Apparently Texans want to secede.

[LunarRaptor]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/1 ... 16620.html Yeah, that'll help matters, folks.[/sarcasm]

[Kizyr]

...this is an incredibly overblown story that's been circulating the past week.

The petitions are being posted at petitions.whitehouse.gov. For those who don't know, it's a website set up at the start of the Obama administration that lets literally anyone start up a petition -- if it gets at least 25,000 signatures, then the White House has pledged to make an official response. Just a response -- that doesn't mean that action will necessarily be taken. (One of the earlier ones that got past 25k was a petition asking for answers as to whether the US has ever made contact with aliens from outer space. They did respond to that -- the official response is "No" if you're wondering.)

So... this means that there are at least a few thousand people across the US who are pissed and know how to use a computer. Not all that impressive.

A more relevant story would be, say, seeing which state governments are refusing to set up a Health Care Exchange, or which are going to opt out of the Medicaid expansion to all low-income families. There's a lot of bitterness in those decisions and the end result has more potential to actually hurt or help people. KF

[Alunissage]

Yeah, those stories of "27 states want to secede!" just mean people from 27 states started petitions, not that these are in any way significant in number.

Although secession makes more sense than people against healthcare reform, marriage equality, etc. saying they'll move to Canada.

[WD RPG WD]

I think most Texans roll their eyes at this. In a state of 26 million people, 25,000 is hardly anything. Thats less than 1%. And I wonder how many of those people are bandwagoners, rednecks, racists or youth under the age of 18. Like Kizyr said, this has been overblown. But I disagree with Kizyr on what is most relevent at this time. Who cares about healthcare. I can no longer buy Ho-Hos!

[LunarRaptor]

I kow, but I figured you guys could use a good laugh.

[Kizyr]

No problem {^^}.

BTW here's the petition and the White House's official response (which is actually rather interesting) to the petition demanding disclosure of any evidence of alien life contacting Earth.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petiti ... e/wfYDlmlG
KF

[Jenner]

It's a shame they're not going to get what they want, because without Texas Democrats would have even an easier time winning the election every four years.

I would miss Austin though...

[Werefrog]

It's a shame they're not going to get what they want, because without Texas Democrats would have even an easier time winning the election every four years.

I would miss Austin though...

I would miss Austin City Limits.