As we all know by now, "disappointed" conservatives in 40 states (and growing) have started White House petitions to allow their state to secede from the country. Acknowledging that secession doesn't stand a snowball's chance in hell, nor should it, there is an alternative, which has been presented in another PETITION:
For secessionists, provide an expatriation tax amnesty to those who renounce citizenship before October 2014.
"People from 40+ states have begun and signed petitions to secede from the United States. Because so many lives have been lost saving the Union, alternative solutions should be considered. One barrier to expatriation has been taxation. There are expatriation taxes on capital gains made in the process of leaving and income taxes expatriates are legally require to pay for years thereafter. The Act to implement this petition would provide an expatriation tax amnesty window until September, 2014, through which time citizens may expatriate on a tax-exempt basis. Those who expatriate on this basis, however, must irrevocably renounce their U.S. citizenship."
This petition recognizes the desires of would-be secessionists to separate from the U.S. and provides them an easy, inexpensive way to do so prior to the next Federal election. Perhaps we might even provide them with one-way tickets? Relocation expense assistance of, say, $1,000 per person?
Consider it a self-deportation incentive program for those with citizen's remorse. With the tax savings, perhaps they could acquire land to start their own nation together. Somewhere else.
For the rest of us, we'll surely more than recoup the costs from the red states that take the most government services and pork funding. We'll probably save a lot of money wasted on contentious elections and the perpetual campaigning and gridlock of our representatives in D.C. and in state legislatures.
Who knows, maybe we'll even get a chance to push forward Climate Change initiatives in time to stave off the worst environmental, economic and public health effects otherwise awaiting us and our children and their children and...
You have to admit, while there may be upfront costs and it may be hard to give them ANYTHING, there are TREMENDOUS DOWNSTREAM UPSIDES to helping them fulfill their dreams! In fact, don't think of it as paying to fulfill their dreams, think of it as paying to fulfill our dreams. How much are hope and change really worth?
If you agree, sign the petition here.