Somebody in Washington is not happy

[Bitware]

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/peacefully-grant-state-washington-peacefully-withdraw-united-states-and-form-its-own-government/9XZNnRSB

[Lethn]

Rome will fall.


I seriously hope they manage this, I need to double check things but I'm pretty sure it's entirely within the power of states to do this.

[SgtSpike]

More specifically, Sean R in Washington is not happy.

Honestly, I think it'd be best if the US split into two - those with liberal values can have one half, those with conservative values can have the other.  Strictly speaking economical values here.  But it'd be an awesome experiment at any rate.

[jwzguy]

I hope these people are using Tor.

[FreeMoney]

More specifically, Sean R in Washington is not happy.

Honestly, I think it'd be best if the US split into two - those with liberal values can have one half, those with conservative values can have the other.  Strictly speaking economical values here.  But it'd be an awesome experiment at any rate.

Geography by false dichotomy, would be... interesting.

[SaintDevil]

I signed it. 
It would be interesting to see one small part of the US as a separate country.

[SgtSpike]

More specifically, Sean R in Washington is not happy.

Honestly, I think it'd be best if the US split into two - those with liberal values can have one half, those with conservative values can have the other.  Strictly speaking economical values here.  But it'd be an awesome experiment at any rate.

Geography by false dichotomy, would be... interesting.

What do you mean "false dichotomy"?  Just that it's not really a sharp line between the two?

[benjamindees]

Honestly, I think it'd be best if the US split into two - those with liberal values can have one half, those with conservative values can have the other.

And the problem with that idea is that you can't give either group the eastern half, because the north and the south are too different.  And you can't split it latitudinally, for economic reasons.

[SgtSpike]

Honestly, I think it'd be best if the US split into two - those with liberal values can have one half, those with conservative values can have the other.

And the problem with that idea is that you can't give either group the eastern half, because the north and the south are too different.  And you can't split it latitudinally, for economic reasons.

How about diagonally? 

Na, I'd say people don't need to move unless they want to.  Just label each half, and if people REALLY disagree with the views of the half they live in, then they should move.

[myrkul]

If you're wondering where that image came from:

http://silverunderground.com/2012/07/rebel-of-the-week-secessionists/

So, If the results of the laboratory experiment aren’t painfully obvious, let’s shake the beakers. Face it, the ideological differences between liberals and conservatives are irreconcilable, and it’s unconscionable to subject one to the bad ideas of the other against their will. Public debate is getting us nowhere because both sides are buried in their own propaganda. We need to actually see the tangible results of unfettered liberalism and unfettered conservatism. So, next presidential election, let both candidates win. Let Romney run the red states and Obama run the blue states. Split the congress. And if Ron Paul wins any states, let him run them too. There’s more than enough “representatives” to go around. Let the liberals try to create their socialist welfare utopia without the republican dime and see what happens. Let the republicans build their corporatist warfare empire without the democrat dime and see where it gets them.

Oh, but I think we can do better. Let’s let all the secessionists have their states too. Let the Libertarians run an Independent Alaska. Let the Green Party run the Vermont Republic. The Lone Star State never really wanted to be part of the Union anyway. But let’s get really crazy. Give Hawaii their Kingdom back. Let the Lokota Nation have their independence. Let the Black Panthers have a piece of Louisiana for their Republic of New Afrika. Don’t forget the Conch Republic in Key West. And while we’re at it, let’s let the Voluntaryists have New Hampshire. After all, what’s an experiment without a control group?

What’s the worst that could happen? After four years, we’ll take score. See how everyone did. Then we’ll know. We can finally stop arguing hypotheticals and theory and start working with some real observable consequences.

[SgtSpike]

I love it!

The biggest downside is it leaves conservatives with precious little coastline. 

[Rudd-O]

Rome will fall.


I seriously hope they manage this, I need to double check things but I'm pretty sure it's entirely within the power of states to do this.

In name only.  Last time they tried this, a clusterfuck of mass rape and murder ensued.

[DannyHamilton]

Rome will fall.


I seriously hope they manage this, I need to double check things but I'm pretty sure it's entirely within the power of states to do this.

It was attempted in 1861.  It didn't turn out so well for the states that attempted to secede.

[dotcom]

This wasn't just Washington, this happened in states across the country after the election.

I believe Texas got the most signatures (like 23,000 or something like that). Also apparently if
25,000 signatures are gotten within the first month of the petition being up the president
has to make a ruling on it.

That's what I was reading in an article earlier today anyways, haven't really fact-checked it.

[Lethn]

More specifically, Sean R in Washington is not happy.

Honestly, I think it'd be best if the US split into two - those with liberal values can have one half, those with conservative values can have the other.  Strictly speaking economical values here.  But it'd be an awesome experiment at any rate.

The problem is whether you're talking about conservatism or 'neo-conservatism' as I'm sure Americans who actually look at politics will know the stupid and crazy evangelicals have hijacked much of the conservative movement.

[Bitware]

More specifically, Sean R in Washington is not happy.

Honestly, I think it'd be best if the US split into two - those with liberal values can have one half, those with conservative values can have the other.  Strictly speaking economical values here.  But it'd be an awesome experiment at any rate.

The problem is whether you're talking about conservatism or 'neo-conservatism' as I'm sure Americans who actually look at politics will know the stupid and crazy evangelicals have hijacked much of the conservative movement.

The true christian conservative evangelicals stayed home the last 2 elections.

[Bitcoin Oz]

I signed it. 
It would be interesting to see one small part of the US as a separate country.

Lakota Nation recently seceded.

[compro01]

I need to double check things but I'm pretty sure it's entirely within the power of states to do this.

See Texas v. White (1869).  States do not have the right to unilaterally secede. 

I don't believe the question of whether states can secede with the permission of the federal government has ever been asked or answered.

[DannyHamilton]

I signed it. 
It would be interesting to see one small part of the US as a separate country.

Lakota Nation recently seceded.

As far as I'm aware, the Lakota Nation is ultimately subject to supervisory oversight by the United States Congress and executive regulation through the Bureau of Indian Affairs

[Bitware]

I signed it. 
It would be interesting to see one small part of the US as a separate country.

Lakota Nation recently seceded.

As far as I'm aware, the Lakota Nation is ultimately subject to supervisory oversight by the United States Congress and executive regulation through the Bureau of Indian Affairs

http://www.ted.com/talks/aaron_huey.html