* Is It Time To End the USA Experiment?

If so, then what new countries should be formed?

The first paragraph of the US Declaration of Independence (https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript) states:

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

On the day before Election Day 2022, I think that it is pretty clear that the “political bands which have connected” the 50 US states are no longer equitable.

Without a doubt, the single biggest mistake that the US Founding Fathers made was the Senate. The Senate is anti-democratic and gives disproportionate power (including veto power by way of the filibuster) to small, mostly rural, mostly white areas at the expense of large mostly urban, mostly black areas. In addition, the Senate holds the keys to various appointments (including the President’s Cabinet and Justices of the US Supreme Court). In recent years, the Senate has delayed and denied nominations from one party and accelerated nominations from another party, which is also anti-democratic. Add the Electoral College to the mix and you have an argument that the office of the President itself is not determined in a democratic manner. This leaves all three branches of the government: executive, legislative, and judicial andi-democratic and broken.

So perhaps, in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence, it’s time to “impel them into the separation.” Perhaps the American experiment is over.

What would the former USA look like going forward? How about these 4 countries:

1. United Atlantic States

This would include the six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) as well as other states mostly bordering the Atlantic Ocean: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Statehood would be granted to the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, giving this country 14 states. Politically, the United Atlantic States would be medium blue.

2. United Lakes States

This would include four states in the Great Lakes region: Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Politically, the United Lakes States would be light blue.

3. United Pacific States

This would include five states mostly bordering the Pacific Ocean: California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Politically, the United Pacific States would be dark blue.

4. Texas

Texas used to be its own country, so that seems a logical name for the remaining 29 mostly landlocked states:

  1. Alabama
  2. Alaska
  3. Arizona
  4. Arkansas
  5. Colorado
  6. Florida
  7. Georgia
  8. Idaho
  9. Indiana
  10. Iowa
  11. Kansas
  12. Kentucky
  13. Louisiana
  14. Mississippi
  15. Missouri
  16. Montana
  17. Nebraska
  18. New Mexico
  19. North Carolina
  20. North Dakota
  21. Ohio
  22. Oklahoma
  23. South Carolina
  24. South Dakota
  25. Tennessee
  26. Texas
  27. Utah
  28. West Virginia
  29. Wyoming

Politically, the country of Texas would be red.

Each country is contiguous, which is important considering how the United Nations defines a country. Also, this would encourage left-leaning residents in red areas to move to blue ones and vice-versa, meaning that there would be less political division within each country.

Democracies do not last forever (https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/08/countries-are-the-worlds-oldest-democracies/). Just like trees do not live forever. When a tree falls in the forest, it decomposes and becomes fertilizer for new trees.

Democracy in the USA has been decomposing for quite some time now. Perhaps it’s time to look the the future to see what new democracies can be fertilized. The Founding Fathers did not fear change, we should not either.


US flag upside down (public domain).

Failed Pols (https://www.failblog.com) was founded in the fall of 2016 to shine light on Failed Policies, Politicians, & Politics. From all parties.

* Erik’s Editorial: The Guilty Parties Who Put American Democracy At Risk In The Name Of Donald Trump

US White House upside down (public domain).

I do not fault stupid people for making the stupid decision to elect Donald Trump in 2016.

I do fault smart people for making stupid decisions. These include:

1. Senators who voted to acquit Donald Trump in his no-witnesses-allowed impeachment trial, including primarily Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell:

* Impeachment of Donald Trump (2020-02-05)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Donald_Trump#Acquittal

* Mitch McConnell (2020-02-05)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitch_McConnell#Impeachment_trial

2. Members of the GOP who voted to disenfranchise voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – before, during, and AFTER the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol – including Paul Gosar (AZ-04), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Jody Hice (R–GA-10), Mo Brooks (R–AL-05), Scott Perry (R–PA-10), Josh Hawley (R–MO), and Louie Gohmert (R–TX-01).

* 2021 Storming Of The United States Capitol (2021-01-06)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_storming_of_the_United_States_Capitol

* 2020 United States Presidential Election Electoral College Count (2021-01-06 – 2021-01-07)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_United_States_presidential_election_Electoral_College_count

3. Donald Trump’s cabinet, who could have invoked the 25th Amendment to remove POTUS at any time:

* Cabinet Of Donald Trump (2017-01-21 – PRESENT)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_of_Donald_Trump

4. Social media, including especially Facebook and Twitter, for allowing their social networks to be used as platforms for hate speech.

* Donald Trump On Social Media (2017-01-21 – PRESENT)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump_on_social_media#2021

5. Mainstream media, including especially CNN (on the left) and Fox News (on the right) for not doing their jobs – asking questions until they get answers – and allowing POTUS to lie unchecked.

* Veracity Of Statements By Donald Trump (2017-01-21 – PRESENT)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veracity_of_statements_by_Donald_Trump

6. Lawmakers at all levels, for failing to fix bad laws and for failing to enact good laws. Changes that must be made going forward include:

Limiting POTUS power:

  • Executive order power must be limited.
  • All cabinet members (acting/interim/actual) must be confirmed by Senate.
  • Treaties and tariffs must be the role of Congress so that POTUS cannot engage in trade wars.
  • War Powers Act must be updated to limit POTUS power to deploy the military.
  • Special Counsel Act must be updated to make clear that POTUS cannot fire special counsel.

Writing better and new laws:

  • Impeachment Act of 2021, to define how impeachment is conducted, including the requirement to have witnesses.
  • Follow the lead of The Restatements Of The Law project (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restatements_of_the_Law) and codify major SCOTUS cases, including especially Roe v. Wade.
  • Fix the Census.
  • Fix immigration.
  • Fix SCOTUS processes, such as limiting appointments to 2 per POTUS with the number of SCOTUS justices fixed at the number of Federal Circuits (currently 13).
  • Election reform, including who is qualified to run for POTUS and that tax forms must be disclosed to do so.

Just to name a few.

Stupid people, bad laws, and lies got us into this mess.

Smart people, good laws, and the truth can get us out of this mess.

LAW >> MAN.

#FailedPols
https://www.failblog.com/