# People in 20 states file petitions to secede **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 13, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879 "2012-11-13T13:30:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/121 "2012-11-14T16:43:37Z")
Well, I dunno. Would a secessed Texas be populated by expat americans or by new Texan citizens? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/122 "2012-11-14T16:45:16Z")
I’m sure they’d be rather surprised by the sudden end of federal pensions, social security and medicare. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/123 "2012-11-14T16:47:07Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Does one lose a Federal pension if one moves out of the country? Nope. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/124 "2012-11-14T16:54:22Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Nope. Then I don’t see people losing pensions if a state were to secede. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/125 "2012-11-14T16:59:24Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Then I don’t see people losing pensions if a state were to secede. Nope, they wouldn’t. Retirees take their pensions and retire to different countries all the time. AFAIK, they don’t pay taxes on it either, as long as their primary residence is outside the US. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/126 "2012-11-14T17:05:00Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Then I don’t see people losing pensions if a state were to secede. Because they’re not just moving out of country; they’re losing their citizenship. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/127 "2012-11-14T17:14:53Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > And even with these low milestines, only Texas got enough to warrent a response. “No” ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/128 "2012-11-14T17:15:55Z")
Simple: Bill accepting secession, in addition to tranfering proper proportion of US Debt, also transfers responsibility for pensions and other benefit to the new nation for those individuals who decide to transfer their citizenship. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/129 "2012-11-14T17:23:14Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Because they’re not just moving out of country; they’re losing their citizenship. But you don’t need to be a citizen to get a pension. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/130 "2012-11-14T17:29:21Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > But you don’t need to be a citizen to get a pension. A military pension? Really? (honest question) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/131 "2012-11-14T17:32:02Z")
> [@NUMBER1GIRL](#): > > i think the states are ALL IN now > petitions . whitehouse . govpetitions So, I guess if we all secede together, we’re back where we started from, right? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/132 "2012-11-14T17:38:31Z")
> [@bup](#): > > A military pension? Really? (honest question) Good question! [If you renounce US citizenship, you lose your military pension.](http://www.military.com/ResourcesAlmanac/ResourcesKeyIndex/0,14015,73-mil_status_retired-1,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/133 "2012-11-14T17:40:54Z")
> [@bup](#): > > A military pension? Really? (honest question) Yes. Confederate veterans and their spouses were paid their pensions, and the country didn’t exist anymore. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/134 "2012-11-14T17:41:27Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > So, I guess if we all secede together, we’re back where we started from, right? > > :rolleyes: You’d have 50 separate countries. **NUMBER1GIRL** seems to understand that the petitions are pointless but seems to believe they have some kind of reality to them even though there’s no verification process for any signatures and they’re not connected to any government. Can I ask why that is? ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/135 "2012-11-14T17:42:00Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > So, I guess if we all secede together, we’re back where we started from, right? > > :rolleyes: But then we have to form a new government, so we get a do-over on the election. Mission accomplished! :rolleyes: is putting it mildly. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/136 "2012-11-14T17:45:19Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > You’d have 50 separate countries. **NUMBER1GIRL** seems to understand that the petitions are pointless but seems to believe they have some kind of reality to them even though there’s no verification process for any signatures and they’re not connected to any government. Can I ask why that is? It is an interesting “what if” discussion. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/137 "2012-11-14T17:49:03Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Here’s a fun letter from my hometown newspaper outlining some complaints. > > [Nov. 6: The day America became a socialist nation](http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/content.detail/id/548050/Nov--6--The-day-America-became--a-socialist-nation.html?nav=5007) Well, that is interesting. It’s not so often that you see Lyndon Johnson given primnary responsibility for all our ills, oither than the Vietnam situation. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/138 "2012-11-14T17:50:52Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > It is an interesting “what if” discussion. Sure. But unlike everybody else here she seems to think this is serious in some way: > [@NUMBER1GIRL](#): > > There are over 45 states fed up with the Feds. In 2 days Texas, Louisiana and Florida did garner enough to get an official response from the WH. Looks like Illinois and Hawaii will be left holding the Obamanation. > [@NUMBER1GIRL](#): > > Thats a lot of angry Americans or Illegals. It’s an ugly picture. Last time States wanted out South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas… well you know what happened. They got out. That wasn’t left and right it was North and South. But don’t worry history never repeats its self. She mentions angry Americans or Illegals, but come to think of it every single person who has signed one of these petitions could be in France. ---
**Author:** ![maniondl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@maniondl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maniondl)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/139 "2012-11-14T17:58:15Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > She mentions angry Americans or Illegals, but come to think of it every single person who has signed one of these petitions could be in France. Merde! Nous sommes découverts! Nous surrendrons! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879/140 "2012-11-14T17:58:51Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > She mentions angry Americans or Illegals, but come to think of it every single person who has signed one of these petitions could be in France. Damned frogs! 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-20-states-file-petitions-to-secede/640879.md?page=8)