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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#128076: Jun 28th 2016 at 2:43:05 PM

Well first of all, Mexico doesn't actually have the interest or the resources to do that, so I'm pretty sure no one would actually worry about it. Second, in a scenario where Texas secedes peacefully why would the US be interested in re-annexing the place by force, after the fact?

JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#128077: Jun 28th 2016 at 2:46:06 PM

[up][up] The fact that even a newly independent Texas could probably kick the ass of Mexico's sub par Military. Fun fact, Mexico's solution to maintaining,relative, non alignment in the Cold War was to keep it's Military as shitty as possible. So shity that the US would never press them to send troops for any of it's wars.

edited 28th Jun '16 2:46:18 PM by JackOLantern1337

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
AmbarSonofDeshar Since: Jan, 2010
#128078: Jun 28th 2016 at 3:08:21 PM

Canada was given its independence by Britain. We didn't choose to leave; they pretty much forced us out, with the intent of creating an allied nation-state on the US border. We're a product of British imperial policy, meant to act as a buffer against American expansionism, and to give then British territories like Rupert's Land, BC, and the NW Territories someone to join instead of the USA.

I'm frankly not sure how we got dragged into this debate seeing as Canada legally permits secessionist parties to exist and even sit in the Federal government much to my eternal disgust.

Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#128079: Jun 28th 2016 at 3:19:15 PM

Basically just confusion of Canada's origin getting them lumped into the "nations that ought to be sympathetic to the idea of breakaway countries" thing.

Frankly though, the idea of any serious secession movement gaining traction outside the fringe would require many more things to go seriously wrong. The more I hear about Brittan, they have enough of "stuff gone wrong" for their economy and political system to have tipped Leave over the edge.

edited 28th Jun '16 3:19:42 PM by Elle

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#128080: Jun 28th 2016 at 4:15:46 PM

Granted, Canada's Supreme Court has also ruled that unilateral succession is unconstitutional.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#128081: Jun 28th 2016 at 4:25:07 PM

It's rather telling that the Articles of Confederation required unanimous approval of the states - but the Constitution did not. And there was serious discussion about what to do with Rhode Island, which kinda went "eeeeh, no thanks, we'll be over here" - including the option of simply annexing RI by force.

Even at the beginning, the Constitution wasn't just something you could opt out of.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#128082: Jun 28th 2016 at 4:55:04 PM

Well, NY had its congressional primaries today. I had an awkward brain fart where I went to the polling place before realizing "oh yeah, there's a democratic incumbent in my district".

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#128083: Jun 28th 2016 at 4:56:30 PM

I'm amused you went to vote and forgot who was on the ballot.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#128084: Jun 28th 2016 at 5:00:26 PM

It's probably the most solidly blue congressional district in the country, and believe it or not, I've only been eligible to vote in one other congressional election. The democrats didn't even hold a primary as far as I'm aware since the incumbent was (obviously) running unopposed.

edited 28th Jun '16 5:01:36 PM by CaptainCapsase

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#128085: Jun 28th 2016 at 5:01:24 PM

I have no problem believing that.

ILoveDogs Since: May, 2010
#128086: Jun 28th 2016 at 5:01:24 PM

[up][up]Don't you live in upstate New York?

edited 28th Jun '16 5:01:38 PM by ILoveDogs

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#128087: Jun 28th 2016 at 5:01:56 PM

[up] No? Downstate, less than an hour from the city in fact.

ILoveDogs Since: May, 2010
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#128089: Jun 28th 2016 at 5:05:48 PM

I think federal and state legislature candidates running unopposed at any level is highly problematic.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#128090: Jun 28th 2016 at 5:07:20 PM

That's just a primary, there will still be token Republican opposition.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#128091: Jun 28th 2016 at 5:09:31 PM

All the more reason. There should be a choice, a competition. Otherwise you get low turnouts, loyal incompetents placed in sure win positions, constituencies being taken for granted, and the complacent accumulation of tensions and grievances until something gives.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#128092: Jun 28th 2016 at 5:13:42 PM

Well, the issue with a lot of these positions is that there's frequently not actually more than one person in either party who wants them. Not every race is high stakes. You can say the electorate deserves a choice all you want, but that requires someone to make the choice to run for a particular office. Last I checked, that's not really something you can make someone do.

pwiegle Cape Malleum Majorem from Nowhere Special Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Cape Malleum Majorem
#128093: Jun 28th 2016 at 5:26:21 PM

[up][up]I recall an anecdote from the former Soviet Union to that effect. With only one political party, and only one Party-approved candidate per office, voter turnout was very low (understandably.) So they gave out free vodka at the polls.

Here in the US, it's the opposite: on Election Day, all bars are closed by law, so that a candidate can't sway voters by buying everybody a huge round of drinks right before the polls open.

edited 28th Jun '16 5:26:53 PM by pwiegle

This Space Intentionally Left Blank.
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#128094: Jun 28th 2016 at 5:29:55 PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_Hall_Putsch ?

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#128095: Jun 28th 2016 at 5:53:12 PM

I actually remember hearing (TV documentary?) that Election Day used to be celebrated like a holiday and the bribe was not booze but cake.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#128096: Jun 28th 2016 at 6:05:57 PM

Over involvement in politics is now why the cake is a lie

nightwyrm_zero Since: Apr, 2010
#128098: Jun 28th 2016 at 6:20:46 PM

One thing I'm rather curious about since there is no precedent. If a hypothetical Texit ever happened, what would happen to Texans living in other parts of the US or to people living in Texas who were born in other parts of the US. Do they get grandfathered in and automatically becomes citizens of the new countries? Do they go thru an immigration process? Get deported?

One of the funnier things during Canada's Quebec referendum was that our PM at that time was Jean Chretien who was born in Quebec. We sorta wondered if our country's leader would suddenly become a foreign national. [lol]

GameGuruGG Vampire Hunter from Castlevania (Before Recorded History)
Vampire Hunter
#128099: Jun 28th 2016 at 6:56:55 PM

[up] Well, there's going to be precedent soon given Brexit. After all, there are a number of British Nationals all over the European Union.

Wizard Needs Food Badly
Ghilz Perpetually Confused from Yeeted at Relativistic Velocities Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Perpetually Confused
#128100: Jun 28th 2016 at 6:57:04 PM

Much like the Brexit, the Quebec 95 referendum was a poorly thought out idea with no real thought on how they'd actually pull it off from a logistical and legal point of view. Unlike the Brexit, the question was also worded in pure gibberishnote . Kinda glad each time I see the idea's losing ground in my home province and it's becoming a political suicide for parties to embrace.

edited 28th Jun '16 6:58:04 PM by Ghilz


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