Constitutional Amendment to allow contiguous counties to join an adjacent state?
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In the US, there has been a growing divide between rural and urban regions, and the political ideology and power that each wields.
For the most part, there are HUNDREDS of red counties in blue states, which are essentially held captive politically and economically, by the will of a remote electorate which dominates the laws and agendas of a state. In the past, we have never had such a marked disparity in political views within states, which has essentially disenfranchised the will of those living in rural areas.
As our nation becomes more and more divided, we must seek peaceful remedies which can solve the problems we face. Allowing counties, with borders shared with a different state, to be "admitted" to that state would allow citizens which are currently NOT represented by their state due to perpetual control by another political party. As this has perpetuated, we have policies, laws, and taxes passed in state governments which are diametrically opposed to the values and ideologies of many who live in more rural areas. It is, in effect, tyranny of urban environments over rural, and results in government policies which are alien to the beliefs and values of those in rural areas.
Of course, the "state boundries", as they accumulate (or lose) counties which are opposed to the predominant political views of that state, would allow counties adjacent to the newly departed counties to do the same. As a result, we could have a marked "equilibration" of sentiments within the nation with state laws and policies more accurately representing the needs and beliefs of the citizens of the US. Likewise, we would see urban areas in counties bordering blue states, choose to leave the red state for the blue. An example would be Gary/Hammond, Michigan City, and South Bend leaving Indiana to join MI or IL. Likewise, rural counties in Illinois would choose to join red states, such as Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, or Kentucky.
There has been movements of whole regions in the west (northern CA, eastern CA, eastern OR, eastern WA) to leave their respective states, as they are agricultural areas, but the entire state is ruled by a few (yet populous) urban areas in which they share no common goals or values.
In order to avoid a "rush to the exits", there would need to be votes allowed only every four years (between presidential cycles, that would permit a sufficient period of time to consider such measures, recalibrate state budgets, and move any existing "old" state offices.
IF we are to survive as a single nation going forward, we must try to find solutions in which citizens feel adequately represented by government officials and not held captive by virtue of a remote, yet more populous, componant of the state in which one lives.
More divided and peaceful remedies? Whose fighting ? Except for a few cuckoo birds, we all shop at the same stores, go to the same jobs, eat at the same restaurants and our kids play sports together. I be that to be 99.9% of voters.
So poof! Counties have the legal right to join another state.
What if the state they choose to join does not want them?
What if the people of the county change their mind after 6 months?
What happens if a county in the corner of a state abuts 2 different states and joins one this year and 2 years later decides to join the other state instead.
This sound very chaotic and unstable.
The states are the building blocks of the nation and the electoral college. You can't just have counties breaking off and joining other states willy-nilly every time they think it is in their interest to do so.
There is nothing stopping PEOPLE from moving to a new state of their choosing and abandoning a state they dislike. People vote with their feet all the time. It has gotten a lot easier with "work from home" and with the gig economy.
So poof! Counties have the legal right to join another state.
What if the state they choose to join does not want them?
What if the people of the county change their mind after 6 months?
What happens if a county in the corner of a state abuts 2 different states and joins one this year and 2 years later decides to join the other state instead.
This sound very chaotic and unstable.
The states are the building blocks of the nation and the electoral college. You can't just have counties breaking off and joining other states willy-nilly every time they think it is in their interest to do so.
There is nothing stopping PEOPLE from moving to a new state of their choosing and abandoning a state they dislike. People vote with their feet all the time. It has gotten a lot easier with "work from home" and with the gig economy.
Imagine the mess. Taxes, commerce, state regulations- Fed funds etc. it’s really a bad idea
There is nothing stopping PEOPLE from moving to a new state of their choosing and abandoning a state they dislike. People vote with their feet all the time. It has gotten a lot easier with "work from home" and with the gig economy.
There is though. Percentage based sales taxes on homes. Capital gains taxes on the “profits” etc. These are percentages on literally life sized sums. That’s not affordable to do more than a few times.
Not to mention kids, jobs, families etc make it so people can’t just move almost all the time.
So poof! Counties have the legal right to join another state.
What if the state they choose to join does not want them?
What if the people of the county change their mind after 6 months?
What happens if a county in the corner of a state abuts 2 different states and joins one this year and 2 years later decides to join the other state instead.
This sound very chaotic and unstable.
The states are the building blocks of the nation and the electoral college. You can't just have counties breaking off and joining other states willy-nilly every time they think it is in their interest to do so.
There is nothing stopping PEOPLE from moving to a new state of their choosing and abandoning a state they dislike. People vote with their feet all the time. It has gotten a lot easier with "work from home" and with the gig economy.
This statement shows you have no idea the main reasons behind why areas like Eastern WA/OR, and Northern CA want to "Jump Ship" to another State.
Of course if the "receiving" State doesn't want them it won't happen. More chaotic and unstable than what we have now?
But using the EC as a reason why it shouldn't happen is just silly. The Electoral College representation changes, and States gain and lose Representation based on their respective populations. Perhaps if this was a real concern States like CA, WA, and OR might use this as a wake-up call better represent these rural districts instead of pushing policies for the bigger population centers.
With that said, the chances of this happening is about zero. But doesn't mean there isn't merit behind the idea.
There are several counties in WV which periodically want to get back into VA; VA doesn't want them.
But VA and WV are not the best example: the split came from those counties which preferred to remain in the Union and those which didn't.
In the end, the divide is as old as the Republic but it gained a lot of attention when it affected the outcome of the election of 1896 when McKinley (republican) carried the urban vote and won.
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Such an imagination!