Standing in front of a massive state flag on Saturday, Claver Kamau-Imani outlined his utopian vision of a Nation of Texas that he believes is just on the horizon.
No taxes or Faucis, no speed zones or toll roads. No liberals, no gun laws. No windmills, no poor people. A separate currency, stock market and gold depository. “Complete control of our own immigration policy.” World-class college football, a farewell to regulators. And unthinkable, unimaginable wealth.
“We are going to be so rich,” he chanted. “We’re gonna be rich. We are gonna be rich. We. Are. Going. To Be. Rich! … As soon as we declare independence, we're going to be wealthy. I personally believe that our personal GDP will double in five to seven years.”
“The independence of Texas is good for humanity as a whole,” he added to cheers.
Kamau-Imani, a Houston-based preacher, was among 100 or so people who spent the weekend at the Waco Convention Center for the first conference of the Texas Nationalist Movement, which since 2005 has advocated for the Lone Star State to break away from the United States — a “TEXIT,” as they call it.
Supporters of the movement said they are more energized and optimistic than ever about the prospect of an independent Texas, and pointed to appearances or support from current and former lawmakers — including state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, who spoke at the event — as evidence that their movement is far from fringe. The get-together also came as TEXIT supporters celebrated what they believe is crucial momentum: Days before the meeting, the Texas Nationalist Movement announced that it was more than halfway to the roughly 100,000 signatures needed to put a non-binding secession referendum on the Texas Republican primary ballot.
No more social security, no more medicare, no more federal funding, no more FEMA, no more federal protections, but they don't tell their supporters that because they wouldn't want to live without those things. Seriously, these people don't seem to grasp how the government works for them. Texas alone does not have what it takes to replace that void.
Yep. How to fund it has always been one of those waves hands "It'll work itself out" things to these people. They think that a government can run on no taxes or loans or anything a working government needs.
They'd get to keep all the income taxes currently going to the federal government.
Except they wouldn't because the Texas government would NEVER be able to pass and enforce a Texan income tax.
So what, they'd have to generate ALL revenue with a 6ish% sales tax? Hah, good luck. More realistically they would balloon that sales tax to something painful that fucks them on long-term financial health. And also probable impose some crazy protectionist tariffs. The most regressive possible tax schemes.
It's fun to speculate how bad it would be for them, especially knowing this is not a passable ballot measure.