Yahoo: Let the Red States Secede

[Cowlesy]

http://finance.yahoo.com/insurance/article/107941/let-the-red-states-secede.html




by Brett Arends
Monday, October 12, 2009
provided by Marketwatch

Commentary: A separate but equal health-care solution

The biggest question about the new Schumer-Carper health-care plan on Capitol Hill is the one nobody's asking.

Why stop there?

In case you missed it, Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and Tom Carper, D.-Delaware, are considering a proposal that may, at long last, break the logjam over health-care reform.

They would create a public health insurer, the so-called "public option," but allow individual states to opt out if they wanted.

In other words: the blue states can have public health insurance, and the red states can go without.

If Blue and Red America want to pursue separate policies, why shouldn't they? The unspoken secret of American politics is that Blue America would be far better off, economically and otherwise, going it alone.

These secession movements are good news for Blue America. They should be encouraged. If Red America wants to be left alone -- and that increasingly seems to be the case -- then Blue America should not look this gift horse in the mouth.

Blue America has most of the money, and pays most of the bills already. Cutting out Red America will be a big win.

Look at the numbers. New Jersey got back just 61 cents for every dollar it paid in federal taxes. Connecticut: 69 cents. Illinois: 75 cents. New York: 79 cents. Massachusetts: 82 cents. In other words, being a member of the union is costing these states billions in lost money.

Meanwhile Mississippi gets back $2 in federal spending for every dollar it pays in federal taxes. Alaska: $1.84. Louisiana: $1.78. North Dakota gets $1.68, Alabama $1.66, Tennessee $1.27, Idaho $1.21 and Arizona $1.19.

Red staters always like to accuse blue states of high taxes. But if they are right, one of the principal reasons blue staters are paying higher taxes is to subsidize...red staters.

[Stary Hickory]

I like this idea!

COMMON SENSE let people be governed in a manner that they wish. Decentralize power and end the strife. This is the wisdom of our founding fathers.

Please let this spread! So we can all have peace.

[werdd]

Sounds good to me, we will have front row seats to watch socialism fail. That is assuming that we wouldnt be taxed for something we opted out of.(not likely)

[kahless]

What the author fails the realize is that support for blue state policies exists mostly in their major cities. You would have for example much of upstate NY breaking away from downstate to join the red states. This would be a good thing since the blue regions would be dependent upon agricultural imports from red regions.

[Stary Hickory]

With the author fails the realize is that support for blue state policies exists mostly in their major cities. You would have for example much of upstate NY breaking away from downstate to join the red states. This would be a good thing since the blue regions would be dependent upon agricultural imports from red regions.

Then let individual peeps secede, or let people migrate. Or what have you. I would move to the poorest state in he country if it were completely free.

[thasre]

I really suspect that soon we'll start seeing coalition state governments that effectively jointly secede without formally seceding. Basically a sort of thing where, say, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas would agree to back each other up through nullification and interposition of federal laws and common market objectives; or states like New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York would pass a mini-universal healthcare system that applied across their state lines but not elsewhere.

I think the "going it alone" route is more or less inevitable, but I think states will "go it alone" together.

[angelatc]

Why do we need federal permission to exercise states' rights?

This is a panacea. Keep the feds out of it, or else they'll start cutting highway funds for states that don't provide health care of some nonsense.

[angelatc]

Then let individual peeps secede, or let people migrate. Or what have you. I would move to the poorest state in he country if it were completely free.

That would never happen. The free-est state would never be the poorest.

[Arklatex]

Hell yes! While they are at it will they accept all the welfare southerners into the blue states? Sounds like a deal to me. I'll take it!

[Bucjason]

This dumb-shit actually thinks blue states would do better if they were left alone to become totally socialist ?? HA!

I garantee the free market red states would be more economically sound than socialist blue states.

What an idiotic article. Brett Arends is a jackass....

[Stary Hickory]

That would never happen. The free-est state would never be the poorest.

Yeah I know but sometimes I say things so that it sounds good to liberals. If they thought they were sending all the freedom lovers into destitution and exile they could sleep much easier having punished us for demanding the right to live our own lives.

The dirty secret is we would quickly build a prosperous society, but you have to make them think you will be suffering....they are more likely to go for it.

[Cowlesy]

This guy is also using what I suspect are a bunch of very loose statistics.

[werdd]

Hell yes! While they are at it will they accept all the welfare southerners into the blue states? Sounds like a deal to me. I'll take it!

Seems like that would be the sheep flocking mentality. All the southern socialist would have no reason to stay here and bitch. They would likely all migrate. The flood and influx of southern immigrants would result in massive failure of the PO system.

[apropos]

I know this guy is looking down his nose with the offer, but a peaceful separation would be great for the so-called red states.

[Oyate]

What the author fails the realize is that support for blue state policies exists mostly in their major cities. You would have for example much of upstate NY breaking away from downstate to join the red states. This would be a good thing since the blue regions would be dependent upon agricultural imports from red regions.

A man after my own heart! Save the mountains, save the mountain folk. Albany and Manhattan have ABOLUTELY NO CLUE, NO SENSITIVITY to their rural people.

[torchbearer]

can we get a vote for this on the house floor?
This red state would welcome the release from federal bondage. Still technically a conquered state.

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

What's somewhat sad to me, is that none of the posters here called this out for what it is. Red-Staters subsidizing Blue-State public healthcare. They aren't going to let people opt out of the increased taxes. Why has no one called this? This is EXACTLY what led up to the War of Southern Independance. Economic divisiveness and regional power and economic transfers.

The Red States need to SECEEDE totally, if we can't stop or reverse this. Not this half-bloated ass measure that makes it look like you are seperated, but actually aren't, yet, paying for the North. Fuck that.

This is absolutely horrendous, and I hope the other Senators, and people of the Red States are smart enough to see it for what it is....

[Pericles]

This guy is also using what I suspect are a bunch of very loose statistics.

When the Feds spend $2 Trillion more than they take in, it would seem impossiple that any state would not get more Federal money than it sends to Washington, DC.

[NYgs23]

If Blue and Red America want to pursue separate policies, why shouldn't they?

If individual Americans want to pursue individual policies, why shouldn't they?



The unspoken secret of American politics is that Blue America would be far better off, economically and otherwise, going it alone.

And, yet, somehow, they don't.

My suspicion is that "Blue States" receive less federal money because those states already have high state taxes and high state spending programs, so they "need" federal assistance less. In any case, they're certainly not very well off right now. I know quite a few people who have left or attempted to leave New York for places like South Carolina and Alabama. I don't know anyone who's moved up here. It can't just be the snow.

[Feenix566]

I live in New Jersey, and I'd be more than happy to move to Pennsylvania to get a break on my federal taxes.

[mtj458]

Its not like the red states would actually become free market states if they seceded. They'd probably just cut taxes while spending a similar amount and maybe reduce regulations by a little bit. As long as the money is being spent, I think its better to have it come from taxes than borrowing or printing it so I would bet the blue states would end up better off.

[werdd]

What's somewhat sad to me, is that none of the posters here called this out for what it is. Red-Staters subsidizing Blue-State public healthcare. They aren't going to let people opt out of the increased taxes. Why has no one called this? This is EXACTLY what led up to the War of Southern Independance. Economic divisiveness and regional power and economic transfers.

The Red States need to SECEEDE totally, if we can't stop or reverse this. Not this half-bloated ass measure that makes it look like you are seperated, but actually aren't, yet, paying for the North. Fuck that.

This is absolutely horrendous, and I hope the other Senators, and people of the Red States are smart enough to see it for what it is....

see my earlier post

That is assuming that we wouldnt be taxed for something we opted out of

Saw it along with you, this could really incite a tax revolt.

[torchbearer]

Its not like the red states would actually become free market states if they seceded. They'd probably just cut taxes while spending a similar amount and maybe reduce regulations by a little bit. As long as the money is being spent, I think its better to have it come from taxes than borrowing or printing it so I would bet the blue states would end up better off.

Louisiana almost elected david duke under the promise to end welfare.
the only reason he wasn't elected was because he was racist to the bone.

[foofighter20x]

Sounds good to me, we will have front row seats to watch socialism fail. That is assuming that we wouldnt be taxed for something we opted out of.(not likely)

This.

Just because the states might opt-out is no guarantee that the federal tax dollars of its citizens won't go toward supporting any public option.

[davesxj]

A man after my own heart! Save the mountains, save the mountain folk. Albany and Manhattan have ABOLUTELY NO CLUE, NO SENSITIVITY to their rural people.

I lived in Washington state for a bit and found the same thing. The Pacific coast dominated the political arena making it a blue state; however, everything east of the coastal mountains was red. They were apparently considering breaking off into their own state, Columbia.

[Dianne]

Yes, I am all for it... Come on red states.. make my day... The sooner we get away from Pelosi... Barry whoever the hell he is, Obama I think he is now called... Harry Reid... omg.. what a breath of fresh air.. Whatever state secedes first, that is where I am moving. I've lived my life honestly and often wonder how I ended up in a country run by thieves.

[Dunedain]

I would move to the poorest state in he country if it were completely free.

...and subsequently it would become the most prosperous state as the productive freedom loving class poured into it.

[SimpleName]

This dumb-shit actually thinks blue states would do better if they were left alone to become totally socialist ?? HA!

I garantee the free market red states would be more economically sound than socialist blue states.

What an idiotic article. Brett Arends is a jackass....

Note decent Texas budget surpluses to New York and California's enormous budget deficits. Both NY and CA have become strains on the economy. I'll gladly let the lefties try to figure it out. Try trading your worthless dollars after you bail them out with ours! MUAHAHA!

Meh...PA is increasingly liberal unfortunately. I'll have to move. Virginia is a wonderful alternative!

[krazy kaju]

This doesn't mean secession is the way. All that it means is that perhaps we should return power to the states instead of giving more power to the federal government.

[silverhandorder]

Btw if anyone did not pick up on it yet the reason red states get more funding is because their cost of living is far lower then in blue states. So they qualify for federal programs that are uniform for all states. At least that is my guess.

[Bucjason]

No , they get more funding simply because the Fed has to bribe them to go along with all thier big government social engineering.

[silverhawks]

And once the red states secede, what's to stop the neo-cons rising to the top of GOP America to create a fascist state, while Obama and co. plunge Blue State America into deepening socialism?

Wouldn't that create TWO tyrannical federal governments, both with bought-and-paid-for politicians running the show?

Anyone else not see civil war clearly on the cards at that point? Shortly followed by the arrival of UN "peacekeepers"?

We should be looking to re-unite a divided nation, not split it up even further.

[TonySutton]

I think the majority of the military industrial complex is in the blue states so that should reign in the hawks in the red states.

[Stary Hickory]

And once the red states secede, what's to stop the neo-cons rising to the top of GOP America to create a fascist state, while Obama and co. plunge Blue State America into deepening socialism?

Wouldn't that create TWO tyrannical federal governments, both with bought-and-paid-for politicians running the show?

Anyone else not see civil war clearly on the cards at that point? Shortly followed by the arrival of UN "peacekeepers"?

We should be looking to re-unite a divided nation, not split it up even further.

Oh good grief the GOP has never been like this never will. They have lately become a bunch of ignorant warmongers, but that is a far cry from fascism. They by far are more freedom oriented than the left. Whereas you can find some specific examples where the GOP has created disgusting laws that limit freedom the entire leftist agenda revolves around centralized control and less and less freedom for us all.

[james1906]

Many of the red states listed are thinly populated. This means road maintenance, border security, etc all come at a per capita higher price.

[ShowMeLiberty]

I know this guy is looking down his nose with the offer, but a peaceful separation would be great for the so-called red states.

Definitely.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r304/webby65/misc/compare_maps.gif

State Budget Deficits vs 2008 Election Results (http://13oclock.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/state-budget-deficits-vs-2008-election-results/)

[Bucjason]

Definitely.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r304/webby65/misc/compare_maps.gif

State Budget Deficits vs 2008 Election Results (http://13oclock.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/state-budget-deficits-vs-2008-election-results/)

The map shows Florida as a blue state , but if you exclude the Miami area , with all it's ghetto losers looking for a free lunch , we are very much a Red State....

We have no state income tax, right to bear arms AND use them for self defense, etc. etc.

[mconder]

These secession movements are good news for Blue America. They should be encouraged. If Red America wants to be left alone -- and that increasingly seems to be the case -- then Blue America should not look this gift horse in the mouth.

Red states would only become that much more prosperous.

[Vessol]

I say let the Red States secede and then we vote out the NeoCons!

We might have to liberate New Hampshire and Vermont though :\.

[silverhandorder]

I say let the Red States secede and then we vote out the NeoCons!

We might have to liberate New Hampshire and Vermont though :\.

Nothing like a good war for freedom and liberty can't solve. Now get on marching soldier!