Breaking Up America

If we take Colorado and Nevada then we'll probably have to end up defending the river and dam from a bunch of Trump supporters dressed up as gold-plated Roman Legionnaires. Particularly since that one Reuter's article revealed that a lot of places in the USA — especially in Red States — have water that is even worse than Flint, Michigan's.

edited 2nd Jan '17 3:22:04 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised

I would not entirely rule out New Mexico and possibly at least parts of Texas, California and Colorado making a play to join Mexico. Similarly I wouldn't be averse to the northeast and west coast petitioning Canada for membership.

Trump delenda est

Canada might be adverse to that though, as the US West Coast is more populous than the entirety of Canada.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.

Yeah, I can't see Canada really wanting to take on parts of the USA, if only for the huge political upheaval.

Oissu!

Yeah. Canada probably doesn't want to be annexed by the West Coast. Maybe Mexico would like to join?

Of course, if the whole West Coast exits, Hawaii will either join or go independent, but I wonder what we in Alaska will do, since we're red as blood but now completely disconnected from the rest of Jesusland.

I also wonder what would happen to blue enclaves in the red states like Atlanta, Austin and Dade and Broward counties in Florida. I sense it wouldn't be pretty.

Also whither Utah? It's seriously red but many Mormons don't like Trump and many others might have dreams of a Deseret State.

edited 2nd Jan '17 4:02:36 PM by tricksterson

Trump delenda est

I can imagine Alaska becoming an independent petro-state, joining Canada through the promisie of more oil wealth (and an extra bastion for the conservatives), or being occupied by Russia if they are feeling opportunistic enough.

How Florida goes will depend on how much the Right-Wing/ racist Hispanics and Nob-Hispanic Whites are willing to cooperate. Either way it will be a mess.

Pretty sure California has nukes in their borders. On the map.

Dunno what it would take to keep them. Or how they would learn to use them themselves.

edited 2nd Jan '17 4:46:16 PM by unnoun

Not sure if this was brought up earlier in the thread, but there's also the issue of currency. In the event of an actual secession, I doubt very much that the USA will allow California to keep using the dollar.

Disgusted, but not surprised

If Michigan became it's own thing, we would first have to beat Ohio into the ground so hard that they cannot ever say the word buckeye without getting squashed.

Please allow me to introduce myself, I am a man of wealth and taste. Nice to meet you, hope you can guess my name.

Wow you really hate Ohio don't you? Most of the Great Lakes states seem to be some shade of purple so I could actually see them plus Iowa and minus New York (too blue) and Indiana (too red) forming their own nation eventually.

Trump delenda est

@Mio: An independent petrostate is highly unlikely - we don't make nearly enough money from our oil. Everyone would collectively leave us to rot is the likeliest answer.

It's a cultural thing to hate on Ohio.

Though not as much as those fucking Yoopers!

Please allow me to introduce myself, I am a man of wealth and taste. Nice to meet you, hope you can guess my name.

Ohio, yes.The U.P., not so much.

One of the things with the Revolution and Civil War was the way that Military and Political figures from the side that split were immediately able to take up new roles.

So I'm curious about what defections there would be, or what that might look like.

Like, especially in terms of nukes and drones. I may be wrong, but I think in most cases, even if the President authorizes a nuclear strike, someone still has to press the buttons in the silo itself.

Like. I almost wonder whether an attempt to launch and strike a secessionist state that has nukes might backfire, because the people living and working in the silo could take a Taking You with Me approach. Even if they were still technically loyal to the U.S. government, nuking a state they happen to be in might still kill them.

Here's a depressing thought: If America nuked itself to oblivion, would the rest of the world care?

edited 5th Jan '17 6:18:38 AM by unnoun

Well, if America suddenly went kaput, the global economy would probably take a while to stabilize.

Afterwards though, the rest of the world is probably going to party.

Disgusted, but not surprised

They'd be right to party. I'm an American, and I'm sick of us right now.

Well *I*'d be sad: Most of my webcomics come from the States. Lots of shows too, not to mention the TV Tropes servers if I'm not mistaken.

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."

A lot of American media is concentrated in areas that could be viable, if in a reduced capacity, as independent states (namely the coasts). If a break up was relatively peaceful (as in the US military doesn't turn on itself/the public) most people in those areas would escape intact.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.

x 6 Just why is the Upper Peninsula part of Michigan anyway? would make more sense for it to either be an independent state or part of Wisconsin. Similar to why the Delmarva peninsula should be part of Delaware.

Trump delenda est

The reason why the Upper Peninsula is a part of Michigan is the same reason why there's a bit of bad blood between Michigan and Ohio - The Toledo War.

In 1835 Michigan was getting ready to become a state and it was drawing up it's borders. During this time Michigan claimed Toledo as a part of it. Before this who owned Toledo had been disputed, with both Michigan and Ohio claiming ownership but since Ohio was already a state it's claim was given more weight in addition Ohio was able to use it's influence to keep Michigan from obtaining statehood. Eventually a compromise was reached, Ohio keeps Toledo and Michigan was granted some additional land (the Upper Peninsula) as compensation by the Federal Government.

Also of note, it's thanks to this "war" that we earned our association with the wolverine. During this time Ohioans claimed that Michiganians were as "vicious and bloodthirsty as wolverines".

Will, Chinese nationalists and the smug, edgy politics nerds who worship Vladimir Putin would, that's for sure. Which doesn't fill me with much anticipation, personally.

If this topic is not too old, who says states have to stay intact.
The most likely thing is probably an "All the Little Americas" with more or less sovereign, liberal, and cosmopolitan city-states dotting the continent and mixed in with large rural and fundamentalist baronies in the countryside.
I.e. the Holy Roman Empire in the West.

I do have a sinking feeling that we'll not be mourned though by much anyone not just Beijing and Moscow.

edited 17th Feb '17 5:51:25 AM by CenturyEye

Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives

Dade and Broward might have an out because they're on the coast. Then again blue staes would also have to deal with their red enclaves.

Trump delenda est