American citizens apparently unhappy with the results of the Nov. 6 presidential election in all 50 states, including Idaho, have used a “We the People” option on the official whitehouse.gov website to sign petitions asking to secede from the United States.
As of Wednesday, the move to sign petitions to secede from the United States had Texas leading the way with more than 100,000 people signing up on the online petition which requires a name and a valid postal ZIP code.
A petition to permit the citizens of Idaho to withdraw from the United Sates of America and create their own new government was created Nov. 11 and has gathered 4,281 Internet participants as of Wednesday.
Ironically, in a move to bring this state closer together, the six newly elected members of the Idaho Legislature from Districts 28 and 29 with Republicans and Democrats, toured North Idaho this week to learn more about businesses and concerns in the upper reaches of the Gem State.
“We learned more about their concerns and progress,” District 29 Rep. Elaine Smith, D-Pocatello, said. “People need to work together.”
The North Idaho tour was sponsored by the chambers of commerce in Lewiston, Moscow and Orofino as well as 11 northern Idaho counties. Legislators also visited the University of Idaho and Lewis and Clark State College.
Smith said the petition to have Idaho remove itself from this nation is simply the reaction of people unhappy with the national election.
“I think people need to work together for the betterment of the entire United States of America,” Smith said. “It’s (the online petition) a way of saying ‘I don’t like what’s happened and I don’t want to work with other people.’”
Any moves in the 2013 Idaho legislative session to call for secession from the U.S. would be a waste of time, according to the veteran legislator.
Newly elected Republican District 28 Rep. Kelley Packer of Inkom said the trip to North Idaho was a good way to become acquainted with legislators from that region and issues important to residents in the north. She also was distressed by talk of secession from the U.S.
“It’s heartbreaking and disappointing,” Packer said. “We are the United States.”
Packer said people who are disappointed in the election should work hard to make sure states’ rights are protected and push for presidential elections by popular vote instead of the Electoral College.
“We don’t need to secede from this nation,” she said.
Bannock County Commission chairman Steve Hadley attended a meeting Tuesday to discuss 2013 events being planned to celebrate Idaho’s acceptance as a U.S. territory 150 years ago. Talk of secession doesn’t impress the Republican elected leader.
“My opinion is we are all in the United States of America,” Hadley said. “We’re all united.”
With examples of national efforts to help Pocatello and Bannock County mitigate damages caused by this summer’s Charlotte Fire, talk of breaking from the nation seem shortsighted to the county commissioner.
“That’s all it is – people who don’t like the way the election went,” he said. “Like it or not, he’s (Obama) our president for the next four years.”
Hadley suggested that people who are concerned about the direction of the nation can determine the makeup of the U.S. Congress in two years.
Jared Cheirrett, Chairman of the Bannock County Republican Party, also doesn’t see Idaho seceding from the union.
“It’s not going to happen,” Cheirrett said.
The county party leader did say he understands some of the frustration voters may have had with the outcome of the presidential election, but he said local politics is where people can make the most impact.
“It starts at the local level and that’s where it can make a difference,” he said about political influences in this country. “It shows the importance of states’ rights.”
Petitions asking for Idaho to peacefully leave the union join 144 other petitions. One of which is calling for President Obama to do the hokey-pokey. Another one calls for the deportation of anyone who signed a petition to secede from the U.S.
The petitions with the largest amount of participation next to the Texas secession request is one that supports legalizing marijuana with 49,502 signatures and mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods with 43,023.
On its website, the White House states the purpose of “We the People” is to give “all Americans a way to engage their government on the issues that matter to them.”
If a petition receives 25,000 signatures within 30 days, the administration will address the concern.
(4) comments
I read a letter to the editor from a fellow in McCammon. After I read it, I thought that "This guy is on Limbaugh or Fox Steroids". Extremely Polarized in a negative way and appears to be angry.
Hence the Danger of listening to the "Choose the Right" propaganda from our local AM and FM outlets. We have had 20 years of these people.
I imagine this fellow's attitude has been groomed from listening to these 'Corporate Manipulative Radio Programs". This type of programming was very effective in the 1930's enabling Germany to become a Fascist state and the Nazi takeover.
Look up the definition of Fascisim. You might see a parallel to this man's attitude.
I assume this man listens to these local polarizing stations, about 12 at last count.
What I suggest is to install a Satellite XM Sirius Radio in his car or tractor, tune in XM117 or XM127 to hear "some truth and less Corporate Spin". These stations have come on the air about 3 years ago and are growing by leaps and bounds as people find them.
If you have Satellite TV tune in Current TV and Freespeech TV to hear differing opinions verses the "Choose the Right" Local stations.
I don't think most especially this man from McCammon could benefit, especially lowering his blood pressure, to getting information that might, just might, take a different look.
It did me, former Republican Volunteer, now Independent but I like this President considering the Obstructionism by the Republicans in Congress, he has done an OK job. I think this next term will be better as he has learned that he cannot compromise wtth the Republican Jerks.
Punkrocker,
Well yes, the Portneuf Valley as well as different parts of the state
do go back in time, but not as far back as some people think. The tribes were nomadic and traveled large distances over the Northwest including parts of all the surrounding staes in seasonal migrations. Actually Fort Hall
is now home to three different tribes of Northwest natives.
And dragging the poor Mormons into the conversation is not a hostile move as you think. It is a reality move. The Mormons have a large hand in what is now Southeast Idaho and have had since the beginnings of
Soda Springs in the 1850's. Brigham Young had a cabin in Soda Springs and it is still standing and a museum piece. Franklin, is the oldest village in Idaho. The Portneuf valley was originally a sheep grazing area which was a large industry in the 1870's and 1880's. Remnants of it still exist but it is not anywhere near as large as it was.
And I am not a left wing extremists. I actually consider myself a moderate
but the right wingers think all Democrats are commies.
People talk about how the minorities have voted in a block for Obama.
But I think you would be hard pressed to say the Mormons did not vote in a block. I have not talked to a Mormon that did not vote for Romney.
I imagine there is one or two here and there that voted democrat but I haven't found one. And most Bible thumpers all voted for Romney. I mean lets face it the election was close. But not as close as people think.
While Obama got 3and a half million more popular votes than Romney,
Romney actually got more than three million votes LESS than McCain.
There was just a far less turnout in this election than there was in 2008.
Personally I think it is because people know beforehand how the elcetion was going to go. O'Reilly says Romney derved to lose because he hid out and dissappeared in the last two weeks before the vote. That says a lot about Romney.
But Mr punkrocker, I assure you everything is going to be fine and life is going to go on as usual. And HCR now labeled Obamacare does have a lot of positive things ahead for the country. When people begin to realize all of its benefits there will be a real change of heart.
Maggie,
Funny, I thought Idaho had its roots in Native Americans. I'm a white male, I live in Idaho, and I'm conservative. I'm not a racist or member of the KKK. I'm tired of left-wing extremists always implying that all conservatives are racists. Save the propaganda, please. Quit trying to drag the poor Mormons into every liberal argument. I've met some really nice people who are LDS. I'm glad that slavery ended in 1865, but too bad it came at the expense of the State's Rights that our Founding Fathers intended. Rather than several states trying to secede from the Union, I have a simpler idea. How about if the District of Columbia secedes from the Union? Politicians on both sides of the aisle in Washington are so out of touch, they don't have anything in common with the rest of the country.
Idaho has its roots in the seeds and aftermath of rebellion. The first Idaho Territorial Legislature was composed over two thirds of ex confederate soldiers and ex slave holders. There was also a reaction when the Mormons tried to take over the government of Idaho in the 1880's. But the federal anti-pologamy laws stopped their move with the threat of confiscation of property. Northern idaho is well known for its
white supremists and long term affiliation with the Klu Klux Klan.
The Southern plantation ruling class began their sessionist movement
when Abraham Lincoln was elected President. Their fears cost the lives of over a million Americans because they wanted to prolong a medieval government.
The rise of New Freedoms in America surrounding women, blacks, hispanics, gays, and the young are a threat to the patriarchial mentality of these right wing white men. And there can be no doubt that the Almighty White Man is behind this movement. A religious bigot
who slams any culture not his own with profanity.
Rest assured that the Democratic party as well as a good majority
of moderate Republicans see all of this cry baby "I lost an election"
stuff as nonsense.
If it were the other way around and the republicans had won the election this militant sect would be doing a death dance, putting on their white sheets and hoods and singing about the glory of the White man. But to tell you the truth, I have seen very few "white men" unless they be albino. Most people who claim caucasion heritage are every shade of yellow, orange, brown, and even some purple tinge. There are no"white men or women for that matter. It is a "PIGMENT" of the imagination.
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