Ron Paul 'pleased' with secession movements for promoting freedom

Former Rep. Ron Paul says he was heartened by Scotland's recent secession attempt and that he believes similar efforts in the United States are great news for fans of freedom.

The threat of secession is "one of the most effective checks on the growth of government," Paul wrote Sunday on his institution's blog. "The growth of support for secession should cheer all supporters of freedom, as devolving power to smaller units of government is one of the best ways to guarantee peace, property, liberty — and even cheap whiskey!" he adds.

There are several secession movements across the United States. Activists in California, Vermont, and Texas, to name a few of the larger campaigns, have pushed to secede from their states or from the federal government entirely.

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In a subsequent interview with National Journal, Paul affirmed his support in principle for secession, adding that such movements are bound to grow "because the failure of the federal government is going to get much worse."