If the Right Wingers in Texas (and other Southern states) want to secede - let 'em! In fact, we should HELP out and sign their petitions!
Just think. If Texas secedes, the Electoral College would now be based on 500 electoral votes - not 538. That means a Democratic candidate would only need 251 EV's to win!
Common wisdom now holds that a generic Democratic candidate begins with a solid "base" of 201 EV (see list below squiggle). Add in three states with 46 EV that strongly lean Blue in Presidential elections (Pennsylvania (20),Wisconsin (10), Michigan(16)) and you are at 247 Electoral Votes! That would be just 4 electoral votes shy of winning!
And, the above tally does NOT include Seven more states that Obama won TWICE! And, any ONE of those 7 automatically puts you over the top in the new non-Texas Electoral College.
So, SECEDE, Texas, Secede!
All us Daily Kos readers will happily assist in relocating any Texas progressive expatriots!
Note: This is a satire, tongue in cheek. I apologize to any who took offense. Still, like all decent satire, I was making a few points. First, to show how powerful the Electoral College is FOR Democrats and how daunting it is for the GOP. If the secessionists in Texas have their way, I showed that the map would become a virtual lock overnight. Without Texas' 38 electoral votes, the Democratic presidential candidate would have to win only ONE swing state (even NH and its 4 EV's). Second, nobody on the left is seriously pushing to force Texas out of the union. All that movement is on the right. More importantly, that movement isn't just fringe. Elected officials like Gov.Perry and Rep./Prez Candidate Ron Paul (just yesterday I might add) have played footsie with those forces. And, don't forget Texas Judge Tom Head who warned of an armed civil war if Obama were re-elected.
I hope the post is taken in that context.
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