Is Halftime over, Muad Dib?

I wasn't sure why muad repped this, now I see the typo. Secession is not legal.

You think this represents an actual interest in seceding? It's purely symbolic.

Additionally, I'm talking about social media...stuff like Facebook and Twitter...not simply "websites".

There is actual interest in secession in these petitions. Just like there's actually belief that Obama is a muslim and/or the anti-christ.

Sure its not mainstream, but it does at least show us who the nut-jobs are.

Nut jobs in the same sense as John and Samuel Adams, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson for wanting to throw off the yoke of King George?

Remember, every revolution is history was 'crazy talk' until it went down, at which point it became 'historically inevitable.'

You're looking at the act of talking about secession rather than the people behind it. People who believe Obama is truly the anti-christ, is going to destroy the country/world, or that he "cheated" this election are all up in arms about secession these days. If you want to lump the Founders in with those lame-brains I suppose you can.

Also remember a great deal of "revolutions" (I'd be willing to say most...) end at the point of the government's sword.

FWIW, Zogby 2008, liberals had less of a problem with it back then..

Yeeeessss, 'cause nobody said ANYthing when Gore lost.

Looks like Obama is going to be employee of the month at your local gun store again.

I wonder if there's going to be another run on ammo of all flavors.

You and I might hope that, but we don't have a clue as to what the tens of thousands of people who signed these things actually believe. I suspect it would be a safe bet that a) at least some of the people who signed these things actually would want their respective states to secede if they could achieve it as easily and bloodlessly as a petition b) at least some of these people would secede even if it might involve some bloodshed because they think the federal government has gotten THAT out of control and c) there are probably counterparts to both those groups who either haven't heard about the petition or don't go online.

Social media like Facebook and Twitter might make it easier to sign a petition than just a website like www.ipetitions.com or petitionsonline.com. But it's not like the technology didn't exist back in 2004 to get people to sign petitions online, period.

As a side note, apparently Gov. Perry has backed away from secessionist talk.

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews....ng-white-house-to-allow-texas-secession.html/

Making it easier is precisely what I'm talking about. I'm not trying to suggest that the interwebz didn't exist in 2004.

The question I would have is how significant the difference in easiness between 2004 and now is.

My personal take is, not very much. Not enough to be a factor in why tens of thousands of people have signed these petitions now versus (I'm presuming) far less signed petitions like these in 2004 (if they even existed).

If Facebook and Twitter didn't exist now but the same sorts of websites that were around in 2004 did, word about the electronic petitions would have spread through blogs, talk radio, e-mails, tv and print media at perhaps a slightly slower pace. But it still would have reached about the same amount of people, all of whom could go to whatever petition-hosting website was used.

Meh...I have to disagree. Seems to me that Social Media has had a HUGE impact on stuff like this.

It impacts the visibility - I'm not sure if it impacts the underlying desire.

It certainly impacts the trasmission vector however - its easier to get an idea spread now in 2004, and it was easier in 2004 than in 1980.

This method isn't legal. Secession is. It should go through the state legislatures.

We'll need parts of Florida and a free port at NOLA to seal the deal. Otherwise Quebec will get pissy.

I can't believe this made international news. The media is really reaching here.

Ron Paul agrees!
Thanks to Facebook, everyone knew who he was in 2008. EVERYONE. But who voted for him?

As far as I'm concerned, the State of Alabama has the right to secede from the United States of America at a time and place of it's choosing after a "pro" vote by a popular majority.

However, with that said, I have absolutely no desire to live in Jesustan. So, as they say, you'd see nothing but asses and elbows from me and mine.

If Alabama actually left the union, it'd go bankrupt and descend into 3rd-world destruction within a year.

No, it'd take longer than that. There's enough money squirreled away to fully fund everything in the state for 10 years in the complete absence of tax revenue. But, yeah, it'd probably happen and I have no desire to be a part of it.

Meanwhile:

Texas' Secession Petition to Get White House Review

Maybe in other parts of the state, but Birmingham is already close to third-world status in places and I'm not sure it would last anywhere close to 10 years.

Anyway, we won't have to find out. Hopefully these loonies will go away after the White House reminds them how stupid they are.

To paraphrase a poster on another site the White House's response is probably:

" No."

Still, the very fact that they're responding must be frustrating to those who've signed it. They were expecting to be ignored so they could raise a stink about that. Next up: Petitioners respond to the White House's response with a protest about "wasting taxpayer dollars" by reviewing the petition.

It's be funny if a landlocked state ceceded. Oh, you want supplies? Nah. Sorry.

Why does secession necessarily imply unremitting hostility with your neighbors?

Because it means you're not part of the body. Duh.

Hostility? Depends on your definition. "Opportunity to exact cross-border tariffs," on the other hand...

Then there'd be the requirement for proof of nationality, most likely a photo ID...

There's now a petition to deport everyone who's signed a petition to secede.

Those who are responsible for petitioning the petition have been petitioned, and my sister once carved her initials in a moose with a toothbrush.