I agree. The title itself is a fantasy, as an exit will destroy their economy, and it would no longer be "6th". That's simple economic law. If you add in the "unintended consequences", which really are just "unexpected consequences" to those who reject reason as it applies to economics, even worse. The simplest analogy would be like the collapse of Obamacare, on steroids.

If CA seceded, one unintended consequence I would predict is many counties in CA would secede from CA. Outside of the main
populations centers (SF Bay area, Sacramento,
Santa Cruz-Monterey, LA-San Diego) CA is a much different place.

I guarantee you that northern California and central Oregon would never want to Calexit with these liberals! We could not afford to feed, cloth and shelter them! There are very rational people in these states too. Northern Cali has talked about seceding from the US just to get away from Southern Cali. And we over here in Central Oregon definitely do not agree with what is going on west of the Cascades!

The deep south would invade and conquer the northeast states because most of the US soldiers come from the south, and the northeast states have few firearms. DC would be overrun in less than an hour. (grin) Then the US congress would blame Iraq.

You're probably right. Dems would never let CA escape their clutches but the south they might consider-until they realize that most of their cannon fodder comes from the south. Moot point though, the GOP would never let any southern state have independence for the same reason the Dems want to keep CA.

That was my first thought, too, Temlakos, and I suspect it would weigh heavily on CA secessionists, too. I doubt that any secessionists in CA would join with WA and OR because they know that it could not end in peaceful secession. Not that the feds would ever consent to any state requesting independence, even on constitutional grounds, much less lose shipping and military access to the Pacific.

There have been at least two separate proposals to split California into 2 or more states based on various criteria. The minimal proposal would create Jefferson out of Northern California and Southern Oregon. So I assume if California decided to secede those parts of California would attempt to secede from California to stay (similar to Scotland saying it would leave the UK to remain in the EU, if Brexit were to be triggered). Unfortunately, it would take too long for the succession (they would need a referendum, then the state legislature and governor would need to inform Congress, who would need to debate it at the very least, for an amicable split) that it is very likely we would have another Democratic President before it could happen which would likely nullify the need to leave according to these morons protesting in the streets.

Those Californians are a bunch of mental midgets. (No offense to little people). Thanks for pointing out the obvious to them, but I doubt if it would have much impact as thinking might interfere with pleasure. Being spoiled is a national pastime in California which has so much to offer but is curtailed voluntarily by the attitude of brats.

If they exit, I hope they exclude San Diego, then, it could be run by sensible people and become the paradise on earth of its potential.

"the liberals all shouted that the Civil war had settled the question of secession"
This is anecdotal, but for years I have heard self-described liberals say they would be fine letting the South go.

I don't know if I'm a liberal b/c I don't believe in the left/right thing, but I generally agree with the notion of letting people go for the same reason I would support the American Revolution. My reading of history is the colonies wanted to secede and create a country with such freedom and weak central gov't that no one would want to secede. I guess I agree with those liberals who say they should have let the South form its own country.

I think we should find some way to let people separate or a way to go back the Founders dream of it being moot because the Fed gov't doesn't tax much or get involved with people's lives.

Ouch! I hope you meant Western Washington.

If you would look at a political map, you would see that views are deeply divided along the Cascade Range. In fact, if King County weren't involved, the state would be predominantly red.

I've been told a similar situation exists with Oregon, but I haven't confirmed this.

Idiots on parade, yes, but setting that aside I actually think they're sort-of right, at least partly. We waste a lot time arguing whether we live in farm country or ride our bikes a tech park. I wish we were separate countries, but not by state but by urban and rural. They would be like partner nations, with neither one being able to touch the other's money, or send police into the other's territory to enforce laws against guns, drugs, discrimination, tax evasion, or anything. There would be a lot to work out. One step closer to this dream would be just to follow the US Constitution closer to its spirit. Jefferson hoped that cities and neighborhoods would have autonomy to experiment. All the Framers were afraid of a distant intrusive gov't with excessive taxation. That's exactly what we have now.

Putin has made it clear he'd love to get Alaska back. People make the mistake he wants to reassemble the USSR, but his acquisitions and plans look more like imperial Russia. After being premier and president, maybe he'd like to become the new Tsar?

A natural breakup of the U.S. would more likely involve southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico joining Mexico, with northern California, Oregon, and Washington state joining Canada. Texas, Louisiana, and the other "energy states" up to the Canadian border could probably remain independent as a supplier of the energy (oil, gas, wind, solar) the surrounding nations need. Florida might join with Cuba and Puerto Rico. I haven't a clue where the other states end up.

It would be fun to watch. No more Pelosi or those other goofy Congress people form Calif. No more federal aid or Pelosi handouts to her husband's company.No more school funding. No more Medicaid. All on your own. Let in all the immigrants you want, but remember YOU will be the ones paying for them. No more of my taxes going to lunkheads of the far West! You want to send your products to the rest of us, fine, pay a tax. When the big one hits, you won't have Fedral aid to put what remains back together. Actually, it is sounding better and better. Good luck getting manual labor out of those snowflakes you love so much!

It's true...the question of secession by LEGAL means was settled by the civil war, leaving another bloody civil war as an ILLEGAL means to do so. Let us work to make sure this never happens. It reminds me of what Ayn Rand termed the "balkanization" of the United States:

"Tribalism (which is the best name to give to all the group manifestations of the anti-conceptual mentality) is a dominant element in Europe, as a reciprocally reinforcing cause and result of Europe's long history of caste systems, of national and local (provincial) chauvinism, of rule by brute force and endless bloody wars. As an example, observe the Balkan nations, which are perennially bent upon exterminating one another over miniscule differences of tradition or language. Tribalism had no place in the United states--until recent decades. It could not take root here, its imported seedlings were withering away and turning to slag in the melting pot whose fire was fed by two inexhaustible sources of energy: individual rights and objective law; these two were the only protection man needed." [" The Missing Link" PHILOSOPHY, WHO NEEDS IT, 260; pb 213]

No, I haven't forgotten the Panama Canal. But have you forgotten that we have no more sovereignty over that Canal? We gave it away to the Panamanians. They could tear up the lease any time they d____d well please.

I will not take that bet, but would happily watch a countdown with you!

Have you forgotten the Panama Canal! The new canal handles the new modern larger ships. Not to mention, do you have any idea how much freight already comes in to Mexican ports, them ships across into the US. Let Left coast ship to US boarder crossings, and we'll take it from there. I know most truck drivers would love doing a drop and hook at Yuma vs going to LA or SanDiego.

I would heavily bet under on your timeline Thoritsu.

More like 15 months if totally on their own.

California, like Scotland, is a huge net consumer of tax money, and the people who want independence for each want them to stay that way. But if they ever do manage to secede, they'll be on their own and will be forced to tighten their belts.

In the long run, though, that could be just the kick in the pants they need. It seems to have done wonders for Slovakia.

Go for it! Let's see how they do without the rest of the US. Food, protection, money they steal, electricity, water. I'm pretty sure we can do without Hollywood.

Without the rest of the US, CA will be Mexico or Venezuela in 15 years.

I have another idea of something that could happen. Those trying to make a one-world federation would necessarily carve up the United States into four parts--not equal in geography by any means--and give each part to an existing country. The American Southwest, and the State of Florida, would go to Mexico. The rest of the "Lower Forty-eight" would go to Canada. Alaska would go back to Russia, and Hawaii would go to the Japanese (who tried to take it once before), or the Chinese, or maybe the Indonesians.

California could never do it if they really wanted to. If they did, they would likely charge one humdinger of a tariff on all goods landing at the Ports of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Aside from that, their only real export would be motion pictures and television shows. And in this era of the Internet stream, their product might rapidly become obsolete.

But I worry that current California residents will simply add "Alta" to the name of their State and seek (and gain) admission as another United Mexican State.

Except for one thing: we lose our access to the Pacific Ocean. We need two coastlines. It will be a struggle as it is to redirect our internal transport routes away from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Portland and Seattle.

I think that this is an AWESOME IDEA! Cutting the Cancer of California out of America would Greatly benefit the other 49 states. One added stipulation though, we need to ship ALL of the Illegals and whiny Liberals there first.

Give it back to Mexico. Just have to build a longer wall.