Many States File Petition To Peacefully Secede from US

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Also.. It's kind of INSANE that one state produces 55 votes in the electoral college. And yes, I realize this would have changed nothing in this last election which was blowout city per the electoral college. That is not what I am insinuating with this post.

 

As long as this sub-can of worms has been opened, fuck the Electoral College. That is all.

[.AirMcNair. 1,232]

I don't understand why we don't just use popular vote.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

I think that is the biggest thing. I don't expect any state to secede, nor does anyone else, I would be led to believe.

 

But people need to know that this movement is for real. More and more people are realizing that the federal government doesn't have the best interest of the people at the top of their priority list.. And that needs to change. Republican or Democrat, they need to remember who they are working for and why.

 

The more people that become disillusioned with the federal government and their ways, the sooner change will be upon us.

[Guest Phailadelphia]

I'd be OK with popular vote.

Edited November 13, 2012 by Phailadelphia

[oochymp 2,393]

I think that is the biggest thing. I don't expect any state to secede, nor does anyone else, I would be led to believe.

 

But people need to know that this movement is for real. More and more people are realizing that the federal government doesn't have the best interest of the people at the top of their priority list.. And that needs to change. Republican or Democrat, they need to remember who they are working for and why.

 

The more people that become disillusioned with the federal government and their ways, the sooner change will be upon us.

well said, the problem is so many people are willing to just sit back and deal with it, because honestly, we're in pretty good shape no matter who's in power, and with so many of the people who don't like the current system content to sit on the sidelines it's tough to think there will actually be significant change

[SteVo+ 3,702]

I don't understand why we don't just use popular vote.

 

I'd be OK with popular vote.

 

 

As a math major, the Electoral College irks me because it assigns electoral votes based on representation in Congress, not on population. So mathematically speaking, California should actually have more electoral votes than it does, and many small states should only have 1 electoral vote.

 

But ultimately, the Electoral College was a 18th/19th century system that has outlived its original purpose. Get rid of it, make it a popular vote election, and force presidential campaigns to get more creative instead of focusing on 5-6 swing states.

[Thanatos 2,847]

 

As a math major, the Electoral College irks me because it assigns electoral votes based on representation in Congress, not on population. So mathematically speaking, California should actually have more electoral votes than it does, and many small states should only have 1 electoral vote.

 

But ultimately, the Electoral College was a 18th/19th century system that has outlived its original purpose. Get rid of it, make it a popular vote election, and force presidential campaigns to get more creative instead of focusing on 5-6 swing states.

 

The Electoral College was never designed to give representation to the larger and smaller states entirely based on their population. Such a thing would defeat the entire reason why it was established in the first place. The Founders were concerned that the candidates would simply court the major centers of population, (NY, CA nowadays), to the exclusion of the smaller states, and thus the government would be, in essence, run the way the big cities wanted it to be run.

 

I still don't see how that would truly be fixed if you just switch it to a popular vote. Now, if you went to a popular vote AND went with the alternative vote method instead of the first past the post method we are currently using, then it might work just fine.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

The Electoral College was never designed to give representation to the larger and smaller states entirely based on their population. Such a thing would defeat the entire reason why it was established in the first place. The Founders were concerned that the candidates would simply court the major centers of population, (NY, CA nowadays), to the exclusion of the smaller states, and thus the government would be, in essence, run the way the big cities wanted it to be run.

 

I still don't see how that would truly be fixed if you just switch it to a popular vote. Now, if you went to a popular vote AND went with the alternative vote method instead of the first past the post method we are currently using, then it might work just fine.

 

The ten largest cities in the country only account for 7.9% of the U.S. population. The one hundred largest cities in the country only account for 19.4% of the total population. So no, campaigns could not just court voters of urban areas.

 

I do agree, though, that the alternative vote is the best way to go.

[Thanatos 2,847]

The ten largest cities in the country only account for 7.9% of the U.S. population. The one hundred largest cities in the country only account for 19.4% of the total population. So no, campaigns could not just court voters of urban areas.

 

I do agree, though, that the alternative vote is the best way to go.

 

That's not the point.

 

They're not going to make up the majority of the votes, obviously, but they will by far be the largest voting bloc. The candidates will focus on the population centers, rather than other places.

 

Now the reason the Founders were so concerned about that was that people in the city wanted vastly different things than those in the country, due to us still being a farming/agriculture society. That has dramatically changed, and I no longer think that is the case.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

I believe all states now have a petition filed. Iowa does, and I gladly signed. Texas is up to 100,000 signatures and counting.

[Thanatos 2,847]

I believe all states now have a petition filed. Iowa does, and I gladly signed. Texas is up to 100,000 signatures and counting.

 

You what? You actually agree with seceding from the US because Obama was elected?

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

You what? You actually agree with seceding from the US because Obama was elected?

 

Ignorance is bliss.

 

At least you proved that you are either:

 

1) Incredibly ignorant

2) Incredibly stupid

3) Have a severe reading impediment

 

Or maybe a combination of the above.

Edited November 14, 2012 by Favre4Ever

[blotsfan 2,112]

Every state should secede and then join together to become a new country.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Every state should secede and then join together to become a new country.

 

That'd be pretty sweet. The losers on Capitol Hill wouldn't have anybody left to screw over.. And Obama would be sitting in the White House, in the Oval Office with a face of complete consternation.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

37 more days...

[blotsfan 2,112]

Thanatos, Favre's point isn't that he doesn't want Iowa to be a part of the US anymore (even he isn't that crazy). He wants to support the idea that we as a people are fed up with the way the government has been.

 

On the other hand, I don't really see how this is an effective way to show that.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Thanatos, Favre's point isn't that he doesn't want Iowa to be a part of the US anymore (even he isn't that crazy). He wants to support the idea that we as a people are fed up with the way the government has been.

 

On the other hand, I don't really see how this is an effective way to show that.

 

Wow. I honestly don't know if I can believe that you adequately understand my perspective. Thank you.

 

And I wish there was more to do, but continuing to going to liberty rallies and just in general spread the word to my kinsfolk will suffice for now. I'd love to run for office some day, but I'm far too normal for that...

[blotsfan 2,112]

Of course I understand your positions. I almost always understand them. I just often disagree with them. I actually agree with you on a fair number of things, its just writing "I agree" is boring and a waste of time.

 

Really though if you were to tell someone "I hope we secede from the union" their reaction is a lot more likely to be "wow, this guy is a crazy idiot" than "Hmmm...I wonder what his reasons for feeling that way are."

Edited November 15, 2012 by blotsfan

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

True. I am keeping busy informing people on my local news stations website...

 

Bunch of stupid comments like

 

"LOL Romney Supporters Mad"

"All of this because Obama won?!?!"

"Go away"

"All this is going to do is give us a shitty highway system without federal funding"

 

Trying to explain that obviously secession is not going to happen. This is just one way to voice the displeasure that a lot of America feels right now (and admittedly a lot of it doesn't).

 

The only way anything REALLY happens is to get one of these states government on board. Start passing their own laws, ignoring the feds, filing their own petition, etc. Not going to happen. Silly to think it will, really.

 

However... The ideals and principles remain the same.

[Guest Phailadelphia]

I actually kinda want to see some of these states break from the Union so I can lol after they fail miserably as independent states.

[Omerta+ 1,206]

First off this is pointless. There is no way Obama lets this happen, Texas is too important to our economy.....bleh that hurt to say.

 

Second I dont think they have thoroughly thought out what would happen. They would need a passport to leave the "country." They would no longer have the protection of the United States (future Mexican Province). And that the local government COULD be way worse than things are now. In such a small area (relatively speaking) everyone knows everyone and if it were to become divided then hysteria and war could break out in their "country."

 

That said, I also think that this is something to take seriously. I really believe that something needs to change and change fast. If you think the election was a true representation of this country and its true feelings then you are off the reservation.

 

I dont think this is the way, but our congress and president need to be scrapped. The shit isnt working and neither are competent at their responsibilities.

 

I think the best way would be something like a petition for a mass scourge of congress and a huge overhaul to our election process as it is seriously flawed. There is no way this gigantic collection of fucking idiots should or would be elected without some sort of fuckup in the machine.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

First off this is pointless. There is no way Obama lets this happen, Texas is too important to our economy.....bleh that hurt to say.

 

Second I dont think they have thoroughly thought out what would happen. They would need a passport to leave the "country." They would no longer have the protection of the United States (future Mexican Province). And that the local government COULD be way worse than things are now. In such a small area (relatively speaking) everyone knows everyone and if it were to become divided then hysteria and war could break out in their "country."

 

That said, I also think that this is something to take seriously. I really believe that something needs to change and change fast. If you think the election was a true representation of this country and its true feelings then you are off the reservation.

 

I dont think this is the way, but our congress and president need to be scrapped. The shit isnt working and neither are competent at their responsibilities.

 

I think the best way would be something like a petition for a mass scourge of congress and a huge overhaul to our election process as it is seriously flawed. There is no way this gigantic collection of fucking idiots should or would be elected without some sort of fuckup in the machine.

 

I think Texas would fair fairly well on their own. At least better than most states. They'd probably take most of that oil down in the gulf with them, which could sustain them. They'd probably still trade with the US and heck.. I think the US would help them if they were ever under attack. I don't see why not... We help nations thousands of miles away.

[OSUViking 505]

Thanatos, Favre's point isn't that he doesn't want Iowa to be a part of the US anymore (even he isn't that crazy). He wants to support the idea that we as a people are fed up with the way the government has been.

 

On the other hand, I don't really see how this is an effective way to show that.

 

I keep reading how this is a way to alert the government to the people's disdain. This has to be the most laughable way to do that. These petitions were made on a petition website, so someone could probably go and make a "Petition to Alert the Government to Our Grievances" in five minutes.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

I keep reading how this is a way to alert the government to the people's disdain. This has to be the most laughable way to do that. These petitions were made on a petition website, so someone could probably go and make a "Petition to Alert the Government to Our Grievances" in five minutes.

 

You can make a petition for anything. You don't like the way your toilet flushes. Petition it.

[Guest Phailadelphia]

I keep reading how this is a way to alert the government to the people's disdain. This has to be the most laughable way to do that. These petitions were made on a petition website, so someone could probably go and make a "Petition to Alert the Government to Our Grievances" in five minutes.

 

Yeah, which is exactly why I'm sure Obama and the rest of the federal government will laugh at the petition (and rightfully so). Americans are upset with the Federal government only to the extent that they'll bitch about it on Facebook or the interwebz. Anything beyond a couple of internet arguments causes far too much inconvenience, in turn truly revealing how serious they are about it. That is to say, not very. Unsurprisingly, a steady paycheck and creature comforts are far more preferable to change and uncertainty.