Secession, the U.S. Constitution and the Consequences

It's Not What You Think

Since last weekend, the Internet has been aflutter with news that many states have petitioned the White House for permission to secede from the Union. No state has officially done any such thing. This is what's going on.

To date, there are 48 petitions asking President Barack Obama to approve the secession of 40 states.

This is just another in a long list of examples of the pathetic state of civics education in the United States. The president has no power to approve a state's secession; yet, tens of thousands of people signed petitions asking him to do so. And they think it's going to work. Most of the petitions contain glaring spelling, punctuation and grammar errors, illustrating their authors' illiteracy.

Many other Americans are under the impression that the U.S. Constitution prohibits secession. It does not. Yes, it is possible to secede. No, the president does not have the authority to permit it. Most believe that the Civil War settled the secession question permanently. Wrong again.

But, if Congress did agree to a peaceful secession, it would open up a whole new can of worms.

READ MORE … 

http://voices.yahoo.com/article/9776067/secession-us-constitution-consequences-11877496.html?cat=37

The author is a Brentwood Borough resident.