Should Califronia Secede from the Union?

[umtalal]

The Commentary:

http://www.latimes.com/news/columnists/la-oe-morrison29...
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.
<more>
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
<more>

[umtalal]

1. delete: a repeat.

[Cleita]

2. I do not want Arnold for my governor let alone my President

whether as a new nation or in the old one.

[Gildor Inglorion]

3. Yes, secede! I'd leave Mississippi in a heartbeat...

to help build the new California Republic!
:D

[Cleita]

4. Bring water.

We are in short supply.

[mike_c]

7. not up here in NorCal....

I advocate succession for northern California and southern Oregon, the old state of Jefferson. I'm not sure I like being in the same country with LA, Riverside, and so on. Don't even get me started on the central valley.... :hippie:

[Cleita]

12. Oh darn this argument again.

The fact is California can't really survive very well without annexing our neighbors to the east and north. If we are to split as a nation we need to take all that is west of the Continental Divide. Geologically, this is what works for us. Economically, we have the money, but instead of it being funneled into Washington and their endless wars, we can use it to develop our western economy better. Also we will have some clout. Remember some of the best military installations are in the west if the Bushies want to saber rattle. Then there will be room for negotiations with the East. They won't be so "bring it on".

I have thought for a long time that we need a balance of power in this nation and maybe the way to bring it about is to split it into two nations.

[mike_c]

18. agreed, actually-- I was only dissing our SoCal brethern....

And sisters, of course.

U.S. out of Humboldt County! :smoke:

[Cleita]

20. Love Humboldt County and I have to agree people wise

with what you say.

[Raenelle]

14. Id take him as President if we could get out.

My fondest fantasy.

[Cleita]

15. Arnold is your fondest fantasy?

No you can't want him as President anymore than Dumbya! Are you mad?

[MajorFlaw]

5. According to seismologists, California is going to secede without

any help from us.

[Placebo]

6. No, but TEXAS should...

good riddance to bad rubbish, i say.

[Bucky]

8. Sorry. Texas is here to stay. But ILLINOIS, that's a state no one'll miss

Of course I don't really want Illinois, the land of Lincoln and Obama, out of the Union. But that doesn't mean it's not the home of the occasional jerk-off.

[Placebo]

9. Illinois is fabulous...

texas has only produced 2 evil presidents and a hell of a lot of hate, no one wants them.

I SAY, we give texas back to mexico and turn the Alamo into a TEXACO station, i tell ya what. :)

[MyUncle]

10. Give Hawaii back to the Hawaiians! eom.

[Elginoid]

22. what's the big deal about the alamo anyway?

A bunch of idiots fighting to the death against impossible odds in an effort to preserve the right to own slaves.(they usually leave that last part out, but that was what the fight was about)



Texas,...


...You're Fired!

[smirkymonkey]

23. Here, Here!

And while were at it, let's give them a few of the southern states as well.

[Placebo]

24. I like how you think Mr Monkey!

[Tweed]

27. Fuck Texas to the upteenth degree, Illinois rules!

Chicago is the best city in the world. Houston is a piece of shit city designed for the car. The only thing Texas has going for it is Austin and Chicago is ten times better then Austin. Texas would not be missed at all.

[Bucky]

28. Very cute. Pathetic, but cute.

[Tweed]

33. Just like Texas

[EnfantTerrible]

39. I grew up in Chicago

but NOTHING beats New York CIty... and I love Chicago... or at least the Chicago I remember... last time I was there it was looking a little too much like Seattle.

[Maestro]

16. Sorry Nation

I love my state, Texas. Bush is NOT from here, I repeat, not from here. He is a carpetbagger. We are the home of Molly Ivins, Jim Hightower, Ann Richards, Barbara Jordan, Martin Frost, Jim Wright, Don Henly, all of these guys, http://www.txdemocrats.org/officials/txhouse/ and these guys, http://www.txdemocrats.org/officials/txsenate/ plus yours truly. We don't want Bush either. It's bad enough that his father spends a few days here a year and calls Houston home.

[stranger_with_candy]

32. I agree

they can have most southern states as well.

[leftofthedial]

11. everyone with a triple-digit IQ should secede

from the neocon-fundie-anti-choice-gun-nut mob.

[Philostopher]

19. Agreed!

The sixty or so of us left in Ohio will be right over -- can we crash at your place, leftofthedial?

[leftofthedial]

29. you got it

just don't expect me to feed you.

:-)

[WhereIsMyFreedom]

30. Dammit, this is our country

How about we put all the non-triple-digiters on a boat. There's got to be a good deserted island somewhere they can found their own nation.

[leftofthedial]

45. How about Antarctica?

Or maybe Grenada. They love Grenada.

[unkachuck]

13. I don't live California....

.....but I think the idea of secession for States that desire it should be explored and some non-violent accomodation reach with the federal government, maybe a constitutional amendment stating a secession procedure.....

.....like many, I too am tired of dealing and fighting with people who will never see eye-to-eye with us while they try to destory all that's important and of value to us.....what's the point?

[DarkPhenyx]

17. Yes

Next?

[FuzzyHamster]

21. other territories we might need

Maybe we can convince the Las Vegas and the area around the Colorado River to come along. We definately need the water. Maybe Hawaii might want to come along with us too.

[TriMetFan]

25. Why not get the whole West Coast?

California, Oregon and Washington. And if you don't want to do this don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out. But what would we name it? New Freedom Coast?

[T Town Jake]

26. This was tried once...

...it didn't work out very well.

[autorank]

31. No, we shoud accept the Yucatan's plea to join the union.

Nice people, great beaches, stunning ruins, Mayan culture. They tried around the Civil War and we were "too busy." Tell 'em we misplaced the message.

[951]

34. NO NO NO and NO!

Do we have to break up the whole damn country because some republican twit cheneys it up

[Solar]

35. well if California goes

then Texas is going to go too, and without the rest of the states holding them back, Texas will declare war on California. Arizona and New Mexico will be overrun with redneck freepers trying to 'take over' California.

[VotefurKerry]

36. Why not?

I'd move there.

We could overthrow Arnold and install Dianne Feinstein.

[Solar]

37. well I suppose

We could move most of Austin and plop it down next to San Francisco in the Bay.

[Jack_Dawson]

38. YES YES YES YES YES

I'm so tired of Iowa and New Hampshire deciding my candidates. Nobody takes us seriously...we're automatically in the "blue" column while Ohio and Missouri get to see presidential hopefuls up close and personal. Think that would ever happen here? It would also be nice to live in a country where my vote actually counted. Plus...I don't want to be from the same country Dubya is from.

[Squeegee]

40. As the 8th largest economy in the world

I think California could do pretty well on its own.

[Brundle_Fly]

41. COME TO CANADA

we need the nice weather, and we'll clean up your skies!

[maveric]

42. If it did bu$hco would bomb it back to the stoneage.

Do you really think that these neocon nazis would allow that to happen?
I dont think so.

[sweetheart]

43. They wouldn't need to, they'd just pull the military contracts

The illusion that california is a separate viable economy is hogwash.
Sandiego and Los Angeles are floating on the military budget, and
if california seceeded, there would be such high unemployment when
the military pulled out of its aggreements, that there would be civil
strife.

Colorado and Arizona/nevada could hold california ransom for water
supplies, and even northern california has its share of military to
the point where, without them, the whole silicon valley/lawrence
livermore funding would be pulled as well.

Plus, california is part of the problem. Los angeles, is a clear
distopia of the american future, where gasoline and freeways are
so embedded in life, that oil-wars are necessary to keep the economy
from collapsing. Civic planning around the automobile as the
basic unit of life, is a failure... and california is gonna go
through some serious long term structural changes to remedy this
oversight.

Bottom line, california is in this mess up to its eyeballs, and
can only feign being distant from washington in imagination. In
truth, the republican revolution centers in california, not with
the austrian actor, but with the militarism, the tax cutting to
destory government legitimacy, and the central planning economy that
creates jobs by allocating the mitliary budget slush fund creating
millions of jobs from the stroke of the pentagon budget's pen.

[Gore1FL]

44. It would likely be as successful as Quebec had with Canada...

and let's not forget South Carolina.

The point is moot. It is illegal to seceed.