I am from Texas and it’s common to hear people talking about secession. I think it’s impractical (and usually unserious) talk, as the American people have zero interest in limiting the Federal government to the enumerated powers in the Constitution. Too many bread and circuses debt-fueled entitlements:
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy ensuing, always to be followed by a dictatorship…1
The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples’ money. - Margaret Thatcher.
a personal approach to a poltical problem
If the US adhered to its founding principles of thin federal governance over state-level “laboratories of Democracy” then the solution would be clear: “vote with your feet”. Leave the state that does not fit your needs and go to one that doesliberty-minded people will need to consider other options. Chief among these is “voting with one’s feet”, leaving states that do not match one’s priorities and going to those that do.
This solution is thwarted to the degree that repugnant policies are enacted at the Federal rather than State level; you can’t move states to escape a noxious Federal law.
As for me, I am exploring what I call personal secession, intentionally reducing interaction/interference between oneself and various layers of government.
- I do my best not to impose direct costs on the Federal (or any other) government
- I minimize the taxes I pay, chiefly by living on very little income
- Avoiding contact with state/local govts by having no real property (house, land)
- Avoiding funding state/local govts by being careful not to incur fines or tickets
1 attribution unclear