Do states have the right of secession?

Do individual states have the right to secede from the union?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• states
• rights
• secession
• Texas
• Vermont
• Alaska
• federalism
• constitution
• confederacy

[GaGirlie777]

Secession in USA needs to be done.

[MilesVitae]

Why?

[Blakarden9]

Well, I'm not instigating any rebellion or uprising of any sort of way, but it can be seen as one of the states rights not specifically mentioned but covered by the 10th Amendment of the Constitution. I know of the court case Texas v. White, but President Grant seemed to create a parodox by readmitting Texas into the Union, whereas this court case stated that Texas never left the Union. That only leaves one question in mind; which is it? As for secession as a theory, this nation is based on it.

[MilesVitae]

As regards Texas v. White, I have also heard that there is no real Constitutional grounding in the decision.

[AlamoBuck]

@chairde One more thing, then I'll shut up for now. A 2008 Zogby poll showed that 22% of Americans believe in the right to secede. That's a minority, but it is up from 12% less than a decade ago. Additionally, 18% said they would support secession in their own state, and another 10% were not opposed to the idea. That's 28% (nearly one-third), and I'm looking forward to seeing that upward trend continue in future polling. Secession is gaining support, and will likely be mainstream in 1-2 decades.

[AlamoBuck]

@chairde And I'll tell you something else. If Texas seceded today, it would have the world's 12th largest economy. But that's just the start. After ridding itself of destructive Federal overtaxation and over-regulation, it could take full advantage of its financial and other resources. Its economy would boom, and within a few years, its citizens would enjoy a standard of living far higher than what people in the US have. Neighboring states (hopefully including mine) would probably join them.

[AlamoBuck]

@chairde We all know that no state is going to secede? Really??? That's very interesting! In 1770, we all knew that the British colonies on the east coast would never secede from the British Empire. In 1890, we all knew Ireland could never be independent. In 1980, we all knew that the republics of the Soviet Union would forever be enslaved to Russia. Sorry Bub, but secession is a fact of life. What we all know could never happen, is always just a few years away from being reality.

[chairde]

@AlamoBuck Listen you need professional help. Not just professional legal help but you should see a psychologist because you are barely in touch with reality. No one made any threats to you. I gave you an example of a person who refused to pay taxes based upon silly misinformed legal arguements. You are in a similar situation, although thus far you have merely talked trash and not actually achieved anything. We all know that no state is going to secede from the union. It is a silly notion.

[AlamoBuck]

@chairde So perhaps, before you make hollow threats to me about "sedition" out of your ignorance, you should investigate such groups as the Texas Nationalist Movement, the League of the South, and the Second Vermont Republic (to name just a few), who all openly advocate secession. There is nothing illegal about these movements, and no charges or other legal action have been taken by the government to try to suppress them.

[AlamoBuck]

@chairde I've been in the secession business a long time. Believe me, there are no sedition charges, and there are legal political parties dedicated to secession (such as the Southern Party of Georgia and the Alaskan Independence Party) and other organizations who, like me, are outspoken about their goal of secession. An independent Texas would not only survive, but thrive, as they are self-sufficient and have basically been subsidizing the rest of the US.

[chairde]

@AlamoBuck Personal attacks will not further your position. Take my advice and seek the help of a lawyer on these issues before you find yourself boxed into a corner with sedition charges. There is a former movie action star who thought that he didn't have to pay taxes based on an amatuer reading of the law. He is now in jail. Amatuer readings of the law and ignoring history like the Civil War is a formula for trouble. Also realistically Texas could not survive on its own.

[AlamoBuck]

@chairde Now I understand--you don't care about the facts, you are an imperialist that wants to believe that secession is unconstitutional so you can use that as an excuse to preserve an imperial grip on states (or, as you consider them, subject provinces). A state is a sovereign entity, and is free to determine its own destiny--in or out of any union it chooses. The Declaration of Independence states this. Is it treason to practice what the Declaration says is an inalienable right?

[chairde]

@AlamoBuck The Constitution does not itself create the offense; it only restricts the definition (the first paragraph), permits Congress to create the offense, and restricts any punishment for treason to only the convicted

[AlamoBuck]

@chairde It doesn't surprise me that you are ignorant of the Constitution. But here's a little education for you: "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." From the US Constitution. Notice, it nowhere defines treason as "leaving the union," since, according to the Declaration of Independence, that is our sovereign right.