Should California Leave the Union?

[umtalal]

The Commentary:

http://www.latimes.com/news/columnists/la-oe-morrison29...
PATT MORRISON
And Arnold Could Be Its President ...
Patt Morrison

September 29, 2004

California, here we go. Again.

For 25 glorious days in the summer of 1846, the Bear Flag flew over an independent nation, the California Republic. The time has come once more to "dissolve the political bands" that bind, specifically the ones that tether us to the United States like a milk cow to a Conestoga wagon. The time has come to make California a republic again.

Enough people to populate a Gold Rush town have told me that if Nov. 2 results in another four years of tyranny Texas-style, they'll be scouting for somewhere else to live. Fourscore and some years ago, the Hemingway/Fitzgerald crowd fled these shores to be able to drink legally. Now people are convinced they'll have to flee these shores to be able to think legally. Ladies, gentlemen — stop packing. The California Republic is the answer, the way to live abroad with all the comforts of home.

We've given this statehood business a good shot — 154 years. But it just isn't working out. Only this week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill of surrender, restoring the state's primary election to June. We Californians had moved it to March in a desperate attempt to become as big a player in presidential primaries as, oh, South Carolina. Didn't work. Let's cut our losses and cut ourselves loose.

How hard could nationhood be? California has always cut the cloth on its own pattern, which drives the Beltway boys nuts.

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The Editorials:

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/letters/la-le-calif...

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
An Independent Nation of California

October 4, 2004

Re "And Arnold Could Be Its President … ," Commentary, Sept. 29: I really like Patt Morrison's idea that California secede from the U.S. However, aside from some practical matters — the intimidating task of writing and adopting a new constitution, new treaties to sign with Mexico, all those unemployed federal workers in West L.A. — independence from the U.S. would bring one really big problem: Once we're a sovereign nation, with our own nuclear program, a "strongman" at the helm and a populace that speaks a foreign language (Spanish), wouldn't we become part of the "axis of evil"? Would the Cheney/Bush (Jeb or Laura by then) administration hesitate to invade and forcibly bring freedom to this rogue state?

Bruce Rhodewalt

La Quinta

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[umtalal]

1. Maybe this one should be deleted!! It is a repeat.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

2. Only if New England can come along