Texas Governor Rick Perry, Secessionist?

I am curious about Republican Texas Governor, Rick Perry. Other than very favorable comments written of him and his state's phenomenal economic success in The Wall Street Journal, I really don't know much about him yet.

This morning Bill Burton, a former Obama media adviser, on FoxNews Sunday attempted to dampen interest by mentioning that Governor Perry wants Texas to secede from the US.

Hmm...I have a number of Liberal friends and I have heard this mentioned before when Perry's name came up. Talk of modern-day secession-ism would be a serious matter if the Left did not throw out as a political knock, like some gotcha' torn out of context from something else. As part of the oath of office as Governor of Texas, didn't Rick Perry swear to "defend and protect the Constitution of the United States"? Has he been negligent?

The question might better be, which Constitution did Governor Perry swear to defend? The old Constitution that we worked with for over 200 years, or the New Constitution that mandates everyone to buy Government Health Care or prevents a company like Boeing Aircraft from setting up a manufacturing operation in whichever state it chooses?

Let's go one baby-step further. Right now there is a large and growing "off the books"economy. Cash only. No paperwork. Additionally, nearly half the country does not pay income tax. General Electric and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner are two very different but notable examples. Haven't these Americans already seceded from the rest of the country?

As for other potential secessionists, keep your ears open as election 2012 approaches. We'll all hear this more than once: "My God! If Rick Perry (or Sarah Palin or Mitt Romney, or Michele Bachmann, or Herman Cain, or Fill-In-The-Blank) wins the election I'm moving to Canada!" I actually know people who have said those very words prior to a couple different elections: the same people, ready to move every four years. Haven't they, to a degree, already left the country?