>>>I have no doubt that the mismatch between US military power and any insurrection would be greater now than in 1865
That may be true. But can the federal government get away with large-scale killing of people in the television, mobile phone, and youtube era?
By original design, each state was supposed to be as like its own “country” with the federal bond of the republic only to have impact on a few issues such as common defence, trade, you know, stuff actually listed in the Constitution.
Note that in Syria the Al Queda terrorists set off a poison gas bomb or two, and blamed it on the Syrian government forces.
That ambiguity in responsibility will be in play in any insurrection. What is not ambiguous is the illegal nature of violent insurrection.
The US Standing Army is too small it invade Alabama let alone the entire South LOL.
They got away with gunning down an unarmed mentally ill woman with a small child in broad daylight in the nations capital...they were even congratulated by lawmakers.
All the vilification of the "tea party" is really vilification of those who would "hurt" the government. I don't think anyone would bat an eye if the White House said to kill conservatives...not in those words maybe...but framed the right way.