State separatist movements are not a new thing. They've been going on ever since the USA first began as a free nation. Such examples are Vermont breaking off of New York. And West Virginia breaking off of Virginia. But little do the people know, that in 1941, a new state was almost born on the west coast between California and Oregon. The state of Jefferson. For many years, the southernmost counties in Oregon, and the northernmost counties of California were vastly underrepresented by the political class in each state's capitol cities. This part of the country has lots of gold to be found in the dirt. And for many years, this area's gold mines were prosperous. Tensions between Northern Californians and Sacramento, along with Southern Oregon and Salem grew as both of these areas were paying high state income taxes, and not having any fair representation. The politicians promised these people government services for their tax dollars, but their money was sent to more populous regions of California and Oregon; they were double crossed. Protesters from the gold mining community painted two X's on their gold pans and marched in protest to represent being double-crossed by two states. Thus, the double X was coined as the state of Jefferson. Many activists created roadblocks on county lines that they felt should make the border lines of the new state of Jefferson. They stopped cars and handed out leaflets to support Jefferson to all the motorists who were passing through. This was to let them know, they were crossing over into a proposed new state. Grassroots activism for the state of Jefferson was successful enough to actually get Congress to schedule a date to finalize the vote to create a brand new state. The date of the vote was scheduled for December 8th, 1941. Unfortunately, this date was the next day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the beginning of World War II put the proposed state of Jefferson to a grinding halt, as the country was under attack and other actions the nation thought more important had to take place. Although the state of Jefferson never came to be, the legacy lives on. In the past several years, I've seen the support for the state of Jefferson grow stronger and stronger than I ever recall when I was younger. I am a Jefferson state resident, and many people still wave the rebel flag of Jefferson. But to be honest, I'd say the support for Jefferson is much stronger in Northern California, than it is here in Southern Oregon. So much so, that the Northern California counties have all come together and voted to succeed from the southern portion of the state, that has a much higher population, and drastically more political power and volume than the north. Northern California only has 6 out of the 80 seats in the California assembly, and they have only 2 US representatives compared to the rest of the state's 51, due to the smaller population of the whole region north of Sacramento. The economy of rural northern California sucks due to the rural/urban divide that California is suffering. On the Oregon side the grassroots support doesn't have the same momentum as northern California. But it's happening here for the same reasons. And the same problems with taxation without representation have been going on since the 1940s. Although I think it's more likely for the massive state of California to split in half, I would at least hope the southern Oregon counties will also get included in the new state when it happens. But we will see Today, the local NPR channels out here call them Jefferson Public Radio, and you'll drive around and see signs and XX flags flying high. I would like there to be a state where the rural cities can be represented without having to clash interests with the urban centers, and be taxed with the representation they need.
I'd support the separation of CA at least and even add Oregon and Washington to it as a separate nation. They have plenty of money, similar beliefs, and are all land linked. Then I'd take the federal funds we'd no longer be paying into them and build a wall along that new Eastern border of that country from Canada to the southern border. And leave a pathway open from Mexico so we can herd them into the sanctuary nation. Since they already support them already, nobody should be unhappy. And the wall keeps them from entering into the other country we would still call the U.S. Where do we vote on this?
Prior to the civil war, states had a right to succeed at will. So that’s might still be an option as I’m sure a lot of progressives have an admitted guilt trip about seizing the southwestern states in the Mexican American war. Maybe they’d be happy to rejoin Mexico. But personally I think it would be more beneficial to create a new state from a land mass that doesn’t share the same ideology as the dominant forces on the west coast. It’d be less expensive than building a wall. Besides I think the west coast is pretty awesome. It’d be a terrible idea to just surrender it to the government supremacists who have the loudest voices at this time.
California should be divided up into at least two states -- maybe even three -- so the people there can have more proportional representation in the Senate.
Have you looked at the reality of Ca.? Parts of it look like Haiti now. Google tent cities, California. Miles and miles along beach cities. Cal. has 25% of our nation's homeless and one of, if not the highest poverty rate in the nation. A great example of the lefts political system. Hell no let them have it. Then keep them in there. Otherwise they do to the rest of the country what they've done there. Seattle tried raising thier minimum wage up to $15. Took them a couple of years to see that regret take shape. More homeless than ever and less jobs. I go there a few times a year. There is an obvious uptick in homeless roaming the streets.
I drove through L.A. last January and it reminded me of Mexico. Part of the problem with Seattle is the rise in rents and real estate. Prices were up 19% just last year which was the highest increase in the nation.
Red states tend to take more federal funds than blue. California is a pretty strong economy on it's own like in the top 15 in the world. America might miss them. I'm sure you can find some funding they get but they do bring benefit.
Yep. And raising the minimum wage simply raised the rents. L.A. had parts that looked like Mexico for awhile. Just more of it now. If you look at the stats, there are 6 figures a year in people leaving, and the replacements coming in are a vast majority immigrants. The net gain population is negative. So guess what, fewer and fewer are supporting more and more. Kind of like the rest of us in the past 8 years. They are just farther along in the digress. Miami used to be little Cuba for a portion. Now the whole lower half of Fla. is immigrants. They say that as California goes so does the rest of the country. Make your plans accordingly.
Yes they are a large economy. Yet with that, they still can't solve their problems. They can't fund thier social load with all their money. Who do you think will be tasked to make up the difference?
That's my point. I live in the state of Jefferson in one of the dark red counties on the map in the OP, and I see the poverty and homelessness in rural America everyday. Much of the problem comes from lack of state funding from both states. CA and OR urban areas have the most political power. Even though these counties pay the state taxes, that money is seldom spent down here. Instead it goes to SoCal and the Portland area. Both states passed bans on gold dredge mining too. The urban rural divide is growing huge and I think the state of Jefferson is the answer. You won't have to worry about Jefferson being a hard left state like Oregon or Cali. If you look at the previous few election's voting results, you'll see that this part of California doe not vote at all like the Bay Area or the LA coastline. It's rural and most of the counties lean red except Humboldt. The number one cash crop in this area is marihuana. So we'll have another recreational legal state.
I have a good friend who grows legal pot. If it weren't for his 15 acres of money producing solitude, he would have left already. Unfortunatley for you, if you are surrounded by cancer, you can only last so long before you succomb to it. And your quality of life suffers before you succomb. Your cancer there advances like it does in the rest of the country. Find the money, then suck it dry until it dies. Move on to the next target. I don't want to tell you to leave, but I can't figure out how to help you fight it yourself. Hopefully Trump and his lawsuits can either turn it around or buy you some time so you can die of natural causes. We feel your pain and stand with you!!
There is currently a movement to break California into three states. If they get enough signatures it will be on the ballot.
I started a petition on change.org to change the name of New Jersey to Springsteen. Got eight signatures. Don't think that'll cut it.
