[Jack Black]

Well Jack Black, you’re certainly a gloomy guy that’s for sure. Got any ideas? Or, are you just gonna resign yourself to stew in your pot of misery?

Sorry, my post does read that way. I guess I am a bit resigned about the prospects for real change in a good direction at this point.

One would have thought if people were going to rise up it would have happened already.

[snoringbear]

No worries Jack Black. I know how you feel. The situation does appear hopeless at times. The reason that I used Texas as an example, other than I'm a native born Texan and live in Texas, is that Texas has an economy that can sustain itself if necessary. In fact, Texas sends more to the Feds than it receives, it's a net payer. The primary tool of the Feds should a state balk at some regulation is the threat to cut off the purse. Texas has the ability to sustain itself should this happen. I doubt that we will see any more Branch Dividian or Ruby Ridge massacres unless things get really nasty. Anyway, that why I hypothesized a evolutionary process leading to semiautonomy. A good book to read about this is The Next 100 Years by futurist George Friedman. It's been around awhile but some of his thoughts are still valid I think. Appears he may have blown it on Brazil though. Anyway, all is not lost - I hope 🙄