2013-09-25

Secession movement in Northern California picking up steam; the rise of the American city-states?

Modoc County joins Siskiyou in state of Jefferson bid for secession
Residents, many who live in rural setting, no longer feel as if California is their state, and they identify little with the central and southern part of the state, he said.

"When they’re that diverse, (the state) should split,” Jones said. “At this point, I don’t care how the state is split as long as they cut me off from Sacramento and beyond.”


I have highlighted the counties mentioned in the article, all of whom have either declared or are seriously considering secession. Due to its size, extremely diverse geography and diverse demographics, California is like a nation—and as goes California, so goes the nation. The secession movement will explode in coming years because there is no reason for it not to; smaller political bodies are better able to deal with local issues. Most of the big political issues that are painted as conservative/liberal, red versus blue, are in fact rural versus urban splits. Projecting the trend forward, America may see the rise of city-states, with rural areas breaking off from urban control under the current political model.

At this time there is no credible rhetorical opposition to secession. The main argument made against those wishing to leave is that they are tax eaters (if the comment section is a reflection of the debate, I've seen this argument repeated in every secession article in the U.S.). That is not a strong argument against secession, in fact it can be turned around and used by the secessionists as part of a media campaign within California to support their secession efforts.

That said, there is a strong opposition in the form of the process. New states need state and Congressional approval. The stumbling block will come there because the creation of the State of Jefferson would most likely mean the addition of two Republican Senators. If the Republicans win the House and Senate in 2014, they might approve the secession effort. Otherwise, forget it.

New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new States shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

ARTICLE IV, SECTION 3, CLAUSE 1

This is ultimately where opposition will rest. Other parts of states have tried to secede before and met Congressional opposition; the only successful breakaway was West Virginia during the Civil War.

At the local and state level, there isn't a compelling reason not to secede from the point of view of secessionists. From the perspective of the central government, secession would be an easy way to promote domestic tranquility during a period of rising tensions. Since the central government is split between political factions, they take action based on personal motives, not the national welfare. If secession is thwarted, America is likely to see the growth of renegade areas that refuse to follow state or federal laws. It also will increase the odds that secession movements grow, rather than shrink. Allowing secessionists to form their own state will busy them with local governance. Refusing them their self-determination will make them feel political affinity for people in other parts of the nation who wish to have the same liberty. This was what brought the original 13 colonies together in the first place.

“The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. Thus it has ever been.”

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