Secession, Eh? (Lawrence Henry Lays Red State Smackdown On Blue State Blatherings...!)

American Spectator ^ | 11/12/04 | Lawrence Henry

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Courtesy of Wednesday morning's Lucianne.com comes this pull quote from Geraldine Ferraro, the now getting long in the tooth former vice presidential candidate of the Democratic party:

"You know what? Just let me make one point. You were talking about the map before. If indeed all those blue states all got together and seceded from the union, think what would be left for those red states, nothing. There would be no educational system. You would have nothing. What would be left to you? I mean, where is all of this talent in this country? It's on both sides, the Northeast corridor."

-- Geraldine Ferraro to Sean Hannity on Hannity and Colmes, November 6.

The "map" Ms. Ferraro refers to is, of course, the original one published in USA Today, showing red states and blue states, Republican vs. Democratic voting. Modern news has moved fast enough to discredit the state by state notion that it's hard to find that map on the Web anymore. Here's a little one from John Zogby's home page. The first thing to say about secession is that it's not going to happen. We fought a war about the idea, remember? The second is, never mind a state by state division. Individual jurisdictions within states wouldn't stand for it. Look, more correctly, at the county by county map, here . That's what everybody has been writing about lately, and that's what's pertinent to the ridiculous notion of the blue states seceding.

The blue states aren't all blue, with few exceptions.

Look just at California. The Central Valley, which supplies much of the U.S. (and the world) with food, registers solid red, as do San Diego and Orange County, San Luis Obispo, and Humboldt. Would the military folk of San Diego and the farmers of the mid-state region want to join what Washington Post editor Joel Garreau, in The Nine Nations of North America, calls "Ecotopia"? Nope.

Or consider even almost-solid blue Connecticut and Rhode Island. These states are home to the Electric Boat Corporation, the premier manufacturer in the world of nuclear submarines. It employs more than 11,000 people in Groton, Connecticut, and in Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Do the good liberal burghers of Connecticut and Rhode Island want to stay in the fast-attack and boomer business? Uh-uh. What happens?

Intellectual capital the blue capitals may have, as Ms. Ferraro says, but how will they eat? How will they defend themselves? Were I the base commander a military base in California, what would I do upon a movement toward secession by my county? I think I might be on the growler to my counterparts in Kansas and Nebraska, arranging to move in.

Among various kinds of fixed assets, only harborage appears to offer blue states an advantage. The Blues would have Boston, Baltimore, and New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, and Spokane. They could probably control the St. Lawrence Seaway. The Reds would take Galveston, New Orleans, Mussel Shoals, Charleston, Newport News, and Tampa and Miami. Airports would break just about even, with the edge going to the Reds for big, capable regional hubs like Atlanta, Dallas, and Memphis.

The blue states would have television and movie production. But what are movies without distribution networks of theaters? And what is TV without affiliates? The shattering of conventional media would proceed apace.

No, the interesting thing about all the current secession talk is its similarity to the pre-Civil War era. At that time, an area of the country felt itself threatened by the impending loss of a key portion of its agrarian livelihood. Kicking and yelling, it resisted being dragged into the new industrial age.

So what are the blue confederates kicking and screaming about? What well-nigh irresistible movement toward modernity do they refuse to recognize? Oh, I could name a few things.

[SouthernFreebird]

There is nothing BLUE about a confederate. :<

[Congressman Billybob]

Geraldine is a blithering geopolitical moron. She is typical of the Blue "pundits" who "just don't get it." Click below for a discussion of that.

Congressman Billybob

Click for latest, "A New Stoplight in Town"

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

If the blue states got their way, unrestrained by pressure from the red states, they would implement economic policies that would make France and Germany look prudent. Unemployment would quickly approach 20%. The educational model would be the Soviet Union. (Interesting to think how they might finesse the Civil War. Bad when they do it, good when we do it.)

Red states exercise a valuable restraint on blue state politicians, even at the local level. BTW, it would be a disaster for Canada and the EU.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

I was just thinking yesterday about how I was in a red county in a blue state. Then I thought, "what a great name for a country music song that would be!"

[GreyFriar]

What was Nixon's warning not to "hate your enemies or you will become like them"? Sounds like the media have continued their hate of Nixon to now have exceeded him.

[cripplecreek]

If there were ever any serious talk about secession those who support it would find themselves to be pretty lonely. The only states where liberals have a sizable majority are a few states in the northeast. Conservatives in the Midwest and west coast "blue states" are a pretty sizable bunch and would end talk of secession almost before it began.

[stylin_geek]

You know as well as I all of those people in the new Blue Country would live in the Red Country to take advantage of the tax breaks. In fact, they'd probably wind up relocating, because their Blue Country would slap an extra tax on those who worked in Blue Country but lived in Red Country.

[stylin_geek]

Yeah on that. I live in solidly Red Kern County in CA.

[Unam Sanctam]

Let's stop all this stupid secession talk. We are one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[Pharlap]

Actually, the secession would not occur by states; but by counties. Most of the BLUE states have Red counties that would have no interest in secession. What would occur is a few major metropolitan areas would go their own way, and for the rest of the country, the rallying cry would be "good bye and good riddance".

[Grit]

bump

[uncbob]

Blue states ain't got a prayer at secess
It is their big cities that made them blue and they are surrounded by RED COUNTIES that wouldn't secede

What fools

You can have your big cities and when the natives get restless cause the food stops coming in lots of luck with the riots since you don't have any guns

What a bunch of boobs

[xzins]

"You know what? Just let me make one point. You were talking about the map before. If indeed all those blue states all got together and seceded from the union, think what would be left for those red states, nothing. There would be no educational system. You would have nothing. What would be left to you? I mean, where is all of this talent in this country? It's on both sides, the Northeast corridor."

I love it when elitist socialists show their true sentiments.

We're all idiots except for the intervention of the marVUlous northeast liberals.

She is right that we probably owe most of our socialist programs to their agitations, but she is dreaming if she thinks the determination, creativity, and abilities of America comes from socialist liberalism.

It comes from freedom.

Anywhere...continent-wide....that that is grasped is where great things happen and where they have happened!

The red-staters see ONE NATION under God. This liberal sees the non-northeasterners and even middle class northeasterners as client colonies of the aristocracy.

[Adder]

"Blue Country would live in the Red Country to take advantage of the tax breaks."

Then they'd be illegal aliens and we could deport 'em or shoot 'em. Makes me no never mind either way...

keh-heh-heh-heh-heh[Popeye]

[RossA]

The interesting analog between 21st- and 19th-century secessions is the role of abortion compared to slavery. The liberals and the Southerners share(d) a sacrosanct definition of humanity. One excluded blacks, the other excludes unborn-babies. Both advocate extreme positions (e.g., the Dred Scott decision, partial-birth-abortions, judicial filibusters) rather than yield an inch.

Republicans are sure to limit abortion and/or threaten to do so with judicial appointments unacceptable to the Left. This will further stir the secessionist pot. Will the pot turn into a plot?

[American_Centurion]

For reference to back up your statement, compare pre and post-civil war virginia.

A/C

[.44 Special]

Father against son, brother against brother, cousin against cousin...

We've been their before: Manassas, Petersburg, Vicksburg, Shiloh, Antietam, Gettysburg, Atlanta.

Do you think the blues really have the guts for it?

That would be war! And we all know how much the blues are against violence and war. Anathma!

I thinks the reds would fight for the Union. An therein lies the truth. To the blues, who's philosophy encompasses "the end justifies the means", the risk of personal loss or injury to support their cause would be unacceptable.

Not patriotic to this country, not patriotic to their cause, the blues have no hope.

The difference between the Red and the Blue: conviction in their respected beliefs.

At 18 I enlisted and would have died for my country had the need arisen. Forty years on and I would do the same, no hesitation, no pause for reflection. If you can't stand for what you believe, don't question the outcome.

[embedded_rebel]

They could probably control the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Under the command of rear admir_AHOLE J Dunsel Kerry.

[CMAC51]

So far noboby has touched on the blue states' real achilles heal. They would be energy slaves to the red states. No gas for their cars, Good luck LA and Frisco. No electricity for their trains, good luck New York and Boston.