Discuss: Bye, Bye, Miss American Empire

Thanks for taking the time to share your different perspectives here, friends.

We at “Vermont Commons” are always interested in publishing your views, supportive or otherwise.

Free Vermont, long live the “Untied States” -

Rob Williams
Editor, Vermont Commons

With respect to Mr. Keyser’s previous remarks pertaining to Hawaii being the place where the greatest chance of secession is, I’m well aware of the strong grassroots effort there. However, there is one financial reality that may make it a hard sell. And that is the fact that for every dollar that Hawaii pays in federal taxes, it gets back $1.60 in federal spending.(2004 figure, source:Tax Foundation). If I recall, Vermont gets back something like $1.12.

Greetings Eric -

Indeed, out of all the fifty states, Vermont is the one (other than Mississippi, I believe) with the least to lose by removing itself from the US, now an Empire.

We get somewhere on the order of $1.13 back from the feds for every $1.00 we pay in taxes, but much of the time, we don’t have much say, of course, in how the money for these often under-funded and over-prescribed mandates is actually spent.

UVM political scientist and town meeting scholar Frank Bryan wrote a throughtful essay for us last winter on this very topic - you can read it at http://vtcommons.org/node/665.

I am enjoying the conversation here.

Free Vermont,

Rob

the best idea I have heard in my 71 years. I am so ready to get out and get away from the blind stupidity. I can see the land price of Vermont sky rocket when half the nation moves up there to get some freedom back. count me in, the only reason I am still in the U.S. is family ties.
I am so tired of rules like NAIS building codes, seat belts manditory booster seats under 4ft 9
are we that stupid that we can not deside for ourselves. count me in. I read the submited comments and they are just as full of shit as most every thing else, with the deep meaning and big words, come on folks come on back home and get something done. I am just a simple guy that wants some freedom back.

I honestly don’t see a state populous of organically well fed, Subaru driving, relaxed fit pants and Birkenstock wearing yuppie WASPs rising up to form an independent nation. It would require a bravery and selflessness that I have rarely seen in most Vermont residents. (I do, however, hope my impressions of the Green mountain state are proved incorrect.)

Green Mountain greetings, Eli -

You are dangling your stereotypes in public.

Come visit and spend some time with us.

Free Vermont,

Rob

When Jefferson wrote It is the duty of the informed to throw off tyranny he meant us.  We citizens of the USA have failed in our duty.  I support Vermont citizens to reclaim their sovereignty.  Since it is not expressly forbidden in the constitution, the right to do so remains with the states and the people.

Greetings Michael,

I would agree.

Indeed, the US has become the very Leviathan Jefferson and the patriots of 1776 feared - the richest and most powerful empire in the world.

And secession is not only our constitutional right, but our obligation and duty to exercise, as citizen patriots, if we choose.

The tricky thing - we’ve gotten used to all the short term material benefits wrought by IOTA (Imperial Oil Tanker America) - how many creature comforts are we willing to give up to ensure our sovereignty in this new century?

I think about this question daily.

Thanks for wiring,

Rob