TEXIT 2020 “BeLEAVE in Texas” April 13th Kutztown University of Pennsylvania 1 | Page Table of Contents Welcome letter from the Chair…...…………………………………………………………. 3 Introduction to TEXIT …………………………………………………………….............4-6 Topic A: Domestic Policy ………………………………………………………………...6-11 Topic B: International Policy ……………………………………………………………11-14 Citations ……….……………………………………...……………...………………….. 15-18 2 | Page Welcoming Letter from Chair Hello, I am the Head Chair for the TEXIT 2020 General Assembly. As your chair, I would like to address a couple of things with you the delegates that are very important. First and foremost I would like to talk about the committee itself and for problems that may occur. With the TEXIT committee, we will involve a lot of political situations happen. Ranging from immigration, border security, civil right, education, religion and etc., arguments will be brought up that students alike take much pride in. This committee might bring the best and worst out of everyone in which I would please ask everyone to be respectful when speaking and or when writing resolutions. Discriminating will not be tolerated. Action will be taken and consequences will ensue for inappropriate actions. As a future educator in America, I want to help students out no matter what. In this committee, you will not be looking back at history, but rather, you will be creating history yourself. I want to help enhance your skills in debating, writing, studying and communicating. I want the delegates to actually get something out of this committee rather than just participating in it. I want them to feel proud of what they have accomplished that you are achieving more than you thought you would. Whether it's a positive or negative outcome for you, I want you to go out of this committee knowing what you did and to be able to learn from it! If you have any questions, you can contact me at [email protected]. Best wishes, Austin Cass 3 | Page United States History (2016-2020) The 2016 election brought forth democratically elected president Donald J. Trump. This would begin the destruction of the Republican Party and start the rise of the Democrats in the United States Government. With Donald Trump as President of the United States, the US Congress began to protest his power. This caused a division within the government with not only democrats and republicans, but with the Republican Party itself was starting to divide itself. When the 2018 Elections occurred, the Democrats took a huge win gaining control of the whole congress. The backlash against Donald Trump grew rapidly, causing protest and riots throughout the country. With the downfall of Donald Trump, The rise of Bernie Sanders began and when voters data starts coming out for showing that Bernie projections showed that he had an eighty-five of winning the presidency. On November 3rd, 2020. Bernie Sanders wins the Electoral College vote of 358-180. Texas History The history of Texas has a different background than many of its fellow states. Being apart of Mexico before earning its statehood is one of the many differences that Texas has. This was one of the main reasons that Texas wanted to secede from the US. Being the 28th state to be admitted into the United States of America on December 29, 1845, Texas is the 2nd biggest U.S. state in population and in size. Before all that though, Texas had to fight for its statehood. The start of the Texan Revolution did not start until October 2nd, 1835. The most famous event of the Texan Revolution was the Battle of the Alamo down in San Antonio; this 13-day siege had 180 American rebels, including Davy Crockett and James Bowie against 4000 Mexican forces. Texas did have to fight Mexico for its independence and its entry to the U.S. was delayed because of the slavery fight that was going on in the U.S. at the time. When the Civil War happened in 1861, Texas along with the other 10 southern states seceded from America. As history tells, The Union won the civil war and all the states united as one once more. In 1869 however, a huge court case occurred which today is known as Texas vs. White. This court case came to the term of how words do not mean action, as just because the Southern States said they seceded does not truly mean they fully seceded. In a 2009 Rasmussen poll, it was said that 31% of Texans believe that Texas had the right to secede as a nation, however, 75% opted that they would rather stay in the United States. Texas from a span of 2016- 2020 had suffered more than any other state in America. Illegal Immigration in Texas was on a rise in the country, Texas has the second highest illegal immigration population with a staggering 1.4 million known aliens in the country. Texas in 2016 tried to put in a 1 billion dollar deal that would help strengthen the border hiring more guards 4 | Page and equipment, however with Trump preaching about building the wall across the American-Mexico Border, the Texas government decided not to go forward. However, Trump's wall was never built and with Bernie pledging to make all the borders open for all immigrants who want to walk into the country caused issues that were already happening in Texas. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey savagely distraught the city of Houston, 88 Texans lost their lives and thousands lost their jobs, cars, and homes. The United States Treasurer, Steve Mnuchin, calculated that repairs to the city would cost up to 180 billion. Though Congress paid, they also told Texas that a deal was to be made in which would cause Texans to be highly taxed in order to pay the United States government its debt back. On April 15th, 2018, taxes started to go on the rise causing the Texan businesses started to slowly crumble. Even the oil industry in Texas started to crumble. This caused unemployment in Texas to rise from 4% to 15% in a matter of a year. In 2019, 10 years after the Rasmussen poll, they decided to do the poll again with a different outcome this time. About 69% of the Texas people believed that Texas has its rights to become its own nation and only 27% believed it should still stay in the United States. The Birth of the Lone Star Nation The United States economy has begun one of the biggest declines in recent history. With Trump implanting a trade war with China, Canada, the European Union and more, tariffs were raised as a protest to the Donald Trump administration. Gas prices went up by 4 dollars as a resident in Texas gas went from $2.24 to $5.00 in one night, becoming known as the great gas crisis of 2019. Items such as clothing, food, and even water prices started to rise as well. Trump went on national television to address the nation that they need to start buying American products instead of imported good to fight back against these tariffs, however American industries couldn't hold up to the supply and demand causing factories and businesses to foreclose all over. The Texas government, realizing that the United States power and economy throughout the world was going under, decided that maybe they should try and fund for their own people instead. On January 10th, 2020, Governor Greg Abbott addressed to the people of the Lone Star State what he believe is the answer to all there problems. “Texas must show its strength against the United States national government, for so long they've been telling us all the needs we need will be made. President Trump said well have more border security that we were in the process of funding yet we still have that issue today. We were told that our business would stand tall and that American Jobs would come back to us, we lost more than 1/4th of our businesses due to this great recession. I believe that, as a Texan, that a Texan will help out another Texan more than any other state would do to their own neighbor. 5 | Page For that, I would like to propose a possible bill that would announce to the United States Government that we would like to TEXIT from the United States.” The United States did not act so kindly to the words of governor Greg Abbott, causing President Trump to send the National guard into Texas, making sure no coup or bill causing separation would be made. On March 22nd, 2020. The great Dallas massacre occurred within Texas, where after a Pro Texas rally was held in the Art district of Dallas? The rally attendance was said to be at max 50,000, with more rallies said to be coming through. However, 12 protesters were getting arrested for burning the American flag, the symbol that unites all Americans. As the protestors were being taken into custody a Texan threw a bottle of Texas BBQ sauce at one of the National Guards, causing him to be injured. With no remorse for Human life, the National Guard on patrol for the event attacked the protestors, causing a total of 100 deaths and 200 injured. The whole world was in a state of shock at what has occurred in Texas, giving Texas more leverage for the belief of a Lone Star Nation. In an emergency convention with every Texan government official from the state and national government decided to vote if the nation would secede. With a vote from the Texas house of reps and senate, a bill was made to secede from the United States, with approval from the Governor and Supreme Court.