Texas requests for federal aid for a winter storm: This spawned a conversation with a very right leaning Texas friend. He agrees and thinks Texas should secede. So I asked to follow along with some critical thinking. https://twitter.com/clairecmc/status/1361323831093321728

First, Texas secedes. The time line for separation is established since we are all tired of this kind of talk and we don’t want another civil war. So it gets agreed upon that on X day in Y year Texas is broken off from the Union. We will need a well thought out plan for Texas.

During those negotiations, as conditions for secession, Texas will stop receiving federal funds on the date of the approval by the Texas governor for secession.

I don’t want federal dollars going to people who don’t want to be in the United States and I’m sure the rest of the country agrees. Sorry if a storm or what not hits. No, we won’t pay for upgrades to a federal facility.

Second, orderly transition. Federal troops and equipment leave Texas. Again, part of the timeline for the day Texas is set loose. This means every federal entity and employee. Sure some will want to stay, but not employed by the US.

As part of the removal of federal government troops and such, Texas will have to pay at minimum fair market value for places like Ft. Hood, Ft. Bliss, and other tracts of land. They want to own it, they got to buy it. Nothing is free, am I right Texas GOP?

At some date, the FAA and DHS and other key infrastructure and federal services are stopped. Texas has to control their airspace, and until then flights to and from the US will stop until Texas can guarantee to meet security and safety requirements.

Highway $$$ is removed. You think construction on freeways around Dallas will get done? Border patrol functions move from the Rio Grande to Oklahoma, NM, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Not our problem anymore. Have fun!

There will also be a need to establish commerce and diplomatic ties between nations. The free flow of goods in/out needs to be regulated. That includes people. I think Texas passports would be HUGE. Texas will also have to establish the same with all nations.

Indigenous people from Texas will have to be paid appropriately to cover Texas lands and given an opportunity to choose where they want to reside. Texas should fund if they want to purchase Native American land. Again, nothing is free anymore, right Texas?

Education, healthcare, and other sources of funding evaporate overnight. Again, Texans won’t get a free ride. Sure, they can sell oil, as long as it meets regulations of the US. The port of Houston/Galveston is now under their jurisdiction. USCG and other federal agencies leave.

At this juncture, my friend realized he was dumb. I told him that’s ok, but to be welded to an idea without critically thinking it through is just dumb and it was meant to garner support from those less inclined to do any thinking. To blindly follow is so flagrantly un-American.