AUSTIN -- The Texas Nationalist Movement will host a rally at the state capitol Saturday urging lawmakers to put the matter of Texas independence before the state's voters in a non-binding plebiscite.
The resolution, drawn up as a concurrent resolution of the Legislature, spells out actions by the federal government which have intruded on the sovereignty of the State of Texas and calls for the plebiscite to be included on the ballot of the next scheduled election for state constitutional amendments. That date is Nov. 8 of this year.
The rally is scheduled from 1-4 p.m. Saturday on the south steps of the State Capitol in Austin. The legislative sponsor of the rally is State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler).
"The elected representatives of the people of Texas need to know what the voters think," TNM president Daniel Miller said. "That is the purpose of this resolution, simply to give our legislators a sense of what the people of Texas think about the actions they are taking in defense of state sovereignty."
Article 1 Section 1 of the Texas Constitution reads:
"Texas is a free and independent State, subject only to the Constitution of the United States, and the maintenance of our free institutions and the perpetuity of the Union depend upon the pres...ervation of the right of local self-government, unimpaired to all the States."
Article 1 Section 2 of the Texas Constitution reads:
"All political power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their benefit. The faith of the people of Texas stands pledged to the preservation of a republican form of government, and, subject to this limitation only, they have at all times the inalienable right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think expedient."
Miller said that state officials and lawmakers have done well in attempting to defend the state's sovereignty from federal intrusion, and that this plebescite could help further the goal of reining in federal over-reach.
"The elections last November showed that a lot of people, not only in Texas but across the United States, believe that our federal government is out of control," Miller said. "Even though the power in Congress changed hands, however, Washington continues to try and bully Texas and other states with rules and regulations never voted on by any elected representatives of the people and in clear violation of the Tenth Amendment, which guarantees state sovereignty."
"Simply allowing the people of Texas to vote on this issue in a non-binding way would send a very loud, very clear message to Washington that Texas won't be pushed any farther."
The resolution spells out that the vote would be "non-binding and for advisory purposes only," and that results would be reported not only to state officials, but also to members of Congress and the President.
"We in the Texas Nationalist Movement believe that independence is necessary for the economic and cultural survival of the people of Texas," Miller said. "Even so, there is nothing more any of us would like to see than the United States government steer away from its current path of self-implosion and return to the original intent and purpose of government as defined by the U.S. Constitution."
Visit the Texas Nationalist official website:
http://www.texasnationalist.com/index.php/news/featured/1240-line-in-the-sand-rally
Personally, I cheer Texas on and can only hope that a majority of the states will follow their lead!
To restore and uphold the sovereignty and rights of the individual States as guaranteed by the tenth amendment of the United States Constitution, which states, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
