this post was submitted on 25 Jan 2025
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[–] Ebby@lemmy.ssba.com 140 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (6 children)

Can we coordinate with Oregon and Washington to join Canada?

That aside, California leads the US in many ways, but we have a tendency to go too far and do really dumb things. We're pretty good at self congratulations even when other states stare, slack-jawed at our blunders. It's nice to have perspective.

[–] blakenong@lemmings.world 88 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] Draegur@lemm.ee 41 points 1 year ago (1 children)

i freaking love the idea of Cascadia becoming autonomous and independent. I'd love it if New England did that too.

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 24 points 1 year ago (8 children)

It's an interesting idea, but it can't possibly happen. The federal government has too much military infrastructure in different parts of the US, especially nuclear material. They'd never let anyone secede with it.

[–] Draegur@lemm.ee 34 points 1 year ago (1 children)

ha, if cascadia and new england both seceeded simultaneously.

LOOK. LOOK AT US. WE ARE THE NUCLEAR POWERS NOW.

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[–] PaupersSerenade@sh.itjust.works 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

We also have the top two ports in the US. And if we took the PNW with us nearly all trade from Asia would pass through this theoretical new country before reaching the US.

Edit; also there’s a lot of division between the urban and rural areas of all west coast states. It’s fun to think about, but I don’t see it happening without a major conflict

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[–] 9488fcea02a9@sh.itjust.works 119 points 1 year ago (5 children)

please call it the "New California Republic"

[–] chronicledmonocle@lemmy.world 29 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

As long as it doesn't end up like Shady Sands.

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[–] FundMECFSResearch@lemmy.blahaj.zone 85 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (6 children)

Honestly at this point I feel the US would do great by splitting and becoming a confederation (think EU styles autonomy).

I think the differences are just too big to have a functioning state.

I also understand that the push towards these movements is often done by Russian propaganda, who want to do anything to split up the US and NATO.

[–] TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world 25 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (6 children)

I live in the EU, there are some good things but also ineffeciencies living in a confederation style government. To be fair, while consumer and labour protection in the EU has been amazing, we have to admit that there is almost no innovation in R&D going on in Europe as a whole compared to the US. Aside from strict regulations, this is because there is no single rule on how to promote R&D. Each countries have their own rules and promotions. Some states are innovators like Germany, or has no R&D at all like Ireland.

Another weakness that the EU has is on production and defense. As you rightly pointed out, Russia wants the West to fragment, and Russia wants the EU to remain chaotic when it comes to military production and have a disunited, if not an incoherent, European army. But external influence is not even the main issue, the main issue is that many EU countries are neutral like Ireland and Austria, who are not part of NATO. I don't know about Austria but it's very unpopular here in Ireland to join any military alliance and there is a negative image of NATO after the Iraq War. Finland and Sweden used to be anti-NATO until the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And with the legacy of the horrors of the Second World War, military production in Europe has been weak. Even though the EU has outstripped the US in terms of giving aid to Ukraine, much of these are non-military because European arms industries are struggling to produce. The US is still the primary military donor of Ukraine.

With different competing values and priorities, it's challenging for the EU to remain confederate. A lot of people advocate for the EU to federalise for this reason.

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If political ideologies were geography bound that would make great sense. Break it up, let the pieces govern themselves. But the problem is not everyone living in a red state is a Republican or maga fetishist and not everyone living in a blue state is a democrat or liberal.

Cities are usually liberal, rural is usually conservative. I'd personally advocate for an expanded, air tight bill of rights with a federal government capable and willing to enforce it and all remaining decisions and rules be set by the local community, either city or county. Abolish state governments and reform them into regional managers that upkeep shared resources like roads, but with no legislative power.

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[–] SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social 60 points 1 year ago (1 children)

For all of the reasons given, secession from the United States is a bad idea. But I'm going to keep banging this drum: The metropolises need to secede from their states, while staying part of the United States. Heck, Los Angeles County alone has more people than 40 of the states. It's about time that they got fair representation.

[–] r_deckard@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago (3 children)

That's an approach I'd never considered - is there wiggle-room in the state constitutions to split into smaller states?

[–] SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 31 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Article IV Section 3 of the US constitution

New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

If a state agrees, a new state can be formed in its territory, effectively splitting it.

[–] derf82@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago (5 children)

And there is the rub. Conservative legislators won’t allow it in most states, because it would mean more Dems in congress.

Same in California for much the same reason. There has long been a Republican proposal to split it into 5 states so there are more Republican senators.

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[–] jagged_circle@feddit.nl 59 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Lots of peoole didn't read the article

According to the text of the measure, the state would be required to create a 20-member state commission to study California's viability as an independent country in 2027 and to publish a report the following year.
...
If the ballot question is approved, the proposal would declare a "vote of no confidence in the United States of America", but would not change the state's government or its relationship with the U.S. The measure would also call for the removal of the U.S. flag from all state buildings.

[–] KinglyWeevil@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 1 year ago

Balkanization is beginning

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[–] alquicksilver@lemmy.world 47 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Y'know, as unrealistic as this (probably? I'm not really sure of anything, anymore) is, seeing this pop up in my scrolling gave me a bit of relief. I've been so terrified and angry and anxious and unsure of the (immediate) future that it's practically paralyzed me. Knowing that this pipedream is there helped me breathe for a moment. I'll take what relief I can get right now.

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[–] Blaster_M@lemmy.world 47 points 1 year ago (4 children)

It would be cool if they actually called themselves the NCR

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 15 points 1 year ago

Patrolling the Mojave almost makes you wish for a nuclear winter...

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[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 36 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Okay, but then California becomes a smaller country bordering a much larger fascist neighbor with the largest military in the world.

In what world is that a good outcome?

[–] theherk@lemmy.world 33 points 1 year ago (4 children)

They’d become a pretty large country with one of the world’s largest economies holding major port access to their neighbor. A few allies and things aren’t quite so clear cut. Not to mention they’d potentially have significant military resources.

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[–] meyotch@slrpnk.net 34 points 1 year ago (25 children)

Sorry California, you will have to negotiate with Colorado and Arizona for your water. So basically you have to take us with you.

[–] Loss@sh.itjust.works 28 points 1 year ago

If they just kick out the alfalfa farmers and the almond farms, they don't need water imports.

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[–] Winterfrost@lemm.ee 32 points 1 year ago (2 children)

🐻New California Republic🐻

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[–] Majorllama@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

God dammit I find this so fucking hilarious. Every time a Republican wins you'll inevitably see an article talking about California is to leave. And on the flip side every time we get a Democrat in office fuckin Texas starts bitching and tryna leave.

I'm not going to say it'll never happen, but I would be willing to bet all the 7 dollars I have to my name that it's not gonna happen.

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[–] Tugboater203@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

It's nice to think about taking your ball and going home. However, if we denigrate Texas everytime they threaten to secede we really shouldn't be giving California a pass.

Edit- fix fat finger spelling

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[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago (12 children)

Wow, this comment section is wild.

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[–] mrslt@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago (11 children)

Yes, please. As a Californian who is already looking to move abroad, it would be a dream come true for my state to do it for me.

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[–] Godric@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago (11 children)
  1. Brexit was clever wordplay, every proposal since hasn't been. Fuckin "Calexit", do better.

  2. Yeah, you don't get to just leave a country. Believe it or not, there was actually at least one war about that!

  3. Fuck CBS for their cancer ass website.

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[–] leadore@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (7 children)

Something that might work out better and would be a lot easier to do (thought still not very easy), would be to split into 3 (or 4?) states.

California has almost 12% of the US population concentrated in that one state! By far most of the states contain about 2% or less of the US population each.

By splitting, the population would be better represented in the Senate with 6 senators between them instead of only 2, and there might be a net gain in some other benefits that are given on the state level.

edit: I see that someone had already brought this idea up, but IMO it's a good idea that they should seriously consider!

[–] ModestMeme@lemm.ee 25 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The right wing has wanted this for years because California is very conservative outside of its cities. Splitting the state up would guarantee a Republican Senate.

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[–] Sludgehammer@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So is this one backed by Russia as well?

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