So, based on answers, where is democracy if a state cannot vote to leave the union?
Answers to my question, 'is the mechanism there for Alaska to succeed were horrendous...it gives the basic impression that the only way a state can control its own destiny is through violence, the American way I guess...and that the military would be used against its own people...I thought the constitution forbade that...then again we have Waco so I guess it is ok...boy are these answers ever a learning experience.
They are free to Succeed. 13 states did it before. But they need to be able to defend that new freedom. The United States is free to try and conquer them.
Been tried once..government thugs won't let it happen.
Answers:
In principle, each state has the right to secede from the Union. That is why the leaders of the Confederacy were never tried for treason. In the 1800s it made sense to beat down the ceding states since a large, rival power on the continent would give us problems similar to contintental Europe's continuing wars (I think there was a great fear of that). This is largely the impetus for the Mexican War and the '54.40 or fight' campaign. We truncated Mexico's power early and fortunately, cooler heads prevailed in realization that though continental in scope, Canada/Britian had no interest in being a RIVAL power to the north.
As far as modern movements to cede from the Union, the Civil War did change the fundamental balance between federal and state power robbing the states of certain rights and creating the central, bureaucratic state the Founding Fathers tried so hard to avoid. So in a sense, the American Republic only lasted that glorious 87 years Lincoln addressed at Gettysburg. We still have the form and function of the Republic, but the underlying threat of economic or violent sanctions from the central government remain in our national memory thanks to the Civil War, should any of the states step too far out of line.
Waco was a bunch of wackos.
'That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.'
you decide what that means
Thats how the civil war started. We live in a limited democracy.
Alaska or any other state with the possible exception of California would fail miserably if they went out on their own to become a separate nation. When a territory joins the union they do so knowing that they are not allowed to cecede. There were 13 such states back in the 1860s who found it difficult to survive even without the civil war. They would have begged to reenter the union even if not forced to after losing the war.
Democracy is a system based on the principal of majority rule, and what is most beneficial to the majority.
It is deemed by the powers that be that secession is not in the int rest of the majority, and therefore it is not allowed
If the Yankees didn't let the South go, why should anyone else get to leave now.
democracy is going down the drain. for one, people don't take advantage of voting or participate in politics.
