Monday, May 18, 2009

Perry: I Don't Advocate Secession

Gov. Rick Perry, in an op-ed in the Austin American-Statesman, claims he never advocated or supported the idea or possibility of secession at last month’s tea part anti-tax rallies. Read Perry's op-ed at the Austin American-Statesman.

Last month Gov. Perry so incited an anti-tax "tea party" with his anti-Washington and states' rights rhetoric that the audience began to shout, "Secede!" "We've got a great union," Perry said,
"There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it - But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that. "
This was less than a week after Perry appeared with sponsors and supporters of a Texas House resolution affirming the state's claim of sovereignty. Later, in response to reporters' questions, Perry said,

"At some point Texans might get so fed up they would want to secede from the union. There's a lot of different scenarios. ...if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that..."
Perry added that when Texas entered the union in 1845 it was with the understanding it could pull out. Perry got that wrong, however; Texas negotiated the power to divide into five additional states at some point, but Texas did not reserve the right to secede.

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