Back in 1845 when Texas joined the US they signed an agreement which allows Texas to withdraw from the United States at any time. Is that true to this very day?
No. The Supreme Court ruled this clause illegal and invalid as a result of the aftermath of the Civil War.
Texas can still divide itself into as many as five states, if it chose to do so. I can't recall the amendment after the Civil War, but it's apparently seen to supercede an agreement between two sovereign states to merge their territories... Texas and the United States. I also don't recall if we retained to right to secede in the 1845 treaty. I wish we had a State of Central Texas, with 2 liberal/moderate Democratic Senators, and a group of progressive Congresspersons. Keep D&D Civil.
If I remember my 8th grade Texas history we did retain that right. I might have to google the treaty to make sure though. As for the USSC ruling that clause was invalid IMO that is bogus. When Texas signed that treaty it was an independent country and treaties are made and honored by two countries. If the USSC invalidated that clause then the Treaty should've been void at that point with Texas either returning to being an independent country or a new treaty negotiated.
I think Texas could, and the US would have a hard time stopping it due to the treaty it signed in 1845, however, I don't think it is really possible at this time. Is the Texas economy strong enough to support itself? What about protecting it's own boarders, or training and building a military? DD
Even though the Republic already has parts in 6 States (Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming)?
Damned good argument, Sishir! And Cohen, you're gettin' picky... something tells me those states aren't going to submit to our authority without a fuss. We may have to make them an offer they can't refuse. DD, you're just a weenie!
It would be hard to do a worse job of protecting the borders than the federal government does right now.
Found it at Wikipedia. Texas v. White, 1869 Quite a bit of post-Civil War reconstruction law wasn't strictly Constitutional. [rquoter] The Court held (in a 5–3 decision) that Texas had remained a state of the United States ever since it first joined the Union, despite its joining the Confederate States of America and its being under military rule at the time of the decision in the case. It further held that the Constitution did not permit states to secede from the United States, and that the ordinances of secession, and all the acts of the legislatures within seceding states intended to give effect to such ordinances, were "absolutely null". [/rquoter] Keep in mind that the Constitution is the supreme legal document and trumps even treaties with other countries.
Seems like the SC could revisit this, as it affects Texas, and legitimately change it's opinion. The odds are, however, that it would simply refuse to hear the case. (that Texas had the right, alone among the states, to withdraw from the Union. Keep D&D Civil.
It wouldn't matter either way. The only way it can be tested is if Texas did choose to pull out. Even if it were legal, it would have opposition on every front.
I am not sure about pulling out of the US, but i am sure Texas is allowed to split into 5 separate states if we chose.
Economically, Texas would be fine. I watched a PBS special on Texas as a "Super State", it was anti-texas, so I consider it a decent source. It said something like 60% of US's economy flows though Texas. Think about it, our oil, our gas, our port, Entrepreneurs of Houston and Corporations of Dallas not to mention technology in Austin and our cheep labor from Mexico. Our economy is larger than India's and right behind China. On our defense, why would we need to defend ourselves. Would Mexico attack. Would the US. The terrorists would probably like us because we don't propogate the filth in Hollywood or the corruption of the Northeast, minus Enron. We could just become the slightly more twangy Switzerland.
I love Texas but I would disagree with this. Houston probably has more strip joints per square mile than any city outside of Nevada and Texas politics are famous for corruption. Just look at all of the stuff involving DeLay and redistricting. As far as Texas becoming a more twangy Switzerland I doubt Texans would put up with the amount of taxation, regulation and social spending that Switzerland does.
