Teabag Obama!

[Oniya]

However, constitutionally, the South did have the right to secede.  Yes, they lost, but it was the costliest war in American lives up to that point.

I'm not saying that Texas is smart to put this on the table, but it's not against any federal law or Constitutional principle.

[Vekseid]

It's still America's costliest war ever. Pretty sure it trumps every other war combined.

Losing Texas would be the end of the Republican party on a national scale, however.

[Nessy]

However, constitutionally, the South did have the right to secede.  Yes, they lost, but it was the costliest war in American lives up to that point.

I'm not saying that Texas is smart to put this on the table, but it's not against any federal law or Constitutional principle.

Where in the Constitution does it say a state has a right to secede after it becomes a part of the Union?

oh and the recollection part was actually sarcasm ;-)

edited for spelling

[OldSchoolGamer]

In the face of the changes to come, I have begun to worry less and less about what happens or is going to happen to the U.S. government.  It's a dinosaur.  All of the modern super-states are going to wither away, or re-organize at a drastically reduced level of complexity and energy input, during the 2020s as the Long Emergency begins to seriously bite down.

The U.S. debt will likely never be repaid.  If you're under 45 or so, I also would not count on Social Security in any form.  My advice is to study the lifeways of civilizations that did not enjoy a cheap-oil energy bonanza.  Prepare for a pay-as-you-go economy with your extended kin, your community and "tribe" as your "security" source...in other words, a return to what has been the norm for better than 99.9% of the human race's tenure here on Earth.

[Inkidu]

It's still America's costliest war ever. Pretty sure it trumps every other war combined.

Losing Texas would be the end of the Republican party on a national scale, however.

Well yes, we have multimillion dollar humvees, fighters, armors. It's a little more expensive than a WW II G.I. and his B.A.R, and pool-ball frags. Plus you have to accommodate for inflation. Think of what Vietnam would cost at today's rates.

[Oniya]

Where in the Constitution does it say a state has a right to secede after it becomes a part of the Union?

oh and the recollection part was actually sarcasm ;-)

edited for spelling

Actually, in the Tenth Amendment.

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

There is nothing in the Constitution saying that the government can prevent a state from seceding.

[Nessy]

Amendment 10 - Powers of the States and People. Ratified 12/15/1791. Note

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

This does not state that a State has a right to leave the union. It only says that there are certain powers that the states have that the federal government doesn't have.

In the matters of the law, the abscence of a right being mentioned doesn't mean that that right, in fact, is given.

This is a grey area. There is nothing in the contitution that gives states a right to break  the lasting relationship with the Union once they enter it. Texas vs. White didn't really establish it either. And the fact that wars were involved to keep states from leaving implies that its not a garaunteed right at all.

[Kroduk]

If Texas seceded, we'd take Arkansas with us. Not as citizens, though. As slaves. That way the Texans are free to concentrate on war, and being the most powerful nation in the world.

See, it's perfect! Texan babies with even the tiniest flaw would be tossed into the Gulf of Mexico (or possibly just Mexico itself) to make for a stronger race, holistically. And while Arkansans do all our farming/building/making stuff, we Texans train day and night and become the ultimate soldiers! Hawoo!

Warning: offending diplomats will be kicked into oil wells.

[Nessy]

If Texas seceded, we'd take Arkansas with us. Not as citizens, though. As slaves. That way the Texans are free to concentrate on war, and being the most powerful nation in the world.

See, it's perfect! Texan babies with even the tiniest flaw would be tossed into the Gulf of Mexico (or possibly just Mexico itself) to make for a stronger race, holistically. And while Arkansans do all our farming/building/making stuff, we Texans train day and night and become the ultimate soldiers! Hawoo!

Warning: offending diplomats will be kicked into oil wells.

Hey the critics gave it mixed reviews but I enjoyed that movie a lot even if it was a little... gross at times for me.

[Trieste]

[Inkidu]

Actually, in the Tenth Amendment.

There is nothing in the Constitution saying that the government can prevent a state from seceding.

Well last time it happened there was a big ole honking Civil War. So secession is probably frowned upon. 

[Will]

Hmm... Too subtle.  Ha!

[Trieste]

I am the queen of subtle.

[Doomsday]

I didn't want to start a new thread, so I'm bumping this to share a funny with you all: