tells us, however, that economic redistribution plans fail because the producers of society would rather not produce, than have the fruits of their production taken away and given to others. Obama can raise the tax rates on income, but he cannot force people to generate income to be taxed. People may just say “no.” This resistance will not come from evading taxes, but from evading taxable income.
… change your economic behavior to deprive Obama of what he wants most, your tax dollars. Invest in municipal bonds, carefully manage your investments to minimize taxable income, do everything possible and legal to insulate yourself from creating taxable income.
Starve the beast. More of nothing is nothing.”
I’m game for this.
NortonSmitty says
It’s well known that Texas loser tears are the sweetest in the world. Mmmmmm…
confidential says
@Stevie..You are as wrong as the FOX pundits and the theirs and other pollsters before Nov. 6..HA..HA.
We had what Obama is proposing now with Billy and our economy was brilliant, my invested life savings flourished and we all had jobs and a Federal Budget SURPLUS!! Never achieved before! Bush destroyed all that starting 2001.
Yes sure, we need to change our electoral behavior like we did 11/6 and we WON! and sure as well will win in 2014 against GOP incumbents in Congress and the Senate…want a bet? Those against common sense in congress and the senate now will be history, even if we move to their districts to achieve it!
Simply we have to play their game, and we showed that united we excel at it.
Also we are getting together to protect our workers rights, was time!! We need to press on it ahead and support their competitors with fair workers policies, when we buy take out or eat in:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/05/darden-restaurants-full-time_n_2246515.html?ref=topbar
Lets the one’s listed above to move to the newly seceded states we don’t need them.
Now also we shpould start buying the most USA made products we can…is not going to be easy but we need to start somewhere, just like Stevie is doing in the other side of this court.
Dorothea says
@Stevie
So you think that Obama’s plan has never worked. You are either very young and don’t remember or very misinformed. President Clinton raised taxes and the economy prospered, leaving the next president, George Bush with a surplus. Bush promptly squandered the surplus and obliterated the economy by lowering taxes, while fighting two wars and instituting a prescription drug plan, all unfunded.
And where did you get the idea that the rich supported Obama? Most of the greedy rich supported Romney. As for starving the beast, trust me, the rich are already taking every tax break available to them. I don’t think that paying a few percentage points more tax dollars on their taxable income over $250,000 will bother them at all.
Stevie says
“Now also we shpould start buying the most USA made products we can…is not going to be easy but we need to start somewhere, ”
Where can you buy U.S. made products? Not this planet.
What will you use for money when the dollar crashes and no one will take it in exchange for goods and services once the credit agencies downgrade us to junk?
Where will the buyers come from?
http://www.gallup.com/poll/159104/unadjusted-unemployment-shoots-back.aspx
Anonymous says
“President Clinton raised taxes and the economy prospered, leaving the next president, George Bush with a surplus. ”
True Clinton did sign the legislation into law that made the economy bloom, welfare reform, and reduction in spending. This was the essence of the Contract with America promoted by Gingrich. Clinton gets the credit. The economy was already cranking along when congress raised taxes after giving Gingrich the boot. Gingrich was later exonerated for all the false charges.
The BEAST is government and we will starve it.
Stevie says
“The historical record is clear: The economy grew slower than it should have in the years after Clinton’s 1993 tax hike. The strong economic growth that is associated with his presidency occurred only after he agreed with Congress to cut taxes in his second term.”
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/09/clinton-tax-hikes-slowed-growth
confidential says
Lets keep up the pressure as we have the power, like when in the last Steve Jobs and Obama get together, the President notice to Steve that non of Apple gadgets/computers, were made in the USA….
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/business/apple-america-and-a-squeezed-middle-class.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Not only our President did not satisfy Jobs vision of being one term only, but furthermore Apple starts bringing some manufacturing home.
http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/06/15708290-apple-ceo-tim-cook-announces-plans-to-manufacture-mac-computers-in-usa?lite
We will greatly help Apple bringing all their gadgets manufacturing here, by refraining from buying them until they do so. I do not own an I-phone and I won’t buy one until they will be Made in the USA.
Dorothea says
@Stevie and Anonymous
Get real, the Heritage Foundation is just NOT a reliable source of information.
Gingrich was not exonerated. Read this Pants on Fire article from Politifact:
http://www.politifact.com/georgia/statements/2012/feb/20/newt-gingrich/gingrich-says-he-was-exonerated-ethics-probe/
You can find American made products if you look. Target offers a number of kitchen products made in the USA, including cast iron cookware and glass storage jars.
If your house get carried away in the next hurricane, call the Beast. But you would get better results if you call the government.
Stevie says
“If your house get carried away in the next hurricane, call the Beast. But you would get better results if you call the government. ”
Right……go to Statten Island and see how they like the treatment. I have lived through dozens of hurricanes, and lived my whole life without ever needing any government assistance. I take care of myself because I know how to. The only way I could not take care of myself is if the government prevented me from doing so. I would be glad to teach any one how to take care of themselves and be productive satisfied citizens.
History is a matter of fact. The sequence of tax increases and decreases is there to prove my point. If you have a news release that shows a different sequence, then by all means put it up here for us to read. Thank you for the discussion.
Dorothea says
@Stevie
Good luck in all your endeavors and may you never need assistance. May you stay healthy and self-reliant, and in your old age, die quickly lest you wither away slowly.
notasenior says
People who are advocating secession should be arrested and tried as traitors!
wouldlovetosee secession says
I would love for Texas to succeed at secession. This would be a great lesson because you Texans think you pay so much in taxes but you really don’t realize how much the federal government pumps into your state economy. So go ahead and form your own nation. You wouldn’t be able to stand one month. If you think taxes are high now wait until you are on your own. Love it when you don’t think things ask the way through and just run your mouths.
ReticleBill says
That’s what the British said to our Colonist not so many years ago !
ReticleBill says
Actually Texas could stand on her own. and quite well. You see she has all the Oil refiners :)
Stevie says
“President Clinton raised taxes and the economy prospered, leaving the next president, George Bush with a surplus. Bush promptly squandered the surplus and obliterated the economy by lowering taxes, while fighting two wars and instituting a prescription drug plan, all unfunded. ”
The surplus was squandered due to entitlement spending that increases each year without any appropriations from Congress. This is the same problem we have today that is not being addressed by either party or the current President. This is the primary reason States that have controlled their spending want to leave the union because they don’t want to pay for that which they don’t support. I say stay and fight cause they won’t let you go peacefully anyway.
George Bush and his Republican Congress were total failures as responsible stewards of our fiscal policy. The reality is, George wasn’t King and he didn’t do this damage alone, he had plenty of help from both sides of the aisle.
The value of the dollar soared from 1994 until 2001 when the Towers were struck and has since plummeted to even lower levels today. If nothing is done soon there will be riots and starvation in our country when the dollar is no longer accepted as currency to buy commodities. Is this what you all really want?
confidential says
Stevie, Bill Clinton’s surplus was wasted in the false claimed WMD war that Bush started in Iraq!
The dollar will not be accepted if your buddies in Congress and the Senate keep manipulating raising the budget ceiling…while they approved it twice with not questions asked for Bush!