Hypothetical: Split the country

[SpurNation]

We'll take all the Liberal base and all the Conservative base and split the country in two. Extend the Mason/Dixon line from coast to coast?

Each side running their own country the way they see fit. I wonder which would last the longest before being either engulfed by the opposing base, dethrowned by another country or collapse due to economic failure?

[ChumpDumper]

Perry says Texas is seceding anyway, and Todd Palin's party wants to do the same in Alaska -- so I guess we'll find out soon enough.

[braeden0613]

That sounds terrible.

[SpurNation]

Interesting that where most states that have a congested populas are predomanently Democrat and states with a mostly rural populas are Republican.

Would this mean that as a republican nation would grow in size and populas they would eventually become democrat?

[clambake]

i think one side would be fixated on creating death camps........to insure their purity.

[SpurNation]

I think one side would eventually become socialistic needing to incorporate the masses to wage war on the other side to continue to pay for it's government programs only to find that it would be a losing battle in the end due to mass exodus of the people because they never learned to achieve for themselves and would have no experience or pride in personal accomplishment.

By that time...camps probably would be needed as are being built this day throughout many areas of the country.

[jman3000]

God damn you're stupid.

[clambake]

:lol

[SpurNation]

:lol Yeah I'm stupid compared to your limited vision and brainwashed agendas.

I consider myself what the founding fathers of this country first had invisioned when forming this country. Not what it is becoming now. And it is because I love THAT first idea so much is why I would fight to keep it instead of running from the parasites of our constitution who want to destroy it.

[Shastafarian]

:lol Yeah I'm stupid compared to your limited vision and brainwashed agendas.

I consider myself what the founding fathers of this country first had invisioned when forming this country. Not what it is becoming now. And it is because I love THAT first idea so much is why I would fight to keep it instead of running from the parasites of our constitution who want to destroy it.

Did our constitution eat some undercooked pork?

[balli]

lol

[braeden0613]

:lol Yeah I'm stupid compared to your limited vision and brainwashed agendas.

I consider myself what the founding fathers of this country first had invisioned when forming this country. Not what it is becoming now. And it is because I love THAT first idea so much is why I would fight to keep it instead of running from the parasites of our constitution who want to destroy it.
While noble, I don't think the founding fathers would come within 100 miles of the modern liberal and conservatives.

[mookie2001]

that would be awesome but i couldnt decide where to live


because i would want a place with no seat belt laws, where gays can get married and adopt, really loose concealed carry laws and gun control, mandatory county gun shows, where we dont learn about creationsim and dont make kids say under god in the pledge, with health care for all, no hate crime laws, no fainess doctorine shit, 1 free abortion per lifetime, no mandatory vaccines etc...






we need to kill this two party system it is ruining shit ugly style

[Wild Cobra]

If the federal government would get out of nation wide things and allow the states to have states rights, then people could move to the state of their choice, choosing by state rather than federal laws.

[SonOfAGun]

I have wet dreams this scenario actually plays out one day.

[Wild Cobra]

Keep the wet to yourself please.

You mean reestablishing state's rights, or divide this nation?

[Cant_Be_Faded]

that would be awesome but i couldnt decide where to live


because i would want a place with no seat belt laws, where gays can get married and adopt, really loose concealed carry laws and gun control, mandatory county gun shows, where we dont learn about creationsim and dont make kids say under god in the pledge, with health care for all, no hate crime laws, no fainess doctorine shit, 1 free abortion per lifetime, no mandatory vaccines etc...






we need to kill this two party system it is ruining shit ugly style

that's the line of the show folks

[SonOfAGun]

Divide the country into two regions for 10-20 years. Both sides will eventually get back to the middle of their parties. The social/political experiment will remind people what actually keeps a country going.

The west/east coast liberals should not have to put up with us knuckle draggers in the midwest & south. They could get a nice break from having to take our money to punish us for being inferior to their highly intellectual superior selves.

Sure parts of the South would quickly degrade into backwoods bubba racist heaven, but just think about the worst parts of the 150% government dependent ghettos that would exist in the liberal region :lol

Businesses would flock to the conservative region which would result in even more rapid growth in southern cities.

Liberal region eventually turns into Canada v2.0 if they can even sustain themselves.
Conservative regions turns into the Israel of the West.

[DMX7]

I have wet dreams this scenario actually plays out one day.

Governor Perry, is that you?

[LnGrrrR]

:lol Yeah I'm stupid compared to your limited vision and brainwashed agendas.

I consider myself what the founding fathers of this country first had invisioned when forming this country. Not what it is becoming now. And it is because I love THAT first idea so much is why I would fight to keep it instead of running from the parasites of our constitution who want to destroy it.

So you're going back to the 3/5ths principle huh? I don't think many blacks would like that. :)

[LnGrrrR]

Besides, the country isn't evenly red/blue. It's very purple, and there are pockets of red and blue throughout.

[coyotes_geek]

Things didn't work out too well when we tried it 150 years ago, I don't see why trying it now would work out any better.

[DarrinS]

States and cities currently controlled by Democrats are doing FAAAANtastic!

Unless you are a fan of a strong economy.

[SonOfAGun]

Governor Perry, is that you?

Perry was just playing along with the emotion that was abundant at the time.

[Bartleby]

The west/east coast liberals should not have to put up with us knuckle draggers in the midwest & south. They could get a nice break from having to take our money to punish us for being inferior to their highly intellectual superior selves.

Sure parts of the South would quickly degrade into backwoods bubba racist heaven, but just think about the worst parts of the 150% government dependent ghettos that would exist in the liberal region :lol

You have it backwards. Unlike most of the states in the midwest and south, the west/east coast states typically pay out more to the federal govt. than they receive. Have fun paying all those agricultural subsidies without those tax revenues from the blue states. And good luck watering your crops. Many of the blue states are water wealthy, but states in the south and southwest are drying up, especially with all the population growth.



Businesses would flock to the conservative region which would result in even more rapid growth in southern cities.

Businesses looking for an undereducated work force and weak government regulations would bring more low paying jobs, turning the South into one giant maquiladora. Yay!



Conservative regions turns into the Israel of the West.

But without the national health care Israel has, right? A desert country that is constantly under threat of attack from neighboring countries and terrorists--how appealing.

[balli]

You have it backwards. Unlike most of the states in the midwest and south, the west/east coast states typically pay out more to the federal govt. than they receive. Have fun paying all those agricultural subsidies without those tax revenues from the blue states. And good luck watering your crops. Many of the blue states are water wealthy, but states in the south and southwest are drying up, especially with all the population growth.
No kidding. I saw that dumbass post last night and wanted to throw up. I'm too lazy to find the link and I've posted it about 20 times already, but eight of the top ten spenders of federal dollars, who pay the least in taxes- red states. And the top ten who spend the least, but pay the most- all blue states.

SO GMAFB, SoG. I know the right doesn't like to let facts get in their way or anything, but maybe this time you could make an exception.

[coyotes_geek]

Just to play devils advocate.......


You have it backwards. Unlike most of the states in the midwest and south, the west/east coast states typically pay out more to the federal govt. than they receive. Have fun paying all those agricultural subsidies without those tax revenues from the blue states. And good luck watering your crops. Many of the blue states are water wealthy, but states in the south and southwest are drying up, especially with all the population growth.

Then we all starve because the blue states sure aren't growing their own food.


Businesses looking for an undereducated work force and weak government regulations would bring more low paying jobs, turning the South into one giant maquiladora. Yay!

That still beats the massive unemployment that would happen in the north as businesses would continue to flock south to look for cheap labor and tax friendly locations.


But without the national health care Israel has, right? A desert country that is constantly under threat of attack from neighboring countries and terrorists--how appealing.

And the blue state nation wouldn't be under similar threats of attack?

[clambake]

Just to play devils advocate.......



Then we all starve because the blue states sure aren't growing their own food.
the devils never been to cali?




That still beats the massive unemployment that would happen in the north as businesses would continue to flock south to look for cheap labor and tax friendly locations.
yeah? whats your product and who are your customers?

and.....i guess, what you're suggesting is, that you red staters will seal your borders?




And the blue state nation wouldn't be under similar threats of attack?
so........red states get the separation they desire and still plan attacks on blue states?

[Bartleby]

Just to play devils advocate.......

Then we all starve because the blue states sure aren't growing their own food.


Canadians aren't starving and they're farther north than we are. And contrary to popular belief, some food is in fact grown north of the Mason/Dixon.



That still beats the massive unemployment that would happen in the north as businesses would continue to flock south to look for cheap labor and tax friendly locations.

The blue states would still have high tech jobs, education jobs, research, tourism, service industry jobs etc.


And the blue state nation wouldn't be under similar threats of attack?

Why would it? After all the assholes and nutjobs moved to the red nation it would become a magnet for violence from both within and without.

[LnGrrrR]

Then we all starve because the blue states sure aren't growing their own food.


Are you not counting California as a blue state?

[coyotes_geek]

Canadians aren't starving and they're farther north than we are. And contrary to popular belief, some food is in fact grown north of the Mason/Dixon.

There's only 32 million Canadians. How many people are going to live in your blue state nation? Of course there's food grown north of the mason/dixon line. But not nearly enough to feed their population.


The blue states would still have high tech jobs, education jobs, research, tourism, service industry jobs etc.

All jobs that the south would have as well. Only in locations with better weather, and where the cost of living is cheaper.


Why would it? After all the assholes and nutjobs moved to the red nation it would become a magnet for violence from both within and without.

Good thing there's never any violence in cities like Washington DC or New York.

[coyotes_geek]

Are you not counting California as a blue state?

I am. No doubt California is a huge producer of agriculture, but do they alone produce enough to feed themselves, the rest of the west coast, plus all of New England? I doubt it.

[clambake]

considering florida went blue..........good luck distributing your product through the gulf.

[coyotes_geek]

considering florida went blue..........good luck distributing your product through the gulf.

Last time I checked Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama had ports on the Gulf too.

[clambake]

Last time I checked Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama had ports on the Gulf too.

:lmao @ the reality that your customers would be limited to poor hicks.

[coyotes_geek]

:lmao @ the reality that your customers would be limited to poor hicks.

Yet for some reason the trend of people migrating from those uber-sophisticated northern states to the poor hick states in the south continues to accelerate........

[SpurNation]

Besides, the country isn't evenly red/blue. It's very purple, and there are pockets of red and blue throughout.

Agreed. But it's only the pockets of the red and blue that are getting filled and the purple are remaining bruised and beat as that symbolic color physically reflects what happens when being injured.

As far as the 3/5ths rule....I hope your not implying I'm racists which I'm not. What I am referring to is the time when states actually ruled their own government without the jurisdiction of the federal government implicating federal law to the citizens of that state unless they were on federal property within that state



Things didn't work out too well when we tried it 150 years ago, I don't see why trying it now would work out any better.

It's getting fiscally and morally close to the same reasons 150 years ago presented itself with regarding this country minus the abolition beliefs. That's scary to see ...the common trends between that period and now and know what transpired because of those trends. I'm a firm believer that history repeats itself.

Of course we wouldn't have to worry about that since the federal government has too much power not allow such a thing to ever happen again. But because of strong armed federal government intervention...we will never be a free people again compared to the original foundings of this government.

And there's plenty of history to go buy if that ever happens.

[clambake]

or...when you mix red with blue it turns purple.....without bruising.

[clambake]

Yet for some reason the trend of people migrating from those uber-sophisticated northern states to the poor hick states in the south continues to accelerate........

again.....what is the product for these uber customers of yours?

[coyotes_geek]

again.....what is the product for these uber customers of yours?

Whatever products we're all currently buying. It's not like a split into red-U.S. and blue-U.S. is going to change what we consume. Last I checked people up north were buying food, clothing, shelter and whatever myriad of creature comfort goods and services just like people in the south were.

[SpurNation]

or...when you mix red with blue it turns purple.....without bruising.

No...the purple are bruising because of an either red or blue controlled federal government that's irresponsible to any other agenda except for their own party's manifestations that would help bring them power.

[clambake]

Whatever products we're all currently buying. It's not like a split into red-U.S. and blue-U.S. is going to change what we consume. Last I checked people up north were buying food, clothing, shelter and whatever myriad of creature comfort goods and services just like people in the south were.

oh, i get it! it would be a good natured split of the nation.

why didn't you say so?

[clambake]

No...the purple are bruising because of an either red or blue controlled federal government that's irresponsible to any other agenda except for their own party's manifestations that would help bring them power.

you say this, yet you're picking sides. why not get to the point?

[Extra Stout]

As if there could be any kind of straight-line schism a la 1860. No, it will be Bleeding Kansas times a couple hundred thousand.

[coyotes_geek]

oh, i get it! it would be a good natured split of the nation.

why didn't you say so?

I doubt it would be a good natured split, but that doesn't mean that those left in blue-U.S. are going to quit needing whatever they're buying from the red states.

[clambake]

I doubt it would be a good natured split, but that doesn't mean that those left in blue-U.S. are going to quit needing whatever they're buying from the red states.

so....you think, after the split, that it would be business as usual.

thats funny.

[Extra Stout]

so....you think, after the split, that it would be business as usual.

thats funny.
I think you may have some experience regarding how these splits actually go, and that one was relatively tame compared to what this one would be.

[SpurNation]

you say this, yet you're picking sides. why not get to the point?

If you haven't figured out that I'm not for any side except for a state by state governed nation instead of the irresponsible Democrat/Republican run federal government then you haven't understood a word I've been posting.

Too be honest...I wouldn't have a clue as to if this nation was one way or the other how it would become. They both (political parties) need each other to promote their agendas through manipulation of the public. We are forced to choose one or the other and neither really have the majority of the population's interests at heart.

But I do know because of that fact...this nation is suffering more and more as a whole and we all are being brought down because of it and now face deficits that are going to I fear (in the very near future) eventually change everything we currently know and live by as individuals.

[coyotes_geek]

so....you think, after the split, that it would be business as usual.

thats funny.

Not business as usual, but there will definitely be business. The blue-u.s. is too dependent on products from red-u.s. for there not to be.

[LnGrrrR]

I am. No doubt California is a huge producer of agriculture, but do they alone produce enough to feed themselves, the rest of the west coast, plus all of New England? I doubt it.

New England produces enough food to support itself, I would think. Or at least, has the capability. Maine, New Hampshire and Vermot have a decent amount of farmland available. As well, you're not counting imports.

[LnGrrrR]

Not business as usual, but there will definitely be business. The blue-u.s. is too dependent on products from red-u.s. for there not to be.

Really? That's like saying that the red US is too dependent on the blue US for education, or technology, or any other asinine "it's this simple" idea.

[clambake]

I think you may have some experience regarding how these splits actually go,
yes.

and that one was relatively tame compared to what this one would be.
a grandiose scale. one's level of commitment also plays a role.

[LnGrrrR]

www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL31595.pdf (http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL31595.pdf)

This shows some production... there's a map about halfway down.

As you can see, New England produces a decent amount, as does the Michigan/Illinois area.

[SpurNation]

yes.

a grandiose scale. one's level of commitment also plays a role.

Ain't that the truth.

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence ?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.
Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.
Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
What kind of men were they?
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated,
but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his Ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.
Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.
Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters.
He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.
Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.
The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.
John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives.
His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste.
For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. Some of us take these
liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't.

[clambake]

thread kill

[SpurNation]

We'll see. And not that I want it to go on...but individuals and not party activists will continue it.

[coyotes_geek]

New England produces enough food to support itself, I would think. Or at least, has the capability. Maine, New Hampshire and Vermot have a decent amount of farmland available. As well, you're not counting imports.

Best data I could find had values for agricultural exports. All the northeastern states are near the bottom. There's no way they can produce enough food for themselves.

http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/FAU/2007/06Jun/FAU123/fau123.pdf

[coyotes_geek]

Really? That's like saying that the red US is too dependent on the blue US for education, or technology, or any other asinine "it's this simple" idea.

There's a difference between things like agricultural products and natural resources which can only be found in certain geographic locations and things like education and technology which can be located/developed anywhere.

[Supergirl]

I believe this idea was already floated after the 2004 election: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesusland_map

Personally, I think it's a great idea. Not that it would ever happen. But I'd love to dump all those states in the middle of the country. Now if only we could literally dump them, so it wouldn't be 3,000 miles worth of travel every time I want to go to Oregon, which I do at least once a year.

[SpurNation]

There's a difference between things like agricultural products and natural resources which can only be found in certain geographic locations and things like education and technology which can be located/developed anywhere.

Transportaion of these goods would also rank as a significant factor.

If the NE had to rely on it's food supplementation from the biggest producer California...I wonder what tarrifs would be leveed for that transportation across red state lines?

Of course that would be a major issue for red states exports as well being they would have to ship their goods to the far east through California, Portland or Washington ports.

[SpurNation]

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesusland_map (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesusland_map)

Analysis
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/2004_US_elections_purple_counties.png/180px-2004_US_elections_purple_counties.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2004_US_elections_purple_counties.png) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2004_US_elections_purple_counties.png)
2004 United States presidential election (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_United_States_presidential_election) by county (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_(United_States)), on a color spectrum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_spectrum) from Democratic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) blue to Republican (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)) red.


In the context of the Jesusland map, the states in which a majority voted Democratic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Democratic_Party) in the 2004 election are viewed as more socially liberal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_liberalism) in outlook, and therefore having more cultural similarities with Canada than with the remainder of the United States. The Republican (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Republican_Party)-voting red states tended to vote based more on what they referred to as moral values, such as opposition to same-sex marriage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage) and embryonic stem cell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell) research.[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesusland_map#cite_note-5) Holders of these values are characterized by a high degree of faith in Evangelical Christianity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelical_Christianity), thus causing the name of Jesus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus) to be affixed to the hypothetical country;[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesusland_map#cite_note-6) in an article by Ron Suskind (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Suskind) of the New York Times (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Times), a Republican official characterized the divide as being one between a "faith-based community (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith-based_community)" and a "reality-based community (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality-based_community)."[citation needed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)]
The gap is seen as stark enough that some Democratic bloggers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog) have ironically (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony) or semi-seriously advocated secession (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secession), whilst some on the Republican side (such as Mike Thompson, a past chairman of the Florida American Conservative Union (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Conservative_Union)) suggested that the federal government expel the blue states.[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesusland_map#cite_note-7) To that end, some have noted the similarity between the electoral map of the U.S. in 2004 and a map of the United States in 1860, showing the free and slave states (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slave_state) prior to the American Civil War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War).[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesusland_map#cite_note-8) [10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesusland_map#cite_note-9)

[coyotes_geek]

Of course that would be a major issue for red states exports as well being they would have to ship their goods to the far east through California, Portland or Washington ports.

That's the issue that would make life tough for red-u.s. The only water access they would have would be the gulf coast. Plus they'd still be dependent on blue-u.s. to be a major trade partner in buying their products. In the end what this all boils down to is that even if you split the u.s. into two, the two separate nations are still going to be interdependent on each other. Thus splitting up makes no sense for anyone.

[LnGrrrR]

Best data I could find had values for agricultural exports. All the northeastern states are near the bottom. There's no way they can produce enough food for themselves.

http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/FAU/2007/06Jun/FAU123/fau123.pdf

The Northeastern states are near the bottom, but look at the populations for these states. Besides Massachusetts, the populations are relatively low. Additionally, the Northeast states produce a good amount of seafood.

Also, note that California, Iowa, and Illinois, three of the headlining states, are solidly blue. Methinks your argument is somewhat defeated.

[coyotes_geek]

The Northeastern states are near the bottom, but look at the populations for these states. Besides Massachusetts, the populations are relatively low. Additionally, the Northeast states produce a good amount of seafood.

Also, note that California, Iowa, and Illinois, three of the headlining states, are solidly blue. Methinks your argument is somewhat defeated.

Agree to disagree.

[Extra Stout]

Who gets the military?

[LnGrrrR]

Agree to disagree.

Are you denying that Iowa, Illinois and California are all blue states? :)

I think that there would be problems on BOTH sides, for food production, technology, and everything else. And as shown on the map, it's not a bright clear divide.. there are pockets of red and blue mixed in everywhere.

The biggest problem and advantage the 'red side' would have is that they're mostly rural. It would mean that they have alot of the farming areas and other such land, but it would also make it harder for them to band together.

[LnGrrrR]

Who gets the military?

Ha! You and I both know there's no good answer to that one... stop poking at the hornet's nest ES. :lol

[coyotes_geek]

Are you denying that Iowa, Illinois and California are all blue states? :)

:lol

No. I'm disagreeing with you that Iowa, Illinois and California would be able to feed all of blue nation.



I think that there would be problems on BOTH sides, for food production, technology, and everything else. And as shown on the map, it's not a bright clear divide.. there are pockets of red and blue mixed in everywhere.

The biggest problem and advantage the 'red side' would have is that they're mostly rural. It would mean that they have alot of the farming areas and other such land, but it would also make it harder for them to band together.

I agree with this.

[LnGrrrR]

:lol

No. I'm disagreeing with you that Iowa, Illinois and California would be able to feed all of blue nation.


No more so than Texas could provide for all of red. ;)

[coyotes_geek]

I really don't favor splitting. We need to forcefully remove all the racist assholes and religious fundamentalists here and send them back to Europe or their country of origin. They don't belong here. We're at a point of getting to this, that's why you hear these far-right morons screaming their heads off at any little thing today. They are on their way out, for good.

Damn skippy. Anyone who doesn't think like we do needs to be forcefully removed.

[TeyshaBlue]

The Northeastern states are near the bottom, but look at the populations for these states. Besides Massachusetts, the populations are relatively low. Additionally, the Northeast states produce a good amount of seafood.

Also, note that California, Iowa, and Illinois, three of the headlining states, are solidly blue. Methinks your argument is somewhat defeated.

If I have to go to war over a fucking lobster, then I'm out.:ihit

[Extra Stout]

Look, in 30-50 years when the economy collapses and people get desperate and hungry, here's what will happen. The authority of the central government will collapse. There will be widespread violent chaos for a little while, until multiple provisional authorities get set up. These will coalesce into de-facto successor states.

People in these successor states will be very angry and looking for someone to blame for what happened. In conservative areas, racial minorities, homosexuals, and liberal urbanites will take the blame. A lot of them will get killed and many others will be forced out. In liberal areas, confessional Christians and whoever is viewed as politically incorrect will take the blame. Not as many of them will get killed, but many will be forced out, and the ones that remain will have whatever is left of rights in those days severely curtailed. (There won't exactly be two diametrically opposed regions like that, but it illustrates the point.)

Those who are forced out, upon being reunited with their respective tribes, will tell stories about the atrocities inflicted upon them. This will inflame passions and accelerate the oppression on the scapegoated groups in each camp. With what is left of their economies, states will start cutting off trade to punish one another. The only political speech left will be hate speech. Once-fellow citizens of the now-forgotten United States will be one another's most despised enemies in all the world.

While this is going on, the armaments of the former American military will be floating around. Eventually one successor state, most likely a "reddish" one, will launch an attack on a "bluish" one as revenge for perceived atrocities (which of course it too will have committed). This will escalate into a larger conflict among several successor states where a whole bunch of cities get destroyed and millions of people die. Somebody, again probably on the red side, will use nuclear weapons against cities on the other side, and probably get hit back.

When it is all over, much of the central third of North America will be reduced to scorched earth and rubble. A hundred million or more will be dead.

And then the Mexicans will rebuild it and rule it for themselves.

[LnGrrrR]

I am highly skeptical of all doomsday scenarios for the United States, and find it much more plausible that we would lose our status as world-bearers in the same way that England and Spain have done so. Revolutions might occur, but a hundred million dead is a bit high of a body count.

[Supergirl]

Northeastern states/Illinois/California/PNW would having biotechnology companies, software technology, logging, as well as seafood and fishing industries to support them.

Midwest/Southern states would have oil and farming, but I suspect those things would run out pretty quickly. They're already depleted industries. "Jesusland" would be a pretty impoverished country pretty quickly.

[Extra Stout]

I am highly skeptical of all doomsday scenarios for the United States, and find it much more plausible that we would lose our status as world-bearers in the same way that England and Spain have done so. Revolutions might occur, but a hundred million dead is a bit high of a body count.
I would make a bet, but since if I won one or both of us would probably be dead, there's no point. :(

[LnGrrrR]

I would make a bet, but since if I won one or both of us would probably be dead, there's no point. :(

Not to mention that the likelihood of us checking this website 30 years from now is slim.

Also, if your Doomsday prophesy comes true, I have no idea what currency we'd have to use to bet with. :D

[clambake]

I would make a bet, but since if I won one or both of us would probably be dead, there's no point. :(

don't sweat it. you guys can settle up at cosmic cowboy's ranch.

[Extra Stout]

don't sweat it. you guys can settle up at cosmic cowboy's ranch.
Seriously, when a guy is so rich he can buy heaven and raise horses on it, clearly marginal tax rates are too low.

[LnGrrrR]

Seriously, when a guy is so rich he can buy heaven and raise horses on it, clearly marginal tax rates are too low.

Speak for thyself! Ranch and horses are not for me, thanks. :) Then again, I'm optimistic enough to think I won't need a fallout shelter in the next 50 years.

You know ES, you might be able to afford one if you go halfsies with DarkReign :D

[Wild Cobra]

Also, if your Doomsday prophesy comes true, I have no idea what currency we'd have to use to bet with. :D
Suggestion.

Grams of gold.

[SpurNation]

Suggestion.

Grams of gold.

Crap...Fort Knox is in a blue state. ;)

No wait...Red State...Yea!

[LnGrrrR]

Suggestion.

Grams of gold.

Eh, gold is a stable form of currency, but I think food and water might be more useful in the Doomsday case... or bullets :D

[sabar]

The libs really do think that we just ranch and farm, don't they? There are bio-tech corporations and high research conducted in the south. Believe it or not, we don't truck in thousands of gallons of water and awesome high tech stuff from the holy capitol of the world, New England. We also don't all work on farms in cowboy hats. Places like Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas have an enormous corporate presence. Dallas, Houston, and Austin are leaders in different things like space, nanotech, and heart research.

I don't like to pick sides in retarded partisan things, but trashing the south shows how ignorant you are. Also, any split that occurs will be nullified over time as people will shift into a new political spectrum. There will be degrees of right wing and left winged things, just as you see in conservative (Japan/UK/Australia) and liberal countries (Europe). Their populace doesn't exist in some state of bliss. The lefties that hate the right will just end up hating the not-so-left and so on.

[boutons_deux]

"houston ... space"

of course, Texas seceding from the Union would cost it NASA, which Big Bad Dem LBJ forced into Houston.

red states are net receivers of federal funds, while blue states are net contributors. so let's see how well the red-states do without being subsidized by blue-states

[LnGrrrR]

The libs really do think that we just ranch and farm, don't they? There are bio-tech corporations and high research conducted in the south. Believe it or not, we don't truck in thousands of gallons of water and awesome high tech stuff from the holy capitol of the world, New England. We also don't all work on farms in cowboy hats. Places like Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas have an enormous corporate presence. Dallas, Houston, and Austin are leaders in different things like space, nanotech, and heart research.

I don't like to pick sides in retarded partisan things, but trashing the south shows how ignorant you are. Also, any split that occurs will be nullified over time as people will shift into a new political spectrum. There will be degrees of right wing and left winged things, just as you see in conservative (Japan/UK/Australia) and liberal countries (Europe). Their populace doesn't exist in some state of bliss. The lefties that hate the right will just end up hating the not-so-left and so on.

Atlanta was a pretty purple area... not all red.

Also, I'm not arguing that Texas doesn't have great medical research, etc etc etc. I lived in San Antonio after all, and met my wife there. You're barking up the wrong tree.

But you can't argue that most of the schools that are on the higher end are located in blue areas (Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale), just like you can't argue that the majority of ranches are in more red-state friendly areas. That's just how it is.