Governor Perry and Secession

I've resisted talking about this because part of me thinks that drawing attention to it only serves to fuel the idiocy but I have been really disgusted alarmed insulted put off by the negative commentary I've found on nearly every article about Governor Perry and his remarks.


Let me be clear.  With few exceptions, the articles themselves have been reasonably restrained in their tone.  Shocked, yes.  Amazed that an elected official could say something seemingly endorsing secession.  But few bloggers have been openly derisive of Texas.  Lots of scorn heaped on Perry.  Deservedly so.  But it's really been the commenters that have gone off the deep end.  The general consensus has been let the stupid ass hats go. We'd be better off without their stupidity, their blind prejudice and hatred, their gas guzzling trucks and, oh yes,  please keep Bush.


Let me explain a few things.  For one, Texas was nearly purple in this November.  Yes, it shows as a Red State because of our winner take all Electoral College.  In reality, 3,528,633 Texans voted for Obama.  4,479,328 voted for McCain. Let's do the math, shall we?  That's a difference of 950,695.  Out of a voting age population of 14,977,890. There's plenty of room there to make up that difference.  Second, Texans are taught just what Perry said. That Texas, when it joined the Union in 1845, reserved the right to leave the Union, in part because of its history as an independent republic.  It may not be true but it's part of the state mythos and something every child in Texas soaks up with his cornbread and jalapenos.  Hell, I had to look it up and I took Texas History in college, in addition to the indoctrination usual rigmarole I got in high school. (But in my own defense, that was 26 years ago. College, not high school, that is)


 I've lived in Texas all my life.  We are not all Republicans and all the Democrats aren't confined to Austin. Every major city in Texas went for Obama, including Houston, which was a first. Isn't it more important to try to strengthen the Democratic party in Texas rather than write off the state because our ass hat Governor thinks he can run for President?  Because believe you me, that is what this is all about.  Jindal screwed up the Republican response to Obama's address to Congress. Palin is being hounded by both sides of the aisle in her state legislature for trying to leave town during the final week of the legislative session while looking like the idiot that she is for backing out of speaking engagements and yelling at Senatorial aides for keeping their boss up to date on her activities.  Christ, the Repubs are looking at Newt again.  They're desperate. So, Perry thinks he has a chance.  And the only way these days to make it in the Republican party is to cater to the extreme right wing.  In Texas, that's the Secessionists.


I've read so many comments and a few postings (not yours, Cathy) whose authors seem willing to write off a state of 24 million people because their governor is an idiot. Saying this is like saying that you'd like all of the other 21 Red States to leave the Union. The thinking goes that since all Republicans are ass hats then everyone in those states must be an ass hat, too and wouldn't we all be better off without them?


The short answer to that is NO. Don't give up on Texas just yet.