Since the founding of the nation, there have been countless debates regarding how much power and autonomy should be afforded to the states in relation to the federal government. How much power and autonomy should Texas have in relation to the federal government? Why?
4 answers
What makes Texas any different than the other 49 states?
That's how the question was asked.
The basic concept of the Tenth Amendment is that all facets of government that are NOT addressed in the Constitution and the other amendments are up to each state to determine.
http://www.google.com/search?q=tenth+amendment&oq=tenth+amendment&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.3033j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8
http://www.google.com/search?q=tenth+amendment&oq=tenth+amendment&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.3033j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8
Texas is the one of the state that has the right to divide into up to five new states, each with Senators. That is different. This was agreed to when the Republic of Texas was admitted to the Union. In a compromise designed to overcome objections to annexation, the 1845 joint resolution that admitted Texas to the Union provided that Texas could be divided into as many as five states. Any states north or west of the Missouri Compromise lines would be free; in the others, a popular vote would determine whether slavery could exist.
Article I section 3 of the constitution lets new states be formed, but with the consent of the state legislature and the US Congress. Recently, there was a petition in California to do this. However, in the case of Texas case, Congress does not have to agree, Texas can do it on its own...for better or worse. So in this case, this particular right is autonomous.
One other right to autonomous that Texas has is ownership of the seabed along the coast to 9 nautical miles, other states are restricted to 3 nautical miles. Some portions of the West Florida coastline that state owns to 9 nautical miles, again, for historical reasons. Poor California, the federal government owns all the seabed there.
There have been recent blowhards in Texas who have advocated many more "rights" Texas should have, or that God granted them, and one finds many of these folks on bully pulpits, most recently in various state political primaries stages.
Article I section 3 of the constitution lets new states be formed, but with the consent of the state legislature and the US Congress. Recently, there was a petition in California to do this. However, in the case of Texas case, Congress does not have to agree, Texas can do it on its own...for better or worse. So in this case, this particular right is autonomous.
One other right to autonomous that Texas has is ownership of the seabed along the coast to 9 nautical miles, other states are restricted to 3 nautical miles. Some portions of the West Florida coastline that state owns to 9 nautical miles, again, for historical reasons. Poor California, the federal government owns all the seabed there.
There have been recent blowhards in Texas who have advocated many more "rights" Texas should have, or that God granted them, and one finds many of these folks on bully pulpits, most recently in various state political primaries stages.