the rix mix

This kind of talk by a sitting governor (even of Texas) is outrageous:

QUESTION: What do you think about the idea of secession or sovereignty for your state?

PERRY: Oh, I think 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, pays 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 might come out of that.

Did over 600,000 Americans die to settle this matter, ending slavery while they were at it, or is it a lie all the history books perpetrate?

Rick Perry is creating an illusion of a reality that encourages violent hard cases to come crawling out of their basements, attics, & desert compounds to advance The Cause.

Article III, Section 3. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

Texas receives a return of about .97 on every federal tax dollar. By contrast, New Jersey receives .65. An imprecise measurement, but I'm surprised Texas isn't making a profit when one considers all the government facilities & contracts Texas has, funneled there by powerful Washington politicians including three Texan presidents holding office for 17 of the past 45 years, not to mention Speakers of the House & Majority Leaders going back to the New Deal era There's more than a little sour grapes in Perry. Texans don't have the clout they had only a few months ago. The wide open spigot of federal money that long watered a state already wealthy from its own resources might be twisted back another turn, although it's unlikely. Someday the governor of Texas may again represent & speak for all the state's constituents (now 45% Hispanic & African-American) instead of a right wing white minority gerrymandered into power. Perry himself was re-elected governor in 2006 with only 39% (Kinky Friedman received over a half-million votes).

Labels: count the yoyos, in the news