Chaos, Confusion and Civil War

The doctrine that a State, or aggregate of States, could withdraw from the Union has been advanced before, and in fact, there was one abortive attempt in 1861, which was crushed by force of arms. The Confederated States of America had a perfectly legal basis for their actions, but the more centralized Union has greater access to industrial might and much more cash on hand to prosecute the war to re-create the previously existing political arrangement, while imposing its will on the defeated former Confederacy. What was generally known as “the South” was condemned to second-class citizenry and a very long-term depressed economy, until they became important to routing the dominant power of the Northern industrial and financial complex. The effect was greatly accelerated by the push to decentralize, and all this cheap real estate was just lying there, backed up by a work force willing to work for a more equitable wage than had been negotiated by union tactics in the old Rust Belt.

Therefore, new industry crowded into what had been an economic wasteland, and the country bloomed. The “new South” became a beacon for ALL America, and the American Dream simply shifted to focus on that part of America.

The point here is, is the possibility of a successful secession still there? Economically, it appears to be much more viable than it was in 1861, and politically, such a secession would be on much stronger moral grounds, still in defense of states rights, but not based on the principle of preserving specific institutions.

And the right to secede has not been prohibited by any interpretation of the Constitution.

I think the author has grossly overestimated the outcome of a breakup of the United States. Russia has the will to project power that far but not the means, and what they do have is dwindling. Georgia, yes, the Ukraine, maybe and maybe not, eastern Washington and Oregon, not a chance. China has perhaps a fraction of the means but not the will, excepting such close-to-home areas as Taiwan, Tibet, and North Korea. They're going to be hard pressed to avoid an economic collapse if we decide to split up. And Mexico taking over anything at the moment is a little hard to figure. They can't control Mexico.

Were the United States to break up along the fissures described we'd likely go from being the most powerful country in the world to the four most powerful countries. Our biggest challenge would be to keep from shooting one another.

And it might be in vain. If New York and Boston wind up in different countries there'd be an exchange of nuclear weapons every time the American League playoffs came around.

The point here is, is the possibility of a successful secession still there?

The South shall rise again!!!!!!!!!!!! This time, we have more guns and willpower than they do!

They will die from the lack of $$$$$$$$$$$$ from the southern states since the majority of the NE is on welfare anyway!

New 28th amendment to the constitution: NO WORKEE, NO EATEE!!!!

"There are rumors, too, that although six cruise missiles left Minot AFB slung under the wings of a B-52, only five warheads were discovered at Barksdale. Don't know whether that was ever convincingly debunked."

Actually, that kind of thing happens more often than you would think... Several years ago, I was interviewed by several investigators that were trying to find two (2!) M1A1 Abrams that came up missing in Middle Tennessee while they were being transported. They were interviewing anyone that was recently connected to the Army in the area (as if everyone knew how to drive a track vehicle. I was 18 Alpha for goodness sake - I traveled light!) The seriousness of their attitude and related questioning led me to believe that there was going to be a serious bloodletting because of the situation.

I don't know if they were being transported by rail, but my proximity to a rail line (at the time) lead me to believe that the tanks must have been on a flatcar and didn't make it to their destination. I was asked how often I went down to the tracks and how well I knew them. I told them that unless the tracks had been changed, I knew them like the back of my hand, since I had grown up at that location and went fishing under the trestle on a regular basis as a kid. I then explained that once I got a car and started dating, the closest I had gotten to the tracks was to cross them down near the end of our rural road when I was taking a girl to go "look at the stars without all of the distracting lights found in the city."

Missing nukes? Stranger things have happened...

Regards,
Raven6

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