Posted on 11/12/2004 5:06:25 AM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Courtesy of Wednesday morning's Lucianne.com comes this pull quote from Geraldine Ferraro, the now getting long in the tooth former vice presidential candidate of the Democratic party:
"You know what? Just let me make one point. You were talking about the map before. If indeed all those blue states all got together and seceded from the union, think what would be left for those red states, nothing. There would be no educational system. You would have nothing. What would be left to you? I mean, where is all of this talent in this country? It's on both sides, the Northeast corridor."
The "map" Ms. Ferraro refers to is, of course, the original one published in USA Today, showing red states and blue states, Republican vs. Democratic voting. Modern news has moved fast enough to discredit the state by state notion that it's hard to find that map on the Web anymore. Here's a little one from John Zogby's home page. The first thing to say about secession is that it's not going to happen. We fought a war about the idea, remember? The second is, never mind a state by state division. Individual jurisdictions within states wouldn't stand for it. Look, more correctly, at the county by county map, here . That's what everybody has been writing about lately, and that's what's pertinent to the ridiculous notion of the blue states seceding.
The blue states aren't all blue, with few exceptions.
Look just at California. The Central Valley, which supplies much of the U.S. (and the world) with food, registers solid red, as do San Diego and Orange County, San Luis Obispo, and Humboldt. Would the military folk of San Diego and the farmers of the mid-state region want to join what Washington Post editor Joel Garreau, in The Nine Nations of North America, calls "Ecotopia"? Nope.
Or consider even almost-solid blue Connecticut and Rhode Island. These states are home to the Electric Boat Corporation, the premier manufacturer in the world of nuclear submarines. It employs more than 11,000 people in Groton, Connecticut, and in Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Do the good liberal burghers of Connecticut and Rhode Island want to stay in the fast-attack and boomer business? Uh-uh. What happens?
Intellectual capital the blue capitals may have, as Ms. Ferraro says, but how will they eat? How will they defend themselves? Were I the base commander a military base in California, what would I do upon a movement toward secession by my county? I think I might be on the growler to my counterparts in Kansas and Nebraska, arranging to move in.
Among various kinds of fixed assets, only harborage appears to offer blue states an advantage. The Blues would have Boston, Baltimore, and New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, and Spokane. They could probably control the St. Lawrence Seaway. The Reds would take Galveston, New Orleans, Mussel Shoals, Charleston, Newport News, and Tampa and Miami. Airports would break just about even, with the edge going to the Reds for big, capable regional hubs like Atlanta, Dallas, and Memphis.
The blue states would have television and movie production. But what are movies without distribution networks of theaters? And what is TV without affiliates? The shattering of conventional media would proceed apace.
No, the interesting thing about all the current secession talk is its similarity to the pre-Civil War era. At that time, an area of the country felt itself threatened by the impending loss of a key portion of its agrarian livelihood. Kicking and yelling, it resisted being dragged into the new industrial age.
So what are the blue confederates kicking and screaming about? What well-nigh irresistible movement toward modernity do they refuse to recognize? Oh, I could name a few things.
If they had no souls, why did Southerners make such an effort to Christianize them?
The Southern attitude was one of condescension - i.e. treating adults like wayward children.
The liberal attitude is treating human beings as expendable "tissue" - there is a gaping chasm between not showing people the respect they deserve and pretending people aren't people at all.
The blue counties would go hungry, to be sure, but they'd also starve in the dark and cold. Remember, lib'rals and leftists have resisted locating power plants, gas and oil terminals, etc. in their beloved backyards. They're the biggest proponents of NIMBYism. IOW, the red counties and states control power and energy production and distribution.
Best idea the libs have ever had. Good riddance and good luck.
Here's why succession talk is silly.
I fought in 2 wars and several deployments for these UNITED States and I'm not about to stand by while some liberals break it up cause they aren't getting the election results they want. And I'm not alone by a long shot.
I live in New York, one of the bluest of blue states but this county (only 60 miles from NYC) went 72% for Bush. According to the downstate elites we're pathetic gun-totin, bible-thumping, rednecks. But the operative phrase is gun-totin.
Damned well said!
In the final analysis its who is willing to pay the highest price.
On their side they have Barbara Streisand, Michael Moore, and Rosie O'Donnell. On ours we have Arnold, R. Lee Ermy, and Ollie North.
Taking bets on the outcome anyone?
Consider also: “Whoever battles with monsters had better see that it does not turn him into a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” - Nietzche, Aphorisms
One thing I'd like to mention, though, is that I've always thought the idea that states could not voluntarily leave the union they joined, to be fairly rediculous and totalitarian an idea. If the red states really want to seceed, I'd say, more power to them. They'd be a third-world hell-hole in a few short years, then when they beg to return, we could let them do so, if we desire, but on OUR terms.
Do they continue on this hellbent rush to secular-socialism or do they regroup, casting off/muzzling their 'eclectic' komrades-in-arms and returning to their traditional 'populist' theme. In short, enacting a 'bloodless' purge.
Common sense says they should choose the latter, but common sense isn't the favorite implement in the Democrats toolbox.
If the radical left succeeds in its takeover of the party, their is little chance of them winning another presidential election. Barring massive Republican mismanagement, the election of a candidate with a socialist agenda is out of the question.
However, the radicals in the party, which number higher than ever in its recent history, may decide that working to DESTROY the existing system is their only venue to eventually reclaim the White House.
They've shown that they have a boundless propensity for activism, propaganda and even... violence in this past election. They've used every foul word in their vocabulary to denounce us as "stupid', 'uneducated' and 'backwards'... the next step for them would be easy.
The talk of secession is silly for all the reasons mentioned, key among them 'we have the guns and the people who know how to use them.'
Besides, conservatives have had a far better solution to their dilema for a long time - dramatically decrease the role of federal government, restore state's rights as intended by the Constitution. States can run whatever programs and taxes they deem appropriate, everybody's happy - at least until the lib states' superior intellect fails to explain why companies and people with jobs (aka tax base) are fleeing to conservative states.
"Do you think the blues really have the guts for it?"
They might have the guts but thats all they have.
We have the vast majority of the military bases and naval ports[not sure about San Diego. But the navy wouldn't matter much anyhoo.....I doubt the Kitty Hawk will be sailing up the Mississippi anytime soon]. All thanks to their insistence that the military is pretty much personna non-grata and "we don't want you here" attitudes.
They can jump anytime they feel froggy.
Let the Blue Demostans in a sea of red secede. They can communicate via satellite and eat only fish.
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