from memory:

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

some important words in there.. like **union** **common defense** **general welfare**....

The whole POINT was that it was much harder for small, individual colonies to do that stuff by themselves.....kinda like a family. But in order to have the benefits of the larger entity, they have to observe the rules made ...just as members of a family can have their own rooms, clostes...etc... and decide on how to paint the walls, but NOT on whether to raise pigs in the kitchen or throw rocks at the neighbors.

So....having stretched the metaphor, I suggest that states...especially states like Texas who think they have some special right to ignore the things that bring "domestic tranquility" ... those states need to ask themselves VERY carefully what they expect to get from bullying other states to "do it OUR way, or we'll take our marbles and go home"

Sorry Ichy...but using the words 'constitutional republic' doesn't convey to ME any notion that uniformity regarding "the general welfare" can be ignored at will.