Gov. Perry doesn't want Texas to secede

Texas Gov. Rick Perry doesn't want his state to break away from the United States, according to his response to a secession petition posted on the White House website. Perry spokeswoman Catherine Frazier sent a statement to The Dallas Morning News, following reports that there are have been dozens of similar petitions filed via the "We the People" program. "Gov. Perry believes in the greatness of our Union and nothing should be done to change it," Frazier's statement says.
"But he also shares the frustrations many Americans have with our federal government. Now more than ever our country needs strong leadership from states like Texas."
Petitions seeking secession for more than two dozen states have been filed on the White House website asking the Obama administration to "peacefully grant" these states withdrawal so they can create their own government. The Texas petition was filed on Friday and had more than 70,000 signatures as of Tuesday morning.
 To get a White House response, the rules of "We the People" states a petition must get 25,000 signatures within 30 days. It appears as though the Louisiana petition also meets that threshold and the Florida petition is getting there. Some readers may recall the big uproar over Perry's comments following a Tea Party rally in 2009. It's been widely reported that Perry advocated secession, but Factcheck.org reported last year that is incorrect. The Republican governor was expressing his frustration at the federal government in the 2009 interview with the Associated Press.

"There is absolutely no reason to dissolve it," Perry said in response to the AP's question about being associated with secession. "But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what may come out of that? But Texas is a very unique place and we're a pretty independent lot to boot."
[USATODAY]