Life in these Untidy States: Silver Linings!

[athelind]

This was originally tacked on as a footnote to my last post, but I think it needs to stand on its own.

For the record, the "Divided States of America" is only a "worst-case scenario" if the Balkanization is violent. That's not unlikely, because we're all pretty pissed at each other right now, and we do like our guns.

On the other claw, the Soviet Union managed to spin off its component without devolving into all-out war, though, even if there were border skirmishes; if the U.S. pulled off the same trick, California might wind up better off than we are now, with the Federal Government funneling money out of the eighth-largest economy in the world and into Red States who rant against taxation, welfare and government interference.

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Comments

[tombfyre.livejournal.com]

I've often wondered if something along those lines would happen around these parts, or if instead we'd get something like a North American Union. Many other countries have split up before, so who knows what the end result may be. You could get your splits into republics and city-states and even the UCAS, and still wind up with something organized like the EU.

But yar, the hopeful scenario would have such divisions happen without war.

[wordslinger.livejournal.com]

I don't think enough people are united under a single cause to actually attempt separation. We've had separatist movements here in Texas since Texas began, and we're still with the USA. Problems with "becoming your own country" are huge... including "who's gonna take your newly designed money, kid?" and "what are you going to do with the influx of counterfeit money that's worth more than your home grown money?

I don't see it happening.

Thanks for the link to the "Author Tract" -- This is a GREAT read!

[athelind.livejournal.com]

A line I've used many, many times over the last three decades is, "I've lived in California, and I've lived in Texas. Someday, I want to live in the United States."

[thoughtsdriftby.livejournal.com]

Jobs and money have been funneled out of California for some years. Federal highway taxes were taken unless California reduced it's maximum highway speed to 55mph. When they did the funds remained diverted, so it was moved back to 70.

Preferentially the majority of large base closures occurred in California: 93,546 DoD jobs were cut in California and 80,373 cut in the remainder of the US (Brack rounds 1-4 1988-1995). New defense contracts would be awarded only if companies would locate plants outside of California (usually to some senor finance committee member's home state).

A proposed super collider (almost triple the energy of the Large Hadron Collider) the PEP ring was about finished (later upgraded to PEP- II) 2.2km and the new one would be 87.1km. Spiff, everyone at SLAC was very excited, only they wouldn't let it be built in California and SLAC would not be involved. Basically all the digging, concrete, and steel that Texas could do was mostly completed and then the program was canceled. Net was a huge amount of funds diverted to Texas and no science.

California is down to the 8th largest world economy now, but still the world's 5th largest producer of food.