Nothing succeeds like secession.

Not unexpectedly, a number of people are upset over the result of the Presidential election. There have been the usual mutterings; threats to move to Canada, warnings about layoffs and demonstrations of all sorts, but the form of protest that seems to be gaining traction is the petition to secede. If I can't have it my way I'll just take my state and go home.

At this point, petitioners from all 50 states have joined in the movement to remove their state from the Union and go paddle their own boat. Among them, Texas has reached critical mass with more than 110,000 signers to the petition. Interestingly, the Obama Administration itself has conveniently provided the vehicle to petition the government; there's an official webpage that encourages you to engage the government on the issues that matter to you. If more than 25,000 individuals register to add their names to a petition in a 30 day period, the White House is obligated to respond. Forgive me if I think that that response may be in the form of an electronic raspberry, but the process exists, nevertheless.

The majority of the petitions address burning issues such as "Outlaw offending prophets of major religions" and "Not allow the FDA to regulate premium cigars" and "The U.S. Government Must Redress Wrongs Against the Chagossians," but fifty of them say, "Peacefully grant the State of (insert name of your favorite state here) to withdraw from the United States of America and create its own NEW government."

Texas, under the guidance of Governor Goodhair is certainly doing everything it can to disencumber itself from any and all intervention of the Federal Government (except when it needs money for things like, oh, say disaster relief). And then there's that old legend about Texas retaining the right to secede (doesn't exist). Goodhair, during his disastrous run at the Presidential nomination seemed to be all for it, but now that Romney's out of the way and the Gov is looking at 2016, he now says it's a bad idea.

And then there is the petition that says, "Peacefully grant the city of Austin Texas to withdraw from the state of Texas & remain part of the United States." Only 7,200 of my neighbors have signed up for this one thus far, so it may not even get a raspberry. Somehow this petition seems appropriate, given that the official city motto is "Keep Austin Weird."  And in a bright Red state, Austin has always been that little island of Blue. I guess we could become the "State of Austin," like that county in Tennessee that became "The Free and Independent State of Scot"  in protest of the state's separation from the United States during the Cival War.

I'm thinking maybe I should start a petition to form the "Free and Independent State of Bob." Just not sure who to send the petition to. I'll get back to you on that.