Politics Is the US Headed Towards Another Civil War? | Barbara F. Walter | TED

I don't see a Civil War as much as I see a few states splintering off from the United States and forming their own republic. I think it'll be more of a moving of borders than a war. Personally I'd Trade Florida to Mexico for Baja California rather than get nothing back and letting them walk.

 

We wouldn't let Florida splinter off. Or even Texas. That's just a non starter. Most of the population of both would rather remain in the US... So they don't have the support.

I just don't see this as very likely at all.

 

This just seems highly unlikely to me. I don't think there are enough like minded people who want any part of that. Especially if the subsidies those areas receive go away.

 

Real news?

The last real and accurate news show went off the air in 1973.

Not only did it accurately report past and present news. It was supprising accurate at forecasting the news 20 years into the future.

I really miss Laugh-in.

 

Hawaii has lobbied to become independent many, many times although they haven't succeeded yet due to mainlanders having so much political power but all throughout history countries have splintered...Yugoslavia, USSR, Bavaria, India splintered as did part of China.and on and on....it's not uncommon but it requires a majority of the population to get on board. Texas has threatened to secede from the US recently. The OP here is "Civil War" but I predict splintering will occur before war ever will here. The US govt is just too well armed for an armed rebellion to succeed. Alaska once belonged to Russia.

 

I agree that the US govt is too well armed for an armed rebellion to succeed, or even get started (unless somebody like Trump is in power and goes too far).

But also, the well armed govt would have to agree to allow any state to secede. And I just don't see that happening. It would be too big of a security risk, IMO.

 

It happened with China and Taiwan when Sun Yat Sen and Chiang Kai Shek moved the KMT party to the island and splintered off from China even though China was a more powerful army.

 

True. I think Hawaii would be far more likely than any mainland states, for sure. But China has never had enough ships to control Taiwan. They literally can't get enough people there to invade. They'd lose over a million people. China has been able to control the mainland based on boots on the ground. No such luck for Taiwan. China would have to go scorched earth to take back Taiwan. And if they did that, there would be no strategic benefit to taking Taiwan. Unless they just wanted themselves to be isolated from the rest of the world, relying only on countries like Russia, North Korea, and Iran...

And all of those countries are in for a VERY rough next couple decades.

The US doesn't have any of those problems.

I would think Hawaii would just negotiate with the rest of the US and work it out.

I'm not saying it's impossible, it's just hard for me to imagine.

 

In a vacuum, this all seems great and I generally agree with you. However, when one side of the equation is aligning with Nazis, there is no comparison between "sides". I know you are looking for solutions and not just trying to assess blame, but the conservative party in America is beyond saving, and not a single person who still calls themselves a republican is worthy of a vote. You cannot vote for the goddamned Nazi party.

 

No.

 

This is what I keep coming back to as well. It was a good talk... but I just don't see it.

 

Labeling everyone identifying as a Rep a nazi, is countered by labeling everyone identifying as a Dem as a communist. Both would be faulty prejudice statements. However...

Advocating for a one party system is a very communist agenda to promote a dictatorship.

 

Not labeling everyone who identifies as conservative, just the actual politicians running the Republican party. Anyone still voting Republican is absolutely fucked up.

 

I agree with you that the quality of the politicians is not always evenly distributed between parties.

That is why there are no Democrate presidents honored on Mt Rushmore.

 

Look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls!

 

Actually Jefferson was a Democrat and Washington was an Independent and the other two were Republicans

 

I encourage you to read about the evolution of the political parties in America over the course of the last two centuries. You're not making the case you think you are.

 

or a monarchy. I'd like to see government by council and not individual partisan leadership..which inevitably leans towards autocrats or dictatorships or lifetime self appointed monarchs. Every subculture in the country having a seat at the council would be a true democracy.