“My belief is that the process for leaving should be the same as the process for joining....”
YOUR BELIEF!!! It’s your belief that states can only secede by complying with the four elements YOU have established. Your belief is one thing, the law (and its application) is another thing entirely. The simple fact and truth is that in 1860-61 secession was not precluded under the Constitution. Over the preceding years rational men had argued both for and against the concept, but their arguments were exercies in theory and opinion, and not holdings of law. For every scholar or pundit who argued for the right of secession onbe could trot out one who opposed it. That made for lively debate, but not application of law.
Hardly. Step one is common sense; you should have a majority of your people supporting your leaving shouldn't you? Steps two and three come from James Madison. Step four about waving bye-bye was license on my part.
The simple fact and truth is that in 1860-61 secession was not precluded under the Constitution.
It turns out unilateral secession was, as the court ruled in 1869. And BTW, Chief Justice Chase also endorsed steps two and three in his decision.
That made for lively debate, but not application of law.
Which is why it took the 1869 court decision to set it to rest.