Carson said:
In reply to Stampie :
I sure didn’t, but I’m a North Carolinian.
TIL that NC and SC were actually the same at the beginning.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Carolina
In reply to Johnboyjjb :
I’m a fiscal conservative but even I understand that debt isn’t a bad thing. The poorest people have a tiny debt but relative to their income it’s massive.
The richest people still may have a mountain of debt but relative to their income it’s manageable.
When dealing with government a third set of rules applies. Because they control the printing press they can simply print their way out of debt.
Sure inflation results. But since it doesn’t affect the rich and powerful* there is no real restriction.
* rich do not have their wealth tucked under the mattress instead it’s in assets such as real estate, stocks investments of one sort or another. Let’s assume 100% inflation, then the 2 billion becomes 4 billion.
Sure the worker who saved his money in the bank will take a big hit only gaining 2% interest on his money effectively losing 98% of the benefits of inflation.
But that person will time and time again vote to retain his politician because he trusts him and He agrees with him on guns, taxes, or abortion
RX Reven' said:
I find the whole “if you don’t like it, leave” gesture well suited for a bumper sticker but that’s it. Look, I’m a moderate trying live peacefully in an ultra-liberal state…every day represents a tiring and stressful effort to remain undetected to avoid a tsunami of mockery and ridicule by self-proclaimed tolerant, inclusive people.
I know I’m not welcome here but this is where I was born (this is my home) and it’s incredibly beautiful and it would cost a fortune for me to leave (both qualitatively and quantitatively) so I live the life of an imposture ever fearful of being unmasked.
I feel your pain. Its been the same (but opposite) for me most in the deep red places I have lived. Ultimately both sides need each other to keep it all in check, but it can be difficult at times.
slefain
PowerDork
2/23/18 11:37 a.m.
codrus said:
slefain said:
It will never happen for the same reason Puerto Rico will never be a state: the U.S. Senate. Having 50 states give a nice even 100 Senators and making sure the Vice President always has a chance to split a tie vote. The only way Congress will ever approve adding another state is if they add two, thus putting the balance back in place.
Or at least that's how I see it.
51 states would be 102 senators, which is still capable of being evenly split...
(facepalm) aaaand I'm an idiot. Even I had to laugh at myself for that one.
ncjay
SuperDork
2/23/18 12:07 p.m.
Personally, I feel the U.S.A. has been stuck far too long at 50 states. We need to start adding more.
PA is like that, very Blue in the cities and very Red everywhere else. Most states probably are.
There's an interesting blog about previous attempts to create new states:
http://loststates.blogspot.com/search/label/New%20states%3F
Appleseed said:
Hi, I'm Chicago, er, I mean Illinois.
How is the country of Quebec coming along?
Not nearly as well as the taxpayers of Canada wish. Next time they have a separation vote, I want the opportunity to vote, as well.
T.J.
MegaDork
2/23/18 3:56 p.m.
I'd like to see one of these movements actually happen. It has more of a chance than a secession movement, which I think would be even more interesting. Very low odds, but interesting to think about.
Brian
MegaDork
2/23/18 4:21 p.m.
I have mixed feelings about NY splitting. There are a few laws in place due to downstate I would like to do without. Conversely, the City subsidizes Upstate. Without that things would be more like rural PA. On that note, last time fracking was voted down at the state level most of the border counties threatened to secede to PA.
Type Q
SuperDork
2/23/18 4:30 p.m.
I live in California. I have not heard about this effort. It is not the first though. I grew up in Michigan and it seemed like someone always had effort going to split off the U.P. into its own state. Is that still happening?
In reply to logdog :
Having lived a good portion of my life in areas where you are much more likely to see "Love it or Leave it!" bumper stickers on a truck than "Coexist", I always find these movements amusing. After all, they choose to live in California so where is the unadulterated love for the state? Kansas should be a utopia for them.
California was not always a blue state. The recent pendulum swing happened in the 90's. The prior 30 years it had been a red state. I live here because I have family here, and it is a beautiful place to live. But it sure is expensive, and that tax money does not appear to be very well spent. The image of California is pretty inaccurate outside of the urban areas. I live 50 miles from SF, and it is a different world.
That's one I could never figure out in grade school geography. Why does Michigan have the U.P.? It doesn't touch the main chunk of Michigan and it's not an island like Hawaii. What gives?
In reply to Appleseed :
Ohio got Toledo, Michigan got the U.P.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toledo_War
In reply to markwemple :
berkeley you too buddy, see how you get along without the food, water, and other essential resources rural America provides. We're not all a bunch of hillbillies sitting on our front porches, pickin' banjos and collecting welfare checks all day either, people work for a living and pay taxes just like everyone else.
In reply to markwemple :
Hitting the liquor hard tonight huh?
I think it's the sound of all those redneck pickups with American V-8s that are riling him up.
Accuses others of being haters while casually throwing wildly inflammatory terms like “teabagger“ around – again, I’m from California so I’m no stranger to extreeeeeeeme hypocrisy.
Let's not derail the thread because of one poster. Ignore troll-y behavior and it loses it's power.
