The survey, by YouGov in conjunction with BrightLineWatch, looked at the current political climate in America. The most stunning question concerned support or opposition for the state in which respondents lived in "seceding from the United States to join a new union with [list of states in new union]?"
Five prospective new unions were constructed (by region)
"and inserted the relevant states for respondents into the question wording above. For example, a participant from California in our survey would be asked about joining a new union along with Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, and Alaska."These sets are provided below:
Pacific: California, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, and Alaska
Mountain: Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico
South: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee
Heartland: Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska
Northeast: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia
As you can see in the graphic above, the Southern state respondents embraced the notion of secession most aggressively. 43% of those who live in Mountain states were in support of secession:
BrightLineWatch appeared to recognize the controversial and divisive nature of these results and added the following caveat/caution:
As in our previous report, we caution that this survey item reflects initial reactions by respondents about an issue that they are very unlikely to have considered carefully. Secession is a genuinely radical proposition and expressions of support in a survey may map only loosely onto willingness to act toward that end. We include the question because it taps into respondents' commitments to the American political system at the highest level and with reference to a concrete alternative (regional unions).A similar poll was conducted just weeks after the January 6th attack on the Capitol, and results were similar. But six months later, any notion that political frustrations have cooled seems to be misguided.
Reader Comments
You Americans always did do everything bigger!
Seriously though, I think Obama and Co would rather see the country burn before letting this happen.
"What children?"
"The children. The children in need. The children...here."
"There are no children here."
"I mean generally."
"Tell me what children specifically, what they need, where they are, and who their parents are."
"It doesn't work that way, sir." (Feathers ruffled, snappy answer.)
"I don't work that way either. Can I get my change now?"