Texas Governor Greg Abbott declares that Texas law supercedes Federal authority and hints at secession

return2ozma@lemmy.world to politics @lemmy.world – 769 points –
Texas Governor Greg Abbott declares that Texas law supercedes Federal authority and hints at secession
boingboing.net
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If Trump loses the 2024 election because Texas temporarily secedes, taking its 38 Republican electoral votes with it, I might die from the schadenfreude.

1.Just give Texas back to Mexico.

2.Reverse UNO

3.White Republicans are now the immigrants on the wrong side of the border

4.Enjoy some queso

Mexico 2 days later: Amigo, please take these fuck faces back

Or cartel runs in and they have a lucrative cash for drugs trade, that they mostly funnel into other states for profit not seeing the irony in any if it...

the issue with that is that cartels like being paid for their products as much as any business- legitimate or otherwise. Texas won't be able to pay when we remove them from the US banking system. there's not enough cash to go around, and they'll probably have to mint their own currency.

Which... the Cartel won't be dumb enough to do business in... which means they'll have to do business in stuff like gold or whatever else.

Guns

the cartels already have better guns than most texans, so, yeah.

I mean as of like a year or so ago they were reporting that they still paid 3-4x per AR type variants and 2-3x most handguns and like 5x the price of a 1911 presidente chambered in 38 super. There definitely still is a market.

Americans who move to other countries always call themselves expats since immigrants are “those other people”.

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the nihilist in me really wants to see texas attempt this.

confederates === domestic terrorists. lets act accordingly.

the nihilist in me really wants to see texas attempt this.

Just to get rid of Abbot and Cruz it would be worth it.

I doubt this whole display is anything more than a distraction from the impending elections but I'm going to keep saying it anyway:

Please remember there are sane, reasonable, nonconservative people living here without a good way out. We're not the enemy.

Might not be domestic for long. Plus I hear they've got oil! Not sure they've thought this through.

Not just confederates, it's the current MAGA "Republican" party. CPAC, Dallas, TX, Aug. 4-7, 2022:

The persecution fetish is bigger in Texas.

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Can we just acknowledge that this is unhinged? Biden has the strongest border policies ever implemented by a Democrat. This just shows that there is no compromise possible with these traitors. They will never admit you made a step in their direction, only demand more and more and more until you're just doing their bidding.

This is truly the way of extremists and terrorists, they demand the country be run to their preferences, democratic systems be damned.

It really is sad to see so many Americans captivated by misinformation that they've convinced themselves is real. Abandoning science, reason, discussion, compromise, even tolerance. I try to keep my bloodthirst in check but after years upon years of them growing like a cancer, forming cult-like militia, becoming full blown domestic terrorists threatening high treason, it can't be tolerated any further. It was cute when it was just posturing, symbolizing they were unhappy with the system at large and wanted to fuck with it a little.

Now it's spiraled out of control. Now the punishment for treason should be felt. Either mercifully with the arrest of Abbott or vengefully with the GOP Texans being buried under the new courthouse.

Is there somewhere I can read about Biden's border policy compared to other Democrats? This is definitely something I'm totally uninformed about and I'd like to read up a bit, if you know of a good rundown.

Not really a rundown. Just years of paying attention. The basic thing is they aren't recognizing the right to declare asylum after entering the country anymore. You have to wait in your home country or Mexico until your paperwork is processed. Of course that's ridiculous considering how the cartels prey on the refugees and asking someone to stay in the country they are seeking asylum from.

Brexit was so successful, it's now time for Texit!

cut off all federal funding

let then secede

invade and retake them as a territory with no federal voting rights

make dc and puerto rico states

republicans never win again

Naw, split up the state into 4 states, with Houston, Austin, Dallas and San Antonio as capitals. Cut state lines and populations up to ensure that as the main city votes so goes the state.

That'd be 8 democratic senators.

Add DC, PR, American Virgin Islands American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and that's potentially another 12.

Regardless of politics the territories, and DC, should have statehood and equal rights and representation as the rest of us or they should have independence. It's part of our national identity. No more colonialism or secondclass sub citizens.

These dumb fucks can't go a single winter or summer without their power grids going down and then begging for free money and help but they somehow thing they can be their own country? Fuck it, let em try and then they will find out that the Mexican cartels don't fuck around.

These jackanapes get to yammering about secession every few years but haven't actually done anything about it for decades. It's all performative.

This Texan checked into it, and unfortunately we have no procedure for recalling our treasonous governor. At a minimum, he should be held in contempt of court and jailed. I would like to see a treason indictment.

there is- at the federal level some vague means of getting "congress" to do it. Victor Berger was removed by a vote of the full house (WI rep that was convicted improperly of espionage. he was part of the socialist party in 1919.) He was elected as a representative to the house (and the specific side of congress has jurisdiction over itself).

There's nothing saying the senate, for example, couldn't weigh in, declare him unfit and have him removed from his position. I have no idea how that would shake out... but given his announcement or declaration or whatever that was, that's basically invalidating the US constitution... that is definitely insurrection against the US. The 14th amendment section 5 gives authority to soley Congress to enforce 14th's section 3 (you know the insurrection clause).

I would expect that if the house of senate voted to remove him... then the shitheads in SCOTUS would say that it has to be unanimous with the house of reps. but it would be something more than what's currently being done- which is nothing.

The 14th Amendment's 3rd clause is self executing, so arguably he's just disqualified himself from office.

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Unfortunately for us, people kept voting him into office even after he called the Texas guard to watch the US army with the Jade Helm panic that Russia started. Idk if they will ever vote him out

His last election was the most competitive of his career.

The public in general leans pro-choice, so Republicans are absolutely losing support with their insane anti-abortion policies even if it isn’t obvious yet.

He’s also been in national headlines a lot lately for his extremism. He has always been horrible, but he has never been so visible for it.

Next election, he will be hanging on by voter suppression, a wish, and a prayer.

What worries me though is why he’s gone off the deep end already if he still believes he needs to get re-elected…

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The only issue I have with secession talk is there are lots of Texas citizens who aren't the problem. Every red state has people with common sense, they just don't have the ability at the moment to shut up the idiots. Plus secession at this point is ludicrous, leaving with your toys isn't how you fix problems. Oh wait, it's Republicans, they don't ever have solutions anymore anyway it's all a political game.

The pro-seccession crowd here isn't even the majority of Republicans. They brought a petition to out a measure on the primary ballot and the state GOP said no. Then the state Supreme Court declined to intervene.

As a city Texan who lives in one of the most military-friendly and full cities in the state, I say I’d like to see you try greggy.

Here in Houston, doubt many here would back his bullshit.

In fact, Abbott barely won texas against Beto, who has said that he actually wants to take guns from people. In texas...

I don’t think Republican leadership is going to like losing 40 electoral votes.

money will drop him so fast he's struggling to act out this bad

When Republican governors try to become mini-dictators… that does not bode well for America.

GM: "Well, you can certainly try."

"Roll for initiative."

The DM watching Texas lose power, unable to pay for its own army, pay for its own healthcare, pay for food with its ports blockaded unable to secure basic goods from both Mexico and the US, etc.

"You guys are under prepared and over fucked."

How do 1%ers hear this and not immediately pull campaign funding, what would a civil war do to the US economy. When a nation with the most guns in the world has people starving what do they think is gonna happen. I guess they are counting on being kings in the aftermath or that Jesus will come back or something.

See, your problem is you assume the 1% are intelligent. They are not. The attribute they have the most of is greed. Greed can blind even the intelligent, and most of them aren't even playing with a full deck.

Yeah just look at the latest posts by Elon on twi....I mean X...

I think it's more the assumption that things won't change. Plenty of large, previously-succsssful businesses have collapsed because they did not keep a finger up to feel if the winds of change are shifting and instead doubled and quadrupled down on a no longer viable business model.

Yes, and that is a demonstration of how they are not actually inteligent.

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The 1% use political theater to distract people from the fact that half of Americans can't afford rent.

This is exactly what they want.

Here's the thing: they've got a "self-sufficient" bunker, private military contractors, and have done some martial arts training. So in their mind all they have to do to come out on top in a collapse of society is hide in the bunker surrounded by armed guards and judo chop any guard who tries to take over.

They also know that our current way of society is not sustainable with them hoarding the wealth. So they believe collapse is inevitable.

So why not accelerate the process whilst they're still young and can fool themselves into believing they can survive a collapse of society with all their resources stashed away.

It’s because they know it’s political theater. Bullshit posturing. Virtue signaling. As long as it gets the red state voters worked up so they’re not paying attention to actual issues, that’s what counts.

Texas is not going to secdee.

They just leave the country, invest in defense stocks, and make a bunch of cash

Because it’s theater. It’s part of the tongue in cheek game they play where the Republican leadership all basically play the part of the fourteen year old male imagination. They’re gonna beat up the bully, kiss the cheerleader, and win the football game. Everyone knows it’s fantasy but it’s comforting fantasy that makes them feel big, and they want that. They expect it.

Trump is fascinating because he DID those things. He hurt the right people to satisfy a growing chunk of the core GOP base that have Poe’s Law’d so hard they actually take the fantasy seriously. If he said he’d let Texas secede I’d honestly believe he’s stupid and/or nihilistic enough to do it

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Obviously he'll flip into "federal authority is absolute" against states like California if a Republican (read: Trump) is president.

No need to wait, look at what they did for the article 14 stuff. They don’t give a fuck about anything unless it somehow directly impacts them, states rights included

So what about Texas invading other states by bussing migrants there?

if they secede we'll have to update all the flags. what a pain. maybe we could just add in puerto rico really quick

Would rather have Puerto Rico anyway. Texas will return to being Mexico pretty swiftly and that's probably better for everyone.

Mexico won't want them. My bets are they break into even more countries, some of which get incorporated into the US and Mexico. Then the remains become a lawless region because they don't have the money to fight the cartels. So we get a military occupation on our southern border. Nobody comes away happy but the MIC.

Which given the arc of history in the post WW2 period is, I believe, the best indicator of how things will go.

Gonna look like the stupid guy here, what does MIC stand for?

Meh, just means you're one of the 10,000 today.

Military Industrial Complex.

So, which Texans want to have reliable electricity?

If Texas has complete control and final authority over their majority portion of the southern border, shouldn't they be the ones are responsible for spending the resources for securing it as well as being accountable for the humanitarian disaster?

The Republicans want it both ways: They want to blame the President and federal government for the situation at the border (but only when it's the Democrats in office and never when they are, of course), and at the exact same time they want to claim total authority over border policy on the state level. On top of that, they love to pull political stunts wrt the border every election year, but when it comes to actually passing an immigration bill, they'll tank it because Trump doesn't want to let Biden have yet another win.

Talk about having your cake and eating it too. Fucking pick one you disingenuous scumbag clowns.

Hmmm... 🤔

"states have a right of self-defense, under Article 4, Section 4 and Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution."

https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/full-text

Article 4, Section 4:

"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence."

I don't see a) anything there that defines "invasion" or b) grants the states the power to act if the United States chooses not to.

Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3:

"Section 10: Powers Denied to the States

No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay."

Again, "invaded".

It's pretty clear from section 10, since it's also speaking of troops, ships of war, and engaging in war that it means MILITARY invasion, not an influx of citizen refugees.

Dictionaries at the time back up that reading:

https://mises.org/wire/what-did-founders-mean-invasion

Rich of them to quote the U.S. Constitution when they're trying to leave - which would mean that they don't recognize the U.S. Constitution for being a foreign entity.

It's in the Constitution! Democrats can never be the government of any state, only Republicans can create a Republican form or government.

Checkmate liberals!

This walking corpse needs to be slapped back to reality. Secession talk should get you fucked into the ground.

Traitor scum.

This walking rolling 🧑‍🦽 corpse...

Biden should call them the fuck out. Immediately withdraw all federal funding, including anything paid for by the government like power plants and highways. Let them suffer until they're willing to play nice with the rest of us.

That would be political suicide and motivate the red states against him for the election. He can point out that he's wrong because of those in a funny way. But actually doing something about it would be detrimental to his election.

Like red states aren't already motivated against him? That's at least 90% of the reason Abbott is even doing this. Give old Joe a no win situation to deal with and take the focus off their abhorrent abortion and other human rights stances. Like, I know this involves drowning children with razor wire but he gets to control the narrative and move the focus off that.

Nothing would take the attention of off winning issues for democrats like abortion than Biden turning the empty threats of a blowhard into a verified constitutional crisis.

oh and all of those sweet military bases that basically prop up that shithole

For a party that claims to love and respect the US Constitution, being filled to gills with "constitutional orginalists," I don't think any Republican has ever actually read the document. If they had even glanced over it, they would have looked at Article 6, Paragraph 2 also known as the "Federal Supremacy Clause." It's meaning is that law at the Federal level supercedes State laws and even state constitutions. The "Founding Fathers" intended for the Federal government to hold supremacy over the state governments... now it isn't written in plain English, but it is plain enough. Further, the end of our Civil War the court case Texas v White made it plain as day legally that no State may leave the union. Again, the party of "law and order" comes in clutch with that misunderstanding of what those words mean.

All that being said, succession isn't actually that popular (even in Texas). There would likely be a mass revolt against it in any state attempting it. Further, even a play at attempting it would be a political death sentence (as well as, perhaps, a literal one). Any insurrection against the federal government, even by a collection of contiguous states, would face a similar challenge the capitalists/monarchists (or Whites) of the Russian Civil War faced. The major population centers wouldn't recognize the authority of those in revolt and all they'd be left with would be the hinterlands and rural towns. Which is not a great position to be in strategically (again, see: the outcome of the Russian Civil War).

This is all not to mention, while States have their own National Guards, the insurrectionists would have to convince those troops to fire on troops who are wearing the same uniform. You'd have to convince their officers to break their oath to uphold both US law and face a possible death sentence if captured. I don't know Abbott's relationship with his National Guardsmen, but I highly doubt many officers will go in with him in this piece of political theater.

For a party that claims to love and respect the US Constitution, (...) I don't think any Republican has ever actually read the document.

They just don't care - they're self-serving liars and grifters, and they know it. It's very simple.

I look forward to the possibility they'll fuck around and find out, but they'll likely just bully concessions out of Biden, who will be too afraid of being uncivil or disturbing the status quo to take action to uphold the rule of law and defend the constitution.

Even if they do sit down to "read" the constitution it would be similar to their bible studies. You have a pre-made conclusion that you dance around with some text to then just conclude what you wanted to and some cop out if there is a contradiction.

It's all in line with the principle underpinning fascism - rules are useful solely to protect yourself and subjugate those you don't like.

He is wrong. But also imagine what that looks like. You think people in the UK regret brexit? Hahaha I hope Texas can grow all their own food.

Or don't have any natural disasters they aren't prepared for.

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Someone should tell these guys it's not 1861 anymore. They might find themselves on the business end of a hellfire missile if they keep running their yaps with impunity or take actionable steps towards actually seceding. Also known in modern vernacular as "Fuck around and find out".

"The dildo of consequence rarely arrives lubed"

That's silly talk. I say we deny their citizens all American benefits instead. VA, SS, Medicare, all of it. Only if they seceed.

I don't fucking get this. Abbot literally ships illegal immigrants by the bus load into the country free of charge, how is he not a fundamental cog in the illegal immigration machine?

They've basically finally got around to calling the bluff. No one's going to do anything.

We had a coup attempt last year and people are getting slapped on the wrist.

The government's not going to do anything about anything until there's a full-on civil war.

If that.

The U.S. government is incapable and unwilling to protect its own people, therefore it is illegitimate. And it has been for a very long time.

The great Texas economy won't fair to well when trade tariffs kick in and they stop benefiting from all the trade deals the US has.

Imagine the reaction on day one when Biden nationalize all assets of Texas based companies that aren't within the borders. And day two when Biden decrees that us banks can no longer accept funds or distribute funds to Texas based entities. They'll have to create their own currency and deal with conversions that will not be favorable.

In fact leaving the US is leaving NAFTA so it doesn't even require new tariffs they would immediately throw up trade barriers with their two (or three if you count the US) largest trade partners. Their economy would tank immediately.

biden should call the bluff and ask the house and senate to release texas from the union under the condition it compensates the US for any federal land and supplies.

Not even. We take what’s ours, they can keep the land and what infrastructure is left. All federal funds are frozen and all US based assets for Texans are frozen until diplomatic relations are formally established and financial treaties are in place. All power, pipelines and rail are blocked/shut off at the border. All passports in Texas names are null, along with all no cost governmental passports. Military Checkpoints at all major roads in and out of Texas with nobody allowed in or out without a valid US passport. All airport and federal airport staff are reassigned or permitted to resign with negative SF50 rehire status. All airspace on the US side is closed to any transit.

Most of this can be accomplished in a week or two with the military securing the border operations (as is appropriate). It would be fair to allow, say, a month grace period for anyone who wants to stay in the US to relocate. After they are free to leave by the gulf or, if Mexico decides to honor the defunct passports.

I don't think we give these military installations up.

Biden is commander in chief. I'd love to see him just order one or two of the smaller bases to relocate to another state, effective immediately. And while he's at it, send NASA HQ back to Massachusetts where it belongs. Then let Texas know if they want to keep playing he can relocate the rest of the bases out of the state.

The US / TexAss border would be nearly as long as the entire east coast of the US. Securing that isn't going to be fast or easy.

There are only 8 interstate crossings and less than a 100 crossings of 2 lane roads. People moving across the boarder is not a huge concern. We are in the second stage of Foundation conquest, and commerce is the arbiter of civilization. Cut off commerce and you have, well - just look at Cuba.

Besides, it's not just the commerce. Block off regular transportation and revoke citizenship, and everyone left of semi-liberal in TX will leave - and with them most of the knowledge worker/white collar worker base. That's would do more to decimate the TX economy than any other pressure.

No biggie. We'll just install razor wire along the Red River to drown moms and their kids, build detention centers and kidnap children to satisfy the vast worldwide human trafficking market, all while simultaneously handing these invading Texans 5,000 dollar checks, free bus tickets to anywhere, and free government-provided housing or whatever the Republican talking points are.

Can I apply for refugee status and move to a state not run by this sociopath?

Texas is a drag on our society. I say say cut em loose.

So all federal money cut off.

But wait, doesn't Texas pay more than they received?

Yes, but let's really look at this. Military and veterans don't get paid. Oil confiscated by the Navy stationed on both the East and West coast. Any company with a federal account closes down bc Texas doesn't pay the same. Massive border to protect against a reunification force.

I think they change their mind in a split second.

They did pay into the federal system more than they took at one time, but it hasn't been like that for a long time now. They couldn't handle having federal funding cut off.

Cool, let’s pull back their federal funding and see how things go

Texas is one of the few red states that contributes more to federal funding than they get out of it. Cutting it just gives them the excuse to cut more social programs that are tried to federal funding.

Hypothetical from a non American. Let's say Texas DOES secede. What happens to the citizenship of the Americans in Texas? Do they lose it? Do they have to leave Texas in X days to keep it? Can it even be revoked? Should it?

If they kept it, would they need to still declare their taxes, as US citizens must pay tax on international income?

They would become a territory, like Puerto Rico. They would still have citizenship and the benefits of citizenship, such as they would still have taxes. But would not vote in presidential elections, and their representatives would get no vote.

It is the best of all worlds. /$

You mean their politicians can just blame everything on the federal government and pretend they took their voting rights away? Sounds like a dream for them.

I'm not like a US civil war scholar or anything, but there's at least a glimmer of precedence to be found there with what happened to average folk living in the Confederate States when those states seceded. Babies born in the Confederacy were considered US citizens because the US (the Union) never recognized the Confederacy as independent and legally considered it US territory still. As for adults, it was similar... The US treated them as if they had never lost US citizenship and either punished or pardoned people for treason and war related crimes after the war. So I guess the answer would depend on whether Texas wins or loses the inevitable war that the US would fight to keep Texas from seceding/declaring independence in the first place.

To add to that- it’s nearly impossible to lose American citizenship against one’s will. If you were born a citizen or earned it later, you will likely remain a citizen until you die, unless you give it up.

Even Jefferson Davis died an American citizen.

About inevitable war - I heard some mentions of Texas' conditions of entering the union being different, since it, eh, became part of the US at a different point of history. And thus that in case of Texas specifically secession would still be their right.

Have you heard of such a thing?

Anyway would be awfully stupid to see a war over this.

It would make more sense for Texas to be like Christiania in Copenhagen for some time in case of such a weird event - no recognition, but also no war and no borders.

I mean, some Texans might think so. Maybe even Texan politicians. However, Texas tried it already. It was one of the slave states that seceded and got its ass kicked in the civil war. Generally, that's the legal precedent that people refer to when they argue whether or not a state has the right to secede. The answer is war/no. That doesn't mean it would have to result in that in the future, but I think the only way they could get it to work without violence would be by starting some devolution movement and getting the US constitution amended to allow Texas in particular to secede and that would require a constitutional convention and the consent of the majority of the other states. Otherwise, they'd have to win a war against the US.

However, Texas tried it already. It was one of the slave states that seceded and got its ass kicked in the civil war.

I'm not that ignorant of history to need to be informed about this ...

but I think the only way they could get it to work without violence would be by starting some devolution movement and getting the US constitution amended to allow Texas in particular to secede and that would require a constitutional convention and the consent of the majority of the other states

I personally just don't like centralism and don't see secession as bad in theory. That, of course, means that not only a state should be able to secede from the union, but also any part of the state from it, etc.

Anyway, this is all not important. Healthy societies do well with any model (I'd say for a healthy society with any law there'd be no war in such an event). Unhealthy ones do bad with any model (even if there'd be laws designed to prevent war). Models affect their development and long-term "health", though.

Idiots in Texas believe this. The well informed in Texas know this to be false AF.

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The other replies to you are wrong. Texas can't secede. Unlike the EU, joining the United States is one-way. No matter what laws the Texas government passes, or claims to be true, from the perspective of the US gov't they cannot leave the union (or revoke US citizenship from their residents).

If you're looking for precedence, see the US civil war which settled the matter pretty decisively.

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There's way too many people in here that either don't know the difference between succession and secession, or don't know how to spell, or just were too lazy to look at what they were typing or what was being autocorrected.

Since smartphones became prevalent there has been open contempt and hostility for the idea that correct spelling and grammar are important for comprehensible communication.

Too many people don't care to learn anything anymore because it makes them feel stupid when it's pointed out that they didn't just plop out of their mothers with all the necessary knowledge to interact with others and navigate the world around them.

It'd be funny if someone built a Lemmy extension to allow others to grade people's posts based on spelling and grammar.

This guy, these people, are so thick headed.

The court ruled that the border patrol officers have the constitutional authority to move some razor wire in some areas (this case mentions 2.5 miles) because it's in their way of apprehending people trying to get over the boarder - actually, people who have already set foot on US soil.

This is going to turn into some big thing because Abbot would rather let immigrants die in the river than permit border patrol to capture them.

Again? Texas does this almost every election cycle and they aren't dumb enough to try it. Or maybe they are. That'd be a show.

As a born and raised Texan, I’ve been seeing “Secede” bumper stickers for decades now. However, it’s the first time that I remember the governor saying it. So it is still notable, even if it’s old rhetoric.

I'm Canadian and this is like Quebec for us. None of us take them seriously, they do this so often. They're also land locked and would die without the rest of the country. I for one would love it if French Canada stopped having so much political pull over the rest of the country.

People from the ROC hating Quebec without knowing anything about it is normal, but I have never seen someone forget the St Laurence River exists before.

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Can the people of Texas recall their governor? Has to be a lot of them unhappy with this clown.

The problem is that rural old people vote more than everyone else, and they all have brain damage from lead poisoning.

The problem is Texas has some of the most egregious gerrymandering/voter suppression in the country.

Old guy who is only getting older wants to dictate so that he has some sort of legacy.

Also his wiener doesn't work correctly (...nor do any of his lower extremities), and this makes him very cranky. Bless his heart. Let him pretend to govern, what's the worst that could happen...

I assume you are being sarcastic, but in case anyone thinks Abbott is a harmless delusional, this whole latest secession thing sprouted up because Abbott is ordering state employees to prevent federal employees from rescuing drowning people and those people are dying because of the interference. Not to mention the Texans that die every time their power grid fails and the Texan women who are being forced under threat of legal penalty to carry life threatening pregnancies to term

I’m not suggesting that someone should disable the brakes on his wheelchair and then roll him into the street, but were he to be rolled into the street with no brakes, I wouldn’t be surprised.

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I want to say it'll never happen, but they may not be so good at paying attention to prevailing trends. If Texit happens I'll be watching with a big bowl of popcorn.

Willy Wonka: Stop. Don't. Come back.

How's Trump's electoral math work out without Texas in the union?

Dog whistle to his supporters, that's all.

If they actually tried anything they'd be snuffed out pretty fast.

Let them go and remove their risk from the power grid.

I believe Texas has its own power grid. Also, still, let them go.

Am Texan. Am American. Love being both, and so do most of my neighbors. We aren’t seceding, and Abbott is an asshole of the highest proportion.

Also, we do have our own power grid. It sucks and nearly kills us on a regular basis. That’s Abbott’s fault too.

Most Texans don't support succession and understand that it would not be legal (see: Texas v White 1868 for why that is). If Abbott is serious about trying it, the Metro centers and suburbs would almost immediately counter-revolt against them.

Abbott is a jackass lashing out at a world leaving him and his ilk behind. Texas is going to flip purple in the next five to ten years; the hardcore MAGA's know that and it terrifies them. Not if but when Texas becomes a swing state, even if it is only slightly competitive, that will flip American politics at the national level on its head. Republicans haven't had to worry about and spend national campaign money in Texas since the 1980's... they may not even have the party infrastructure to take on such a task at the moment. Democrats could ignore campaigning in other swing states like Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and the like to focus all campaigning on Texas... meanwhile Republicans would still need to spend in those other states while also having to spend money to defend a no longer solid red Texas. For them, this is a party-ending nightmare scenario... a set back on their hold on power lasting at least a generation.

No. Fuck that. They want to leave the Union? FUCKING LEAVE TEXAS. Texas, the land belongs to us.

Go for it, Abbott. Let's see your beloved Texas Rangers go up against satellite-guided drone bombers.

Tx threatens secession every other day. why does he wear boots. js

They know federal law supercedes state law, right?

the argument is that because they're being "invaded" and that the federal government isn't doing anything to protect them from that "invasion"... it's a "breach of contract" that then invalidates everything else.

Which is a dissenting opinion by a lone justice, and not what was the actual ruling in that precedent; and there's no legal or technical definition that defines migrant refugees showing up seeking asylum as an invasion.

Is Abbot on the SovCit bandwagon?

Wouldn't be too surprised if he's driving it. complete with the stupid little chauffeur hat.

I ducked into Texit Twitter yesterday and it's like an Alamo cosplay, an entirely fictional version of events is everywhere where there's somehow a 10th Amendment right to secede and Abbott is proving state supremecy by not complying with some deadline the federal government gave them to comply with the Supreme Court order. As if it was Iraq not abiding by Bush's demands and thus initiating war instead of the obvious actual situation where they are going to be sued again.

If that shithole secedes, can’t we just immediately go to war with them- reclaim it as American territory, and then put someone in charge with a brain?

I got $400 on Cartels blowing them the fuck away.

No they will just buy guns from them and it will become a gun/drug economy, probably ironically sending drugs into other states.

I knew we were teasing World War III but I didn't think it would start with a Civil War.

I don't want Texas to secede, they would be a shitty ass neighbor.

A shitty ass neighbor is a hell of a lot better than a shitty ass sibling

I hope someone steals his wheelchair.

So you take the going lower option in "when they go low, you go high" lol ... I had to upvote for the image of someone in the 21st century stealing a mobility device from a governor of Texas. Does Abbott deserve such treatment as a handicapped individual, debatable. But in his official capacity as Governor of Texas, absolutely!

My favorite part of this is that despite this “border crisis, ”Gregory Wayne Abbott is galavanting around fkn India like he’s Anthony fkn Bourdain. Meanwhile, we have all sorts of shit convoys and armed goofies coming there to “volunteer in Texas.” Eagle Pass is only 97% Hispanic, so I’m sure nobody will get confused and murder some nice citizen or anything.

He looks like he's on a game show, bright colours behind him and everything.

The way his mouth is open almost looks cartoonish

Last time they tried this we fought a whole ass war over it. I highly doubt that it'll go nearly as swimmingly lol.

Personally, I hope they successfully secede, then get taken over by Mexico. #maketexasmexicoagain

It's an unlikely threat. Texas has the second highest number of electors (California has the most) that vote in the electoral college. Furthermore, the senate and house lose two representatives each. That means a Republican presidential candidate is going to have a hard time getting elected.

Ol' Greg's gonna cripple Texas' economy with such maneuvers.

Ideas like this are so stupid that one wonders if that's someone's goal. Britain leaving the EU was one of the stupidest ideas earlier. A lot of the people pushing it were being completely disingenuous - foreign influence operations. This is even worse.

Yeah it would be a disaster, so probably just probably just posturing. If it's not, then someone must benefit. Hard for me to see how, but rich people have schemes.

We're heading for Greg vs. the-giant-oak-tree-on-top-of-Greg all over again.

Ah it's fine, we know they'll be totally fine on their own. I mean, they have their own totally reliable, independent electric grid, right?

Texas: proceeds to get messed with

This is what happens with legal positivism and going off the gold standard.

Everyone is a prophet.

Wish the tree has finished the job and killed the evil fuck.

If he only had enough dick and balls in his pants to pull this through.

Imagine Lady Liberty in an ice-blue dress, singing "Let them go, let them go..."