The United States and the growing divide

[Jackalope]

If 84% of a country being supportive of a monstrous path of revenge doesn't suit your definition of "united" then I would suggest your definition is defective.

[Silver]

The issue with 'Muricans is that they're not united all the time,. Only when it suits them, to pat themselves on the back.

[The Architect Of Fate]

If 84% of a country being supportive of a monstrous path of revenge doesn't suit your definition of "united" then I would suggest your definition is defective.

As I said before just because the majority of the country agrees on one issue or supported Bush isn't a sign everyone all of a sudden got along. So my definition is fine. So I reject your suggestion.

[Pat Mustard]

I think about states seceding from the union every so often, and, frankly, I’m torn between two thoughts:
1) how it may be the only way the far right can actually be contained in this country
2) life inside these little nations is going to be a complete motherfucking disaster for everyone who isn’t a straight, white, Christian, cisgender male

It's going to be a disaster for them too. It's useless to be master when you're master of only a pile of rubbish.

---

I've been saying for a several years now that the US is creeping toward a massive shift, and Trump gave it a big shove.  I don't believe there will be another war, but I do believe that political and other values will become so massively diverse that states will peel off, one or two at a time and the decision will be that it's just too painful to keep trying to hold it together.  The result will be a patchwork of as many as 10 new nations and there's absolutely no question that the power and influence the US once held will be gone forever.

If you think it can't happen, just consider Great Britain leaving the EU.  Yes, I understand there's significant differences there, but Brexit was still considered a massive shift in European politics.  GB gave up a lot of things just to control its own boarders.  Scotland is again raising the question of exiting the UK (Scotlexiting?).  The old empire is shrinking before our very eyes.  Look closely, because that's the future of the US, except it will be far, far messier and will likely result in massive shifts in population.  I don't expect to see the end result but I do expect to see the beginning.

Of course I'm not certain of any of this.  It's possible that some existential crisis will appear and unite us all again.  Not holding my breath, though.

One correction to an otherwise impressive post, the UK left the EU and rapidly lost control over its own borders. Mainly because the government is too incompetent to run a pissup in a brewery, never mind run a country.

[Spongebob]

Discontent appears to be the worst in the deep south and the west. In the south, 67% of Republicans favor secession while 47% of Democrats in the west are on board according to a poll. Other regions are not as divided. I don't think these numbers truly represent what people would do given the chance; a poll is an invitation to vent. But it does reveal some serious ire. What Republicans don't seem to understand is that if something like this were to happen, everyone in the US would lose tremendous advantages of being part of a large nation with incredible power and world influence. All of that would be wiped out. Certainly no more military dominance.

https://www.newsweek.com/47-west-coast-d...us-1609875

[Ahriman]

Discontent appears to be the worst in the deep south and the west.  In the south, 67% of Republicans favor secession while 47% of Democrats in the west are on board according to a poll.  Other regions are not as divided.  I don't think these numbers truly represent what people would do given the chance; a poll is an invitation to vent.  But it does reveal some serious ire.  What Republicans don't seem to understand is that if something like this were to happen, everyone in the US would lose tremendous advantages of being part of a large nation with incredible power and world influence.  All of that would be wiped out.  Certainly no more military dominance.  

https://www.newsweek.com/47-west-coast-d...us-1609875

It will never happen.

[Mermaid]

When did THAT happen??

Boru

The American Civil War

That is why I said "recent" history.

[The Architect Of Fate]

The American Civil War

That is why I said "recent" history.

Again depends on what you consider recent. But that's a matter of opinion and i don't really fight about it.

[Aegon]

The American Civil War

That is why I said "recent" history.

I mean... the Civil War is recent. It may not seem like it, but if you think big-picture... it was just 3 generations ago. There are people alive today whose grandparents were in the Civil War.

That's why the US still struggles so much with racism. On a large time scale, slavery happened yesterday.

[Angrboda]

Three generations ago by most conventional measures would put it in the 1960s, unless people in your family are pushing out babies at the age of 50 on a regular basis.