Texas Nationalist Movement President Daniel Miller delivered a powerful message about state sovereignty and self-government to 177 high school seniors at the Republican Women of Yoakum Area’s Constitution Essay Contest and Scholarship Banquet on November 13.

Speaking to students from Lavaca, DeWitt, and Gonzales counties, Miller focused on the 10th Amendment’s critical role in protecting state sovereignty. “Twenty-eight words. That’s it,” Miller explained. “But these words were meant to be the keystone of our entire system of government – the guarantee that would protect the right of Texans to govern Texas.”

Miller emphasized Texas’s unique position within the federal system, noting that Texas entered the Union as an independent nation in 1845. “When we joined, it wasn’t because we had to – it was because we chose to, and we did so with clear understanding of what that choice meant,” he told the audience of students, parents, faculty members, and local officials.

Drawing on historical figures, Miller quoted James Madison’s warning that “There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”

The TNM president highlighted the practical impact of federal overreach on Texas, particularly in fiscal terms. “The Federal Government takes approximately $265 billion per year in taxes from Texans. But do you know how much of that money comes back to Texas? Only about $162 billion,” Miller stated. “That’s a $103 billion annual deficit. To put that in perspective, the damage from Hurricane Harvey was estimated at $75 billion. This means the Federal Government takes from Texas the equivalent of a Hurricane Harvey-sized chunk of money every nine months.”

Miller particularly focused on how federal policies will impact the students’ generation. “Your generation will be the first to fully feel the weight of this unsustainable system,” he warned. “The federal debt has now exceeded $34 trillion. That’s over $100,000 for every man, woman, and child in Texas. You didn’t create this debt, but they expect you to pay for it.”

The speech resonated with the essay contest participants, who had spent weeks studying and writing about the 10th Amendment. “You’re already ahead of the curve,” Miller told them. “By studying and writing about our Constitution, you’ve shown that you understand something crucial – that our system of government only works when citizens understand and defend their rights.”

Miller concluded his remarks with a challenge to the students: “Your generation will write the next chapter in Texas’s story. Make it one worthy of our history and our principles.”

The annual Constitution Essay Contest, sponsored by the Republican Women of Yoakum Area, continues to promote constitutional literacy among Texas youth. This year’s focus on the 10th Amendment provided students an opportunity to examine the relationship between state and federal authority.

You can read the full transcript at this link: https://news.tnm.me/media/speeches/speech-to-yoakum-area-republican-women-constitution-contest-winners/