Sara S
02-09-2011, 07:09 AM
from begsthequestion.com
Welcome to the Republic of Arizona
By Larry Wohlgemuth, on February 3rd, 2011
Could this soon be the new national seal for the Republic of Arizona? We can only hope.
Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce, et al, have introduced legislation to secede from the union without officially doing so. SB1433 creates a 12-member legislative committee that could “vote by simple majority to nullify in its entirety a specific federal law or regulation that is outside the scope of the powers delegated by the people to the federal government…”
The committee would then pass their recommendation on any federal law to the state legislature. If a majority agree with the committee, then “this state and its citizens shall not recognize or be obligated to live under the statute, mandate or executive order.”
Maybe it’s time that it happens, because it would be most instructive to other states who are so inclined. The federal government would have no choice but to grant that state its sovereignty, forcing it to become an independent nation because of its refusal to adhere to federal law.
It begs the question, what effect would seceding from the union have on the state of Arizona and its citizens?
First, Arizona is a welfare state, that is, for every tax dollar sent to the federal government it receives $1.19 in return according to 2005 statistics. So immediately Arizona’s revenues would decrease.
Second is defense. The US would remove all military bases, leaving only the Arizona National Guard, pending any mutual defense treaties. Additionally, all the planes, tanks, jeeps, trucks and artillery pieces used by the Guard are US government property, and would have to be returned. Arizona’s military would consist of weekend warriors with small arms.
Arizona would have to sign a mutual defense treaty with the US almost immediately and without terms. The US would certainly make membership in NAFTA a condition of locating a military base in the new Republic of Arizona. Since the tea party controls the state and does not believe in the minimum wage, the US would outsource tens of thousands of $2/hour jobs there.
Federal officers for the Border Patrol, DEA, FBI, ATF and any other entity would be removed, since they are domestic organizations. Not only would Arizona have to pay to patrol its 389 mile border with Mexico, but it would also have to patrol the other 1100 miles of its border with the United States. Ports of entry would need to be established on every road in and out of Arizona.
The state would lose thousands of good, middle-class federal jobs, further exacerbating its revenue problem, which brings up another issue. The state would have to formulate its own constitution and income tax code in order to collect sufficient revenues to be able to operate. It’s unlikely a tax could be finalized in a year or two.
Arizona’s health care system would be decimated. Medicare doesn’t pay for health care services outside of US borders, therefore Arizona’s 858,000 retirees would have to seek their healthcare in the US. Additionally any snowbirds needing healthcare would have to leave the Arizona and returned to the US if they wanted their medical bills paid by Medicare. Arizona’s health care system would collapse.
Then there’s the problem of international relations. The Republic of Arizona would have to create its own State Department and establish diplomatic ties with all 192 members of the United Nations, should it desire to join. If it didn’t join it would have no venue of recourse in international disputes. If it did join, that would mean creating embassies in 192 countries, no mean feat. Likely their embassies would consist of adjoining suites at Super 8 Motels.
Since all federal courts would be withdrawn, Arizona would have to establish its own federal court system. Additionally the five federal prisons there would be shut down and the inmates returned to US soil. It would mean the loss of thousands of jobs and millions of federal dollars to the new Republic.
The educational system would be decimated. Without direct aid as well as federally funded student financial aid programs, it would be impossible for Arizona to keep its universities open and operating. It would mean the loss of thousands more middle-class jobs as well as the drain of the best and brightest out of Arizona and into the US. Arizona would be unable to keep at home the talent needed to run the new Republic.
I think you’re starting to get the idea, that any state choosing secession is committing fiscal suicide. Living with the illusion that they’ve actually balanced their budgets, Republican and tea party governors across the South ignore the fact that they’ve only been able to do it as debtor states, i.e., receiving more money from Washington than they send in. So Arizona, who receives $1.19 for every dollar it sends in, can’t even balance its budget as a state. How in the world will they accomplish it as a country?
The problem Arizona has is it’s now got the stupidest people in the state that are calling the shots, and it will soon spell disaster for them. The only real value it provides to the US is to serve as a buffer between us and Mexico. There’s nothing in Arizona that we can’t get somewhere else. Maybe Arizona should learn that when all you are is a member of the entourage, a hanger on, it’s best to keep your mouth shut and enjoy the ride. Otherwise you can be the world’s newest banana republic.
Personally, I’d prefer to see Arizona go. There’s nothing there of value for me, and I would delight in watching the Mexican army invade and reclaim their territory. With 192,000 combat ready ground forces and an active Air Force, my guess is we would see a Six-Day War. Then we could deploy citizen militias to the borders of Arizona and turn back any would-be refugees trying to enter US soil. Wouldn’t that be a hoot?
So Arizona had best open its eyes and take its foot out of its mouth before it gets one up the ass. Bellicosity is only clever when you can back it up, but when you can’t it quickly becomes tedious. Other than the southern tier of states, all welfare states themselves, Arizona has few friends in the rest of the country. Plus they might find, when the southern states realize they get to divide up the money now going to Arizona, they don’t even have any friends there.
We’re done, finished, kaput. If you don’t want to be here then don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. I only have two questions for Arizonans: how soon can you be gone, and you need any help packing?
Welcome to the Republic of Arizona
By Larry Wohlgemuth, on February 3rd, 2011
Could this soon be the new national seal for the Republic of Arizona? We can only hope.
Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce, et al, have introduced legislation to secede from the union without officially doing so. SB1433 creates a 12-member legislative committee that could “vote by simple majority to nullify in its entirety a specific federal law or regulation that is outside the scope of the powers delegated by the people to the federal government…”
The committee would then pass their recommendation on any federal law to the state legislature. If a majority agree with the committee, then “this state and its citizens shall not recognize or be obligated to live under the statute, mandate or executive order.”
Maybe it’s time that it happens, because it would be most instructive to other states who are so inclined. The federal government would have no choice but to grant that state its sovereignty, forcing it to become an independent nation because of its refusal to adhere to federal law.
It begs the question, what effect would seceding from the union have on the state of Arizona and its citizens?
First, Arizona is a welfare state, that is, for every tax dollar sent to the federal government it receives $1.19 in return according to 2005 statistics. So immediately Arizona’s revenues would decrease.
Second is defense. The US would remove all military bases, leaving only the Arizona National Guard, pending any mutual defense treaties. Additionally, all the planes, tanks, jeeps, trucks and artillery pieces used by the Guard are US government property, and would have to be returned. Arizona’s military would consist of weekend warriors with small arms.
Arizona would have to sign a mutual defense treaty with the US almost immediately and without terms. The US would certainly make membership in NAFTA a condition of locating a military base in the new Republic of Arizona. Since the tea party controls the state and does not believe in the minimum wage, the US would outsource tens of thousands of $2/hour jobs there.
Federal officers for the Border Patrol, DEA, FBI, ATF and any other entity would be removed, since they are domestic organizations. Not only would Arizona have to pay to patrol its 389 mile border with Mexico, but it would also have to patrol the other 1100 miles of its border with the United States. Ports of entry would need to be established on every road in and out of Arizona.
The state would lose thousands of good, middle-class federal jobs, further exacerbating its revenue problem, which brings up another issue. The state would have to formulate its own constitution and income tax code in order to collect sufficient revenues to be able to operate. It’s unlikely a tax could be finalized in a year or two.
Arizona’s health care system would be decimated. Medicare doesn’t pay for health care services outside of US borders, therefore Arizona’s 858,000 retirees would have to seek their healthcare in the US. Additionally any snowbirds needing healthcare would have to leave the Arizona and returned to the US if they wanted their medical bills paid by Medicare. Arizona’s health care system would collapse.
Then there’s the problem of international relations. The Republic of Arizona would have to create its own State Department and establish diplomatic ties with all 192 members of the United Nations, should it desire to join. If it didn’t join it would have no venue of recourse in international disputes. If it did join, that would mean creating embassies in 192 countries, no mean feat. Likely their embassies would consist of adjoining suites at Super 8 Motels.
Since all federal courts would be withdrawn, Arizona would have to establish its own federal court system. Additionally the five federal prisons there would be shut down and the inmates returned to US soil. It would mean the loss of thousands of jobs and millions of federal dollars to the new Republic.
The educational system would be decimated. Without direct aid as well as federally funded student financial aid programs, it would be impossible for Arizona to keep its universities open and operating. It would mean the loss of thousands more middle-class jobs as well as the drain of the best and brightest out of Arizona and into the US. Arizona would be unable to keep at home the talent needed to run the new Republic.
I think you’re starting to get the idea, that any state choosing secession is committing fiscal suicide. Living with the illusion that they’ve actually balanced their budgets, Republican and tea party governors across the South ignore the fact that they’ve only been able to do it as debtor states, i.e., receiving more money from Washington than they send in. So Arizona, who receives $1.19 for every dollar it sends in, can’t even balance its budget as a state. How in the world will they accomplish it as a country?
The problem Arizona has is it’s now got the stupidest people in the state that are calling the shots, and it will soon spell disaster for them. The only real value it provides to the US is to serve as a buffer between us and Mexico. There’s nothing in Arizona that we can’t get somewhere else. Maybe Arizona should learn that when all you are is a member of the entourage, a hanger on, it’s best to keep your mouth shut and enjoy the ride. Otherwise you can be the world’s newest banana republic.
Personally, I’d prefer to see Arizona go. There’s nothing there of value for me, and I would delight in watching the Mexican army invade and reclaim their territory. With 192,000 combat ready ground forces and an active Air Force, my guess is we would see a Six-Day War. Then we could deploy citizen militias to the borders of Arizona and turn back any would-be refugees trying to enter US soil. Wouldn’t that be a hoot?
So Arizona had best open its eyes and take its foot out of its mouth before it gets one up the ass. Bellicosity is only clever when you can back it up, but when you can’t it quickly becomes tedious. Other than the southern tier of states, all welfare states themselves, Arizona has few friends in the rest of the country. Plus they might find, when the southern states realize they get to divide up the money now going to Arizona, they don’t even have any friends there.
We’re done, finished, kaput. If you don’t want to be here then don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. I only have two questions for Arizonans: how soon can you be gone, and you need any help packing?