A Run Quickdown on the Texas Border Boogaloo

Half of the states are opposing the federal government in a situation one governor called a "powder keg."

Recently in Unprepared we’ve been we’ve been tracking the growing dispute between Texas the Biden Administration. For previous coverage, see Will Texas Be the Center of the Next Civil War? and Gov. Abbott Throws Down the Gauntlet.

Since then:

• Governors of 25 states have signed on to support Texas. Study this map, it may be important in the future:

  

  Map by Stephen W. Carson.

• Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, the first to sign on to support Texas, called the situation a “powder keg of tension.” Stitt told Fox News he may send Oklahoma National Guard to the border.

• Texas Representative Julian Castro publicly called upon President Biden to nationalize the Texas National Guard, which Governor Abbott said would be a “boneheaded move.”

• In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Governor Abbott said he is prepared for a conflict with federal authorities.

• On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security gave Texas 24 hours to allow federal access to Shelby Park. Ken Paxton responded in a letter telling the DHS to pound sand, followed by a list of counter demands.

• Democratic Texas state representative Gene Wu posted on X: “It's all fun and games... until someone eats a drone fired Hellfire missile.”

Just to add extra fuel to the diesel-soaked pile of dry tinder and black powder, a trucker convoy is headed to Texas. I really can’t emphasize how much of a bad idea this is. It won’t do anything to secure the border. It’s only an additional headache for Governor Abbott. And if anyone does something stupid, expect a swarm of feds to descend upon you.

By all means, if you want to go have a big redneck border party until you get swept up in January 6th 2: Electric Border Boogaloo, spend six months in solitary, and never be allowed back on an airplane, be my guest. Otherwise, stay home.

If you’re serious about “joining the fight,” go sign up for the Texas State Guard. At least then you’ll be in a bonafide outfit and not just a freelance hillbilly. (I live in the Tennessee sticks. I can say “redneck” and “hillbilly.” I do it out of love.)

Biden Sanctions Texas?

The Biden Administration seems to have done nothing in response to Texas ignoring its deadline. Or has it?

On Friday, the White House announced that it’s pausing natural gas exports. Texas produces the most natural gas in the nation, 24.6% of it, followed by Pennsylvania with 21.8%.

Governor Abbott was quick to call out Biden for the move. “Biden’s decision to freeze LNG exports threatens Texas—and America. This reckless decision is a gut punch to the hard-working men and women in the energy industry,” Abbott said.

Many have speculated that the LNG export pause is a backdoor sanction against Texas. However, out of the seven export terminals operating in the United States, only two are in Texas. And the “sanction” hits bluish swing-state Pennsylvania about as hard as it does Texas. So if that is the intent, it’s a case of Biden cutting off his nose to spite his face.

The actual reason is even dumber: apparently Biden banned LNG exports at the behest of a 25-year-old TikToker.

Meanwhile, Europe is in a bind. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Europe has been slowly weaning itself off of Russian LNG and buying more American gas. I suspect that Biden has just handed Europe’s energy business back to Russia.