The stupidity over the election is getting much worse. There are now multiple petitions from at least a dozen states to withdraw from the United States. Before we begin to panic (because I'm sure we are all starting to worry), we have to stop and remember that these petitions are the result of complete stupidity - from the petitioners and the media.
First, the media is reporting this story with headlines like, Divided States Of America:
20 States Petition To Secede After Re-Election Of President Obama. This gives people the impression that the states have sent the requests instead of a handful of nutjobs. Not one of the petitions has originated in any state government office. The states aren't asking for anything...it's the crazies who are signing these petitions. Unfortunately for them, the White House won't even consider any petition until it reaches 25,000 signatures - which they must collect within 30 days. The only one that is reasonably close is the petition for Texas.
While there is zero chance that any petition would succeed, let's have some fun. Let's assume that the government is tired of Texas pretending to be more important than it really is and grants their request. There would be a mass exodus of citizens from Texas. I'm sure there would be some more geniuses that would choose to enter Texas to be a part of their new country. Either way, this would have devastating effects on the economy of Texas.
With the laws of the United States no longer being in place, there would be a period of near anarchy while representatives were chosen and a constitution was developed. The wild west would be alive and well while Texans were killing each other. of course, the import and export agreements that the United States would no longer be in place, so these agreements would have to be negotiated for Texas. I imagine they wouldn't get very favorable terms from the U.S. in these agreements. Not to mention the fact that they would have a very limited amount of exports since most large companies would pull their production out of Texas to remain in the United States. Limited resources and high import costs would cause the cost of goods to skyrocket in the new Texas. This would add to the escalating crime rate, particularly because there would be no regulation of firearms while they developed a legal system.
While many businesses would pull out, there is one business that would see the anarchy as a great opportunity. The drug industry would move in with full force. As drug cartels set up shop, they would bring the full force of their arsenals. With very little in the way of peace keeping force, Texans would be at the mercy of these cartels. They would quickly seize power. By the time a government was established including peacekeeping forces, they would be facing a long and bloody war with the cartels. Of course, they wouldn't have any military equipment because the U.S.Government would have pulled all of this out before we withdrew. This means that any army or police force would be incredibly outgunned and the cartels would likely control Texas.
I'm sure that the U.S. and Mexico would be willing to provide a limited amount of firepower for Texas with some major discounts on oil. This would mean that Texas would not realize the full value of their oil exports for the foreseeable future.
Let's assume some time passes and order is eventually restored. The economy in Texas would be in shambles. The vast majority of the wealth would be in the hands of a precious few individuals. The remaining population would be living in poverty. Drugs, violence, and other crimes would be rampant. I'm sure the U.S. would be willing to offer amnesty to many of the people looking to leave their beloved new Texas for the safety, security, and opportunity that they used to enjoy in the United States.
The remaining population would begin to grow increasingly angry at the aristocracy of Texas (don't think they won't exist). Eventually the nobles would have a hard time convincing the starving population that the wealth would trickle down. They wouldn't be able to convince them that they were better off starving because abortion and gay marriage was illegal. The poor workers would finally begin to rise up against their masters. The very loose firearms laws in Texas would mean that the armies of the nobles would be vastly outgunned.
A brief and bloody civil war would ensue. Even more people would abandon Texas for the safety and security of the United States border. Many of these people, due to concern for their families, wouldn't want to wait for proper immigration procedures and would probably cross the border illegally. That would be part of the wonder irony that would result from this situation.
Finally, the people would seize power and begin negotiations with the United States to re-enter the Union. They would be allowed back into the United States, but with strict oversight by the federal government for a time. While many of these conservatives were gone, an overwhelming majority of the United States would have elected liberal leaders to run our country.
Social issues like gay marriage would have been resolved. We would be prospering and enjoying a society well on its way to pure equality between all groups. Our economy would be prospering with a very strong middle class. The upper class would be prospering, but the disparity between the classes would be much smaller due to the share of tax burden that they would be paying. This would greatly increase the money coming in to the federal government.
We would be much better able to care for those who were struggling. While poverty would still exist, it would be at a much lower rate. Starvation and homelessness would have been virtually eliminated when we realized that there was no reason our country should allow these horrible conditions to exist. Some would be paying a higher percentage of taxes, but the higher revenues would be able to pay off our debts and provide the infrastructure we need to build a strong economy. With everyone's health care covered, the cost of medical care would have dropped significantly. The amount of bad debt write-off at hospitals would be effectively zero. This debt wouldn't have to be passed on to the rest of the population so costs would plummet.
After a while, these conservatives would adjust to our new society. They would realize that none of the fears that they had were justified. They would be free to practice their respective religions free from interference as long as they didn't try to enforce their beliefs on others. While the wealthy conservatives would be paying higher tax rates, they would realize that many of the services they were paying for would be much less expensive so that they could enjoy the fruits of their labor to a greater extent. The people they previously put down for living under "entitlement programs" would be productive members of society, increasing the workforce and growing the economy. A sense of great pride and patriotism would exist in the citizens of the United States that would be admired by our allies around the world, including many Islamic nations. We would be a very happy, productive country in which we all would be proud.
This is what would come from a bunch of conservatives leaving the Union and allowing us to move forward. Regardless of what they tell you, progress is not a bad thing. We must move forward on issue like equal rights. We spend way too much time debating and fighting over these issues. It doesn't matter what your religious or personal beliefs are. What matters is that we respect the rights of others, even if they believe differently. Instead of focusing on how we can do this, we are dealing with a bunch of children who don't want to play with us anymore because things didn't go their way. It's time for them to grow up and act like adults. While they can't have any of our states as a new country to spread their bigotry and stupidity, they are free to leave any time. This doesn't just include the people signing these petitions. It includes the members of Congress who need to put aside their personal beliefs and get down to work. The people have spoken. We have said that we don't want their trickle down economics and theocratic laws. Do your jobs or get out so we can find someone who will.
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