Exclusive: Angry with Washington, 1 in 4 Americans open to secession

Reuters ^ | 19 Sep 2014 | Scott Malone

[Rummyfan]

The failed Scottish vote to pull out from the United Kingdom stirred secessionist hopes for some in the United States, where almost a quarter of people are open to their states leaving the union, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

Some 23.9 percent of Americans polled from Aug. 23 through Sept. 16 said they strongly supported or tended to support the idea of their state breaking away, while 53.3 percent of the 8,952 respondents strongly opposed or tended to oppose the notion.

The urge to sever ties with Washington cuts across party lines and regions, though Republicans and residents of rural Western states are generally warmer to the idea than Democrats and Northeasterners, according to the poll.

Anger with President Barack Obama's handling of issues ranging from healthcare reform to the rise of Islamic State militants drives some of the feeling, with Republican respondents citing dissatisfaction with his administration as coloring their thinking.

But others said long-running Washington gridlock had prompted them to wonder if their states would be better off striking out on their own, a move no U.S. state has tried in the 150 years since the bloody Civil War that led to the end of slavery in the South.

"I don't think it makes a whole lot of difference anymore which political party is running things. Nothing gets done," said Roy Gustafson, 61, of Camden, South Carolina, who lives on disability payments. "The state would be better off handling things on its own."

[ontap]

I think most of them are here in Texas!!

[sickoflibs]

RE :Exclusive: Angry with Washington, 1 in 4 Americans open to secession

I live in Maryland so ‘breaking away’ wouldn't help me in the least, not that its a serious idea anyway.

Things that are not happening regardless of wishful thinking:

Challenger to Bohner
States succession from union
Constitutional amendments getting ratified
IRS going away.
A shutdown forcing Obama to do anything.
Obama impeachment
The next POTUS justice dept prosecuting Obama

[Graewoulf]

Two days ago, Speaker “Blank Check” Boehner approved the spending of $ 500,000,000 of US Taxpayer Dollars to “train” 5,000 Syrian Muslim Rebels in Saudi Arabia for one year. IOW, another Boehner Bailout Bill to Obama.

Here are a few discussion points that were NOT mentioned by Boehner:

* Each Syrian Muslim Rebel will cost $ 100,000 to train.

* 5,000 Syrian Muslim Rebels will be removed from the battlefields in Syria to a training site in Saudi Arabia for one year.

* The removal of 5,000 Syrian Muslim Rebels will leave their families with reduced protection from attack by Syrian Army troops, for one year.

* The removal of 5,000 Syrian Muslim Rebels will leave their families with NO protection from attack by ISIS troops, for one year.

* The removal of 5,000 Syrian Muslim Rebels from the battlefields of Syria will help both the Syrian and ISIS troops to more easily take over areas controlled by the Syrian Muslim Rebels.

BTW, did anyone notice if before the US Senate approved Boehner’s Bailout Bill yesterday, did any US Senator mention that removing 5,000 Syrian Muslim Rebels from the battlefields of Syria, was in effect, “Giving aid and comfort to the ENEMY” for the period of one year?

[Diogenesis]

"At the foundation of our civil liberties lies
the principle that denies to government officials
an exceptional position before the law and which
subjects them to the same rules of conduct
that are commands to the citizen."
Justice Louis D. Brandeis

"When the law no longer protects you from the corrupt,
but protects the corrupt from you -
you know your nation is doomed."
-Ayn Rand

[Adder]

Works for me,,,

Send the coasts away and let them manage their socialist nirvana's.

[rfreedom4u]

I’d love to see the poll question:

If Texas were to secede, would you move to Texas?

I’m sure a lot of people would come to Texas is that were the case.

[Vigilanteman]

A more lasting solution would be a more equitable division of powers between the states and Fedzilla coupled with laws to make it easier for states to subdivide themselves and/or kick certain sections out of their state or Commonwealth.

For instance, Pennsylvania would be far better if we could make the Philadelphia and Scranton areas go to New Jersey.

Delaware is too small, so cut off the piece on New Castle County north of the canal and trade it for the eastern shore of Maryland. Get rid of DC completely. Make Maryland a New Jersey sized megalopolis state stretching from Wilmington to the Northern Virginia DC suburbs and give their panhandle (everything from Fredrick west to West Virginia.

We (Pennsylvania) will take that odd northern panhandle of West Virginia to compensate us for the loss of Philadelphia and Scranton. Virginia and West Virginia can figure out an equitable division of of the combined Maryland/West Virgina panhandles to compensate Virginia for the loss of the DC suburbs. Keep it simple like everything from Cumberland east goes to Virginia, everything west to West Virginia.

Baseball teams do it all the time with multi-team deals. States ought to be able to do it for, say, a four year period before every census.

[Arm_Bears]

The 53.3% who are opposed to secession either work for government or otherwise get their living (i.e., welfare) from government.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

American companies really, really need to bring back jobs to America.

Wake up, bring back jobs.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Let’s all secede from the District of Criminals!

[Chuzzlewit]

agreed... I would very much consider moving to Texas if that were to happen.

not going to happen in California, I’m stuck. My daughter lives here, and it’s hard for me to leave her..

I would really think it through however... what is left of this country? I don’t recognize it and I don’t think it can be saved.

I need to think about 3 things: my family, where the jobs are located, and freedom.

[greene66]

I’m very open to my state of Texas seceeding. I think the final line in the sand for me will be when the Supreme Court tries to impose homo-marriage across the country. I’ll just no longer have any remaining shred of interest in the preservation of the republic after that.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Need to get rid of (communist) unions. And the minimum wage.

That is why companies go elsewhere, ironically.

Incidentally, MW is why we have so many illegals. Get rid of that garbage and more Americans COULD be hired for low-end jobs that truly aren’t worth that much.

No MW = few illegals.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Outside of successful secession, mark my words:

if any real rebellion ignites, it will be from a so-called “blue” state. Not red.

[caligatrux]

I need to think about 3 things: my family, where the jobs are located, and freedom.

I'm thinking if you move towards freedom, your family will automatically be better off, and the jobs will move there, too.

[native texan]

I’ve been ready to go for the past 4 years...

[Cringing Negativism Network]

The problem I have with that is, a majority of jobs are being sent to a massive communist nation.

That is worse.

Bring back American jobs.

[caligatrux]

Need to get rid of (communist) unions. And the minimum wage. That is why companies go elsewhere, ironically. Incidentally, MW is why we have so many illegals. Get rid of that garbage and more Americans COULD be hired for low-end jobs that truly aren’t worth that much. No MW = few illegals.

Which raises a question I have asked before: if that is the case, then why is the US Chamber of Commerce and so-called "big business" so in favor of amnesty? If you give the illegals amnesty, then you have have to pay them minimum wage, and you have all the issues with Obamacare, employment taxes, etc.

You wont be getting a whole new super-cheap workforce, you'll just get a larger workforce of minimum wage workers that can't speak English.

I guess they just assume the amnestied illegals will actually be willing to work minimum wage jobs, unlike most unemployed Americans.

[George from New England]

I would love to see a 3-state entity formed by Maryland, Virgina, and D.C. Let them(3) pay themselves from their own taxes(3) — leave the other 48 states alone and separate.

Suddenly all the revenue would disappear in the (3), and the 48 that are left with tax revenues within their own borders would prosper like crazy.