Should the US divorce?

originally posted by: Nyiah

originally posted by: Aazadan

originally posted by: Nyiah
Failing multiple secessions, IMO, the best route to go would be 50 territories akin to Guam, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, but with substantially more autonomy, significantly less federal meddling, and equal representation for all things fed in DC.

But that would make too much sense, so of course it'll never happen.

Why should there be equal representation? Mississippi is not equal to California.

If memory serves, Puerto Rico has more population than about 20 US states, but zero useful representation in Washington.

It may not be equal in terms of statehood, but exactly how is neutering them as far as federal representation goes anywhere close to fair?

I'm in favor of giving Puerto Rico statehood. So is their population, it passed the ballot. So is one major political party, the other doesn't believe they should be made a state.

originally posted by: szino9
a reply to: JAGStorm

I think the strength of the US in every way, be economic, military, etc lies in unity as the US is a huge country land-wise with a population of 327 million . If you split it up it would be the US like its the EU and the separated states like the member states of the EU.

And look at the EU right now, nothing but unity. Just my two cents...

If the US is so strong, why are they all so fearful?

originally posted by: watchitburn
a reply to: JAGStorm

If that were to happen, we would see wars on American soil within a generation.

I don't think anyone wants to see that.

We may have disagreements on how we govern the country, but we're all still Americans.

Even the South Americans?

It's in the name.

originally posted by: a325nt
We've got states and states rights for a reason.
The U.S. should not divide, but with high population centers growing something does need to be done.

California is a great example. Southern California has so many people jam packed so close together that they're passing insane laws that make no sense for anybody, and enforcing them far and wide.

I guess what we really need is a good plague, or an extended break from electricity. A few months would solve the population problem in cities...

Zombies. Then they get to do all the gun play, too.

Yeah. Go ahead. Split us up so I can charge you damn yankees $150 per pound for Texas backyard pecans, and that's p'KHAN to the rest o' yas.

Yeah, they tried that once and more than 750,000 people died of various things.

Hmm Ca its own country ...war on terror... drone strikes...I like it!

originally posted by: 4003fireglo
Yeah. Go ahead. Split us up so I can charge you damn yankees $150 per pound for Texas backyard pecans, and that's p'KHAN to the rest o' yas.

Backyard what? Is that like a regional chest thump over a regular pecan, or something else entirely?

BTW, I hate pecans. And almonds. And -- eh, it's just easier to say the only nut I like is walnuts

originally posted by: Aazadan
a reply to: JAGStorm

Most of the cultural divides in the US aren't along state lines, they're along rural vs city lines. There's not really a way to split that.

Could just annex every city- cut them off. Close the roads. Wouldn't take two weeks without food delivery before they fell to chaos- ever seen the movie "the road"?

originally posted by: a325nt

originally posted by: Aazadan
a reply to: JAGStorm

Most of the cultural divides in the US aren't along state lines, they're along rural vs city lines. There's not really a way to split that.

Could just annex every city- cut them off. Close the roads. Wouldn't take two weeks without food delivery before they fell to chaos- ever seen the movie "the road"?

< sigh >

Annexation and blockading do not mean the same thing....

originally posted by: Nyiah

originally posted by: 4003fireglo
Yeah. Go ahead. Split us up so I can charge you damn yankees $150 per pound for Texas backyard pecans, and that's p'KHAN to the rest o' yas.

Backyard what? Is that like a regional chest thump over a regular pecan, or something else entirely?

BTW, I hate pecans. And almonds. And -- eh, it's just easier to say the only nut I like is walnuts

Definitely a chest thump. Everybody in the hood comes to pick em out the yard. Fun times, even for pecan haters - mainly because of the bacon wrapped mesquite grilled bacon stuffed jalapenos.

a reply to: 4003fireglo

I thought you were talking about cattle. Back yard pecans, Texas, beef?

originally posted by: a325nt
Could just annex every city- cut them off. Close the roads. Wouldn't take two weeks without food delivery before they fell to chaos- ever seen the movie "the road"?

Annexation is when you invade and take territory as your own. What you are referring to is a blockade.

Not that you would have any luck with that either, since the cities control the air and sea ports. They would have access to supplies. What would you have in your sparsely populated town? You would be cut off from infrastructure, you don't have substantial military hardware, you have no factories, you would have no utilities.

Sure, it's a lot of ground to cover, but your land doesn't have anything that can produce anything other than food, and food is not essential.

Don't get me wrong, this would be a no win situation for either side. But one side would live and lose. Your side would die and lose.

a reply to: Aazadan

The problem with testing standards: they teach to the middle at best, and the lowest typically. They have caused an educational environment where learning is boiled down to rote memorization. You are taught what to think, not how to think.

Its been a downward spiral, and no one is putting a stop to it. We just double down and do more of it.

Regulating markets is a federal duty. I see nothing wrong with having standards and enforcement of water/ground/air quality. The mercury dumped in the Colorado River in Colorado ends up in West Texas....so we hav ea stake (rhetorical mercury...as an example i made up).

originally posted by: JAGStorm
I know this has been thrown out there for years.
Is it time for the country to break up?

Let's face it California and Texas are practically their own little countries already.
Should our country be split into two, or even more different countries based on political or religious, or moral values?

Is it fair that some states are irresponsible and everyone has to pay that debt?
If one part of the country collectively believes in open borders/abortion/gun control etc etc. should they have to follow laws that don't represent them? Maybe some countries want universal healthcare, maybe some don't.
How do you think it could be split off?
Here is how I would see it.

I could see clusters of like minded places California, Oregon, Washington State as a country, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota as a state. Texas, Alabama, Louisiana. etc.. These places wouldn't necessary have to be near each other either.

I wonder if as different countries everyone could prosper more. I know some say, oh the left will destruct, or the right will be ultra religious. I wonder for a minute if we could actually be better as completely different countries.

"These places wouldn't necessary have to be near each other either."
What would you suggest, teleport the states apart? Or dig a giant ditch?

a reply to: Aazadan

There are 50 states. And the representation of each state on an equal footing is mostly centralized in the senate. In the house and in the electoral college its more about population.

In the Senate, each state is an equal.

a reply to: JAGStorm

No,
But the states should have more power to govern themselves without the federal gov't controlling what the people in the states do.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: Aazadan

The problem with testing standards: they teach to the middle at best, and the lowest typically. They have caused an educational environment where learning is boiled down to rote memorization. You are taught what to think, not how to think.

Its been a downward spiral, and no one is putting a stop to it. We just double down and do more of it.

Regulating markets is a federal duty. I see nothing wrong with having standards and enforcement of water/ground/air quality. The mercury dumped in the Colorado River in Colorado ends up in West Texas....so we hav ea stake (rhetorical mercury...as an example i made up).

How else do you measure learning if not by testing for it? Without tests, there is no feedback as to the effectiveness of the curriculum. We're certainly doing too much standardized testing these days (especially in Texas which is the headquarters for the testing companies), but tests are necessary.

Also, let me bring up this point. You mention Texas having a stake in the environment, so it makes sense for the feds to regulate it because the environment crosses state borders. Education does the same thing. If you want to bring certain talent to Texas, you have an interest in not just teaching the material in your state, but in other states teaching it, so that you have a proper pool of candidates to choose from.

To make that hit a bit closer to home, something you've said on a few occasions in the past when we've talked is that you have a lot of trouble finding people who know Excel well enough that you can hire them. Since you don't have that talent locally (and realistically, very few places have the population density that they can train all types of talent locally), you have a stake in the other education institutions in your state, or more broadly the country, teaching Excel so that you can find someone that would be a good fit for your company.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: Aazadan

There are 50 states. And the representation of each state on an equal footing is mostly centralized in the senate. In the house and in the electoral college its more about population.

In the Senate, each state is an equal.

The post I was referring to was presenting a hypothetical of dissolving the US, and having a very loose and weak federal government for certain issues. In that scenario there is no longer a House or a Senate.

Which I'll point out, is part of Russia's and China's long term geopolitical strategy to topple the US, and they direct a lot of such propaganda at us trying to make the idea popular.

a reply to: Aazadan

LOL, i've moved to central texas (the "Centroplex"). I still can't find people who can do basic excel functions. I've just had to learn to make workbooks that are idiot proof so that they work for anyone who can press a button and follow simple instructions.