William Petroski, USA Today (June 27, 2016); see also.
Image (not from article) from
Texas shouldn't be allowed to secede from the United States, despite renewed debate over the issue following Britain's vote last week to withdraw from the European Union, says Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad.
"No, we are not the European Union. We are the United States of America and this is a unified country," Branstad told reporters Monday at his weekly news briefing. "But we are also a federalist system, and one of the concerns that a lot of people in Texas have, and a lot of people in Iowa have, is that the direction that this country has been going is that we are seeing the states’ rights being whittled away by the federal government, by actions of the administration and by the courts. And there is great concern among many states, including people throughout the United States, on that issue.”
Branstad said he recognizes that Texas has an interesting history in which the Lone Star state declared its independence from Mexico in 1836, forming the Republic of Texas. Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845. However, Texas citizens voted in a referendum in 1861 to secede from the Union during the Civil War.
After the so-called "Brexit" vote last week, supporters of secession in Texas have expressed renewed interest in leaving the Union, describing their push for "Texit," a combination of Texas and exit.
Branstad recalled the words of frontiersman Davy Crockett, a former member of Congress from Tennessee, who was known for his statement, "You can go to hell — I'm going to Texas." However, the governor then noted that Crockett was a defender at the Alamo, which led to his death.
"I don't know if that was a great decision on his part," Branstad added, chuckling.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was asked by reporters while visiting Scotland if he would support Texas if it chose to exit the Union. Trump replied, "Texas will never do that because Texas loves me."
No comments:
Post a Comment