Folks, as a resident of Virginia, I would like your reaction to the following. In reaction to the laws currently being passed in Richmond to provide “common sense” restrictions on guns, West Virginia has offered to take in the counties of western and southwestern Virginia. This would allow our rulers from Fairfax county to make their laws in peace, and it would allow those who are “bitterly clinging” to our guns and religion to join our less-enlightened brethren. So, what do you think?
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VEXIT
Folks, as a resident of Virginia, I would like your reaction to the following. In reaction to the laws currently being passed in Richmond to provide “common sense” restrictions on guns, West Virginia has offered to take in the counties of western and southwestern Virginia. This would allow our rulers from Fairfax county to make their laws in peace, and it would allow those who are “bitterly clinging” to our guns and religion to join our less-enlightened brethren. So, what do you think?
9 replies on “VEXIT”
I’m reminded of a line from James T. Kirk:
“Not chess, Mr. Spock. Poker.”
While I’m in no position to decide what is best in this cyclone of a matter, I feel like the leverage this possibility to walk gives is getting dismissed too early in the proceedings. Even if there is zero intention to separate from the home state among local folks due to hometown and state pride (and I understand, and in many ways share this sentiment, truly), the threat of doing so (the bluff as it were) has a certain value if played correctly, wouldn’t it?
If this gets loudly shot down in camp, as it were, then the politically charged existential threat of ‘will they walk or won’t they’ is removed, and you basically hand off a key piece of uncertainty or leverage working in your favor.
But, again, I may also be thinking too mercenary – I’m not a political expert by any shade.
Bluffing must always carry the weight of being willing to do it; at least your opposite needs to believe you are willing to carry out your bluff.
For example, how about setting up a committee, in one of these counties, whose job is to draft a resolution to leave Virginia and go to West Virginia? The action is present, and the bluff, if that is what it is, is given the necessary weight for the initial stages.
Indeed, there is truth there. Without weight its hard to take something seriously.
I’d also agree the act of entertaining the initial motions should give at least some weight, enough that should make some folks sit up, pay attention, and engage — at the very least.
Conversely, if there isn’t even a blink as initial actions are underway, then that perhaps reveals some things that are likely handy to know about the folks you are trying to rile into response. If they are entirely nonchalant about counties considering walking, it would worry me for the future to come that I was already being treated as acceptable losses, so to speak.
I don’t like the idea. Sounds too much like running. The line must be drawn here, no further.
Good point. However, there has to be a point where you walk away and let those who remain suffer their consequences. I’m not saying this is the point, only that such a point exists.
True…but the question then becomes, how much ground are we willing to cede? In my mind, wherever state that you live is your home. Nobody should force you to leave your home just so that you can “live in peace.” Northam and his Democrat cohorts are wrong, they know they’re wrong, and they don’t care that they’re wrong. We can be the better person and all…but to me, to give any ground is capitulation.
I like the idea, I think posted here in another thread, about moving the collar counties back into the DC. That this would massively shift VA red does not bother me at all.
If I thought giving Arlington (sorry, Robert E Lee) and Fairfax to DC would work, I would do it in a heartbeat. Then we could build a wall and keep them out.
Will, I agree, it is too easy to back off. Republicans have been doing that for decades, and, like any appeasement, it does no good. I don’t want to leave, and I don’t plan on leaving. But one has to recognize that there comes a point where you either leave or fight, and then you have to ask yourself is the fight worth it? In this case, I think it is.