Texit, the border, and preparations

Obviously CNAV has had nothing to say about Texit directly since the day after Independence Day. On that day CNAV endorsed the candidacy of Lt. Col. Allen West USA (retired) for Governor of Texas. Since then, many other things have happened, chief among them: the crisis at the Del Rio International Bridge. That crisis, and President Joe Biden’s maladroit handling of it, have provoked Texas to taking certain actions. Those actions amount to taking border security into Texas hands, in fact as well as in law. They are also the sort of action Texas must take if Texit is to succeed militarily. Nor are they the only actions anyone in Texas is now taking.

Current status of Texit and Texas law

The Texas Independence Referendum Act, or the Texit Bill, failed even to get a hearing in the Texas Legislature. The Chairman of the Texas House Committee on State Affairs refused to schedule one – a procedure Texans call “chubbing.” That same Chairman also “chubbed” the Texas Border Security Enhancement Act.

But Governor Gregg Abbott (R-Texas) issued an Executive Order, that he called “Operation Lone Star.” According to it, Texas Department of Public Safety members (“Troopers”) and Texas National Guardsmen will support local law enforcement in interdicting illegal aliens. Gov. Abbott warned that anyone crossing into Texas from Mexico illegally would face arrest for trespassing.

In June, Gov. Abbott released a detailed plan for Texas to build its own border wall. He committed $250 million in State funds and said he would seek private donations for the rest.

Was the Governor serious?

At the time, CNAV expressed skepticism that Governor Abbott was at all serious. After all, why didn’t he support the Texas Border Security Enhancement Act? Why did he let Rep. Chris Paddie, the State Affairs Chairman, “chub” it to death along with the Texit Bill? Frankly, CNAV still does not know. But Dan Miller at the Texas Nationalist Movement has kept up unrelenting pressure. This pressure began with a petition drive to put the Texit question on primary ballots. Then it escalated when Col. West announced his intention to challenge Gov. Abbott in next year’s Republican primary. And now some TNM followers have started a movement to “draft” Dan Miller to “primary” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R-Texas).

He’s serious now!

But if Gov. Abbott was merely paying lip service before, he is today doing more. He has made two major announcements.

The first came after some photographs splashed across the Mainstream Media showing Border Patrol officers on horseback. Someone started a rumor that those Border Patrolmen were using rawhide whips against Haitian illegal immigrants. The White House picked that up. “Those people will pay!” thundered Snarlin’ Joe.

But the National Fraternal Order of Police immediately called them on this.

No matter! Snarlin’ Joe and Bad Hair Jen and Mealy-mouth Mayorkas insist that those officers were mistreating people. Not one word of apology has come from any of these three. In fact Mayorkas has threatened “an investigation.” And now the Border Patrol may no longer patrol on horseback.

So Border Patrol agents have openly said, “He [Biden] has just started a war!”

In response to this dust-up, Gov. Abbott appeared on Fox News Sunday and said,

If he takes any action against them whatsoever — I have worked side by side with those Border Patrol agents — I want them to know something. If they are risk of losing their job by a president who is abandoning his duty to secure the border, you have a job in the state of Texas. I will hire you to help Texas secure our border.

Another Texit prerequisite – actually building the wall

Furthermore, Gov. Abbott is at last following through on his promise to build a Texas wall. CNAV now learns that Abbott is gathering easements along the Texas-Mexico border.

Your typical landowner along the northern Rio Grande Valley runs a large ranch. Properties that large are notoriously difficult to patrol. Ranchers have gotten grimly used to finding dead livestock, piles of litter (and worse), and even dead bodies on their land.

And now as many as 123 landowners have granted the Texas Military Department easements along the Tex-Mex border. Construction can begin as soon as the government has a workforce.

Meanwhile, back at the TNM

The TNM has not been idle, either. Last week they reported that Rep. Chris Paddie (R-Harrison Co., Texas) will not seek re-election next year. This came after the Harrison County Republican Committee censured him by a vote of 9-1.

Apparently the Texit and Border Security Bills were far from the only bills he “chubbed.” He did the same to bills to:

1. End taxpayer-funded lobbying (for example, House Bill 749, which had 44 coauthors),
2. Protect the rights of the unborn,
3. Stop men from competing in women’s sports after self-contracted surgical mutilation and hormonal poisoning, and
4. Protect religious liberties in time of actual (or more likely specious) declarations of emergency.

In one outrageous case (SB 10), he sent back a “committee substitute” to expand taxpayer-funded lobbying. (This after the Senate voted to curtail it!) Furthermore the Harrison Co. committee cited him for failing to advance the interests of the Republican Party in awarding of key positions in the State House.

Now that the Party has already “primaried” Chris Paddie, the question remains: who will replace him as Chairman? After all, legislative leaders award Chairmanships to individuals, not to districts. TNM must watch closely who is the next senior House member after Rep. Paddie.

TNM must also see to their petition drive. At last report, after budgeting $100,000 for the petition drive, they have raised $1450. Nor will they say how many signatures they have. They have until December 1, 2021 to get the signatures they need.

Moving forward

Governor Abbott still has other serious decisions to make. The Biden Vaccine Mandate will need action, if the Occupational Safety and Health Administration comes up with its proposed rule. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) has set a high standard of performance for Gov. Abbott to meet. And Col. West waits in the wings, no doubt already planning his primary campaign. Few things beat competition and standard-setting to impel even the most complacent to action.

All eyes are now on Texas, even as Texas’ “National Anthem” says Texas’ eyes are on its residents.

For more articles, see the Texit List.