In addition to being the nation’s fastest growing state, counties in Oregon and California have voted to secede and join Idaho:
Two more conservative-leaning counties in eastern Oregon, and one politically split county in California, have voted to begin the process that could lead to secession from their respective blue states.
On Nov. 8, Oregon’s Morrow County passed the Greater Idaho proposal with 60 percent of the vote and Wheeler County with 59 percent.
A similar measure in San Bernardino County, California, passed by a narrow margin, 51.3 percent to 48.7.
I would have to investigate further to be sure, but my first impression is that it would be a good thing. It would reduce some of the political tension and give the political left more rope to hang themselves with.
Expect Eastern Washington wanting to get in on the fun too.
We live in interesting times.
I would legit move to Idaho if this happened.
Eastern Washington residents have been pushing for such an arrangement for a while. And the configuration on the map would give Greater Idaho access to ocean traffic, assuming the new state would be willing to construct seaport facilities.
It would be not just an economic asset but a tax asset as well; undoubtedly some businesses in Washington, Oregon and California would prefer doing business in what would probably be a lower tax environment.
It also avoids the massive political complications and wrangling which creating an entirely new state would; that could reduce the pressure on the “breaking up California” movement, at least for a while.
I doubt the “existing management” in the three states affected view it positively, however….even though the areas seeking departure are mostly rural, some very rural, and pretty low on the “tax generation” totem pole for that reason.
It will be interesting to see where this goes.
I lived in Eastern Washington, once upon a time. I bought my first gun at a shop in Spokane that later moved to sunny Florida, and learned to shoot at the rifle range in Lapwai. I liked it a lot out there, but had to move back east where there were more jobs/industry in my field (the paper mills weren’t hiring at the time, or I didn’t know about it). Suddenly having a state income tax would suck, and EWU and WSU would probably have to change their names, but if I still lived out there I’m pretty sure I would vote for & support such a movement. More pros than cons, in my book.
I used to shoot at that range too!
It’s my favorite range ever. I wish we had one like it near me. The local terrain is not the same, though.
Oh hell no! They can keep all the pot-smoking bullshit drugies right where they are. Jackson and Joesphine counties are two of the most lawless places in Oregon. And Katie Brown sponsored the whole game with taxpayer funding.
I could not think of a faster way of turning Idaho blue.
Hell, way down in Lake County the city of Lakeview already banded wood stoves. And it was and is one of the poorest counties in Oregon. Klamath is about to tear out 4 dams that provide electricity to over 70,000 homes with no replacement. Water to farmland. Over fish that will never survive a drought.
Oh and lest we forget. To buy the Indian reservation back for them a second or third time. (I lost count). Thank you Warren Buffet!
San Bernadino? You would not want that shithole on a bet.
If Idaho was smart they would keep a database on everyone that moves here. And place them on probation for 10 years!
I’m sorry for those still on Titanic America. But changing names won’t keep it from sinking. If you’re stuck in steerage, you’re stuck in steerage.
“voted to succeed”? If only success was that easy.
ITYM “secede”. Damn you, autocorrect!
Fixed.
Thanks!
Given the conditions of CA and OR, I think either would be correct.
“Secede”.
Good idea, bad idea, whatever. These county votes are irrelevant.
For this to happen the state legislature of both states AND the US Congress
would have to pass bills allowing this to happen. Odds of that…..well lets just
say I’m more likely to win a billion on PowerBall than for that to happen. This would upset the political apple cart. The criminals in power are NEVER going to let that happen.
“For this to happen the state legislature of both states AND the US Congress would have to pass bills allowing this to happen.”
Why? When was the last time liberals adhered to the laws – the ones they didn’t like, anyway?
I think the counties involved should ask the Idaho legislature whether we WANT them in Idaho, and if so, it’s a done deal.
What are they going to do about it – send strongly-worded letters?
You are forgetting this simple reality. The law does not apply to the leftists in power. It ONLY applies to anyone opposing them. Therefore these counties will NOT be allowed to switch states as it would interfere with the lefts grasp on power. That is REALITY whether we like it or not.
It’s good to see Coos County voted to split. I lived in the Coos Bay/North Bend area in the late 80s/early 90s, and that was a rather nice place. It’s also a deep water port, which I think Greater Idaho will appreciate.
This is not well known, but Idaho has had a Seaport for several decades. It is in Lewiston. Of course Washington politicians have been trying to eliminate it by breaching the dams on the Columbia River.
A deep water port would be nice if the blues started causing problems with commerce going through their ports.
Please take Spokane, too. Bluer than it should be, but from all the snivelling I hear and read about Idaho, I suspect the whinier ones might just load up and join the rest of the damn dirty wetsider hippies. :V
Also, becoming West Idaho would result in legal MG and SBS ownership, and I can put up with the sheep-shagger jokes for that.
“A deep water port would be nice if the blues started causing problems with commerce going through their ports. ”
You mean like CA’s anti-gig work laws, anti-diesel trucks laws, and support for heavy union control of ports? In addition to selling them to China and such?
Give them time, I’m sure they will catch up!
Yes. Like that.
My understanding, from farmers, is that the port of Portland Oregon is unusable for farm products now.
Unusable for farm products why?
Coos Bay is a natural harbor with enough room for a lot of shipping. When I spent a summer there circa 1967, all it was used for was shipping stripped tree trunks to Japanese lumber mills, and that doesn’t seem to have changed. There’s a proposal now to build a liquefied natural gas terminal, but they might have to free themselves of Portland’s political dominance to get the permits.
The only drawback (that wouldn’t be fixed by separating from Portland and the northern Willamette valley) is that it’s surrounded on three sides by the Coastal Range. All highways and railroads have to go over mountains. IIRC, the roads are very curvy, making for a slow and stressful drive. There is a railroad connection to the Willamette valley, now owned by the Port of Coos Bay. They’ve been struggling to keep up with the maintenance on the bridges and tunnels, but if the railroad was handling more cargo there would be more funds for maintenance.