We need leaders like Howard Dean and Zephyr Teachout. It is so frustrating when the talented good people don't garner enough votes to unseat people who lie and cheat and only pretend to serve We the People. Do you think awareness is on the rise or do we need to look to other means of governance? And if the latter, what might those look like?
The Republic of Vermont, eh? I take it this would be accomplished by a vote, as is being done in Scotland, rather than a war of secession? Would Vermont then become the smallest independent nation on earth? Would it seek to be recognized by and seated at the United Nations? Most importantly, how do I sign up for citizenship?
I looked into that once; Vermont was not one of the original members of the union, but when they did join up they accepted and became a party to all the previous agreements, including the Articles of Confederation--which make the union perpetual. Hmmmm….here's Article XIII:
XIII. Every State shall abide by the determination of the United States in Congress assembled, on all questions which by this confederation are submitted to them. And the Articles of this Confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State, and the Union shall be perpetual; nor shall any alteration at any time hereafter be made in any of them; unless such alteration be agreed to in a Congress of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed by the legislatures of every State. And Whereas it hath pleased the Great Governor of the World to incline the hearts of the legislatures we respectively represent in Congress, to approve of, and to authorize us to ratify the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union. Know Ye that we the undersigned delegates, by virtue of the power and authority to us given for that purpose, do by these presents, in the name and in behalf of our respective constituents, fully and entirely ratify and confirm each and every of the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union, and all and singular the matters and things therein contained: And we do further solemnly plight and engage the faith of our respective constituents, that they shall abide by the determinations of the United States in Congress assembled, on all questions, which by the said Confederation are submitted to them. And that the Articles thereof shall be inviolably observed by the States we respectively represent, and that the Union shall be perpetual. In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in Congress. Done at Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania the ninth day of July in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Eight, and in the Third Year of the independence of America. Agreed to by Congress 15 November 1777 In force after ratification by Maryland, 1 March 1781 ============================= From Wikipedia: "In 1791, Vermont joined the federal Union as the fourteenth state — becoming the first state to enter the Union after the original thirteen colonies..."
Cat, I'm not sure how it works, but I bet it would. ;-) Anyone who worked for Dean would have automatic citizenship.
Mah*Sweetie thinks (mostly tongue-in-cheek) that we should give Florida and Texas to Mexico, to right things in the USA. Barring that, we could give Vermont to Canada. ;-)
"In 1791, Vermont joined the federal Union as the fourteenth state — becoming the first state to enter the Union after the original thirteen colonies…"
Yep, Alan. That's us! I was born in Boston, so it never bothered me that Vermont wasn't one of the original 13 colonies. I grew up in some of those.
We need leaders like Howard Dean and Zephyr Teachout. It is so frustrating when the talented good people don't garner enough votes to unseat people who lie and cheat and only pretend to serve We the People. Do you think awareness is on the rise or do we need to look to other means of governance? And if the latter, what might those look like?
ReplyDeleteThe Republic of Vermont, eh? I take it this would be accomplished by a vote, as is being done in Scotland, rather than a war of secession? Would Vermont then become the smallest independent nation on earth? Would it seek to be recognized by and seated at the United Nations? Most importantly, how do I sign up for citizenship?
ReplyDeleteThe Republic of Vermont might find that it has a goodly number of ex-pats. *grin*
DeleteI looked into that once; Vermont was not one of the original members of the union, but when they did join up they accepted and became a party to all the previous agreements, including the Articles of Confederation--which make the union perpetual. Hmmmm….here's Article XIII:
DeleteXIII.
Every State shall abide by the determination of the United States in Congress assembled, on all questions which by this confederation are submitted to them. And the Articles of this Confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State, and the Union shall be perpetual; nor shall any alteration at any time hereafter be made in any of them; unless such alteration be agreed to in a Congress of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed by the legislatures of every State.
And Whereas it hath pleased the Great Governor of the World to incline the hearts of the legislatures we respectively represent in Congress, to approve of, and to authorize us to ratify the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union. Know Ye that we the undersigned delegates, by virtue of the power and authority to us given for that purpose, do by these presents, in the name and in behalf of our respective constituents, fully and entirely ratify and confirm each and every of the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union, and all and singular the matters and things therein contained: And we do further solemnly plight and engage the faith of our respective constituents, that they shall abide by the determinations of the United States in Congress assembled, on all questions, which by the said Confederation are submitted to them. And that the Articles thereof shall be inviolably observed by the States we respectively represent, and that the Union shall be perpetual.
In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in Congress. Done at Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania the ninth day of July in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Eight, and in the Third Year of the independence of America.
Agreed to by Congress 15 November 1777 In force after ratification by Maryland, 1 March 1781
=============================
From Wikipedia:
"In 1791, Vermont joined the federal Union as the fourteenth state — becoming the first state to enter the Union after the original thirteen colonies..."
----Alan
Cat, I'm not sure how it works, but I bet it would. ;-) Anyone who worked for Dean would have automatic citizenship.
DeleteMah*Sweetie thinks (mostly tongue-in-cheek) that we should give Florida and Texas to Mexico, to right things in the USA. Barring that, we could give Vermont to Canada. ;-)
There is actually a long standing movement to create a Republic of Vermont.
http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1957743,00.html
Florida is a self-limiting problem; it will mostly disappear beneath the waves in due course.
Delete--Alan
I saw a protest sign that read "Governed by Wolves. Populated by Sheep. Owned by Pigs." Sounds pretty close to reality to me.
ReplyDeleteHmmm..... might it not have been:
DeleteGoverned....
Owned....
Populated....
???? Just wondering.....If the sign were done in three colors it would make "GOP" stand out well.
---Alan
"Barbara Lee Speaks for Me" [Click]
ReplyDelete--Alan
"In 1791, Vermont joined the federal Union as the fourteenth state — becoming the first state to enter the Union after the original thirteen colonies…"
ReplyDeleteYep, Alan. That's us! I was born in Boston, so it never bothered me that Vermont wasn't one of the original 13 colonies. I grew up in some of those.
That says it, Susan! Wow!
ReplyDelete