Venice wants out of Italy

[FarCenter]

VENICE, Italy — Venice, renowned for incomparable Gothic architecture and placid canals plied by gondolas that make it one of the most recognizable cities in the world, may have had enough of Italy.

A movement for the Italian region that includes Venice to declare itself an independent state, as it was centuries ago, is gaining momentum here amid chaotic national economic policies from Rome and local pride in the region's 1,000-year history of achievement in the arts and merchant class.

"It bothers a lot of people to work hard and see the money just disappear, but I think that just feeds the region's independent spirit," said Angelo Alberti, 34, a coffee bar worker who said he supports the movement.

The region of Veneto, one of Italy's richest and the country's fifth-largest with a population of around 5 million, is preparing a formal referendum about whether to secede from Italy.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/04/19/venice-italy-seccession/7563295/

[monmouth3]

1. They better do it quickly. Venice looks like it's sinking faster than the Titanic. Who would pay

for the restructuring?

[FarCenter]

2. The Veneto region seeking independence is much larger than the city of Venice

And they send more money to Rome than they get back, so they would be better off economically as an independent country.