would anybody support a secessionist candidate for state legislature?

Well I am poor so .. I am shit out of luck even pondering that idea in the curttent situation..

oh just a note:

"his own money"... I would suggest "her/his" or "their" ... I would even suggest it could be a group...

I would suggest to that that Oregon or a future Cascadia accept and enfore the Universal Declaration of Human Rights so that if someone is forced economically into prostitution then it is handled as a violation of their human rights. This violation would be when individuals are forced resort to prostitution because they have not recieved or economicall =y blocked from having food, shelter, education and other basic things for human survival and achieving their potential then it is falls on the hands of the "government" for breaching that social contract. Hence the government or society is in violation of the universal declaration of human rights and therefore is non valid and must be removed or altered to comply with those standards. Obviously in cases where an individual or organized crime or even a military (like DynCorp in the Balkans) have forced people into prostitution then that is slavery (again violating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) and should stopped and taken in for crimes against humanity.

How is that as a way to address prostitution... not to simply acknowledge it but we must address its root causes while not passively ignoring it with legalization (hence continuing the victimization) nor blaming the victim as Amerikans do today with blaming and socially alienating victims. Added to this should be more sex education and deconstructing sexuality and the dynamics of the human species as a sexual animal.

Just some thoughts...

If we tried to leave, they would strangle our imported resources. before planning a "High Speed Autobahn" type of freeway, why not establish a FUNCTIONAL rail system that runs of electricity (of which we can get plenty through wind and water power). before we could leave, we need to be free of oil, there's no other way around that. we'd have to become nearly completely self-sufficiant to become truely free.

Iron on Iron rail systems are nearly 10 times as efficiant as tires on pavement, get rid of the cars, and busses. replace them with light rail, for cargo, and for passengers, we could easily stand on our own. It would also be much less expensive now, rather than later, when energy costs are so much higher. The technology, raw materials, and skills exist here, right now. I'm currently working on a plan that would allow us all to get around, without cars. I'm not sure how long it will take to right up. I'm sure that the powers that be (oil companies, auto companies) are going to prevent it from actually happenning. But at least I'm working on something better for the Northwest.

Succession is a must, but plan ahead first, lest we'll have to serve DC.

not only would you be dependent on oil, but ANY attempt at seperation would be destroyed by the imperialists- read some history. Leaving the union is UTOPIAN!!! Pure and simple.

a real effort to create an independent Cascadia if it came to armed conflict would also mean the end of the empire too. and a separated Cascadia would also crumble the Amerikan Empire from its mythological glory. History is filled with broken empires too look at the Soviets in their protracted war and internal conflicts.

Oil... get real we are all collapsing regardless of being in the Amerikan Empire... the US will not switch to any alternative mixture because Cheney and his leeches make too much money off of this system. Infact the longer we are stuck in the empire the more hurdles in a post petroleum economy we will have. What is the alternative? Diversify and prioritize.. the end of the SUV age was over sometime ago and we need to start looking at this lifeboat and realize the luxary liner/battleship is sinking fast and we might not wish to be near is if explodes or implodes as it goes down.

Read history.. world history not the Amerikanized propagandist mythology ... look at what happen to the Soviets and you find a similar pattern

I can't help but agree with Max, this desire for Cascadia seems fairly silly...I mean, I understand why you would desire such a thing, because the world, especially the U.S. is so completely fucked up. But you would secede and face the same problems regardless if you were part of the U.S. or not. This is because the problems are rooted in our political/economic system of domination of one class over the other. Why isn't that on your theoretical candidates agenda? Instead you call for an autobahn style freeway in the name of tourism.

About potential oil problems; you could get your oil from Venezuela. That's actually something which has potential as an agenda...abolishing the free-trade imperialist policies and adopting fair trade agreements with other nations. For example, Cuba Bolivia and Venezuela are touting a new agreement, 'ALBA' (Americana Latina Bolivarian Agreement I think...) intended to confront the imperialist agreements like NAFTA or CAFTA.

I would much rather support that then seceding and building highways ;) Besides, successfully opting out of NAFTA, or better yet, forcing them to remove it completely would be a big step towards the victory we all long to see (i.e. that better world we all dream of).

Coincidentally, some groups are calling for actions against the World Bank and IMF for Sept 14-20, while they are meeting in, I believe, Singapore. Here's a link:  http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2006/07/342426.shtml

Yep big snag, but we need to look at this with greater insight.

The USA does not plan to build any more infrastructure for at least civilians unless it is using lots of taxpayer money to fund private companies who will then milk more from the Oregon (Washington and other Cascadian states) taxpayers with delays and readjustments. If the US was to do any such project they would "award" it to Halliburton or similar company. Plus the US Empire does not really wish for more unity in this region and even seeing a group called Cascadia Mayors Council scares some that maybe some of these "blue staters" are serious.

We need a mass transportation system and you are right that the current car system is not economical or ecological when it comes to cost. It was practical in theory during the Cold War to create the illusion that the US could move troops and mobil balistic units anywhere as well as creating a suburban middle class that was the envy of the world (even at the cost of alienation and breakdown of traditional social networks). Even when we turn to the past on how the US created its continental railroad it was on the broken backs of cheap labour specifically Chinese, Irish and other "expendables". Even under the US Empire do we have cheap nearly slave labour? We do have the undocumented migrant work force that is now the target of racism and we do have detention camps awakeing debtors. Would these do for a new revamping of a collapsing infrastructure? It would be easy for the US Imperialist to announce that they have awarded Halliburton (who just lost their military contract in Iraq) or even an UAE company to do such a project and it is not thart difficult to imagine Halliburton contracting out to other private industry to employ cheap labour from all over the world, but I doubt that would happen. And do we, Cascadians, want the blood and sweat of cheap labour on our hands again for something that would ofcourse run over bugdet and secretly be used to solidify power of the elite?

A different solution and a very Cascadian one: the US and other countries in the past have done huge public works projects before that ended up helping the general public as well as those employed in such endeavours. My personal favorite and actually has literally reshaped Cascadia is the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC). Infact "Cascadian" was a term used in the 1930s for the art style of the CCC's monumental structures (like Timberline lodge and the lodge as Crater Lake are perfect examples). I propose we, Cascadians, create a merger of workers unions with higher education. This synthesis would produce a mentor-apprentice system where students of all studies could gain practical education from ecological surveys to engineering and from art design to medical assistance. During the CCC years artists were employed for everything building to biological surveys and Nature illustrations for manuals. And we do not need to build new rail lines. We have the rail lines paths already layed out .. the highways and roads that already exist. This new CCC would be university credit and future job placement for those seeking education. Infact instead of military service we could have civil service. This could be extended into other projects as well such as medical assistence and social services for the aging population and veterns (from the US Imperial oil wars that are being fought now). This would be basically "free" education with food and board, but the trade off is creating a new generation of Cascadians with practical skills, placement and organized into a society that embraces unions, guilds, syndicalism and local economy. Though I also would not limit it to young adult generation ("cheechako" or newcomers in Chinook Jargon) ... those wishing to retrain or teach skills would be part of this new work force. And though there is a rough concept of mentor apprentice I would also strongly suggest such a group be democrotized or use horizontalism models of empowerment. I would call this new educational work force the Mamook Tillicum (the Working Tribe in Chinook Jargon).

But what if an independant Cascadia modelled itself after Cuba's special period of decentralization and supplimented a diverse energy economy at first with Venezuelan oil as we weened ourselves off of fossil fuels.

I agree that the replacement of one elitist class for another elitist class is not a solution. Hence we need a social revolution that democratizes every socio-political and economic aspect of our lives... maybe an Evergreen Revolution merging new respectful approaches to our socio-ecological relationship with RealDemocracy (eventually evolving into BioDemocracy). But how do we get this paradigm to be the new shift? Memes? Desperation in a post petroleum age? Social destress as the social infrastructure collapses to cuts? The surviving paradigm after massive die off? Is there any time left for this shift?

"I'm just interested if people would support a progressive candidate who used his own money to finance a run at state legislature and promising to bring debate to the Legislature Floor about secession--whether or not the Federal Govt is serving Oregonian according to constitutional principles and whether this state should exercise its right to seceed from the USA, possibly in concert with Washington and California."

You're suggesting a "right" that doesn't really exist, as demonstrated by the American Civil War. When the South attempted secession, the reaction was swift and severe.

"Would enough progressives support a candidate with an agenda of:

Debate over secession from the union

Opting out of federal money for the Help America Vote Act so we can maintain public elections and public election databases without interference from DC."

I would support opting out of HAVA, if the feds refused an exemption for Oregon's vote-by-mail system.

"Legalization of hemp for (at least) industrial purposes, so that we don't have to sacrifice soft wood forests for particle board and paper products, plus exponentially more fiber yeild per acre of Oregon land, and experience a boom to our economy?"

Sounds good to me.

"Opting out of No Child Left Behind so Oregon can set its own educational standards without interference from DC."

And give up all the federal funding? NCLB is more bad than good, but considering how screwed up school funding is in this state, and how generally innocuous some of the sanctions are under the law, I'm not sure it's the right direction to go in. But I would appreciate the debate.

"Requiring Oregon-based ownership of major media outlets like The Oregonian (some states do have these kinds of laws for other industries)."

Is that constitutional? I'm not sure it is, and changing Oregon's constitution is better done through the initiative process than in Salem if you ask me.

"Legalization (possibly) of the ability for individual counties to vote for local legalization of prostitution, as in Nevada (and nations like Germany, Holland, Denmark, etc). The motive here being destruction of the organized crime element of prostitution and protection from violent crime against prostitutes."

Sounds good to me.

"Establishment of a high-speed, toll-based, 'audubon' freeway in Eastern Oregon to attract tourism to rural communities and generate revenue."

You mean autobahn, but regardless, I'm all for building monorails, subways, light rails, and street cars, and have those attract tourists. Green is the future and Oregon is green. Let it be.

"Resolution to enforce disclosure of Portland Development Committee financial ledgers to state."

Nah, keep the state's nose out of PDC's business. But there should be some pressure brought on city council, and the mayor, to put some commissioners on the PDC board who will act for the little guy, not just the developers. The new 30% required set aside for affordable housing in renewal areas is a great step. Let's see them actually follow that.

"Establish a more equal corporate minimum income tax to fund schools and community services."

It may be hard to believe - but that idea might actually pass, given the current climate. But you better pass it soon. If Willamette Week is right, and the state is turning RED it won't be long before such ideas are all pipe dreams.

"Just curious..."

And that's just my two cents.

The way I see it, the imperialists are a little "busy" at the moment, and for the forseable future. besides, how many of the troops over there are from Oregon? Plenty, and they could come home. Pull all federal income taxes from the federal goverrnment that is being taken from people and business in Cascadia. Use that funding to enhance Cascadia, instead of funding all the national pork, war effort, haliburton etc. Remember, the Pacific Northwest ALWAYS provides more to this country than it uses. Our taxes go to parts of the country that are depressed because of capitalist systems gone mad. We have everything that we need here to take care of ourselves except oil. Getting Oil from Venesuala (sp) would not work, we would be blockaded in a matter of days. We can grow our own food, pretty easily actually. We have the ability to manufacture just about anything we need. It's time for us to seriously look at our own departure. The United States declared independence from England because they felt as though it wasn't appropriate to take orders from someone that's 3000 miles away. Well, guess how far Washington DC is from here. We don't think like them, it's time for us to stand up, and talk about methods of succession from the union. I'm not an advocate of violence, but I don't think it would come to that, this union is clearly broken, and we aren't the only ones that would like to govern ourselves.

Though I wrote we could except Venezuelean oil as we ween off ... to be honest I am afraid we do not have time and I agree we would be blocked unless the whole of the US was going through Balkanization. There is another factor here if some of those states in Cascadia started awakening and serious acting to throw off the yoke of the "Merikan Imperialists" then this could cause an internal domino effect leaving the US in several civil wars while dealling with debt it owes to China and Saudi Arabia (we could be free of that too) and still fighting its oil wars. If Cascadia was a living active movement today (instead of just talk online and at the occational pub) we could even potentially see revolutionary movements against Amerikan Impialism arise in other vassal states like Britain (with resentment over Blair), but right now unfortunately I do not see realistically Cascadians taking real actions (ideally in the form of an Evergreen Revolution though there is some good small social occuring) maybe the Mexican stolen elections could inspire us as hopefully a Yellow Revolution is born there.

Firstly, I'd support a secessionist candidate.

I don't entirely support the general platform (especially the high speed highway in Eastern Oregon for more tourist dollars, simply because I think if you put that to a vote, people in Oregon's High Desert wouldn't want anything to do with it, the tourists, conjestion, pollution or the noise. Why not change it to an advanced, sustainable canal/irrigation system to deliver more water to farmers and ranchers in that area? If you want to develop a stronger economy in Eastern Oregon, give them easy access to water. The local ranchers and farmers will do the rest) I also agree with Yeti on the prostitution issue and Exile on the railway vs. interstate.

Beyond that, anyone who thinks we will ever get ANYWHERE by staying under U.S. control is living in a dreamland.

High speed rail for Cascadia, yes! How could I forget. I'd imagine a Japanese bullet train type of corridor from Portland, at least to Eugene to start, eventually filling it in more.

Now it's my understanding that Oregon is not immune from HAVA, even though we have vote by mail. Greg Palast wrote about this. Oregon still has to comply with a privatized, central database where the mail-in votes will be tabulated. Once that comes online (I think it's supposed to be 2008), we're screwed anyway.

And No Child is so underfunded, all we really have is a bunch of stupid testing requirements that absorb more resources than the Federal Govt provides to cover them. I say we're better off on our own.

Do states have a right to secede? Our founding fathers stated in the Declaration of Independence that when govt no longer serves its people and refuses redress, it is the right and the duty of the citizenry to establish a new govt. I think that's where we are right now. They are prepared to take our ability to maintain free and fair elections. They have attacked policies like Death With Dignity and Medical Marijuana that the Constitution provides are the right of the state to determine. They are even trying to set up this North American Union which would betray US sovereignty to a larger regional government, without taking it to the Congress, because the corrupt puppets in Congress know there would be no support from the electorate. We are being betrayed people!

Finally, I made a point to distinguish that the platform suggests BRINGING A DEBATE on secession to the Legislature, which I think would be perfectly valid considering the disconnect between Federal policies and will of people in states like Oregon. I did not suggest that it could possible be successful in the short term.

"Sec. 1. We declare that all men, when they form a social compact are
equal in right: that all power is inherent in the people and
all free governments are founded on their authority, and in-
stituted for their peace, safety, and happiness; and they
have at all times a right to alter, reform, or abolish the
government in such manner as they may think proper.

  http://www.harbornet.com/rights/oregon.txt

posted also at  http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2006/05/339295.shtml

Venezuela is already sending oil to a few communities in the U.S. They have several gas stations operating in the U.S. as well. You do make a good point though, of course the Imperialists would try to stop us...but the very act of trying to stifle us from revolting would be a boost for us and a bane for them. The only reason they really have the power is through mass ignorance...if they start to murder us because we are revolting, this will draw massive amounts of attention to our plight and situation, which is altogether bad for imperialism. Imperialism does not like attention...it is much like a vampire in that sense (i.e. sunlight kills it). Don't let fear keep you from action - that is the goal of the enemy.

You ask how we can bring about this change in consciousness, before it's 'too late'...our only hope is win over the real power structures in society; the working people. Like you and me. And we have to start by telling people how society really operates. And it isn't a democracy. It's a dictatorship of the rich - Imperialism.

Things like Venezuelan oil and fighting 'free-trade' policies are organizing tools. It's a praxis in a way, by fighting for these kinds of concessions, our power grows and their power weakens. And not just our power either, but our comrades down south who are fighting to keep U.S. imperialism out of the Bolivarian revolution. IMO that is much more important then trying to form Cascadia. Whether or not that revolution is successful depends a lot on us as well...

I don't much talk about green type stuff...alternate fuel sources etc, and for a very specific reason. None of that shit will happen under capitalism...It's not that these assholes didnt know they were destroying the world...they knew, and worked to cover it up. This is why there is an attack on science - not because of the 'neocons' but because scientific facts and scientific reasoning pose threats to the capitalist world order. It is dangerous to ruling classes to have people coming to logical conclusions.

It's this thinking that also prevents me from supporting a Cascadian secession(ist). It is pointless without a battle against the Capitalist/Imperialist system and the ruling class. And if we DO take on the system and the ruling class (which by all means we should) then there is no longer a point to forming a Cascadian nation. That is much more important then anything your theoretical candidate proposed.

I see the secession idea as more escapist then revolutionary. It's the same kind of deal, in my eyes, as all the people who go on and on about how much better Canada would be then the U.S. - Canada is just as imperialist as the U.S. Hell that kind of logic is what keeps people wrangled into the Democratic party (or the greens for that matter).

Speaking of, whoever brought up that Willamette Week article: that article is a fucking piece of trash. Oh my god the sky is falling, people are losing faith in the imperialist democratic party, ahhh!! All I have to say is it's about fucking time.

We need strong leadership that is willing to call it like it is. This is a war that we're facing. It's not the war that we've all talked about here. This war is about lifestyle. If it was me, and no, I'm not running, The speach would be something like this:

We are paying people to kill us. Every day, shelling out millions of dollars to the very people that would like us dead. Our addiction to foreign oil funds the wars in the middle east. It is our own fault. Just as any addict, we live in a continual state of denial. It just comes from a pump, we think. Well, It's time for us to go into rehab, and get clean. How? We're going to have to change the way we think, act and live. Just as in WW2, we turned this countries economy around in a matter of weeks, now it's time to find our way to win this new conflict. Let's go over this plan together.........

There are people in this country that believe that they are entitled to have their very own personal Hummer H2. Sure, let them go over to the middle east, and get their own oil to drive it with. Together, we can do better. A completed transit system, of interurban trains connecting everyplace from Pendleton to Astoria, from Portland to Medford for both cargo, and people. Starting with Portland, a series of commuter lines connecting the neighborhoods of Portland, from Wilsonville to Salmon Creek and from Hillsboro to Hood River will provide reasonably quick transportation of people and goods in the immediate areas around portland. I would pull federal tax dollars from businesses in Oregon for this purpose. Bring the Oregon National Guard back to Oregon, to help build the lines. Have local contractors design and build the trains.


There are a number of side benefits of this idealogy.

1) Localization: the change of transportation would bring small business to life. If you are limited to what you can carry on a bicycle, or on your person, people will purchase less per trip, but make more trips. Smaller stores, in more areas will begin to show up. Food will be grown locally, there will be some price increases in food (10%-15%) will be more than made up for peoples freedom from car payments, fuel and insurance.

2) Public Safety: Fewer cars = fewer accidents 'nuff said.

3) beautification of public spaces: imagine no parking lots. Just think of what could be done with the now available spaces. Grow food? public concerts? Meetings? Social Gatherings?

4) Social improvements: Have you ever seen bicyclists? they seem to smile often. Maybe it's just me, but driving in horrible traffic makes me angry, and less social. Have you ridden the Portland Streetcar? People talk to eachother, people socialize. This builds community.

5) Polution: well, duh. Sound polution has been largely ignored, but if you live near a freeway, you're probably just used to the constant drone of inefficiant tires on blacktop.

I could think of more, if the good people of Indymedia would like.

During WW2, people that didn't contribute to the war effort were shamed, and were ostersized from society. I say people that are unwilling to participate in this war effort need the same treatment.


I'm tired, so I'm going to wrap this up. Please follow this link for information regarding portland's history of streetcars.

 http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/streetcars.html

Exile.

Though I agree with most of what you've written, especially in regards to fighting imperialism, what you seem to neglect is the fact that the core of this imperialism is a very long way away from where you, I or anyone else here is currently at. It's not exclusively in Washington D.C., but a good share of it is, and no matter how much noise we make, those at the top in their far away penthouse castles are only moderately annoyed at best. This is why a veryy well organized anti-war movement has been unable to accomplish much, let alone to force Bu$h & Co. to withdraw from Iraq or Afghanistan. The reality is, no matter how loud people get or how organized the larger protests are, to the Amerikan Imperialists, they are little more than a group of buzzing flies that must be shooed away ocassionally. The problem is, the powers that be are practically half a world away and even when large protests are brought to the White House, Dubya can just jump in his jet and hide out at his faux Texas ranch for awhile. And if people protest down the road from the ranch, he just takes off for parts unknown.

The same could be said of the WTO protest in Seattle in 1999. The WTO came to Seattle and had their visit ruined. Then they all went home. Despite it all, it really didn't accomplish much, and the same can be said of the HUGE protests held elsewhere in the world at the same time.

And it didn't accomplish much simply because even if there is rioting in the streets and half a major city is burned down, there really is no great consequence for the powers-that-be. They simply remove themselves from the situation and head for the safety of home. And that's that, they've won.

These people are too big, too powerful and far too untouchable for those of us at the bottom to take them on head to head and to expect anything in the way of real success. That's especially true since that power does not exist in our own back yard and can easily leave ours when their little visits go haywire.

The ONLY WAY to successfully fight them is to secede from their Union. Even if Cascadia became as imperialistic as the United States or Canada, it would be a small enough country with only a few major cities, to even the odds between us and them. The fact is, it is a lot easier to fight imperialism on the local and state level, even if we are ineffective on the national or international level. Where as the outsiders can easily run and ignore us, the local imperialists really can't do this without giving up their power. They still have to work and live here (not so easy when even a few dozen protesters surround their house or office), which is why they are a little more inclined to listening than those ruling from elsewhere.

And if we are lucky, we can get some good, like-minded people in office in Cascadia.

With Cascadia (and hopefully a New California will also join us) we have the potential to inspire real GLOBAL change.

Continuing to live under the yoke of the United States, is just that - slavery. We will just continue as no more, no less. Just Amerikan slaves.

I for one AM Cascadian, and therefore, I am no slave.

We all know the system, which we are part of, is causing suffering throughout the planet and to the biosphere (her)self. What this boils down to is the only way to begin stopping this monster (consumer civilization which includes the Chinese, the Europeans, the new middle claases of India, the wealthy elite in Africa, the consumeristic propaganda rich ambition of the poor masses as well) is the Balkanization of the SuperPower with the hope of creating a new possiblity. With Cascadia becoming the first bioregional country (as opposed to a nation-state) we could be the model. But we need a major paradigm shift within ourselves first. Are we doing that? Are we building (or birthing) new concepts of communities? Are we collectively shifting our anthropocentric view for a biocentric or ecocentric worldview? Are we questioning the relationships and communications within our daily experiences? Are we defining what is power, oppression, liberation, equality, equity and empowerment? Are we deconstructing the very core of our beings and reconstructing a new shared identity? Are we becoming the alternative to the consumer society or are we just talking of it? And are we changing ourselves to makes us the beings we wish to be? Are we welcoming dialogue with others from all opinions and backgrounds? Are we creating (or birthing) democratic dialogue? Out of a bioregional network of communities might come the inspiration of others to follow. Bioregional revolutions everywhere to undo this consumer civilization and multinational corpoarte imperialism.

"... to be both a speaker of words and a doer of deeds."
- Homer, The Iliad BOOK IX

People who view Cascadian secession as being "silly", are not seeing the big picture.

There can be no question that the majority of us view the United States as the greatest threat to the world today. We are basically talking about a bully who views the world as their private playground, where everything is their's for the taking - all others be damned. If you want to see the evils of imperialism at work, forget the old monarchies - they didn't hold a candle to Amerikan Imperialists.

Defeating these particular imperialists is of an upmost concern if we wish to live in a safer, friendlier and healthier world.

This brings us to Cascadia. Though it may seem folly to work toward the creation of yet another nation state, the BIG issue is what Cascadian secession can accomplish in the long term and how does it effect Amerikan imperialism.

In the first place, it's safe to assume that if Cascadia seceded, California would probably follow us. Or vice verse; if California broke, we would follow. Californians feel toward California, much the way we do as a whole toward Cascadia. When Californians go abroad, when asked where they are from, they say they are "Californian", not "American". When I go abroad, I say I am either Cascadian or Oregonian, not American. Though there is a lot of conflict between Cascadians and Californians that goes back for over a century, we still have more in common together than either of us have with people from elsewhere. Despite our differences, there are cultural bonds. The Amerikan government has recognized this for decades. As early as 1850 they (the US Senate) were concerned about Oregonians and Californians flipping their union the bird and taking off on their own and the Senate went to a lot of effort to limit the political and independent financial power of California and Oregon. Essentially, they were shit scared of us and made things very difficult for our ancestors, be they natives or European or Amerikan settlers. Even now, they like to make things hard on us and there is no doubt that deep below the surface, they still view us with suscpicion. This is even reflected in their faux news reporting, where something like Sparky The Wonder Dog is "national" news provided he is from New Jersey or Oklahoma, but the majority of news reported from Cascadia or California is typically intended to be negative, be it reports of wildfires, earthquakes, police chases, whackos with guns, such and such movie star protesting whatever or "evil anarchists" in Eugene making fun of Jesus in their little college zine. Not so out in the Heartland, where everything is just peachy.

That said, if Cascadia and California were to break away, the Amerikans have much to lose. In fact, they would lose so much that it would break the back of their empire, much the way that losing the Ukraine, Kazkhstan, ByeloRusse, Azerbaijan, Georgia and other republics destroyed the Soviets as a real superpower. Though the Russian Federation is still a power to be recknoned with, it has fallen a very long way. Minus California and Cascadia, the United States would be on par with the Russian Federation AT BEST.

The Amerikans have everything to lose from Cascadian and Californian secession.

Of California's 255 major products, it leads the United States in over half of these and ranks 2nd or 3rd in another 1/4. Though many of these are agricultural products, a good many are not and include building materials, computer technology, food processing and a great deal more. Meanwhile, Cascadia almost single handedly rules Amerikan agriculture due to controlling a majority of the seed industry, as well as a huge chunk of the fruit and vegetable industry (as well as a small portion of the grain industry, most of which is used for livestock feed), fishing industry, canning industry, lumber industry and more.

What we can take away from the Amerikan empire through secession, is in fact, its ability to survive.

Want to fight imperialism and finally have an effect? Then support Cascadian and Californian secession!

 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cascadian_Bioregionalism/