Secession Must Be OK, When Liberals Want to Do It

April 2nd, 2007 6:23 AM

How many times have you seen Civil War rants about the "backward" nature of the South or Southerners – all linked to the failed attempt at secession? But now secession has to be looked at in a credible way, thanks to The Washington Post, because liberals want to do it.

In an appropriately April Fools Day Outlook column called “The Once and Future Republic of Vermont,” the authors complained about the American “empire” and said “Some of us therefore seek permission to leave.”

Ian Baldwin, publisher of Vermont Commons, and Frank Bryan, a political science professor at the University of Vermont, remind readers that “Vermont was once an independent republic, and it can be one again.” They are unhappy, as are many lefties, because the nation isn’t as left-wing as they want it to be.

The Post is clearly unhappy as well. It gave them front-page space on one of the most popular commentary sections in the nation for 1,200 words on secession. Those words are full of the standard liberal doctrine – anti-military, anti-U.S., anti-Ronald Reagan. The whole thing is so “anti” that it can leave you crying “uncle.”

Buried in the midst of this massive rationalization about quitting the United States was a reminder of one of the prominent libs involved in these discussions – none other than Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. Here’s a quote:

“The present movement for secession has been gathering steam for a decade and a half. In preparation for Vermont's bicentennial in 1991, public debates – moderated by then-Lt. Gov. Howard Dean – were held in seven towns before crowds that averaged 230 citizens. At the end of each, Dean asked all those in favor of Vermont's seceding from the Union to stand and be counted. In town after town, solid majorities stood. The final count: 999 (62 percent) for secession and 608 opposed.”

Come to think of it, if we could get rid of Dean, it almost might be worth it.