The calls for Texas to defend itself and defy the federal government have set fire to a long-simmering fight over states’ rights, emboldening right-wing figures.

The calls for Texas to defend itself and defy the federal government have set fire to a long-simmering fight over states’ rights, emboldening right-wing figures.

Daniel Miller felt encouraged last week, as fears of a new civil war trended online and a coalition of powerful Republicans coalesced behind Gov. Greg Abbott’s standoff with the Biden administration.

As the longtime leader of Texas’ unlikely secessionist movement, Miller has for decades argued that the state is in a stranglehold by the federal government that, eventually, would prompt enough popular support for a vote to leave the union. The past week only reinforced that belief.

"It validates and confirms the position we’ve had all along, which is that if Texas ever wants to truly secure its border … the only way we’re going to do it is as an independent and self-governing nation,” Miller said in an interview.

At issue is the 47-acre Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, where Texas has for months been laying concertina wire along the Rio Grande to prevent migrants from crossing. In a 5-4 decision early last week, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration, allowing U.S. Border Patrol agents to cut the wire to apprehend people who had crossed the river.

The narrowly written decision — which didn’t speak to whether the state had to stop laying new concertina wire — has emboldened Abbott, who vowed to continue his fight against the high court and federal government, citing Texas’ right to defend itself from what he claims is an “invasion” of migrants.

By week’s end — and as the Texas National Guard and state troopers continued to roll out wire and stifle federal agents’ access to much of the park — Abbott’s defiant calls were backed by 25 Republican governors, former President Donald Trump, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and nearly all of Texas’ congressional delegation.

  • carl_dungeon@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5811·
    9 months ago

    Just let them go- Texas that is. They can build a wall around the entire state, and then stop being such a massive drain on federal funds every time it snows a bit or gets a little sweaty. They can take Florida with them.

  • TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world
    314·
    9 months ago

    Fears of succession?

    Fuck 'em. Let 'em fuck around and find the fuck out. Can they take the rest of the alt-right nation with them?

  • azimir@lemmy.ml
    26·
    9 months ago

    All of this over the status quo (give or take). Just wait until the real climate change migrations state happening. That’s when things really get to pop off.

      • FuglyDuck@lemmy.worldEnglish
        16·
        9 months ago

        well, yeah.

        It’s all projection with them. The asylum seekers are invading. because that’s what they think they’re gonna do. ya’know?

  • Moobythegoldensock@lemm.ee
    241·
    9 months ago

    Lol do it! 26/38 of their Representatives and both their Senators are Republicans.

    Goodbye House majority, goodbye Senate filibuster, goodbye any chance of a Trump victory this year. Even just 1 year of them disappearing means Democrats could get a whole lot done before they start crawling back.

    • Ook the Librarian@lemmy.world
      2·
      9 months ago

      I’m a bit worried that the plan for the secessionists is to do something so spectacular (literally) as to try to cause there to be good reason to “pause to election”.

      Just so then, they can prove Biden to be a dictator, and actually have an argument. Pausing an election would be truly unsettling.

      So if there is a crisis about Electoral College stating of states close to November, that’s a powder-keg situation.

      I’m honestly not claiming we need to avoid this kind of crisis. Just saying be careful what you wish for.

      • Moobythegoldensock@lemm.ee
        3·
        9 months ago

        IMO it’s one of the stupider bluffs because no one expects Texas to actually do it and it would hurt them more than it would hurt the rest of the US.

        • Ook the Librarian@lemmy.world
          1·
          9 months ago

          I’m happy to hang out in the “no, you won’t” camp with. But the support the idea of a Texit lately is markedly ramped up. (The idea was never without support.) Part of me kinda suspects that some of the “think tank” minds are worried about losing Texas in the general mostly due to the overturning Roe still hanging over their heads.

          If Texas is purple while CA is solid blue, then everyone will hate the Electoral College. The “think tank” conservatives can’t have that.

          So I agree, secession is unlikely, but IMO that’s because it isn’t a ballot initiative like Brexit. Not because the people saying it aren’t serious.

  • BigTrout75@lemmy.worldEnglish
    22·
    9 months ago

    How do you get social security when you are no longer part of the Union? I’m guessing they’re would be a large boarder crossing if Texas was up for grabs. Good luck👍

    • Randomgal@lemmy.ca
      12·
      9 months ago

      It’s gonna be fun. When the drug. Carrels realize there is now a whole country they can take over just north of Mexico.

    • acceptable_pumpkin@lemmy.world
      664·
      9 months ago

      No, Texas is part of the US. Instead, we should execute any of these secessionists as the treasonous people that they are.

      • GhostFence@lemmy.world
        211·
        9 months ago

        Let them go and the white nationalists forever lose electoral power in what remains of America. As a black man… I support this reduction in threats to my life and my family’s life.

    • OpenStars@startrek.websiteEnglish
      16·
      9 months ago

      I don’t think they’ve ever filed the paperwork - like they keep loudly saying how they so badly want to go, but then they never follow through, can you imagine that?

      Wanna fight me bro, we can go outside RIGHT NOW.

      Okay.

      Oh uh… I have somewhere I need to be right now…

      • Baron Von J@lemmy.world
        12·
        9 months ago

        They tried to get secession on the GOP primary ballot this year, actually. A petition with like 100k signatures. The party officials rejected it, so the secessionists asked the state supreme court to intervene. The court declined.

    • Car@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      15·
      9 months ago

      Can we realistically move everybody who wishes to remain a US citizen? Who pays for their move?

      What about all of the federal government employees, including military, who currently live and work in the state?

      This kind of thing would probably take months just for physical moving of households and I wonder if we even have the throughput to get this accomplished before whatever arbitrary succession date.

      No matter figuring out what happens to everybody paying into federal services such as social security and Medicare. The fed will laugh in the face of anybody trying to claim back 20 years of taxes because they aren’t using a system they paid into. 20 million or so taxpayers who decide to secede will have to just give up what they’ve invested.

      • edric@lemm.ee
        13·
        9 months ago

        All the 5 major cities of Texas, where most people live, are blue. Moving everyone would probably mean only the rural folk will remain.

        • Car@lemmy.dbzer0.com
          91·
          9 months ago

          Texas will not cede its land. Those cities will remain under the care of Texas. That means the people who don’t wish to remain Texans must move.

          There’s no way that Texas will allow independent or US-aligned havens within its borders. Have you read what their legislators have said about sanctuary cities?

      • SendMePhotos@lemmy.world
        71·
        9 months ago

        Whoever moves would pay for themselves.

        The government would pull out and relocate offices.

        Texas would no longer receive imports like foods and supplies.

        This is fucking stupid. Fuck around and find out. It will end in Texas crawling back and apologizing.

        • Car@lemmy.dbzer0.com
          71·
          9 months ago

          Let’s say you have 100k federal and military employees in Texas. Are you suggesting that they just up and move on their own dime, when joint travel regulations and US code do not allow for this?

          Again, the government would pull out and not pay for their move?

          It largely is not the place for the federal government to micromanage trade outside of certain “national security” line items and some sanctions. It’s a lot harder to sell sanctions on your former neighbors to the international community, let alone your own legislators.

          I get the zeal, but a clean secession sucks for everybody and in no way does anybody come out on top. This is without accounting for any violence or armed conflict over disputed items like military bases, national guard posts, defense contractors like Boeing and Lockheed, and energy production facilities.

          • SendMePhotos@lemmy.world
            21·
            9 months ago

            Yes

            No, government people usually get paid for relocation AFAIK.

            You are correct.

            You are correct.

  • DesertMagma@lemmy.world
    211·
    9 months ago

    Give em back to Mexico and make sure the “remain in Mexico” policy sticks. Mexico will know what to do.

    • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
      2·
      9 months ago

      Laugh when the idea is first mentioned to them, followed by, “wait, you’re serious?” Then more laughter?

  • SPRUNT@lemmy.world
    151·
    9 months ago

    Those people are hoping for violence. They believe a war is coming, and that they are poised to win.

  • sailingbythelee@lemmy.world
    121·
    9 months ago

    In Canada, Alberta has this same notion that they got a raw deal in federalism and that secession is the answer. They are the Texans of the north: conservative, religious, oil-rich, strong capitalist rhetoric (though there is plenty of corporate welfare, of course). But Alberta is a fully landlocked province of a few million people with not much else besides oil. And, get this: they want to secede because they supposedly can’t get any new oil pipelines built to the ocean in Canada. Did I mention that they are landlocked? What a bunch of morons.