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Actually there are states that need to do more than break up. Several states seem like they show signs of merging together, and breaking apart from the USA and forming their own countries. I think if they want to they should be allowed to do so.
Very interesting thread. I've seen a few people say California, but I din't think the state should split up. It's tied together and there really isn't that much of a glaring political, idealogical, or cultural clash between the regions (not more so than your average state anyway). I feel the same way about Texas. Here's the states I think should split:
1. Florida--the first one that came to mind. North Florida (Daytona Beach and above) and South Florida (Orlando/Tampa and below) should be different states.
2. Virginia--the first and only state (so far) to splt. I think Northern Virginia (north of Fredericksburg; west of Warrenton) should split from the rest of the state.
3. The Delmarva Peninsula--about 50% Maryland, 40% Delaware, 10% Virginia. I've heard of an initiative to make it into it's own state. That or Maryland taking it over (Delaware was originally part of MD) would make sense.
On a similar note I think the District of Columbia should retrocede to Maryland to receive statehood (a stance shared by the majority of DC residents). Too bad it isn't likely to happen while Marion Barry is around, or while DC is perceived more as a liability than as an asset by MD officials.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimrob1
Actually there are states that need to do more than break up. Several states seem like they show signs of merging together, and breaking apart from the USA and forming their own countries. I think if they want to they should be allowed to do so.
There was a big issue in FL about 2-3 years ago. North & South FL were having disputes due to something related to taxes... not really sure :S but yeah, I don't think states need to separate we're fine just the way we are
I think people are forgetting that each new state would be entitled to at LEAST 2 Senators and 1 Congressman.
Lol, do we really need to pay for more do-nothing special interest controlled politicians than we already have?!?!
In reality, many states are lopsided in population. Cities such as New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago developed for a reason; and naturally, most people in a given state are going to be living in and around the biggest city for job purposes. I don't believe splitting lopsided states would be beneficial. I'll use New York as an example, subtracting Upstate from New York City's Metro (Ulster County downward).
1) A Struggling New State: Without New York City's metro, the New State would lose more than 60% of its population. (Yes, the City makes that much of an impact.) Upstate New York is already struggling. It doesn't have enough jobs to sustain itself, and isn't attracting or keeping youth from other places. Why create another poor state? If states should ever split, this definitely isn't the best time.
2) Loss of Tourism: Yes, the City is the major draw, but what about ski resorts in the Adirondacks, or trips to Lake George & Lake Placid, or visiting Niagara Falls from the US side? New York would have little to offer for those who may want to escape from the City.
3) Increased Density and Sprawl: If New York was split from the City Metro area downward, it would become the most dense state in the country. That may not be a problem unless you consider sprawl.
As New York City and the surrounding area becomes overdeveloped and expensive, people will continue moving further out. If New York sees a growth similar to Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester from the 1950s-1970s again, chances are the major migration areas would be eastern Suffolk, and counties north of Westchester and Rockland. If or once the remaining counties become too congested or expensive, people could eventually start leaving the state altogether. This could lead to population loss for New York State, and population gain for the New State.
Yes, sparsely and densely populated areas have their differences, but they wouldn't survive without the other. Not to mention, over time there would be too many independent states to keep track of.
CA should be split along a meridian, into east and west.
This actually makes more sense nowadays than a North-South split, which is how California has traditionally been thought of. In fact, there has been a movement to try to make this happen.
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Ex-assemblyman pushes plan to split California into two states - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee (http://www.sacbee.com/politics/story/1653963.html - broken link)
Unfortunately, this leaves the richest parts of the state (the Bay Area without Solano, Napa, and Sonoma Counties AND LA without Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties) out. The reasoning of 'agriculture' doesn't make much sense, considering that the Central Coast has some of the most productive farmland in California.
It would be a very poor state. At least dividing California into North and South would make it a somewhat more balanced, economically viable two states. If you take the Kern-SLO-San Bernardino County lines as a boundary, Southern California would have around 24 million people with a $1.1 trillion dollar economy, while Northern California would have around 14 million people with a $700 trillion dollar economy. Splitting it east and west, West California (or Coastal California minus San Diego, Orange, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte Counties) would have around 18.6 million people while East California would have around 19.4 million people, with West California having around $1.2 trillion dollar economy and East California having a $600 billion dollar economy. Doesn't make that much sense.
Louisiana is certainly different enough North and South to split into two completely unique states, but the vast majority of income comes from the Gulf Coast region. The Gulf coast is also where Louisiana gains its identity. Northern Louisiana is a beautiful part of the state but it is more North Texas/southern Arkansas than Louisiana. Lafayette is actually similar to New Orleans in that it has a historically identifiable region specific culture, its own forms of music and food, and heavy tourism draws. Baton Rouge is right between the two and so connects the entire portion of the state together as one overall identity of Cajun/Creole/French culture and atmosphere. Shreveport and Monroe are COMPLETELY different from this, although the people up there are very industrious and hard working. It is a more hilly/mountainous area, with different traditions. Natchitoches, for example, has its own identity and culture that is separate from Acadiana, as does the Toledo Bend region. Also, the hunting/fishing/camping up there is fantastic.
Whoever said that states should remain together, however, is correct. There are vast portions of Louisiana that really couldnt exist if not for the revenue coming from New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Shreveport. There isnt much arable land down south, with so much swampland and water, and the beautiful woodlands are further north. There is some animosity between the north and south, but they are differences that can be resolved. The gulf coast does get a lot of attention but it is also where most Louisianians live.
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