I'd live in any of those states if they left the union, and were headed by real conservatives, instead of intolerant blowhards.
Texas and other southern states have a LOT they can teach California, NY, etc. This also doesn't mean that those states don't have a lot they could teach us, either.
Personally, I think one of the things that made this country great is it's political diversity. The Californias keeps the Texases from going way too far to the right, and the Texases keeps Californias from turning into the soviet union.
The fact that we need to convince everyone that something is a good idea keeps this country a better place.
At least it has until the last 10 years, when nobody wants to listen to anyone anymore.