We’ve all been talking lately about the self-marginalization of conservative Republicans, with one leading indicator being remarks made about states’ rights and even secession by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the 43d president’s hand-picked successor as chief executive of the Lone Star State.
But who knew Texas Republicans as a group were ready to reject America?
A new Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll of that state indicates that half of Texas Republicans would prefer an independent Texas to a continuation of their affiliation with the United States. Texans as a whole disagree by a two-to-one margin.
This is interesting not just because it provides a particularly graphic example of conservative self-estrangement from the rest of the country: you’d have to figure that Texas Republicans have thought of themselves as super-patriots, certainly willing to support their former governor’s star-spangled crusades against the godless Muslims and French. This super-patriotism apparently doesn’t extend to an America led by an African-American Democrat.
Thus does ideology trump patriotism. It’s sad and scary.