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Secession, it's not just for southern states anymore
Drive for California secession gets bump from Trump election
Yes, it is a tiny, miniscule, Lilliputian, really really, small movement that has no chance of ever happening.
But, I have taken a vow recently to never again laugh off a political movement. No matter how ridiculous.
Besides, it is kinda interesting.
California has a case.
1. They are largely forgotten in national elections. Trump Certainly didn't "waste" time going there much. Clinton visited often, but only to fund raise with Hollywood stars and software billionaires.
They didn't get much love. And, being defiantly blue, California and it's coastal neighbors seem to have little in common, little holding them to their inland neighbors.
2. Look how they compare to another state.
Population
California 37,000,000
N Dakota 739,000
US Senators
California 2
N Dakota 2
Ya see why they might be hacked off?
Yes, I am well aware of how and why the Founding fathers decided to do this. I'm up to speed on Gov101, thank you.
Just pointing out that a Californian might conclude that we have gone way overboard on limiting the power of the larger states, and say "geezoman!"
I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.
3. Economy
$2.44 TRILLION US
If California were an independent nation they would be the world's six largest economy.
N Dakota, who I'm picking on for no particular reason has a GDP of 27 Billion. About 1% of California.
So, They might argue that we would rather have local control of our own affairs and are of the size and wealth to manage nicely.
Thoughts?
Last edited by Goose (11/13/2016 8:39 am)
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Northern California has made some overtures about separating from SoCal and forming its own state.
There have been a number of state secession/division movements emerging in the past couple of years. I've read about Western Maryland (Carroll County and westard); Eastern Colorado; and Eastern Oregon. With MD and OR it is the more conservative region wishing to be parted from the more liberal cities; in CO it is just the opposite.
The map, much less the Electoral map, could become very different from its present alignment if some of these were to come to fruition.
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Things do indeed change over the years.
The United States has always been a rag tag affair, with people of different backgrounds, but a shared vision..
What if the day comes when we are also a people who have different visions?
We aren't alone in this, of course. GB has it's Scottish independence movement. Spain has a Catalan independence movement. There are hundreds more around the globe.
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Population
California 37,000,000
N Dakota 739,000
US Senators
California 2
N Dakota 2
Ya see why they might be hacked off?
I absolutely do.
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Guess it depends on whether we want to be the "united" states or not.
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Guess it depends on whether we want to be the "united" states or not.
I understand Tennyson, but it might have more to do with fair representation.
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Just Fred wrote:
Guess it depends on whether we want to be the "united" states or not.
I understand Tennyson, but it might have more to do with fair representation.
Exactly.
It's great to be United. Do they have to endure a royal screwing to get there?
We cherish democracy more than we practice it.
(And, yes, I realize that we are a Republic, not a pure democracy. But we are supposed to be a democratic republic)
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When the Constitution was debated the smaller states feared Tyranny of the Majority from the larger states.
At the time, Virginia was THE Big State. It had a population of about 692,000.
Tiny Delaware, by contrast had a population of 59,000.
So, Virginia was about 12 times as large as Delaware.
This year California has a population of about 37 million. North Dakota has about 739 thousand.
So, California is 50 times larger. Things change.
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Anyone who advocates for Balkanizing the greatest country on the planet, whether they are from Texas or California, is a dope and can't look past their nose to see how much stronger we are united.
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TheLagerLad wrote:
Anyone who advocates for Balkanizing the greatest country on the planet, whether they are from Texas or California, is a dope and can't look past their nose to see how much stronger we are united.
Couldn't agree more.