If at first you don't secede ...
Is it a symptom of fractiousness plaguing the nation? Evidence of rugged individualism by American patriots? Or a problem with people clueless about the Internet?
Is it a symptom of fractiousness plaguing the nation? Evidence of rugged individualism by American patriots? Or a problem with people clueless about the Internet?
Since the election, a bunch of malcontents (not that many, really) have filed petitions through a White House website with an ominous request. They want Obama to allow their states to secede from the Union.
Not that the president has the power to make that happen.
But that's not the problem. It's the number of petitions filed on behalf of individual states.
Let's say the Obama administration could grant independence (which, again, it can't).
To be considered, each petition needs to be "signed" by a minimum of 25,000 citizens.
But in their haste to break away, a bunch (not that many, really) of the petitioners have ignored petitions previously filed by like-minded sore-losers, er, confederates.
There's a saying that goes, "The more we pull together, the faster the work gets done."
Tell that to Virginia. Citizens in the state, which the GOP saw unexpectedly turn blue on Nov. 7, have filed not one, but three petitions which have received 2,112 3,221 and 3,603 signatures. Same scenario in the Show Me State: Missouri filed three collecting 953; 12,398; and 16,806.
Solidly red Georgia also filed a triple plea, but one of those Peach State petitions has reached 27,942 rendering the other two moot.
Texas, that mighty republic on the Mexican border, seems eager to secede with over 100,000. Some wags have suggested an independent Texas might be a good for everyone. For several reasons. See more here and here. (Then again, do we really want a 'narco state' so close to Oklahoma?)
But even in Texas there is dissent directed at the dissentors. A petition to have Austin, the state capital, secede from Texas and remain with the Union is polling 4,893.
As of about 3 p.m. Wednesday, here are the tallies on each of the White House secession petitions:
Alabama: 26,998 and 27,033
Alaska: 701 and 6,485
Alabama: 26,998 and 27033
Arkansas: 19,613
Arizona: 18,695
California 11,143
Colorado: 18,682
Connecticut: 390
Delaware: 6,599
Florida: 29,594
Georgia: 5,718; 27,942 and 11,226
Hawaii: 1,145
Idaho: 4,124
Illinois: 3,593
Indiana: 17,726
Kansas, 6,684
Kentucky: 16,058
Louisiana: 33,479
Maine: 2,072
Maryland: 171
Massachusetts: 1,084
Michigan: 16,696 and 15,846
Minnesota: 3435
Missouri: 953; 16,806 and 12,398
Montana: 11,763
Nebraska: 5,592
Nevada: 8,698
New Hampshire 3885
New Jersey: 12,345
New Mexico 3115
New York: 6,948 and 13,307
North Carolina: 617 and 26,361
North Dakota: 10,275
Ohio: 6827 and 9516
Oklahoma: 7815 and 15,627
Oregon: 12,840
Pennsylvania: 6,767 and 11,156
South Carolina: 20,457 and 13,502
South Dakota: 5077
Tennessee: 27,018
Texas: 99,471
Utah: 5,183 and 6,870
Virginia: 2,112; 3,221; and 3,603
Washington: 196 and 1,915
West Virginia: 5,895
Wisconsin: 4,728
Wyoming: 7,320