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A New Confederacy?

You people of the South don’t know what you are doing. This country will be drenched in blood, and God only knows how it will end. It is all folly, madness, a crime against civilization! You people speak so lightly of war; you don’t know what you’re talking about. War is a terrible thing!

You mistake, too, the people of the North. They are a peaceable people but an earnest people, and they will fight, too. They are not going to let this country be destroyed without a mighty effort to save it…

Besides, where are your men and appliances of war to contend against them? The North can make a steam engine, locomotive, or railway car; hardly a yard of cloth or pair of shoes can you make. You are rushing into war with one of the most powerful, ingeniously mechanical, and determined people on Earth—right at your doors.

You are bound to fail. Only in your spirit and determination are you prepared for war. In all else you are totally unprepared, with a bad cause to start with. At first you will make headway, but as your limited resources begin to fail, shut out from the markets of Europe as you will be, your cause will begin to wane. If your people will but stop and think, they must see in the end that you will surely fail.

Comments to Prof. David F. Boyd at the Louisiana State Seminary (24 December 1860); quoted in The Civil War: A Narrative (1986) by Shelby Foote, p. 58; also in The Civil War*: A Book of Quotations (2004) by Robert Blaisdell


In all my 50 years, I have never heard, nor seen, the attitudes coming from a small, albeit loud, segment of the population. If the average whackos we have on both sides of the political spectrum were the only folks squawking, it wouldn't be a big deal. But political leaders are becoming more brazen with this kind of talk in order to win the farthest of the right wing ultra-cons, people whom often determine the primary winners.

I'm speaking of modern day secessionists, or "States Rights" proponents. As General Sherman said when he resigned his commission in the Louisiana militia, "You don't know what you are doing."

Has anybody ever thought this through? Seriously?

The first thing I want secessionists to answer is simply this: Will you allow all those that refuse to secede free passage out, prior to declaring war on the United States? Or, will you execute them as traitors? Personally, I think you should let them flee.

The second thing I want to know is who will be your allies? I ask because secession is a Declaration of War against the United States and will bring the full weight of the United States against you.

Finally (for now), I would ask why you would want a European Union-style confederacy? You know, a loosely affiliated group of independent states? Doesn't that run completely counter to our history of one nation, the United States of America?

All this crazy talk of states rights and secession seems to be about as unpatriotic and anti-American as one can get. Wouldn't we all be better served to address issues that are within the scope of reality and stop treating fellow Americans as if they were an enemy?
 
I think you are confusing "State's Rights" with "secession". The states have no power right now. The 17th amendment took care of eliminating the voice of the states in Washington. This is not how the founders wanted our government to be. In fact, what we have now is exactly what they didn't want.

All this talk of secession is based on frustration. Our government is so out of control and it gets worse every year. They are forcing states to bend to the will of the federal government with every bailout, stimulus and **** piece of legislation Washington passes (example: Obamacare). Do you honestly think that Obamacare would have stood a chance if the states sent their Senators to Washington to speak for them rather than the way it is now? The states are frustrated that our country has slowly been turned into something that the founders did not want it to be. Washington has spent this country to the point of bankruptcy. The only way to turn things around at this point are to start cutting entitlements. We see how that is working out in Europe, do you really think it will be any different here?

The states rights issue is a part of the frustration that you are seeing from those discussing secession. The 17th amendment took away the voice of the states in our federal government and gave the federal government entirely too much power. The states are literally powerless to stop Washington and it's corrupt and spending ways. Our government was set up to keep everything we are seeing from happening. When the founders set up our system of government, the local and state governments had all the power. Over this country's history, progressives like Woodrow Wilson, Teddy Roosevelt and FDR have done a damn good job of growing Washington's power and removing as much as they could from the states. Generation after generation has allowed the federal government to intrude further and further into our lives. Because the states have no voice whatsoever anymore, the issue of state's rights is a legitimate one that needs to be returned to it's original intent if we are ever going to get out of this mess.
 
No, I'm not confusing anything (Rick Perry, for one, speaks fondly of secession amidst his states $5 billion deficit.. Turning this Union in to the European Union will not bode well for us. Your avatar tells me all I need to know but I suggest you don't tread on US.

Besides, if you knew the history, conservatives start this stuff every time they don't like an elected leader or policy. ALWAYS. 1850's, 1930's, 1950's,1960's, 1990's... On and on they all go about breaking the Union every time yhey don't get 100% of what they think they want.

So no, I'm not confusing anything. And I refuse to be taught constitutional principles from people whom learned them from charlatans, or made 'em up as they went along. Dropouts teaching the constitution on radio or Fox probably aren't the best sources.

As I've said, why do you want an EU-style government? Thought ya'll didn't like that? Why do you want to break the UNION?

This post was not about the Health Care Legislation, btw, but as long as you brought it up, 22 states are suing. Of those, 19 accepted grant money from the health care law. Lmao - Now I don't know about you, but 22 from 50 is 28. 28 states supporting health care. You would have lost, anyway. Now take your little flag and don't tread on US.
 
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Kev, you just seem to be confused period. You made assumptions that were absolutely false. Good luck in life.
 
Hugh_Akston;bt366 said:
Kev, you just seem to be confused period. You made assumptions that were absolutely false. Good luck in life.

In what way? It would be really nice of the ultra-cons actually offered an argument verses dismissal or a change of subject. Given your avatar, I can honestly tell you I am not the one confused. There is no foreign occupying army and you do have representation. Your argument, at that point, fails.

Folks such as yourself demand "states rights" when you don't like election results or policy which is voted on by Congress before it becomes law. Btw, president's don't pass laws. That would be Congress.

Now, do you see me whining and crying over the pointless investigations the House has vowed to open? Did I threaten to secede because John Boehner held 98% of America hostage? No. We deal with it and move on.

No, I'm not confused. Perhaps you could answer my questions, since you seem to be exactly the type of "American" I've been looking for?
 
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