So Texans are at it again! Pushing the idea of seceding from the United States.
Full disclosure here. I am a born and raised Texan, myself. When I was younger, the idea of seceding came up and while I did not actually support it, I was not against it. Since then I have learned and matured a LOT.
The entire idea of Texas seceding is based on boasting, aggression, testosterone, threats and mindless whining. There are a number of problems with the idea of Texas seceding which those proposing it do not bother to discuss.
Some people want to draw a correlation between Texit and Brexit. May I point out that Britain is an ISLAND?!!! What part of ISLAND are you not getting?!!!
Texas has more military bases than any other state in the nation. Take a look at a map of military bases in Texas and you find that they occupy a collective area greater than some other states. Fort Hood alone occupies 339 square miles.
Many people think that land could just be reclaimed by the state and the people if the US military pulled out. However, there would be a LOT of problems with that happening.
The military pulling out would eliminate tens of thousands of civilian jobs.
Businesses that rely on the military bases would suffer and most would fail entirely. Many of those are small businesses. Even corporate extensions would close locations, including banks, grocery stores, gas stations and fast food chains.
The loss of jobs and spending by military personnel would decimate a huge part of the local and state economies.
Colleges and universities would lose students and be forced to reduce classes and likely close many satellite extensions. Not to mention loss of federal student loans and grants.
The land itself would not be immediately open for occupation. The military is well known for contamination of the lands it occupies. Including in many cases unexploded ordnance. The cleanup would not automatically be the responsibility of the federal government. Look at how our government has handled the same issue in other countries. We move out and leave a mess which those countries deal with for many decades.
Border patrol would become the responsibility and expense of the Texas government. Some think it would create jobs but in reality it would merely shift and increase the expense. Few jobs, if any, would be gained as any jobs created would only take the place of jobs lost at the federal level. New equipment would have to be purchased. Vehicles, communications, uniforms, weapons, software, hardware, etc.
I know there are at least four major interstate highways which cross Texas in various directions. Some form of controls would be mandated to control what would then be customs issues. Would this result in loss of traffic? Meaning loss of business?
There are major airport hubs and air entry ports to the US in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas. Those would cease to be entry points because Texas would no longer be access to the US. They may no longer be hubs because of customs and legal issues.
Customs would also be an issue which included the same issues as above and more. Ports would be closed, costing thousands of jobs, loss of revenue for local businesses, entire trucking companies would shut down. Instead, those would be forced to move to other states which are actually under US control.
Because of increased costs related to customs rules and possibly transport, goods coming even from US states would cause massive inflation.
Say goodbye to NASA in Houston.
Texas residents would no longer be eligible to join the US military without special dispensation.
Research facilities in numerous fields along with hospitals that contract with the federal government would close, taking those jobs with them. More revenue to local businesses gone.
Medicaid, Medicare, possibly Social Security, food stamps and housing supplements would be drastically impacted. That would prompt the emigration of many people out of Texas. Many rental property owners would go bankrupt.
HUD and VA financing would no longer be an option.
Say goodbye to USDA subsidies and grants.
The loss of jobs would cause the absolute destruction of not only business revenue but sales and property tax revenue for the state. That would cause greater job losses for highway and infrastructure construction and maintenance.
This is the short list. It could go on much, much longer.
So can we please just put this idea in the dust where it belongs? Can we just stop taking about it?