It's Time for Americans to Start Talking About "Soft Secession"

[summer_in_TX]

89. I agree. The talk of blue states seceding I hope is just that.

What I do find interesting is an idea floating around about a "soft secession."

In Deport Republicans: A Practical Guide, The Existential Republic's Chris Armitage says "They want mass deportations? Give them economic deportation. Blue states subsidize red states to the tune of hundreds of billions annually. Time to end it."

Start with federal tax resistance. Not individual but institutional. California's franchise tax board "accidentally" delays federal transfers. New York's banking system develops "technical difficulties" processing federal revenues. Illinois has "compatibility issues" with IRS systems. Make the federal government sue for every dollar.

[snip…]

We can go so much further than finances.

Texas criminalizes reproductive healthcare? Their medical licenses become void in California. Florida persecutes doctors for treating trans kids? They can't practice in New York. Red state medical schools lose accreditation partnerships. Their residency programs lose access to blue state hospitals.

[snip…]

The playbook exists. Flood the zone. Pass everything at once. Because we are fighting for actual freedom. Freedom of speech, religion, and due process, bodily autonomy, collective bargaining, and truly so many other things people take for granted.

We can pass laws to protect all the freedoms Republicans hate, all simultaneously. Make them sue to stop each one. While they're in court over healthcare, pass consumer protections. While they challenge that, start the wealth tax. Never stop. Never comply. Just keep governing.

I hope leaders in blue states are seriously thinking about strategies like these.