Secession is a possibility, even if remotely so. It would involve so-called "red" counties such as Orange, San Diego (where I live), King, Mariposa and eight other counties breaking off from the state, forming so-called South California.
The idea is being floated by Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone (good for him).
Many of us So-Cal business owners/tax payers/limited government proponents think (rightfully so) that Sacramento is broken beyond repair. Secession from California and formation of a "South California" would undoubtedly create a highly prosperous wealth-creating Hong Kong-esque hub set free from the choking tentacles of the progressive wealth-spreaders, welfare-state metropolis's of Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Video from CBS/Los Angeles:
Note that the link and the actual CBS video seems to be broken. All you get is a re-run of that awful AT&T commercial and then it hangs. The LCR is busy disporting himself in lovely San Diego (where a lot of smart, conservative people live) and asked me to fix the post -- so I changed it to a .png image. We all know that CBS is a dysfunctional MSM outlet anyway; sure hope the AT&T is better. But I ain't holding my breath.-The War Planner
South California secession would also create another interesting dynamic. Because of the demographics of the 12 counties discussed, a permanent "purplish" swing state in electoral-college politics would be created, perhaps changing the nature of presidential politics forever -- if a significant chunk of California's electoral college votes were in play every presidential cycle.
It's a super long shot but interesting to contemplate nonetheless.
Hat-tip Leslie Eastman/Temple of Mut. Cross posted to Proof Positive and LCR.
Updated: There's an unscientific poll up at the L.A./CBS affiliate carrying this story. The poll asks, "South California: politics as usual or time to split?"
The results aren't even remotely close:
Updated x2: Warplanner, also a California resident, responds in the comments:
This is an interesting proposition and, for historical context, there was a movement on the eve of World War II where a number of like-minded counties in north Northern California wanted to secede from California and re-enter as the 51st state. In reading the link, you will find they were considerably more libertarian than their more southerly counterparts.Count Warplanner in the 88% of poll respondents above saying "aye" to secession.
It would be interesting and welcome to separate ourselves form the liberal cesspool of San Francisco and their hand maidens in Sacramento. Hell. it'd be freaking marvelous!
..where do I sign?
-30-
I only agree if SoCal can still keep all of the NorCal water that we pump down here to water lawns, fill pools, etc....
ReplyDelete..ouch! That's gonna leave a mark. On the other hand, those fools will need some way to raise revenue.
ReplyDeleteA South California secession needs to consider 3 things: Constitutionality, Economics, and Water Rights. Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution says that any state can be formed out of another - with approval from that State's Legislature and Congress. The real question here is whether the North would want it, and I think they would. Majority of the Counties that are leaving have had some of the highest recession ratios, drought, and the most spread out population. The Bay Area and LA would be better off without the drain on resources, and San Diego, Orange, Fresno, & the Inland Empire would get along just fine without them. As for water, less mercury-tainted San Joaquin farm water & more desalinization / wastewater reclamation plants will do us good. San Berdo & San Fran have always been rivals, wanting to separate from each other since birth. So, it’s agreed. As far as the politics of it go, I believe this would cause greater political diversity in So Cal’s traditionally “beet red” counties. But to make this fly, a diverse panel would have to include both Democrats and Republicans from representative demographics to oversee the new state's founding documents. It would be a good idea to put the new Capital in San Bernardino, because of its central location and its revenue can transform their high unemployment rate.
ReplyDelete