Petition for Texas to secede from U.S. reaches 25,000 signatures; goes to White House

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
11/13/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

1866 rule forbids the secession of any state from the U.S.

An online petition for the state of Texas to secede form the United States has officially reached the 25,000 signatures to get an official response from the federal government within 30 days. The bold gesture - which has since been copied by several other states - will now go to the White House. However, an 1866 rule adopted after the Civil War literally dooms the measure to failure.

The petitions are seen as a manifestation of citizens unhappy with the re-election of President Barack Obama. University of Texas at Austin Assistant Professor Jason Casellas has told NBC News the gesture is especially applicable in the state of Texas, where 57 percent of the state population's vote went for Republican Mitt Romney.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The petition, listed on the Web site WhiteHouse.gov asks the Obama administration to "peacefully grants the State of Texas to withdraw from the United States of America and create its own new government." The petition is the work of someone who only identifies themselves as "Micah H.," from Arlington, Texas.

The nation's economic woes are cited as the chief reason for the petition. The document argues that Texas' budget and economy make it "practically feasible for Texas to withdraw from the union."

All the petitions on WhiteHouse.gov that get sufficient support are reviewed with utmost seriousness by White House staff. They are then relayed to "the appropriate policy experts." To be searchable on WhiteHouse.gov, petitions currently need to get 150 signatures within 30 days. To get an official response, petitions need 25,000 signatures within 30 days.

It's an idea that has caught on in other states. Similar petitions from other states have also been filed from such states as Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee.

None of the petitions from these states have reached the 25,000-signature threshold to get an official White House response as of this week.

The petition is certainly doomed to failure. According to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, an 1866 proclamation signed by then-President Andrew Johnson clearly spelled out that no state had the right to leave the union:

" . It is the manifest determination of the American people that no State, of its own will, has a right or power to go out of or separate itself from, or be separated from the American Union; and that, therefore, each State ought to remain and constitute an integral part of the United States ."

The petitions are seen as a manifestation of citizens unhappy with the re-election of President Barack Obama. University of Texas at Austin Assistant Professor Jason Casellas has told NBC News the gesture is especially applicable in the state of Texas, where 57 percent of the state population's vote went for Republican Mitt Romney.

Catherine Frazier, press secretary for Texas Gov. Rick Perry, told NBC News Monday that the governor "believes in the greatness of our Union and nothing should be done to change it."

"But he also shares the frustrations many Americans have with our federal government," Frazier said in a statement. "Now more than ever our country needs strong leadership from states like Texas, that are making tough decisions to live within their means, keep taxes low and provide opportunities to job creators so their citizens can provide for their families and prosper."

� 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM

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General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
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Keywords: Texas, secession, petition, dissatisfaction, union

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1 - 10 of 26 Comments

Keith
5 months ago
We need to fix our problems NOT flee from them! In this great time of need, our country needs us. The moral problems of the country exist in the states too. Your congressmen in DC are from your state! Return to Order!

We need a return to order and honor not cowardice. For a great take on this check out www.returntoorder.org and read a great article called "The Case Against Secession" very well put!
judy claar
5 months ago
Rob, I hope in my latter posts to Robert Burford, and reference in agreement to gfgrosek, helps you to understand what I was saying in my first post here. To further explain, I have told you before that I am an Independent. And, a Conservative one at that. I support a Republic as that is what this country was founded on. I believe in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. And therefore, I do believe in Capitalism, that made us once, a great nation. I say once , because as you know, and we have talked about, it is sad to see what was Good in our nation, decline. I am not saying that it is totally erased as yet. I am Not one of those persons who have a problem with change either...along as it is for the Better. And here is where one could certainly take offense to one stating:"...this continued hostility towards the president..."

I have stated who I am and what I believe. The "word, hostility" takes in a lot of ugly words.
I am Not hostile regarding the president. But I do call an Ace an Ace. And I call it as I see it,
especially trying to live a Catholic Faith.

Catholics believe deeply in helping the poor. So do I. And I do. I do not however, believe in a Nanny Nation. That is what Obama wants. So am I hostile towards him? No. I disagree with him on that issue, as well as Abortion etc. Disagreement is not hostility. Blessings...
judy claar
5 months ago
Rob, I stand behind what I said. However, let my clarity chime in agreement with gfgrosek.
Blessings...
gfgrosek
5 months ago
When the majority of voters make a decision, the minority graciously accept the decision of the majority. That is how a democracy works.
Rob
5 months ago
Judy, in this instance however, I don't see supporters of Obama telling Texas to get out. Just more anti Obama nonsense. As Karl said, the election is over. Time to get to work. But this continued hostility towards the president will just enusre we have another four years like this one. Seems to me this attitude is akin to shooting ourselves in the head.
judy claar
5 months ago
Rob, This country has been a nation divided for a while now. This action is merely anger at those who voted for: "4 more years of Obama". The old saying, "A house divided against itself can't stand", holds true here...A nation divided against itself can not stand. Something has to be done for Unity. Church and State are already separated. What more does Obama want? Sunday Blessings...
Robert Ritchiei
6 months ago
3 reasons why secession won’t work

I can see why so many are upset after the elections. There is the sense that government is not responsive to our real needs and desires.

But there are 3 reasons why secession won’t work.

1. The first is because it will NOT resolve the problem.
2. The second reason is the fact that a state is not a nation.
3. The third reason is that most people do not identify with a state as they do with the nation.

Like it or not, we Americans identify with America because it is our native land with a common history and culture. We are proud to be American.

Secession is a superficial, knee-jerk, dead-end reaction that masks the real problem. The real solution is to identify and address the root cause and deeper solution to our problems, which is done by the author John Horvat II in his article A Case Against Secession at www.ReturnToOrder.org
Rob
6 months ago
Hey all you idiots that voted for Obama wanted "CHANGE". Here it is, stop bitching its your great opportunity to push Obama's plan up a couple of years, we will just divide our self.
abey
6 months ago
Screamed a newspaper "Obama reelected as President of the divided states of America". In the minds of its people it is clearly divided & this happens due to its untruths for where "Truth is to the unity untruths is to the disunity" like the Biblical Prophecy which states "He will divide the land for gain" which gain is to the political gain to the division engineered by his people through policies which are to the untruths like the Gay agendas unto sexual harlotry to spiritual corruptions feeding on "Sex" within & without.
KarlVDH
6 months ago
Oh, grow up; you people are a national punch-line. Texas isn't going anywhere, you're all still Americans, you will STILL be Americans come 2016, and you look like a bunch of spoiled children. None of us are happy. Now for God's sake, put on your big-boy pants, man up, and work for something BETTER in 2016 instead of playing the pathetic, powerless victim. What a bunch of babies.

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