Thursday, September 19, 2013

Batty Secession Schemes Gain a Foothold Among Rural Conservatives

Tea Party member Greg Hernandez, of Quicksburg, Va., wearing a tri-corner hat and tea bag. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Tea Party member Greg Hernandez, of Quicksburg, Va., wearing a tri-corner hat replete with tea bag. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Bill Moyers Journal

Conservative activists in five rural Maryland counties are fed up with what they see as the tyranny of a democratically elected state government they don’t control. They’re so frustrated that they want to secede and form their own deep red state.
Bizarre as it seems, the effort is part of a trend. In Colorado, up to 10 rural counties want to break off and form a new state called Northern Colorado. A handful of counties in Kansas and Nebraska are reportedly thinking about joining them. Several counties in Northern California are hoping to combine with a chunk of Southern Oregon to form the state of Jefferson – an old idea that apparently hasn’t gone out of fashion. And folks in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula fed up with Lansing have also been kicking around the idea of cutting loose.
The media have framed these stories as a symptom of a growing rural-urban divide, and that’s true. Gun safety laws enacted after the Sandy Hook shootings sparked the move in both Colorado and Maryland. Marriage equality for gays and lesbians, and differences over energy policy, immigration (over which state governments have little control) and taxes are often cited as “irreconcilable differences” by these secession advocates.

25 comments:

  1. In the case of the State of Jefferson, it's frustration with increasingly dysfunctional government dominated by the southern counties. And yes, gun control doesn't play well in the country.

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    1. I suppose you want to ignore this: "Marriage equality for gays and lesbians."

      Nice company your keep, Greg.

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    2. Not my company, thanks. If your side would join with the people on my side who support individual liberty in all matters, imagine what we could do. But you insist on shooting yourself in the foot over guns, thereby giving a lot of other good causes a bad name.

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    3. So fake professor there is no liberty without your gun? I feel sorry for you. A dangerous addiction to one thing, a gun. I guess the fact that less than half Americans do not own a gun (and that number gets smaller everyday) and enjoy liberty better than you, means nothing. What a coward. You cannot live life without your gun. This deadly weapon has you wrapped like a nicotine addiction, you cannot live without it. No need for it, just cannot live without it. Get some courage dude. Individual liberty in ALL matters? You didn't really make that stupid remark? There it is in print, by you. WOW, your delusion is deeper than I thought.

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    4. Greg, you should be proud to be an unusual case. Most Libertarian/Tea Party members hate gays and blacks.

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    5. Jim, your comment here shows how you don't really believe the things you say. If you thought that I and other gun-rights advocates were some dangerous lunatics, would you go around calling us cowards and addicts? If you're brave enough to make such remarks about us, then you know that you're lying.

      Mikeb, I am not going to speculate about racism in the Tea Party movement, but I've seen comments from many who disagree with your statement. I'll also note that the most virulent form of racism is the kind that takes a paternalistic attitude toward minorities, holding that they must be protected by the power of government from themselves.

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    6. Mike, libertarians are not the same as Tea Party conservatives. The common overlap is fiscal policy, but libertarians share more in common with liberals on social issues, and quite frankly have a much better record on equality than liberals do.

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    7. Mike,

      That comment shows a ludicrous amount of ignorance. Libertarians as anti-gay racists? Seriously? Please mail me a sample of whatever you're smoking!

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  2. Since they detest our government and its processes that have been in place for more than 200 years; I suggest they renounce their citizenship and leave America, or deport them to Australia.

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    1. Nah, its easier to send those that refuse to represent us as elected to do, packing on the next election cycle, if not before.

      Its just more clear evidence of elected officials turning on those who elected them. Soon they will get the message, America belongs to the people, not the other way around.

      Some of those officials have already found that out.

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    2. Isn't this secession talk just hot air? Don't these guys know it's not possible? Aren't they just trying to make a statement?

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    3. That's just it Mike, hot air and making statements. Statements of dissatisfaction. You know, first civil rights stuff.

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    4. So you support the ouster of all the legislators who voted against the last gun control bill, great. Because the country wanted that legislation by 65%.

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    5. Even NPR today said that politicians around the country saw what happened in Colorado and are running scared.

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    6. If there was actually at least 51% of the country that wanted this then Harry Reid would bring it back for another vote. He has announced for the last couple of days that he will not bring it back up because of the severe lack of votes. The is no 98%, 95%, 90%, 65% or even 47% out there that want this gun control garbage.

      The only most restrictive gun control item that made the cloture vote was Diane Finestien's little dream, 40/60 AGAINST! And it was mostly democrats that voted against that one.

      There are other movements across the country that are organizing recall votes. So where is this 65% nonsense? Your 65% is the lowest percentage that has been posted by anti-guns on here so far. Whats up with that?

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    7. Why would he bring it back for a vote when he knows the votes are not there? Point is Americans wanted that vote and their representatives did not give it to them. Your point was if they aren't voting they way we want, we should vote them out, I agree.

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    8. What you and your side are going to find out, Jim, is that Americans don't want gun control.

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    9. We already know Americans want sensible gun control. What you will find out, is our legislators are voting ideology, not the will of the people.

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    10. Can you provide proof that this is not the will of the people? Our legislators can, they have been hearing from us.

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    11. Already did, but you keep lying Texass

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    12. Where did you provide it?

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    13. Can't read either, figures.

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    14. Jim doesn't answer questions. That would take away time from accusing people of lying.

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    15. The proof is in the study, research, and polls of public opinion about guns and gun control. I know you make decisions without facts, so you would not understand that process of fact gathering.

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    16. Then explain why gun control loses in most places when put to a vote.

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