Secession Talk

This weekend, the Republican Party of Wisconsin will have to go through the embarrassing task of having to vote on a platform measure re-affirming the state's right to secede from the United States.  The idea comes from the nutjob Tea Party wing, which seems to have adopted the "leave it" part of the old saying "America, love it or leave it."

Nevermind that President Abraham Lincoln established a precedent for preservation of the Union at all costs by declaring war on the Confederate states that seceded 150-years ago.  And nevermind that leaving the Union would require a state to develop its own currency, border patrols, highway funding system, veterans administration, air traffic control network and military.  And nevermind that everyone who still wanted to remain a citizen of the United States would immediately flee--decimating the tax base and workforce to such an extent that an "independent" state would be doomed to near-immediate third world status.

What I find interesting is that the "Republicans" pushing the secession issue are the same folks who like to portray themselves as Super Patriots.  They claim to love America so much that they have to say the Pledge of Allegiance then sing the National Anthem AND God Bless America before they can start any of their rallies.  They are also the ones that fly multiple US flags outside their house, and the one in their side car window and they have the flag pin lapel on every shirt and jacket they own.

Yet when things turn a little Socialist in Washington, they want to bail on the whole thing--take their football (or their state in this case) and go home--rather than properly engaging in the system and working for change.

You don't like Common Core standards and kids learning that there are no "right or wrong answers" to anything anymore?  Then run for your local school board and tell your neighbors why modern teaching techniques are leaving us a nation of morons.  Can't stand government overspending and debt?  Campaign for your local city council or county board and get the taxes that people recognize the most reduced.  This is the approach that liberals adopted 30-years ago when they got tired of getting their brains beat in every national election--build from the bottom up and people won't notice the change going on around them. 

"Grassroots politics" is more than just standing in a park every few months, waving flags and yelling in a bullhorn.  I'll grant you that its harder work than just pouting in the corner and threatening to leave the country--but it will certainly be more effective in the long run.