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Texas' standoff with the feds in Eagle Pass is igniting calls for secession and fears of violence (www.texastribune.org)
submitted 2 years ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world
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The calls for Texas to defend itself and defy the federal government have set fire to a long-simmering fight over states’ rights, emboldening right-wing figures.

Daniel Miller felt encouraged last week, as fears of a new civil war trended online and a coalition of powerful Republicans coalesced behind Gov. Greg Abbott’s standoff with the Biden administration.

As the longtime leader of Texas’ unlikely secessionist movement, Miller has for decades argued that the state is in a stranglehold by the federal government that, eventually, would prompt enough popular support for a vote to leave the union. The past week only reinforced that belief.

"It validates and confirms the position we've had all along, which is that if Texas ever wants to truly secure its border … the only way we’re going to do it is as an independent and self-governing nation,” Miller said in an interview.

At issue is the 47-acre Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, where Texas has for months been laying concertina wire along the Rio Grande to prevent migrants from crossing. In a 5-4 decision early last week, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration, allowing U.S. Border Patrol agents to cut the wire to apprehend people who had crossed the river.

The narrowly written decision — which didn’t speak to whether the state had to stop laying new concertina wire — has emboldened Abbott, who vowed to continue his fight against the high court and federal government, citing Texas’ right to defend itself from what he claims is an “invasion” of migrants.

By week’s end — and as the Texas National Guard and state troopers continued to roll out wire and stifle federal agents’ access to much of the park — Abbott’s defiant calls were backed by 25 Republican governors, former President Donald Trump, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and nearly all of Texas’ congressional delegation.

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[-] Moobythegoldensock@lemm.ee 23 points 2 years ago

Lol do it! 26/38 of their Representatives and both their Senators are Republicans.

Goodbye House majority, goodbye Senate filibuster, goodbye any chance of a Trump victory this year. Even just 1 year of them disappearing means Democrats could get a whole lot done before they start crawling back.

[-] ook_the_librarian@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

I'm a bit worried that the plan for the secessionists is to do something so spectacular (literally) as to try to cause there to be good reason to "pause to election".

Just so then, they can prove Biden to be a dictator, and actually have an argument. Pausing an election would be truly unsettling.

So if there is a crisis about Electoral College stating of states close to November, that's a powder-keg situation.

I'm honestly not claiming we need to avoid this kind of crisis. Just saying be careful what you wish for.

[-] Moobythegoldensock@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

IMO it’s one of the stupider bluffs because no one expects Texas to actually do it and it would hurt them more than it would hurt the rest of the US.

[-] ook_the_librarian@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

I'm happy to hang out in the "no, you won't" camp with. But the support the idea of a Texit lately is markedly ramped up. (The idea was never without support.) Part of me kinda suspects that some of the "think tank" minds are worried about losing Texas in the general mostly due to the overturning Roe still hanging over their heads.

If Texas is purple while CA is solid blue, then everyone will hate the Electoral College. The "think tank" conservatives can't have that.

So I agree, secession is unlikely, but IMO that's because it isn't a ballot initiative like Brexit. Not because the people saying it aren't serious.

this post was submitted on 31 Jan 2024
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