The News-Press (Fort Myers) ran a story from the McClatchy News Service today on the rise of the secessionist movement that started when the governor of Texas threatened to secede from the union. This disease has spread to Vermont, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Tennessee and Arizona and is gaining momentum.

This has to be one of the most pervasive manifestations of mass hysteria and self-destructive self-righteousness in the history of this country. And it is, of course, totally impossible, because for it to happen, the Constitution would have to be overturned.

Texas is basing its secessionist position on a misinterpretation of the 10th amendment and because it was a sovereign nation before joining the federal union. This argument that Texas is in a unique position, thus making secession possible, was struck down by the Supreme Court years ago.

But ... assuming a right wing miracle, let’s suspend reality and examine the consequences of secession. These states would lose all U.S. benefits and become sovereign states. (It's why the Puerto Rico independence movement, a serious effort, unlike this one, died. Read on.)

The state would have to petition the U.S. government for recognition as a sovereign state and wait for this to be approved by Congress. All this would have to happen before their citizens could cross into the U.S. If granted, they would need passports and visas and be subject to the same entry quotas as any other country. Crossing a state line to visit granny would be more complicated (assuming all the grannies aren’t already dead from draconian death panel decisions).

The states would have to scare up money from their citizens (yes, taxes) to pay for health care, Social Security, and unemployment benefits now subsidized by federal money. Or they could get rid of these programs and deal with a citizenry deprived of these benefits. I wouldn’t want to be the one who tells them.

If they are no longer part of the U.S., they would become subject to the laws in effect, and unchanged, at the end of the Civil War, whereby they could be treated as hostile and invaded by federal troops. If they changed their minds and wanted to rejoin the U.S., they would have to undergo reconstruction before being readmitted to the Union.

Of course, before a state could secede, one assumes they would have a referendum and a majority of the state’s residents would have to vote for it. But the reality is, no matter what the residents want, the Constitution forbids it. Forbids it.

The politicians fulminating in front of the cameras, know full well that secession is a Constitutional impossibility. The matter was settled with the Civil War. Their posturing is totally cynical and they are relying on the ignorance of their constituents to enhance their status and derail Obama's programs.

So it’s politics through and through, and is just more of the same of what the Right Wing of the Republican party is all about these days: Ruin the Democrats no matter what the social cost, no matter who gets trampled, just as long as “We,” are back in power. Make outrageous claims, know that you look ridiculous to an intelligent observer, but you don't care because you are reaching your base: those who have trouble chewing gum and walking at the same time.

xx, Teal