Isn’t it ironic that the only time people talk about seceding from the union we call the United States of America is when a man holds the presidency from the state of Illinois?
And what makes it more ironic is what is at the center of the discussion: economics, or the lack there of.
Times are tough. Back when Abraham Lincoln was president, they weren’t so great, either.
Lincoln wanted to do away with slavery, which southern plantation owners felt they needed.
Today, a handful of states want to do away with Obamacare and the fact that government has operated for the last four years without a true budget.
Slavery and Obamacare.
In both cases, the issues boil down to states rights.
Some might say there are other complaints, but the biggest one has to do with health care and the mandate that everyone have insurance.
Some companies are already preparing for Obamacare by turning full-time employees into part-time so they do not fall under the new federal guidelines. This, they feel, would place the burden of health care cost on the individuals rather than companies.
Let us not forget, Florida led the charge of several states in filing a lawsuit seeking to declare this health care plan unconstitutional.
The economics turn to states rights.
Being part of this nation we have things provided to us by our federal government: some law enforcement, schools, roads, and other necessities.
If a state secede from the union, that would be no more.
By seceding, states like Florida would have to protect its boundaries more from an influx of people trying to take advantage of what we might have that others want. We would need to create an army to protect this new “country.”
Then there will be other issues that must be worked out, which is already handled by being a part of the union.
As nice as it may sound to some fanatics, seceding from the United is not the best way to get a point across.
Despite winning the Electoral College and the popular vote, President Obama only won 26 of the 50 states, which make up our union. However, under America’s Electoral College system, a candidate can win with only 11 states (Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, New York, Texas and California.)
While President Obama’s victory was narrow and, as such, not a ringing endorsement of the last four years, he is still the president. Crying that we now want to secede is ridiculous. Where will the money come from for the army, navy, marines, battleships, planes, warheads, etc. needed to guard the shores of this new country? Where will funds come from to maintain highway systems? Exactly, taxes. A recreation of the problem people think they presently have.
One other point regarding seceding from the union, don’t we all regularly place hands over hearts and swear we are “indivisible”?
Or are those just words?
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Our View – Nov. 17, 2012