Posted on 04/22/2009 7:12:17 AM PDT by AmericanHunter
When Texas Gov. Rick Perry floated the idea of secession if the federal government continues to pursue an aggressive tax-and-spend policy, the mainstream media, as well as the political establishment, cringed.
MSNBC’s Chris Matthews called talk of secession “whack-job stuff,” calling Mr. Perry a “bozo” and telling the Texas governor, “You don’t have a choice buddy.” Mr. Matthews’ colleague, Rachael Maddow, said Mr. Perry was “flirting to the point of adultery” by talking about secession, while commentator Thomas Frank reinforced the disconnect between the media and many Americans.
“What you’re seeing … what is one of the surprising things about these tea parties … surprising to people like you and me, is how mainstream extremism is in the Republican Party and the conservative movement,” Mr. Frank, author of Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule, told Ms. Maddow.
But is the idea of secession a foreign concept to the American experience? Is talk of secession automatically treasonous? Is any secessionist movement doomed to be defined by the Civil War and exiled to the political wilderness?
“I think the biggest surprise to me was the outrage expressed by an individual who even thinks ... along these lines,” U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, said yesterday on CNN’s American Morning.
“Because I heard people say, well, ‘this was treason,’ they say, and ‘this was un-American.’ But don’t they remember how we came in to our being? We used secession. We seceded from England. So it’s a very good principle. It’s a principle of a free society. It’s a shame we don’t have it anymore.”
Dr. Paul, who ran a hard fought grassroots campaign for the Republican nomination in 2008, argued the principle of secession is one that protects the union rather than threatens it.
“I argue that if you have the principle of secession, our federal government wouldn’t be as intrusive into state affairs. And to me, that would be very good,” Dr. Paul said. “We as a nation have endorsed secession all along. I mean, think of all the secession of the countries and the Republicans from the Soviet system. We were delighted. We love it. And yet we get hysterical over this.”
Critics of the coverage of the secession comment argue the media is trying to paint the Republican Party as extreme. They say Mr. Perry was not advocating secession, but rather saying the federal government could cause its resurrection.
“We got a great union. There’s absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that?” Mr. Perry asked.
While the notion of secession was floated by Mr. Perry, he was not expressly advocating Texas leave the Union. Rather, the Texas governor used the idea in a manner Dr. Paul believes is historically accurate — to send a warning shot across the bow of a federal government that is encroaching on state’s rights and individual liberties.
Last week’s tea parties exposed a major rift in the country, and some are concerned the Obama administration does not understand the degree of dissent that is fomenting outside the Beltway. And despite panning by the political establishment, the majority of the nation viewed tea party dissent in a favorable light.
Fifty-one percent of Americans had a favorable view of the nationwide rallies, while 32 percent responded their view was very favorable, according to a poll released by Rasmussen Reports. A third of the nation had an unfavorable view with 15 percent unsure.
But among the nation’s “Political Class,” Rasmussen found just 13 percent held a favorable assessment and zero percent held a very favorable view of the nationwide protest. This disconnect, according to Dr. Paul, is a major part of the problem.
“People are angry. And if we don’t sense that, we don’t know it’s actually what’s going on there,” the Texas congressman said. Dr. Paul said the worst is yet to come because secession will achieve a greater legitimacy as the country struggles.
“When the dollar collapses and the federal government can’t fulfill any of its promises, what if they send you dollars and they don’t work,” Dr. Paul said. “People are just going to — they’re not going to have a violent cessation. They’re just going to ignore the federal government because they will be inept.”
Maybe so,HOWEVER...UnAmerican MAYBE... but it's looking more and more like a GOOD BUSINESS DECISION!!!!!!!
If they have a reason and their people support it, why the hell not? Assuming of course the state Constitution doesn’t bar secession of it’s various parts. But why would any city or county want to do that?
There’s a reason we banded together. But now the entity spawned from that union has become a burden and an obstacle to a states prosperity. With secession on the table, the federal government at least has to make sure what it is doing is Constitutional so it’s members don’t leave.
I am not pleased by much that involves Obama, but I am pleased at the thought of him worrying over whether our soldiers would follow an unlawful order.
What you advocate is anarchy and chaos not to mention sedition.
Maybe Dangerzone should READ the first few paragraphs of the DECLARATION of INDEPENDENCE.
The revolution is what created America. What many here are advocating will destroy America.
“Some Think Secession Is Un-American”
Yeah? And some think assholes in Washington DC giving away our legal rights to the world, pissing away the Constitution, voting on fraud bills to save the economy while not even knowing what’s in it, keeping borders wide open during war time, as treason. But who is keeping score??
I’ve read 3 of DangerZones Posts.. and I’m convinced.. itis either a LLORT or he voted for RON PAUL.
So, when in the course of human events, a tyrant comes to rule and bring servitude to the masses, what would be your alternative to leaving the slaves with him?
So you won’t to cut and run and abandon others to Obama and the left? That’s the talk of a coward and weakling.
What is “America” to you?
To a leftist, the concept of “America” is the federal government. Is that your concept as well?
Anarchy means no government. I didn’t advocate that.
I said the ability to secede should exist as a check against the next level up the chain. Though I guess it depends who created who. If a city or county was “created” by the state rather than the other way around, secession wouldn’t even apply.
But the states have no reason to secede unless the federal government oversteps the bounds that the states agreed the federal government should have, namely the Constitution. Why would they secede from a union they agreed to sign on to if the federal government does exactly what the states say it can do under the Constitution? It benefits them to be under the federal government by the very fact that they signed the agreement.
As soon as the feds overstep their bounds, the states can decide whether the union still benefits them or not, since they are no longer under the original agreement. Nullification is an important middle step between compliance to the federal government and secession, a principle I also favor.
How is it sedition?
No, the revolution created 13 independent states.
Yep 65 million firearms owners would probably have a problem with an invasion...
**abandon others to Obama and the left?**
NO we’d offer to bring ANYONE along who wants to come with US.
As for the rest of your STUPIDITY..
“you got to Know when to Hold them, KNow when to Fold them... Know when to WALK AWAY... and KNOW WHEN to RUN!!!”
Why is that cowardice? If we’re saying we have the right to secede SO DO THEY. They also have the ability to move to states that secede (should it come down to that).
Destroying America is not American.””
The corrupt tyrant in the WH is the one destroying America. You seem very confused. Pension funds are halved, debt heaped on the future for our kids and grandkids, individual rights crossed off the freedom list—where have you been. Hussein is doing the deeds. The public has had it and will respond appropriately...
won’t = want
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.