不，德克薩斯州無法脫離美國：英語精讀講義

Can Texas secede from the Union? 用詞

德克薩斯州能脫離聯邦嗎？

America's second most populated and second largest state is always the first to remind you that it was once an independent nation,

這個美國人口第二多、面積第二大的州總是第一個提醒你，它曾經是一個獨立的國家——

the Republic of Texas.

德克薩斯共和國。

Unlike California's three-week,

與加州那短短三週、

almost accidental flirt with independence 慣用語

幾乎是意外的獨立嘗試，

and a hideous flag,

以及一面醜陋的旗幟不同的是，

the Republic of Texas was a real country

德克薩斯共和國曾是一個真正的國家，

with its own presidents and laws and currency

擁有自己的總統、法律和貨幣，

for a decade from 1836 until 1846

存在了十年，從1836年到1846年，

when it joined the Union to become the 28th state.

直到它加入聯邦成為第28個州。

Thankfully, evening out the number of stars. 片語動詞

慶幸的是，這讓國旗上的星星數量變成了偶數。

This happy marriage led pretty much immediately 慣用語

這場幸福的聯姻幾乎立刻

to the Mexican-American War

引發了美墨戰爭，

over the question of how big Texas was.

爭論的焦點是德州到底有多大。

America, as the victor,

美國作為勝利者，

got to decide the answer. 文法

有權決定這個答案。

Very big.

非常大。

While Texas gave up its complete independence to join the Union, 片語動詞

雖然德克薩斯州放棄了完全的獨立加入了聯邦，

it didn't give up its independent streak

但它並沒有放棄其獨立的本性，

and filed for divorce along with several other states 慣用語

並與幾個其他州一起提交了離婚申請，

a scant 15 years later. 用詞

那僅僅是在15年之後。

This domestic dispute was settled not with flowers, 表達脈絡

這場國內爭端並不是用鮮花來解決的，

but with force,

而是用武力，

something that many are still grumbly about today.

許多人至今對此仍耿耿於懷。

But history aside, 表達脈絡

但是拋開歷史不談，

in modern times could Texas still be a real country?

在現代社會，德克薩斯州還能成為一個真正的國家嗎？

In other words, could Texas succeed if it secedes? 講解

換句話說，如果德克薩斯州脫離聯邦，它能成功嗎？

In terms of population, an independent Texas 片語搭配

就人口而言，一個獨立的德克薩斯州

would be the world's 46th largest country with 26 million citizens.

將成為世界第46大國家，擁有2600萬公民。

And those citizens would make Texas the 13th largest economy. 文法

這些公民將使德州成為第13大經濟體。

So the new Texas Republic would be comparable to Australia, 片語搭配

所以新的德克薩斯共和國將與澳洲相當，

except in the size department.

除了在面積方面。

But what about the federal money that goes to Texas?

但是那些流向德克薩斯州的聯邦資金呢？

Those interstate highways don't build themselves, you know. 語氣意圖

你知道，那些州際公路可不會自己建好。

For a majority of states, independence would be a financial problem.

對於大多數州來說，獨立將是一個財務問題。

Mississippi, for example,

比如密西西比州，

gets $2 from Washington for every one it sends in taxes. 文法

每繳納1美元的稅，就能從華盛頓獲得2美元。

So an independent Magnolia Republic would be bankrupt almost instantly.

因此，一個獨立的「木蘭共和國」幾乎會瞬間破產。

But not Texas,

但德克薩斯州不會，

which gives more money to the federal government in taxes than it gets back. 文法

它向聯邦政府繳納的稅款比它獲得的回報還要多。

There's no reason why an independent Texas couldn't keep those highways paved 文法

獨立的德克薩斯州沒有理由不能維持那些公路的鋪設，

and give its citizens a small happy Texependence Day tax cut.

並給它的公民一個快樂的「德州獨立日」小規模減稅。

So from a financial perspective, the new Texas Republic gets a check. 慣用語

所以從財務角度來看，新的德克薩斯共和國是沒有問題的。

Now the question is, can Texas legally secede?

現在的問題是，德克薩斯州可以在法律上脫離嗎？

And the answer is, no, not at all.

答案是：不，完全不行。

Despite popular belief, even by politicians who should know better, 表達脈絡

儘管人們普遍認為（甚至一些本應更懂的政治家也這麼認為），

the Texas Constitution does not include a get out of the Union free clause, 文化背景

德克薩斯州憲法並不包含免費退出聯邦的條款，

no matter how much Texans or citizens of other states wish that it did. 文法

即使德州人或其他州的公民多麼希望它有。

However, the Texas Constitution does have a weird

然而，德克薩斯州憲法的確有一條奇怪的

clause that allows it to divide itself into five states

條款，允許它將自己分成五個州，

without the approval of Congress.

而無需國會批准。

So Texas could at any moment explode into states,

所以德克薩斯州隨時可能分裂成幾個州，

perhaps named North Texas, South Texas, East Texas, West Texas, and Austin,

也許叫做北德克薩斯、南德克薩斯、東德克薩斯、西德克薩斯和奧斯汀，

which would quintuple its power in the Senate,

這將使其在參議院的權力增加五倍，

but not necessarily help it gain independence

但不一定有助於它獲得獨立，

because there's no legal process for a state to exit the Union.

因為沒有合法的程序可以讓一個州退出聯邦。

Though the Constitution is mute on the issue, 用詞

雖然憲法在這個問題上保持沉默，

secession has come before the Supreme Court 用詞

但脫離聯邦的案件曾經上訴到最高法院，

and shockingly, the Supreme Court of the United States

令人震驚的是，美國最高法院

decided that states can't leave the United States.

裁定各州不能離開美國。

But the legal question is weirdly sort of moot. 用詞

但這個法律問題奇怪地顯得有些沒有實際意義。

After all, the first Texas Republic didn't pop into existence out of nowhere. 講解

畢竟，第一個德克薩斯共和國不是憑空出現的。

Texas was originally a state of Mexico,

德克薩斯州最初是墨西哥的一個州，

which didn't allow Texas to leave,

墨西哥不允許德克薩斯州離開，

but leave Texas did anyway, 文法

但德克薩斯州還是離開了，

though under less than harmonious circumstances. 語氣意圖

儘管是在不太和諧的環境下。

While it's hard to imagine a war 表達脈絡

雖然很難想像

between the new Texas Republic and the United States,

新德克薩斯共和國與美國之間會發生戰爭，

it isn't hard to imagine who would win that fight.

但不難想像誰會贏。

Texas does have its own military, but seriously, 文法

德克薩斯確實有自己的軍隊，但說真的，

nobody beats America in the war business. 慣用語

在戰爭方面沒人能打敗美國。

So the only way Texas is leaving 文法

所以德克薩斯州離開的唯一途徑

is if it can convince the United

就是如果它能說服美國

States to change its laws to let it leave,

改變法律讓它離開，

which only has a chance of being discussed seriously 文法

只有在以下情況下這才有可能被認真討論：

if a majority of Texans want independence,

大多數德州人想要獨立，

which isn't remotely the case. 片語搭配

而這根本不符合實際情況。

So while a new Texas Republic is interesting to think about,

因此，儘管想像一個新的德克薩斯共和國很有趣，

particularly for some non-Texans,

尤其是對於一些非德州人來說，

as of now, it's a long way from becoming a reality. 講解

但就目前而言，它要成為現實還有很長的路要走。