'Calexit' leaders drop ballot measure to break from the U.S.

[alp227]

Source: Mercury News

SACRAMENTO — A campaign to make California its own nation folded abruptly Monday — after one of its leaders announced that he plans to make Russia, not the Golden State, his home.

In a lengthy farewell post, Louis Marinelli of the secessionist campaign “Yes California” explained that “it was only proper” to drop the measure since he no longer planned to return to California to “struggle for her independence from the United States.”

“As I have stated in the past, I do not wish to live under the American flag. I do not wish to live under the American political system or within the American economic system,” he wrote. “… I have found in Russia a new happiness, a life without the albatross of frustration and resentment towards ones’ homeland, and a future detached from the partisan divisions and animosity that has thus far engulfed my entire adult life.”

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/17/calexit-leaders-drop-ballot-measure-to-break-from-the-u-s/

[onecaliberal]

1. Yay, return to your criminal country. We don't need more of you.

[forgotmylogin]

20. We need the West Coast right now.

Right now an exit would be an uncharted legal mess on top of another mess.

[onecaliberal]

22. We DONT need Russian criminals here stirring shit up.

I live here, there is NO stomach for his nonsense that's why he's leaving

[PsychoBabble]

2. Reading that last paragraph is like ...

... watching the TV show "The Americans" ... only even THEY begin to realize Russia is not all they were lead to believe ....

[PsychoBabble]

3. Wondering if some Calexit people are feeling ...

DUPED?

[Kathy M]

28. Was thinking the same thing . Was warned on FB of all places to be aware of Calexit

and who actually started it and why .

[Pachamama]

4. Dosvidanya Motherfucker...

Of course it got dropped...Californians are paying attention and this little experiment had all the markings of another Russian destabilizing effort here in the US.

We may not like Trump, but Californians are Anericans and proud and we are going to help lead the way to making America REALLY great again... Not the lie that Trump and the Russians have sold.

No Calexit Comrades...

[Hekate]

5. Amen, Pachamama. Everything you said. nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. +1

[Qutzupalotl]

12. Imagine if that monstrosity had passed...

CA would have to provide for its own national defense. They'd have to strengthen their porous border with neighboring states. The rest of the country would be ~55 EVs in the red for the foreseeable future. It was a nightmare proposal. No doubt Putin would approve.

[KeepItReal]

15. 💯

Love it, or leave it.

We ain't goin nowhere.

[grantcart]

31. A real nutjob . . . from New York lol

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_J._Marinelli

[Hortensis]

60. Hear, hear! :)

I may live in Georgia, but I'll always be a Californian at heart.

[PsychoBabble]

7. Because it goes without saying that ....

If CAL can't "exit," then the next logical thing for everyone with that philosophy to do is head to ... RUSSIA!

[rpannier]

8. Allow me to translate

I've milked this for all the money I'm going to get. Now me and my money (donor money) are sitting comfortably in my brand new Russian home

[grantcart]

32. He is teaching ESL which is slightly better than minimum wage in most areas lol

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_J._Marinelli

[rpannier]

34. BE curious how much money he raised before deciding he was in love with Russia

[LanternWaste]

42. Certainly unthinkable to believe any campaign contributions found their way into his own pockets...

Certainly unthinkable to believe any campaign contributions found their way into his own pockets...

[Blue_Tires]

48. Actually, he's getting out one step ahead of the FBI

who was going to come sniffing in his direction real soon....

[Hekate]

9. PS: I am bookmarking this for the next time some ill-informed soul wants to argue the case at DU

I recommend others do the same. This should constitute a big fat honking "I Told You So."

[Madam45for2923]

40. Yep! Bookmarking.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. WTF?

[PoliticAverse]

11. Putin loses 1. n/t

[madinmaryland]

13. AMF! Good Riddance.

[Progressive dog]

14. I hope the door does hit

that Putin lover.

[Leith]

16. I Admit That I Liked the Idea of Cascadia

but when someone here pointed out that Russia wants a weak and divided US, I realized what a shitty idea it was and made a 180.

Whoever it was that pointed that out, it looks like you were absolutely right. This proves it. I wonder how long before we hear about Marinelli's lifeless body found somewhere because Putin doesn't need him any more.

[PasadenaTrudy]

17. Hasta, baby..n/t

[Historic NY]

18. До свидания

[keithbvadu2]

19. Any state wanting to leave, pay your share of the national debt on the way out.

Whether it be CA or TX or whichever.

[More_Cowbell]

23. We're not a welfare state

The reason it was attractive at all to anyone here is because we pay more money to the federal government than we get back. We have to support the red states that yammer at us about being immoral indecent slackers. I didn't support CalExit but I see why people did.

[PoliticAverse]

26. "we pay more money to the federal government than we get back." - that's how it is supposed to work.

[Hekate]

35. I think you and some others miss the point. We are what is known as a "donor state" ...

...when it comes to federal taxes. Other states -- deep red states -- don't take care of their own as a matter of policy, and they end up needing a lot of services paid for by Uncle Sam, i.e. the rest of us. California is far from perfect, but as a state we are prosperous and we try to take care of our own. We end up taking care of the deep red states too, while they amuse themselves believing we are all granola bars, you know, "fruits and nuts".

[Calista241]

38. CA has only recently become a donor state.

it doesn't change the fact that the Federal govt has invested untold billions of dollars in CA since its inclusion in the union in 1850.

[Hekate]

49. As is the case with ALL the 50 states. That's the point of having a union, one would think...

...beyond the obvious case for mutual defense.

In case it's not obvious, I am utterly opposed to breaking up the US.

[oldcynic]

50. careful, you sound a bit like Twitler talking about NATO nt

[Hekate]

52. Would you care to explain in detail what you are talking about, oldcynic?

I've been here since 2002, and in all that time no one has ever accused me of sounding "like Twitler talking about NATO," or anything remotely akin to that. I'd love to know what the hell you mean.

[oldcynic]

53. Sorry, it just struck me.

Other states -- deep red states -- don't take care of their own as a matter of policy, and they end up needing a lot of services paid for by Uncle Sam, i.e. the rest of us. California is far from perfect, but as a state we are prosperous and we try to take care of our own. We end up taking care of the deep red states too, while they amuse themselves believing we are all granola bars, you know, "fruits and nuts".

“We pay so much disproportionately more for NATO. We are getting ripped off by every country in NATO, where they pay virtually nothing, most of them. And we’re paying the majority of the costs.”

“The other thing that’s bad about NATO, we’re paying too much. We’re spending a tremendous — billions and billions of dollars on NATO. …We’re paying too much! You have countries in NATO, I think it’s 28 countries – you have countries in NATO that are getting a free ride and it’s unfair, it’s very unfair.”

[Hekate]

54. You're not nearly as clever as you think if that's how my observation "struck" you.

There is absolutely no comparison between Trump bitching inaccurately about a long standing peace keeping military alliance with a slew of foreign nations -- and a set of verifiable observations about red states (as a matter of policy, they refuse social services to women, children, the poor, and in general the most needy citizens among them; and as part of that, they end up needing more help from Uncle Sam, and their citizens still don't get adequate health care or food) and of California, which tries but is not perfect, and ends up sending (verifiably) more to Uncle Sam in federal taxes than we get back.

The thing with our federal taxes is an observation on my part, not a demand that we stop paying our taxes. I think Calexit, for instance, is a fantasy and a horrible idea. I think breaking up NATO is an incredibly stupid idea, but our incredibly stupid president may just do that.

And as for you

[oldcynic]

58. never said I was clever. Untwist your knickers.

[onecaliberal]

24. Uhm we will subtract it from the federal dollars we send away. And we're not FOR exit

[PoliticAverse]

25. Yeah just like you have to pay your taxes before you can renounce your citizenship.

Would you proportion the debt share according to the state's population, or would you just divide the debt by 50?

[keithbvadu2]

27. Gets complicated quickly, eh?

[WinkyDink]

21. Nuts.

[duncang]

29. Please take rick "goodhair" perry with you

He said Texas should cede from the U.S.. Kind of belongs with you.

[X_Digger]

30. Of course it was a fucking russian ploy, just like we said it was.

I won't hold my breath waiting for an apology from DU's resident calexit cheerleaders.

[Hekate]

36. Bookmark the OP. I want their noses rubbed in it. Especially that last guy who was "just asking ...

...the question about the Constitutionality of secession." Just asking, like about 20 times in the same thread. He reeeeeeally wants the USA to fragment. One wonders why.

[Madam45for2923]

41. Here this OP probably!

eniwetok (1,552 posts)

Should California Threaten Secession To Abolish Electoral College?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=8380818

[UCmeNdc]

33. Russia again.

CIA and FBI finally catching on to the ruses?

[Hekate]

37. That last quoted paragraph: jeez what a fool. Russia is scarcely the People's Paradise. ...

I truly wonder what his grand vision was for the Golden State.

[nocalflea]

39. Wish he'd take Devin Nunes & Dana Rohrabacher with him .

[Initech]

43. And once again it all comes back to Russia.

[heaven05]

44. no difference

trading one thuggish nation-ruler for another. What a hypocrite. I hope someone picks up the ball and get it rolling again. If California, Oregon and Washington form a three state alliance of conscience, I would try to get there.

[sheshe2]

59. Safe passage.

[California_Republic]

45. California doesn't leave - it leads

[Madam45for2923]

46. Nice! Thank you!

[harun]

56. What I was thinking. You would never get California leaving, but we may someday get others

joining California. Essentially making a Greater US for leverage against the anchor of the Red States that keep us from Progress.

[Bayard]

47. I have found in Russia a new happiness....

Is there, like......a Russia, KS, or a Russia, Ottawa?

Seriously? Or is he going back to a warm, and lucrative, welcome from Putin?

[oldcynic]

51. anybody heard of the State of Jefferson?

Calif separating is not a new idea. I think Jeffersonians just want to dump Socal (who doesn't) but they don't get very far because they are all Bundy, Trump, KKK wannabes hiding up in the mountains. Besides, one good quake and we"ll lose Socal anyway...unless it burns, slides, blows down, blows up, sinks, dies of terminal traffic....
But seriously, look at the world around you. Read the article below. Might be fun, or a good idea, to speculate on how we could go it alone.
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170418-how-western-civilisation-could-collapse

[snooper2]

55. might be fun! talking about stupid idiocy might be fun?

LOL

You don't even live in California

[oldcynic]

57. glad you don't know where I live.

[ileus]

61. Someone real needs to pick this up and run with it.

The whole West coast needs to form it's own country. It would spread to the Mississippi in a matter of years...