To secede or not to secede? That’s the question leaders of the Texas Nationalist Movement have for state elected officials following the United Kingdom’s narrow vote to leave the European Union. While the fringe issue has become more of a mainstream conversation, state party leaders from both sides of the political aisle are still very much against the idea.
Texas Republican delegates at the state GOP convention in May saw first-hand how this small movement pushing for Texas to become a free-nation has grown. It was the most contentious issue heard during the 3-day convention in Dallas.
It did not make it into the state GOP party platform.
For those leading the discussion, like Texas Nationalist Movement leader Daniel Miller, the issue has gained traction and popularity. Miller is asking the Texas Legislature and Gov. Greg Abbott to pass a referendum similar to the Brexit ballot item that asks Texans directly if seceding from United States is something they want.
“The governor needs to come out and publicly support the right of the people to have a referendum on the issue. At this point, the bottleneck has been the gatekeeper, it has been the political class that thinks they know better than we know," Miller says.
The Governor’s Office says while Gov. Abbott understands how frustrated Texans are with the federal government, he supports Texas remaining a part of the United States.
It’s a sentiment that San Antonio Democratic State Sen. Jose Menendez can agree with. He disagrees with Miller’s point that from an infrastructure and financial stand point, Texas could do better without the United States.
“Maybe with the size and population of Texas could stand alone but would it be stronger and more efficient and better than as a part of the United States of America, the answer is no, no it would not," Menendez says.
Menendez doesn’t want this issue to bog down the 2017 legislative session.
