NationStates Jolt Archive

So I was sitting at my PC tonight fumbling around on wiki when I decided to look up State of Jefferson and read up about it. This lead me to a page about "Cascadia" and the "Evergreen revolution".

Now, for those of you who dont know about this subject simply go to wikipedia and type in Cascadia and it will pop up some interesting details about this subject.Basically it talks about Oregon and Washington along with possibly British Columbia, parts of northern California and parts of the Alaskan panhandle forming an independent nation called Cascadia.

This region has obviously had movements of different political ideals (Ralph Nader & the Green Party most recently, though I dont know of either supporting an independence movement for Cascadia.) and so I am curious as to others feelings on this subject...could "Cascadia" possibly ever in the forseeable future become an independent republic? could it survive on its own?

I think I would be for this movement, as I am not currently overjoyyed with the events in the U.S. right now but still a little iffy about moving to a foreign country and starting a new life away from America...however, I have been to Oregon numerous times and I have to say I love it there, if an independent nation formed I feel that I might be inclined to move there.

-bump-

No one has anything to say at all on this issue?

I live in Portland, Oregon, and I think an independent Pac Northwest would be a wonderful idea. However, before that happened, the local companies would have to be persuaded to stay, or forced to, in any event a large portion of the Pac Northwest economy is free trade, and the local population is very anti-trade/leftist. Problems would definitely arise.

What would the rest of the United States do though? Naturally open borders would be a necessity, or some form of free-trade policy, though legalized marijuana would cause problems along the borders. The more I think about it, the more infeasible that it sounds, though economic prosperity could increase through the educated progressive immigration that would most likely result.

Living in the Puget Sound area I would not support an independant nation. I think it would be an extremely dumb idea. Plus the rest of the country would take up arms against such a move.

The Civil War settled the question of secession. Nobody's gonna be breaking off the US for a long time.

Living in the Puget Sound area I would not support an independant nation. I think it would be an extremely dumb idea. Plus the rest of the country would take up arms against such a move.


Technically we would benefit economically, we could use tarrifs to benefit off of the rest of the United States. I don't think much of the US would care, honestly, if there is a free-trade agreement both sides will benefit (well, except for the Alabamans mooching off of our tax dollars, as well as the enormous military). Hmm...for that reason alone, it would be a beneficial idea to secede. The massive military taxes that we would have to pay would not exist. Perhaps partial sovereignty is a better idea. A politically free country that shares the federal bank system of the US, as well as paying some taxes (for military protection and things of that nature). Then we win automatically. Plus educated progressive immigration, always a good thing.

If that seems random and contradictory, I was thinking while writing.

There's sufficient food growing infrastructure -- a resurgence of dairy farming along with various berries and all kinds of veggies in the West, and wheat, potatoes, and just about everything else in the East. Only problem agriculturally would be citrus fruit. We'd need to import that.

Boeing builds here but is HQed in Chicago. Not sure how that would play out.

Biotech is huge here, along with some of the greatest medical facilities in the nation and the world, so we'd have a fairly sufficient export base.

Legalize pot, and there's a significant revenue stream -- Cascadia grows the best in North America.

Tourism would be easy, fishing and logging could continue sustainably, with our own laws and lawmakers attuned to conservation.

I like the idea, but remember the last time a secession happened here? Didn't work out too well for those trying to split. Hmmm...could this movement be why the military wants to move the fighter jets out of Portland? Think of the retaliatory tariffs and laws the erstwhile United States would enact -- with a significant portion of its dissenting voice gone, legislative revenge against us would be just the tip of the neocon iceberg.

Then again, we could make even more revenue from those fleeing here to get abortions, gay weddings, uncensored books and a decent cup of coffee.

It's a pipe dream, but an interesting one to play out in my imagination....

Technically we would benefit economically, we could use tarrifs to benefit off of the rest of the United States. I don't think much of the US would care, honestly, if there is a free-trade agreement both sides will benefit (well, except for the Alabamans mooching off of our tax dollars, as well as the enormous military). Hmm...for that reason alone, it would be a beneficial idea to secede. The massive military taxes that we would have to pay would not exist. Perhaps partial sovereignty is a better idea. A politically free country that shares the federal bank system of the US, as well as paying some taxes (for military protection and things of that nature). Then we win automatically. Plus educated progressive immigration, always a good thing.


Actually most of your federal tax dollars are eaten up by social programs including social security not the military. I really dont think the rest of the nation would give up any territory. Wait until Hawaii tries it. You will see what im talking about.

If "Cascadia" were formed and became a fully independent nation I would most likely move there, I've already been looking to move from the United States because of numerous factors and a seperate country were english is already spoken and I am not hated for formerly being an American is good news to me.Plus, its beautiful country up there...my bro lives in Portland, Oregon and I go visit him every so often.

I'm not sure if its possible however, I think its more of a small group of people with extremely wishfull thinking...this sort of thing might get more weight behind it after Bush declares himself Emperor of America and begins a campaign to conquer the world...that last part has yet to happen though.

Actually most of your federal tax dollars are eaten up by social programs including social security not the military. I really dont think the rest of the nation would give up any territory. Wait until Hawaii tries it. You will see what im talking about.


I don't mind paying for the social programs. I mind paying for the military. Right now, 80 something electoral votes that are guaranteed to a Democrat would be lost in the creation of Cascadia. Frankly, that's not a disadvantage to conservative Americans. Let them have their screwed up country and we can have ours. I know that you personally are a conservative, but the economic advantages are worth the social "losses" that you would end up seeing. Inter-Cascadia trade, as well as taxable marijuana (Oregon and BC's largest cash-crops) would give major economic benefits to the region, as well as the advantages that Californian succession would give to the economy.

It could be a very good thing, companies that need crappy labor policies can leave to Texas or something, while the high tech sectors would require the local expertise that Pac Northwest programmers have. I don't see Americans wanting Cascadian blood if there is no significant violence against America.

I only wish there was a much larger support base for this movement, fourty-some percent of Americans did not vote for Bush in '04...we're going to need somewere to go when he cheats his way to another term and ignites chaos on a global scale.

I only wish there was a much larger support base for this movement, fourty-some percent of Americans did not vote for Bush in '04...we're going to need somewere to go when he cheats his way to another term and ignites chaos on a global scale.


I'm more worried that the Progressiveness of Cascadians will continue to be un-represented in the United States. This alone is reason enough to leave.

I'm more worried that the Progressiveness of Cascadians will continue to be un-represented in the United States. This alone is reason enough to leave.

Agreed. :)

Agreed. :)


Thank you babe! :fluffle:

In any event, the best reasons for leaving the rest of the country are increased economic and political representation. Unless the government wanted to bust down on our asses, nothing but good could come out of Cascadian sucession.

I've looked into it a little more now and found out that "Cascadia" isnt the only region with a significant independence movement within the United States...There is an Alaskan Independence movement claiming over 20,000 Alaskan supporters, may not seem like much but considering the total pop of Alaska is like 650,000 its plenty. Alot of Hawaiians also feel the need for independence as Hawaii was illegally obtained by the United States, and I've heard things of Miami, Florida and El Paso, Texas residents going in the same direction.

There seems to be alot just simmering under the surface here in America, I wonder how many more screw ups from Bush it will take before one of these movements explodes and possibly starts a chain reaction?

The Civil War settled the question of secession.

no it didn't. how could it have?

no it didn't. how could it have?

The civil war settled absolutely nothing, the south lost and many southerners are still bitter about that fact even to this day. Anyone who thinks the ideal of seceeding from the union was put down with the end of the civil war obviously has a very loose grip on reality.