r/politics • u/sweatycat New York • 1d ago

California to Negotiate Trade With Other Countries to Bypass Trump Tariffs

https://www.newsweek.com/california-newsom-trade-trump-tariffs-2055414
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u/kittenTakeover 1d ago

American balkanization is horrible idea for American's FYI.

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u/Guilty-Shoulder-9214 1d ago

For many, yes. Because California and the east coast bankroll them. However, for the east coast and California, it’s likely a smart move. I’d totally vote to go along with California if it were offered to the western and rocky states minus Utah.

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u/External-Tiger-393 1d ago

Do you know how much violence and instability (which adds to violence but also creates social and economic crises) that balkanization has? It's probably the worst thing that could happen as a result of this presidency. Balkanization isn't peaceful, it's horrifying, and it should scare you.

I'd love if California could peacefully secede from the union and maybe bring Washington, Colorado and Oregon with it -- but let's be honest, that can't happen. And an armed secession only works (historically speaking) with backing from a foreign power, and I don't think we're gonna get the same deal that the revolutionary Americans got with France where they got funding, supplies and troops without giving up independence or power.

For example, neither Canada nor Mexico has any reason to back a secession effort; any country that does is probably hostile to both us and the US as a whole. It's not great.

Technically the corridor I just mentioned could join Canada, if they wanted us... But then we'd make the majority of Canada's population, which isn't a great deal for a democracy.

However, I'd love to see a real life New California Republic. Because I live in California now, and the state flag looks so fucking wrong when the bear has only one head.

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u/Guilty-Shoulder-9214 1d ago

There’s no doubt it’d be violent, but empires only last around 250 years before a reset is needed and right now, this nation and its leaders are not in the position to make that reset happen especially when you have a cabal of ultra wealthy individuals, with foreign backings, trying to consolidate wealth while tech bros are creaming themselves over the possibility of cyberpunk 2077 style, neofeudal states they think they have the power to manifest.

Division is inevitable at this point. I don’t really see any other path forward as long as the current state system and its senate continue to exist.