We need to have a civil divorce before we have a civil war.
Proposal: America separates into two nations. We have one military for both nations for 20 years that oversees the transition.
In the HBO series John Adams, I love the passionate debate in the 1776 Continental Congress on whether or not the 13 original colonies should declare independence from England. Benjamin Franklin, played by Tom Wilkinson, makes an excellent point in the heated discussion.
"The question is NOT 'Should we declare ourselves to be something we are not?'" (that is, independent from our motherland England).
"But rather, the question IS 'Should we declare as a FACT something that already exists?'" (that we already are independent from England and there's no turning back).
On this election day, November 3rd, 2020, let's borrow Franklin's terminology.
Today, the question for our country is NOT "How can we again become one nation under God?" (Which we are NOT and never shall be.)
The question IS "Isn't it time that we declare a FACT something that already exists?"
That we are two nations.
That we have two very different visions of how to live life.
That we have two very different expressions of freedom and morality.
That 240+ years of debate has done its work and run its course, and it has revealed that our differences are irreconcilable.
A Biden win today (this month) will not mean a united nation.
A Trump win today (this month) will not mean a united nation.
Let's all face up to this fact: we already are two nations.
We don't agree on a hundred things. From economic philosophy to education. From healthcare to climate change. From abortion to gay marriage. From gun control to free speech. From immigration to marijuana. From Covid-19 lockdowns to mandatory vaccinations. Etc. Etc. Etc.
We are clearly in each other's way. Why do we continue to piss off and exasperate each other? Why do we continue to live in the same "house"?
The left doesn't want to live like the right. The right doesn't want to live like the left.
So why live together?
Let's get real. Let's be honest. We borderline - if not outright - hate each other. We think the other side is the "bad guy." We think the other side is "evil" and "immoral." We think the other side is "insane" and "ruining the country." We think the other side is "threatening our freedoms."
So why live together?
Let's have a civil divorce, before we have a civil war.
I've never been through a divorce. Hopefully I never will. But I've had close friends who have. The common denominator of nasty divorces is this: both sides blame the other. A mentality of "I'm 100% innocent. He/she is 100% at fault."
And this begins the all-out war over child custody, child support, the house, the bank account, etc.
But every once in a while you hear of a more cordial approach. Two people who just peacefully go their separate ways. A civil divorce in every way.
They've stopped with all of their vain attempts to change the other person into their own image. It's NOT going to happen. They're just two very different people. They know they've grown apart. They're going in two different directions.
And they peacefully make the split. With very little drama. A civil divorce.
Maybe America needs to have a civil divorce so that we don't have a second civil war.
And civil war is a possibility. It's not hard to imagine.
The last 12 years have created the conditions for civil war. When Obama was elected in 2008, the conservative right thought it was the end of the world. "He will destroy our country." "He will take all our freedoms." "He will put us in concentration camps."
When Trump was elected in 2016, the liberal left thought it was the end of the world. "He will destroy our country." "He will take all our freedoms." "He will put us in concentration camps."
Now it's the election of 2020. Now it is BOTH the left and the right insinuating, "We will NOT concede the election under any circumstances." And tens of millions of mail-in ballots may contribute to this narrative actually playing out.
And it could get ugly. It could turn deadly. It could lead to civil war.
Let's not.
Let's not let it get to that point. It's just NOT necessary.
Let's have a civil divorce, before we have a civil war.
Some particulars of what these two nations might look like:
1) USA Blue with Joe Biden as President
Province of California (California, Western Oregon, Western Washington)
Province of New York (Eastern Coastal region spanning from New York City to Washington D.C.)
Province of Chicago (Greater Chicago and blue counties of Wisconsin and Minnesota)
Province of... All major blue cities and counties.
2) USA Red with Donald Trump as President
Every red county and state in America.
Problems to sort through:
1) How do you avoid further divisions?
History is clear. You won't. Each of these two nations will struggle to remain a single party state. They very quickly will divide up into new rival groups.
2) Who is Commander in Chief for the 1 military overseeing the 20 year transition?
There would be three. Biden, Trump, and the most respected general in the military. But all three must agree unanimously to ever use a nuclear weapon.
3) What about the current demographic mixture of red and blue in all states, counties and cities of America?
If people don't want to move, they don't have to.
But make geographic moves as easy as possible for those who do. Have a 10 year window where "house swapping" is easy. No extra taxation. Minimal regulation. A right leaning conservative with a three bed and two bath home living in Los Angeles can swap with left leaning liberal in Fort Worth with a similar house. You get the idea.
4) How will you avoid these two nations going to war against each other?
History is clear. You probably won't. At some point, both nations will "look over the fence" at their neighbor and declare, "We have a moral obligation to rescue those poor children from being brought up in that environment."
Sigh.
Bottom line:
If Biden wins, half the country will be very pissed and will never be on board with his agenda. It is very possible that talks of succession may take place.
If Trump wins, half the country will be very pissed and will never be on board with his agenda. It is very possible that talks of succession may take place.
Why are we doing this to each other?
It's time to declare as a FACT something that already exists.
WE ARE TWO NATIONS.
Here's a way for all of us to win today. Let's have a civil divorce before we have a civil war.