Republic of Texas – what if?

[King]

The semantics of a secession in 2014 would bankrupt any state within a few months.

[King]

I don't really think secession is practical for even large states like Texas or California. Third world economies are one thing but Texas in a secession would lose billions in defense related money from DC and defense contractors, would have to establish its own currency, military, set up border control with the USA, trade agreements, get recognized internationally, etc., etc. Business community would probably panic. People who didn't want to succeed would flee.

A state secession would be chaotic even under fairly peaceful circumstances.

[King]

Texas would eventually do fine, but the major recession that comes with such a radical change would probably lead to civil unrest.

The prospect of having to negotiate with Louisiana over shipping waters and oil refinery work, and have to regulate airspace separate from the FAA, shutting down NASA, the closing of Ft. Hood.

There is too much inter-dependency.

[King]

Texas would eventually do fine, but the major recession that comes with such a radical change would probably lead to civil unrest.

The prospect of having to negotiate with Louisiana over shipping waters and oil refinery work, and have to regulate airspace separate from the FAA, shutting down NASA, the closing of Ft. Hood.

There is too much inter-dependency.

Why would NASA necessarily be shut down though?

Russian spaceships are still launched from Kazakhstan more than 20 years after the end of the Soviet Union.

Houston isn't the launch site, it's the control center. If anything, it would have to be made a US territory base within the Republic of Texas and not Texas property.

The US would have to want Texas to leave for a Texas secession to not be a disaster. If there's even an ounce of apprehension, the Texas economy would be in ruin without a military action needing to be taken.

[King]

I would say Texas' GDP per capita would fall from about 46,500 today to around 30,000 and start growing back rapidly, but it would collapse initially.

[King]

Also, Texas has become a diverse state since the RoT days. Any secession talk would be coming from the East and panhandle. Most of West Texas would choose to stay in the USA, meaning the Alamo would no longer be in their Republic.