This diary is less about Healthcare Reform, as it is more about ideology in general. As of many of you, I am getting pretty frustrated when it comes to the far right, using their vast resources from powerful conservatives churches and big business to fearmonger people into conforming to Reaganesque Free Market and Socially Conservative ideology. For generations, the south has always lagged behind the rest of the country when it comes to social change. Economic conservatism has become popular since the south became Republican and southern states are being run into the ground because of this.
But now I think it is time to test ideology. I am sick of politicians, usually Republican southern politicians, trying to screw up our economy and society to score political points. Why don't we just give the chance for any state to opt out?
This is not to say that other states aren't mismanaged, but often time, Governors playing politics will cut state taxes, so the federal government often picks up the tab, with many southern states becoming "Welfare States", as opposed to "Donor States", meaning they receive more federal money than they pay to the government in income taxes. Then the teabaggers drive from these states on federal interstates and march into DC complaining about their islamofacistcommiestalinistnixonion President that they didn't even vote for, asking the government to not take away their medicare and wanting their country back.
Even though it is hypocritical of Texas Governor Rick Perry to throw around the possibility of seccession, but why not? Below is the map I drew up:
So the blue states are the ones most likely stay in the union, the red are the ones most likely to leave, and the purple are toss ups. I am aware of the US of Canada and Jesusland maps that there are, but I thought that this would be more accurate since the 2008 elections.
Now this may resemble an electoral map, but there are a couple of differences here. I think in the end, some of the more Northern Great Plans and Rocky Mountain states, Such as the Dakotas, Montana, and maybe Nebraska wouldn't leave, since much of their local voting tends to lean democrat, although they nationally voted for McCain over Obama. Virginia is probably liberal enough to the point where they wouldn't secede again. West Virginia is also another state that has local democrat roots, although nationally voted McCain. Arizona probably would've gone blue if McCain wasn't the Republican candidate. In Florida, you would most likely see the Northern Panhandle break off from the rest of the state, as Central and South Florida is much more Liberal compared to Northern Florida and some of the more rural areas.
So there you have it. I realize that this is just pure speculation, but I do not see that much wrong with it. Maybe being in the blue state of Washington, I am probably not considering the liberals living in the bible belt region. And I am sorry about that. But I think it gives a great change to have those southern states become a more unequal economy, pass many conservative wedge issues into law, such as banning abortion and gay marriage, have their citizens rely on private health insurance, and allow their citizens to take their gun wherever they go.
What about the business though, since we rely on various businesses in the South? Not to worry, they would still be a part of NAFTA. They would probably set their minimum wages much lower, or abolish them all together, and be able to directly compete with China for cheaply made goods and polluted air. You would probably start to see a government that resembled China, authoritarian capitalism. Fox News can move their headquarters to Atlanta, and Supreme Leader Rupert Murdoch can rule over the land, spread all the lies he tells unchecked.
I am sure all we would need is an enhanced Drivers License or passport if we want to go on a scenic vacation at Yellowstone Park or New Orleans. It probably wouldn't be too much different of a country. Canada has been a great neighbor, I do not see why the Confederate States wouldn't be either.
Meanwhile, we would be able to have public health care, a living wage, gun restrictions, legalized marijuana, gay marriage, fair trade practices, EFCA, Cap and Trade and all the other great things that are usually dragged down by teh stupid.
At this point in our history, I do not understand why we continue to put up with the South. Lincoln should've just let them go and run their economy into the ground, rather than wage a war to win over people who often are dragged kicking and screaming to any real change.