[stand watie]

may, for the sake of brevity, i offer a simplistic answer to a complex question??

the rest of the country should let ANY state/states "go in peace", whenever that state/group of states FREELY CHOOSES to leave the union.

fwiw, you & i may just live to see Los Estados Unidos de Azatlan leave the union by free vote & become a Spanish-speaking, predominently Roman Catholic, independent country. (my guess is, about 20 years from now, the states of AZ,CA CO,OR NM,NV & WA will "vote with their feet".)

assuming that that occurs, and YOU are POTUS, how many MILLION innocents will YOU, Mr. President, CHOOSE TO KILL rather than lose SEVEN of the fifty states of the USA??? (inquiring minds want to know.)

free dixie,sw

[donmeaker]

If a state was to decide to leave, who would determine the terms? The state, or the fed? Or would we fight over the terms? Is there any federal supremacy in your mind?

[Heyworth]

assuming that that occurs, and YOU are POTUS, how many MILLION innocents will YOU, Mr. President, CHOOSE TO KILL rather than lose SEVEN of the fifty states of the USA??? (inquiring minds want to know.)

Let's put it another way: How devastating would it be to the strategic interests of the United States to lose access to the Pacific? Would you be doing your job as president if you allowed that to happen?