White House: Florida, Other States Can't Secede From U.S.

It looks like the United States will be stuck with Florida whether folks in the Sunshine State like it or not.

A petition before the White House to allow Florida to peacefully secede from the United States was denied Friday by the White House. 

More than 37,000 people signed the petition, and similar petitions in eight other states, including Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Texas. Also denied was a petition to deport everyone who signed a similar petition. 

Secession was put out of the realm of state rights after the Civil War, partially through the 14th Amendment, and a Supreme Court interpretation confirmed as much in 2010, according to Politico.com. Those arguments are spelled out by the White House.

The legal argument was that the state would have to sue the U.S., and the U.S. government would have to be consented to be sued for a declaratory judgment, and in that case, the federal government would probably decline.

In the White House's response to all 10 petitions, titled "Our States Remain United," spokesman Jon Carson wrote:

Thank you for using the White House's online petitions platform to participate in your government.

In a nation of 300 million people -- each with their own set of deeply-held beliefs -- democracy can be noisy and controversial. And that's a good thing. Free and open debate is what makes this country work, and many people around the world risk their lives every day for the liberties we often take for granted.

But as much as we value a healthy debate, we don't let that debate tear us apart.

Our founding fathers established the Constitution of the United States "in order to form a more perfect union" through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self-government. They enshrined in that document the right to change our national government through the power of the ballot -- a right that generations of Americans have fought to secure for all. But they did not provide a right to walk away from it. As President Abraham Lincoln explained in his first inaugural address in 1861, "in contemplation of universal law and of the Constitution the Union of these States is perpetual." In the years that followed, more than 600,000 Americans died in a long and bloody civil war that vindicated the principle that the Constitution establishes a permanent union between the States. And shortly after the Civil War ended, the Supreme Court confirmed that "[t]he Constitution, in all its provisions, looks to an indestructible Union composed of indestructible States."

Although the founders established a perpetual union, they also provided for a government that is, as President Lincoln would later describe it, "of the people, by the people, and for the people" -- all of the people. Participation in, and engagement with, government is the cornerstone of our democracy. And because every American who wants to participate deserves a government that is accessible and responsive, the Obama Administration has created a host of new tools and channels to connect concerned citizens with White House. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects of the We the People platform is a chance to engage directly with our most outspoken critics.

So let's be clear: No one disputes that our country faces big challenges, and the recent election followed a vigorous debate about how they should be addressed. As President Obama said the night he won re-election, "We may have battled fiercely, but it's only because we love this country deeply and we care so strongly about its future."

Whether it's figuring out how to strengthen our economy, reduce our deficit in a responsible way, or protect our country, we will need to work together -- and hear from one another -- in order to find the best way to move forward. I hope you'll take a few minutes to learn more about the President's ideasand share more of your own.

Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Florida Secession Petition Coverage

• Florida Secession Movement: Your Thoughts?