“SECEDE!” is normally a cry you would hear in a Texas History class when learning about the Civil War, yet here we are in the 21^st century, exclaiming the same thing.

After this recent election, an uproar of voters exclaimed “Secession!”  But why? Texas is known to be a primarily and historically Republican state, therefore when a Democratic president is re-elected some frustrations broke out among voters.

One of the main arguments for secession is the electoral vote vs. the popular vote. Electorally, Barack Obama won the most votes. However, Mitt Romney won the most popular votes. The United States only counts the electoral votes to even out the differences in big states and in small states, similar to the way all 50 states have two senators in the Senate and representatives in the House are based on a state’s population. 

“Most of this is all noise, people letting out their frustrations. No one really knows what it would be like to secede; we don’t have direct line to let us know what it was like. Our own governor doesn’t agree,” said government teacher  Mrs. Schroeder.

“Secession would make Texas vulnerable to invasion by the Mexican Cartel and foreign enemies because our coasts will no longer be guarded by the U.S. Navy,” said senior Jenna Ince.  

Around the state, petitions were started after the winner of the election was announced. So many people signed it (mostly online signatures) that the government has to talk about the issue, but Governor Rick Perry has made it clear that he is against the idea.

“Governor Perry believes in the greatness of our Union and nothing should be done to change it,” said Rick Perry’s spokesman Catherine Frazier. “But he also shares the frustrations many Americans have with our federal government.”

 “People think that we did it once, [so] we can do it again. That’s not the case here. Obviously things have changed; treaties would have to be signed. What about the social projects? It wouldn’t be as easy,” said Mrs. Schroeder.

Whether more petitions are signed or more protests occur, under federal law, secession is not legal, and at the end of the day Texas remains a part of the United States, with the grumbles and complaints continuing.