[Colonel Kangaroo]

Well, with this giant stinking carcass of a pig that Congress has hanging over our heads, I'd have to say we all lost.

That's assuming that the present day is worse than what it would be had the secessionists pulled it off. Had the CSA survived, I think it was inevitable we would have had a true bloody fight to the death before now, but even at the best we'd now have two overbearing central governments in Richmond and Washington, both armed to the teeth and eyeing the other suspiciously. Considering that the men behind secession were determined to go down fighting to the last mudsill, I think the nation got through the ordeal pretty well.

[MamaTexan]

I think it was inevitable we would have had a true bloody fight to the death before now, but even at the best we'd now have two overbearing central governments in Richmond and Washington, both armed to the teeth and eyeing the other suspiciously.

Considering the People are now forced to obey [at the point of fiscal punishment or physical imprisonment] ALL, local, State, and federal rules, ordinances, amendments, regulations and other 'laws'....

I don't see your option as being all that bad.