We looked more into what it could mean for the state of Texas if it did indeed secede.
What we found out wasn't positive for Texas or any other state with that notion.
"It's an interesting idea. It's worth looking into. I would feel better if the folks circulating a petition have done a thorough cost benefit analysis to see what would we lose by not being part of the united states," Dr. Dave Rausch, West Texas A&M University Bivins professor of Political Science says.
Rausch and other West Texas A&M professors say we would be losing quite a bit.
"If next Thursday we decide to secede from the United States, would there be some sort of measure for picking up veterans, ya know, we still have World War II veterans. Are we going to set up some sort of arrangement with the united states to help pay their benefits and things like that. All the various other national things that we have," Rausch says.
Not only veteran benefits, but also military support.
"Of course all the military bases we have. All the support is going to disappear," Rausch says.
Texas would have to enact it's own military and protect it's own borders.
WT economics professor, Neil Meredith, says interstate commerce would also slow down due to customs and other regulations. Rausch says not only that but we don't produce enough products to be economically independent.
"How much of an economy, we'd have to become a much more diversified economy. We's have to have all almost all our lumber products for example. We don't grow a lot of lumber around here. I know at least around here we don't, east Texas might. How long before we've used up all the lumber until we have to start begging our friends in the north, ya know Minnesota, to provide us with lumber," Rausch says.
But the petition states that Texas is the 15th largest economy in the world and could feasibly stand alone.
