Georgia Secession: Another Red State Flirts With Leaving Union

The New Yorker:

My most recent Comment was a series of small jokes riffing on a big joke, namely a moronic suggestion by the governor of Texas that his state might secede from the Union on account of the tyranny of slightly higher marginal tax rates for the rich. It was a thin reed to build a whole piece on, but it was all I had.

I should have looked harder. I'm usually a careful reader of Talking Points Memo, but I had somehow missed Brian Beutler's April 16th post, in which he brings the startling intelligence that the Georgia state senate, by a 43-1 vote, has passed a resolution that mixes three parts inanity and one part prospective treason into a Kompletely Krazy Kocktail of militia-minded moonshine and wacko white lightning--a resolution that not only endorses defiance of federal law but also threatens anarchy and revolution.

Read the whole story: The New Yorker

Comments

[Schvenzlerman]

The U.S. military should storm those treasonous statehouses NOW to imprison their legislators and governors for even allowing discussion of nullification and secession. The states should be placed under military occupation and their residents should be forced to take loyalty oaths to President Obama. All residents in those states should have their assets - homes, businesses, etc. - immediately seized and forfeited to the U.S. Treasury's general fund. We can use those assets to help out those loyal to the President.

There is no excuse for this sort of treason. No one should ever be allowed to even discuss it.

It is time to support Obama. We elected him to take care of us and there is no room for dissent anymore. The People have spoken.

[Tom Joad]

The state with a legitimate complaint and a justifiable reason to secede is Hawai'i. The United States illegally overthrew the monarchy of Queen Liliuokalani in 1893 and seized the Hawai'ian islands - the reasons for this and the conspiracy are well documented from historical accounts and documents. The U.S. government apologized for this atrocity in 1993 (the centennial of the overthrow), but has not made any effort to return Hawai'i to its people. I support Hawai'ian sovereignty. Free Hawai'i Now!

[SagesseBleu]

So in the space of six months (Nov. - April) these Red Staters went from being "real Americans" to revoluntionaries. The nation has disintigrated beyond repair in less of a time span than most magazine subscriptions. Things changed so much so quickly that they can't recognize their country anymore. I must be looking out the wrong window to my house because I don't see much of a difference. More leaves on the trees, but that's about it.

Talk about a fast-tracked insurrection.

[Rangergirl]

What is wrong with these people? We put up with 8years with Bush I never heard any Democratic Governors or legislators threaten this treason...­.What is wrong with them?

[cliffstep]

Ideology. These guys were beside themselves when The Dim One became Prez. And they held Congress. And they were getting the kind of judges they wanted.
And now , things have gone so horribly wrong.
Someone must be responsible for this , but it can't be them , or their pols , or their god , so it must be......yo­u?

[judesuper]

Good go. I say you want to go, go. But, I want all of our federal funds returned A.S.A.P.

[rainbowblue]

Maybe it's time for General Sherman to be reanimated.

Seriously though, I realize to improve the physical condition of our society more science is needed in schools, but I think we are seriously neglecting history and civics. It seems many people do not understand American history from the Revolution to the Civil War to the present day. (I won't even go into world history.) Not only is history a problem, but people do not understand our political framework and where it came from (and I don't mean knowing the three branches of govern't).

It's time to burn and bury history textbooks forever and get high school students to focus their learning on primary sources. Not only that, it's time for critical thinking and reasoning skills to be better nurtured.

[Horus45]

This is all so ridiculous!
If they thought about what they would be losing they might think twice.
Texas and Georgia get hit with some big hurricanes, say good bye to FEMA and the US Coast Guard.
Ask every senior citizen in your state if they are ready to give up their Social Security and Medicare see what they say.
Forget about the DEA protecting your ass from the Mexican drug lords.
Forget about the FBI investigating the number of bombings that will go on in your state, revolutions are NEVER bloodless. No Army, turn in all your government owned military equipment.

I don't believe for a minute that the residents of your state will give up all government programs that they gladly use!

Knock off the crazy talk already cuz you know it ain't never gonna happen!

[Icomeinpeace]

And who is going to take up arms if they do? The only reason the union won the civil war was because of the draft. That'll go over well in the hippi schools of the north.

[Durango]

You need to get out of your mothers basement and go to your local library.

No matter where you live in the USA you will find an excellent assortment of books on the Civil War.

it is a fascinating topic. And you will learn a whole lot about America and what makes Americans.

Because you obviously have no clue what so ever about the Civil War or Union soldiers.

if you had said "The only reason the Union won was because of African American soldier" you would have been correct.

But not because of the draft. See in particular A Stillness at Appomattox by Bruce Cattton.

[Horus45]

I'm a liberal and I am ready!

[lmnop13]

Just because we hold liberal views doesn't mean we're all hippies. I am really not in favor of arming myself against my own countrymen, but I will do whatever I have to do to protect our country. I don't seriously think it would ever come to that.
But, I know some liberals that would beg to differ about this whole flower picking image everyone attributes to us. I know that my first line of defense would never be shoot first and ask questions later. But, I'm not a pansy because I think all citizens should have equal rights, or because I think we should help our fellow man if he/she needs it, and if we can. Peace seeking does not equal coward. I would hope most people, regardless of political ideation, would want to live out their lives peacefully, without the constant threat of war.

[cliffstep]

I'm a hippie. An old (59) one. Lived in SF. And , like many of us , also a vet.
Put down your guns and come out laughing!
Put them down first in your minds. Then , in your discourse.
These guys are exercising their constitutional right to extreme stupidity. Let them. Laugh at them - they hate being laughed at. And , just vote. They are already in the ashbin of history , they just don't know it yet.
Didn't mean you , icome , one can see you're just having a laugh yourself.

[addisonsteele]

It would be a great benefit to the blue states if all of the red states seceded. After all, all of the red states receive more federal monies than they contribute in tax dollars. In other words, Democrats work to provide welfare to Republicans.

[Disuberence]

These men may renounce their citizenship any time they want. Secession? I don't think so.

[Durango]

Funny, thought this question was settled definitively and for all time on April 9, 1865.

Actually it was settled somewhat earlier in Georgia was it not?

Tell me Georgia State Reps.

Do you really want to force us to make Georgia howl. . . again?

[joeythetrollslayer]

Republicans want to set up a shadow government of southern states. They had a meeting a while back. Expect to see more states decide to try to break away, maybe 10 total. Good luck with that.

[GerryS]

voted on April 1, 2009 says it all----

[bluejoni2525]

TREASONISTS -------says it all!!!!

[Stanley]

his is not representative of Georia at all. This is bluster and there is more to this hooey than is reported. Stop with the rabble rousing folks!