Yesterday I posted this blog, and today Time.com releases this article on the CNN website by Hilary Hylton.

What does this mean? Absolutely nothing other than my new title is Texas Political Insider.

It was the shout-out heard around the world: Texas' Republican Gov. Rick Perry's praise for his state's tea party protestors, accompanied by not-so-veiled references to a potential Lone Star State secession. The remarks prompted glaring red website headlines and instant fodder for cable TV pundits. But for Texas political insiders, Perry's waving of the flag of secession was just the latest volley in a Texas-sized Republican civil war -- a face-off between Perry and his potential rival for the 2010 Republican gubernatorial nomination, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. (See pictures of tea party tax protests across the country.)

Governor Rick Perry, it seems, is getting votes anyway he can.  Some might back away from inciting a crowd of pro-gun tax protesters to turn against their own country, but not good ol' Rick. 

Rick Perry's message to his fellow teabaggers was crystal clear.  If you vote for me, I will consider seceding from the union in the future.  Of course, in reality,  Perry plans no such thing.

What Perry is doing is simply gathering votes. You see, Perry is going to run for a third term in 2010.  Of course, no Democrat is going to rival him, but if Senator Kay Baily Hutchison decides to run against him, she will likely be the favorite to win.  What is the best way for Perry to defeat a very popular US Senator? Separate himself from Washington. He wants Texans to view him as the small man against big government now so that later he can pin all of America's ills on Hutchison.

Also running for Texas Governor in 2010 is Larry Kilgore, who is an open secessionist.  Perry, with his remarks, can save votes from going to Kilgore by appearing to consider a future secession.

I just wish he'd think about the consequences of his words.  American lives could be lost in the result of a Texas secession. 

Now if Perry wins the election, what will he do next to stay in power? Perhaps then he really WOULD seriously consider secession, but for now, he is just pandering to the wing nuts.

On a side note, this whole TEA Party business seems a little ironic. There was a local TEA Party in our county, and I watched some of the footage on the news.  I got a good laugh at the signs saying "No More Taxes!" and "Secede Now!". The people holding the signs are the same ones with the little yellow ribbons on the back of their trucks that say "Support Our Troops".  You support our troops AND don't want to pay taxes? Interesting.  When I expressed my opposition to the war in Iraq years ago, I was made to feel unpatriotic and that I should support the "Best Nation on Earth!" Now, in just a few months, a lot of the same people are saying that we should secede? I have to laugh to keep from crying.