Texas or even a group of states like Mississippi, Louisisana and Texas for instance are relatively conservative states as far as the general populations go. (the legislatures of these states are another story...much like the one described in Washington DC) Simply put they (along with many other states in America, are Red States that are currently under the power and influence in may direct and indirect ways of liberal elitiest Northeastern and Left Coast states whose elite leaders control the media, government and system (whether they call themselves Democrat or Republican). Many of the elected Senator's and Congressman elected from these Red states are much the same way (John McCain for example) that simply enjoy power.
In a nutshell, I think it is time for us to stop focusing on Washington DC and wasting our energies there. A better battle plan is to focus on electing good men, non-party line thinkers such as Ron Paul and the likes of him, into local and state offices that seek to preserve best interest and good of Texas (or whatever state he may be in). Secession should be the first priority on the table for the Legislature. Can't cure the wound until you get the bullet out. If this mean's funding our own highways, so be it. Just about every state in the United States today has an economy that could sustain itself FAR above any country in the world and equal to or better than the most wealthy countries in Europe.
This country was founded on the idea of Independence and Sovereignty. Our Founding Fathers believed that the British Colonies should be free to govern themselves as they always had and the chartered rights of the people within those colonies should be preserved. The decendants of those men who moved to our State of Texas took a similar stand in 1836. And, at the risk of being politically incorrect, their ancestors took the same stand again in 1861 in every state from Texas to Virginia.
Some no doubt will balk at this idea making abstract claims of "you lost the war get over it" or "We are all Americans now let's sing God Bless America" or "didn't this get settled by Lincoln in 1865?" To such idolators of the Nation I have no desire to convince as their mind is already made up based on being preached to by blind idealogues. They live in the world of the 1950s of Apple Pie and the victory over Hitler fresh in the minds of their fathers or grandfathers believing that America is still a righteous nation that can do no wrong. Such men proceed with the notion that "might makes right" which the rest of us with any since of principles knows, it does not. While America is in many ways MUCH better off than most other countries it is far from the free and independent local communities it was in the day of the Founding Fathers or even in the 1950s.
Some well meaning people might say that while I may be right about some things here, there is still hope and we need to work together as a Nation to rebuild. Conservatives have been putting their hopes in this since Barry Goldwater or even in the days after Reconstruction as Northerners and Southerners looked to reconcile and more forward. This is proceeding from the liberal and revolutionary idea that change and liberty can only be preserved by centralization of power and whoever has control of that power makes the difference, which of course is a contradiction. This is a notion that our Founding Father's resisted. While the other countries of Europe under the radical enlightenment were reforming themselves in to great (but not good) nations while dropping the heads of aristocrats into baskets, Americans mistrusted centralization of power (owing to their Calvinistic background of the total depravity of man) to a small body of men over the whole.
It would be far better for California to be alone and away from us to determine her own destiny. If she wants to have homosexuals teaching in their schools and to their boyscouts then that is the business of the people of California. It does not have to be the business of Texas
. But as we are all connected in the United States today, leglislation from the Supreme Court, Federal courts, the House and Senate continue to infringe on our states libery in all areas regarding morality, guns, schools etc. In short, while you may gain some temporary victories short of what you set out to do under our current system, you are ultimately going to lose. We've seen this going downhill since Reconstruction, some would say only since the 1950s. Nothing really changed with Reagan (he was one man...and even he wasn't entirely ideal with his gun legislation and amnesty for illegals among other things), and nothing really changed with the Republican controlled House, Senate and White house. If fact, if anything, they've mostly gotten worse.
I say secession is the answer. But before secession can come realisticly, people's mindset and spiritual wellbeing has to change.
. Edited to remove attempt to be funny. In light of Charles' very good point below, I want the same thing he does, so joke removed.
