Washington
Related: About this forumEditorial: Splitting state takes liberties with representation
Our first question: Where are we going to put another star on the U.S. flag if a pair of Spokane Valley Republicans get their wish and are allowed to create a 51st state from the 20 easternmost counties of Washington?
Concentric circles? Betsy Ross made a circle work when she had to arrange 13 stars on a field of blue, but these days circles of stars on flags come off as kinda European. And who wants that?
There are, of course, other more practical problems and issues to consider with the return of the proposal by Spokane Valley Republicans Rep. Matt Shea and Rep. Bob McCaslin to split the sheets with the Evergreen State along the dotted line of the Cascade Crest and create the state of Liberty.
Theres even a nifty Liberty state flag with an osprey, its wings outstretched across a field of blue with the motto, Liberty, Founded in Truth.
House Bill 1509 seeks the approval of the Washington Legislature and governor and a majority of the states voters to petition Congress to create the new state. Throughout the nations history, similar efforts not counting the states that seceded in the Civil War have been staged in more than 30 of the 50 states. (Betsy, were going to need more stars.)
In most of those partition attempts the urge to unmerge has grown out of political dissatisfaction with existing political leadership. Likewise for Shea and McCaslin who believe that a Seattle-centric political system and its Democratic majority is forcing its will upon rural Republicans in Eastern Washington on issues including gun rights, taxes and more.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-splitting-state-takes-liberties-with-representation/?utm_source=DAILY+HERALD&utm_campaign=02aa012039-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d81d073bb4-02aa012039-228635337
I have a feeling many eastern Washington counties would end up paying more in taxes if the state was to split. That's assuming they want the same level of services they currently receive.
Wounded Bear
(58,793 posts)They'd be another North Dakota.
BBG
(2,566 posts)Let em go. Jugheads keep blocking progressive measures we need over here to manage our population growth.