In its 1868 decision in Texas v. White, the United States Supreme Court ruled that secession of Texas from the United States was illegal, writing "The Constitution, in all its provisions, looks to an indestructible Union, composed of indestructible States." The court did allow some possibility of the divisibility "through revolution, or through consent of the States." -- WikipediaFrankly, I wish it were otherwise and that the arrogant opportunistas in Texas would try. The lesson to themselves would be instructive for all the states. To begin with Texans could not possibly afford to live without all the military installations of the United States. Here they are: Air Force Bases * Brooks City-Base - San Antonio * Dyess Air Force Base - Abilene * Goodfellow Air Force Base - San Angelo * Lackland Air Force Base - San Antonio * Laughlin Air Force Base - Johnstone * Randolph Air Force Base - Universal City * Sheppard Air Force Base - Wichita Falls Army Posts * Biggs Army Airfield - Fort Bliss - El Paso, TX * Camp Bullis - San Antonio * Corpus Christi Army Depot - Corpus Christi * Fort Bliss - El Paso * Fort Hood - Killeen * Fort Sam Houston - San Antonio * Red River Army Depot - southwest of Texarkana Navy Bases * Corpus Christi Naval Air Station including Beeville, etc. * Fort Worth Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base * Ingleside Naval Station Coast Guard Bases * USCG Station Galveston - Galveston Island No USMC facilities ... sort of strangely, but Houston has NASA in spades and, the point being, perhaps Texans could live like the citizens of Guantanamo City, Cuba, as maids and janitors to U.S. bases, but I doubt it. There is not enough oil in Texas to pay off the cost of any of these bases or facilities. And, more to the point, the day after Texas secession more loyal states of the U.S. would be bargaining in Washington to have these bases moved to their territory. California would gladly take NASA, where it would have gone but for Lyndon Baines Johnson. Besides oil, the economy of Texas is heavily agricultural. Cotton and animal husbandry are ubiquitous. With Texas hoping to sign on to NAFTA as an independent trading nation, perhaps we could see our way clear to buying the occasional Texas angus beef, but you never heard of Texas cotton being all that high of quality. Arizona's Pima Cotton is the good stuff. Cities like Dallas-Fort Worth might keep their airport, but I doubt if American Airlines would consider keeping domestic hub in a foreign country. El Paso would break off, surely, for the Mexican drug lords practically own it already. They cross the border with impunity and shoot to death those they have merely winged on the dusty unpaved streets of Ciudad Juarez. There is no question in my mind that the Country of Texas would spiral into third world status at an amazing pace. And, of course, Texans would be too proud to accept foreign aid from the U.S. The problem is in the head of Governor Rick Perry. The problem is that he wants to be Sarah Palin's running mate in 2012. Perhaps these two folks think that the U.S. is finished and that the larger chunks could get together Pakistan-style and surround us with all their empty spaces and pre-evolution education systems. That's why you see pictures of Rick Perry behind Sarah on various stages at the microphones and grinning at the cameras, such as the Republican Governor's Conference a few months ago. I can't think of any other reason to stand behind Sarah Palin, can you? JB