Ron Paul: Secession is "very American"

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) is standing behind his governor, Rick Perry, saying Perry was on firm constitutional ground when he suggested the Lone Star State might secede to protest Democratic spending and tax policy. (h/t HuffPo's Sam Stein)

Paul, in a video post on his Campaign for Liberty PAC, says the secession debate "is worth a discussion:"

"[Perry] really stirred some of the liberal media, where they started screaming about: 'what is going on here, this is un-American.' I heard one individual say 'this is treasonous to even talk about it.' Well, they don't know their history very well, because when you think about it ... it is very American to talk about secession. That's how we came in being. Thirteen colonies seceded from the British and established a new country. So secession is a very much American principle. What about all the strong endorsements we have give the past decade or two to all the republics that seceded from the soviet system? We were delighted about it."

The libertarian Republican says "right now the American people are sick and tired of it all."

Gallup disagrees — reporting that Obama has averaged a 63 percent approval rating in the first quarter.

Paul netted only 5 percent of the vote in the 2008 Texas GOP presidential primary. His tallies in other states ranged from zero to 25 percent, and he did best in small-population western states with strong libertarian movements.

Glenn Thrush is senior staff writer at Politico Magazine.