Dear people signing secessionist petitions . . .
Stop. Just stop.
If you haven’t heard, a number of pro-secession petitions have cropped up on the White House website’s page for public petitions. When I checked earlier today, there were petitions for “peaceful withdrawal” from the U.S. by 20 states. Not all of them went for Mitt Romney last week, or are in the South: There were also petitions for such states as Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Oregon.
It should go without saying that these petitions a) aren’t going to lead to any kind of action and b) aren’t supported by the vast majority of people who voted against President Obama. If you could cross-check the two groups, I suspect there would be a lot of overlap between the petition signers and birthers.
To those who are signing these petitions out of a sense of anger or exasperation or desperation, let me say this:
Maybe you believe all hope is lost now that we’re getting four more years of Obama. There are a lot of possibilities for his second term that I’m not happy about, either. Quite the opposite, as should be clear from pretty much everything I’ve written on this blog.
But the election, while not all that close in terms of the margin in the Electoral College, was rather close to producing a different outcome. By the count of National Review’s Jim Geraghty, Romney fell short by a combined 407,000 votes in four states that, had he won them, could have pushed him to 275 electoral votes and the White House. I point this out not to engage in wishful “what ifs,” just to observe that it was very much possible to have gotten an outcome that would have had the left in a fit of apoplexy instead.
And when the nation is that closely divided, the conclusion in my view is not to decide it actually needs to divide in two. Rather, it’s that it wouldn’t take much next time to earn a more amenable outcome.
To do that, Republicans have to make some necessary but hardly revolutionary changes. But it does not help them do that when there are people signing petitions that confirm the worst stereotypes the left can dredge up about the right. Let’s face it: In light of the need to appeal to a wider swath of the electorate, comparisons to the Civil War do not aid the cause.
So, please: Find another outlet for whatever energy you’re expending on this kind of junk.
NOTE: The comments thread on this post has long since devolved into mostly personal attacks, so I’m shutting it down. A new post will be up soon, and a number of you may be facing some time away from the blog. I’m not sure yet which will happen first.
– By Kyle Wingfield
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
504 comments Add your comment
mike
November 12th, 2012
7:38 pm
I LIKE FRED! I LIKE FRED! I LIKE FRED!
I’m not very fond of Tiberius.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
7:38 pm
And in case you missed the signals, Fred, nobody really likes you. Your constant crabbing and lack of any intellectual discussion is a huge turn off to many.
And here we have the sheep herd attack, “no one likes you.” Plenty of people like me Tibey. The ones here that don’t I take as a compliment. They don’t pass muster for what I wish to have as friends or consorts. You don’t. If you liked me I would do a self examination to see what was wrong with me.
Please explain to me how your attack there was intellectual discussion?
mike
November 12th, 2012
7:40 pm
ALL HAIL AN OBAMA FAN! WELCOME TO THE PARTY! YOU’RE JUST IN TIME! Now all the right wing nutcases will leave!
saywhat?
November 12th, 2012
7:40 pm
Fred, I should also tell you that I like you, because you are not like some unnamed others here whose constant crabbing and lack of any intellectual discussion is a huge turn off to many.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
7:42 pm
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
7:31 pm
And so, Fred, the clown has made it better?
++++++++++++++++++
What “clown?” Are you referring to the President of the United States? Does it make you feel like a big man to slander the man who holds the highest office our Country has? The most powerful man in the world? Does it make you feel less impotent than you obviously are to belittle our Country and our fellow citizens in that manner? If you don’t respect our Country how do you expect other to do so? You embolden the terrorist who wish to destroy us. It’s sad that you have to be such a traitor. It would be nice if folks would work together for the common good of this Country rather than be like you and seek to divide it and tear it apart.
Tealiban Party
November 12th, 2012
7:43 pm
The Tribal Areas of Pakistan and Somalia are calling out for you secessionists. You won’t have to worry about the ills of Big Government there. Delta (and a few connecting airlines) are ready when you are!
saywhat?
November 12th, 2012
7:44 pm
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
7:37 pm
I stopped paying any attention to the whole, “its Bush’s fault” a long time ago
________________________________________________________
Thank goodness that the majority of Americans continued to pay attention, and voted accordingly. They saved you from the Romney recession.
Stephenson Billings
November 12th, 2012
7:44 pm
Only in Detroit (or NYC… or even Clayton County). Of course I always figured something like this was a resume enhancement for Dems:
Detroiters Elect Ex-Con Brian Banks As State Rep
“Among the new group of state lawmakers to emerge from Election Day on Tuesday is Brian Banks, who has been convicted eight times for felonies involving bad checks and credit card fraud.
Banks, a Democrat and lifelong Detroiter, won a seat in Lansing as a state representative for the 1st District, representing the east side of Detroit, Harper Woods, and the tony Grosse Pointes. He won 68 percent of the vote to Republican Dan Schulte’s 32 percent.
Banks, 35, was convicted eight times between 1998 and 2004 of writing bad checks and credit card fraud.”
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/11/07/detroiters-elect-ex-con-brian-banks-as-state-rep/
@@
November 12th, 2012
7:44 pm
O-fannie:
All?
It’s a given that the ones who don’t know me won’t miss. The ones who do will.
Now…go find someone else to play with….or, if you prefer….go find someone else with whom to play.
schnirt
mike
November 12th, 2012
7:45 pm
“The war will pay for itself. They will welcome us with open arms.”
Stephenson Billings
November 12th, 2012
7:46 pm
“They saved you from the Romney recession…”
…and will bring on ObamAusterity
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
7:47 pm
An Obama fan
November 12th, 2012
7:43 pm
Fred – be careful; next thing you know your surrender will be accepted; and then you’ll find that your next post of substance will be your first post of substance. Tough spot to be in I reckon.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Can you translate that into rational speak?
What surrender?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
November 12th, 2012
7:48 pm
“Does it make you feel like a big man to slander the man who holds the highest office our Country has?”
More uninformed nonsense from Fred.
“Slander” is the spoken word. “Libel” is the written word.
Can’t you get ANYTHING right, Fred?
Glenn Beck
November 12th, 2012
7:49 pm
Fred
I think “Obama fan” is mimicking what Tiberius rants about when he is going back and forth with other bloggers.
@@
November 12th, 2012
7:49 pm
O-fannie:
You seem more ornery than usual.
Not in the least. You?
Tap Out
November 12th, 2012
7:50 pm
This is why we can never allow these unpatriotic people to have power on the national stage again.
mike
November 12th, 2012
7:50 pm
“Where can we find some cons to harass?” “Hey, I know, let’s go over to Kyle’ blog, there’s plenty of ‘em over there!”
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
7:53 pm
Tiberius – pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
November 12th, 2012
7:48 pm
“Does it make you feel like a big man to slander the man who holds the highest office our Country has?”
More uninformed nonsense from Fred.
“Slander” is the spoken word. “Libel” is the written word.
Can’t you get ANYTHING right, Fred?
++++++++++++++++
Really? That’s what you call rational informed debate? I’m still waiting for you to post something other than insult Tibey.
An Obama Fan: Oh. I see. Sorry. No wonder it didn’t make sense lol.
cc
November 12th, 2012
7:54 pm
“You embolden the terrorist who wish to destroy us.”
No one can do a better job at that than Hussein himself has done.
Tealiban Party
November 12th, 2012
7:54 pm
I wonder if there is any correlation between the 20 “seceeding” states and this story:
Geographers create map of which states sent the most racist post-election tweets
http://natmonitor.com/2012/11/12/geographers-create-map-of-which-states-sent-the-most-racist-post-election-tweets/
Stephenson Billings
November 12th, 2012
7:54 pm
Thank God for the Second Amendment (what’s left of it):
US guns sales soar after Barack Obama’s re-election
Gun sales in America are soaring in the wake of President Barack Obama’s re-election with weapons retailers reporting AK-47s flying off shelves “like hotcakes.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9670585/US-guns-sales-soar-after-Barack-Obamas-re-election.html
Del
November 12th, 2012
7:55 pm
” I suspect there would be a lot of overlap between the petition signers and birthers.”
Maybe even truthers. No, we’re one United States of America we’ve sweated for it, we’ve died for it and it belongs to us. We cannot give it away to any group be it political party, ideology or ever tolerate it handed over to any authoritarian control.
mike
November 12th, 2012
7:56 pm
SB: “US guns sales soar after Barack Obama’s re-election
Gun sales in America are soaring in the wake of President Barack Obama’s re-election with weapons retailers reporting AK-47s flying off shelves “like hotcakes.”
Now we just have to find someone to shoot.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 12th, 2012
7:56 pm
I’m pretty sure the credit card Fredo speaks of is the same one Obozo had been charging his UN-patriotic, unprecedented trillion dollar deficits.
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
7:57 pm
Fred, after reading throught this blog a bit I am now enlightened. Readin some of these posts I now understand how this guy got re-elected. I have enormous respect for this country. I have served this country honorably. So I will not allow the likes of you to question that. But I have zero respect for this guy occupying the white house at the moment. Because based on his actions he does not have any respect for this country as a free market capitilist country. He wishes to change it into a model that more closely suites his radical belief system. It is just a very large struggle for me to understand how anyone cannot see that very clearly. Capitilism just works, socialism does not.
Glenn Beck
November 12th, 2012
7:57 pm
“US guns sales soar after Barack Obama’s re-election”
Something happened in 08. NRA and gun industry duped the gullible. I still have my guns, do you have yours?
After reality sets in, as it did last time, prices will come back down and the demand curve will go back to how it usually looks when the “hysteria” wears off.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
November 12th, 2012
7:57 pm
Stephenson Billings, why are you so surprised?
The Dems keep re-electing Alcee Hastings, an impeached judge.
They re-elected Ted Kennedy, a man who in any other state would have been tried and convicted of murder.
Marion Barry.
Victor Hill.
The list goes on and on . . .
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
7:58 pm
cc
November 12th, 2012
7:54 pm
“You embolden the terrorist who wish to destroy us.”
No one can do a better job at that than Hussein himself has done.
+++++++++++++++++
Really? And how exactly has he done that? By killing Bin Laden?
Does it make YOU feel powerful to call the President ‘Hussein” in an insulting manner? Let me guess. Next post you’ll call him a Muslim right?
cc
November 12th, 2012
7:58 pm
“Thank God for the Second Amendment (what’s left of it):”
You might want to check Hussein’s announcement the day after the election. He is pursuing gun control via a U. N. action.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
November 12th, 2012
8:03 pm
Oh, and btw?
All you people pooh-poohing the idea of people signing secession petitions?
How many of you ever raised your hands and swore an oath to defend this nation from all enemies both foreign and domestic?
Your poutrage is noted and dismissed.
mike
November 12th, 2012
8:03 pm
Dear Second Amendment nutcases: get ready for a shock when you have to replace the battery in your car. You see, batteries are made from that same “stuff” that they make all that “ammo” you clamor for! Get it?
SisterSarah
November 12th, 2012
8:04 pm
“Please all you so called “progressive thinkers” can you tell me, how do we hope to pay the annual interest payments on 10 trillion dollars? Please explain me that one.”
Truthfully, I mean REALLY…TRUTHFULLY….I don’t give HALF a SQUAT about it! LOLOLOL!! You know something?? ALL YOU PHONY armchair economists, treasury secretaries, politicians etc come out here parroting things that others tell you, trying to appear SO smart! Hilarious! 10 TRILLION DOLLARS is not even on my radar. Try 10 BILLION isn’t even on my radar. I am worried about my personal budget. You clowns can continue to spin your wheels over this FUNNY MONEY all you want. The world financiers are going to do what they do. YOU HAVE NO CONTROL beyond your PERSONAL economy. So, PUNCH THE CLOCK, HAWK YOUR WARES or whatever the hell it is YOU do….and L.I.V.E.!!!!!! Get it through your heads, and get over it.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:04 pm
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
7:57 pm
Because based on his actions he does not have any respect for this country as a free market capitilist country. He wishes to change it into a model that more closely suites his radical belief system. It is just a very large struggle for me to understand how anyone cannot see that very clearly. Capitilism just works, socialism does not.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Which “actions’ are you referring to? List them. I mean list REAL ones, not talk radio/FOXbot lies. Do you mean things like breakingup companies and sending the jobs to china? Oh crap, that was Romney and Bain…….
You mean like calling troops incombat zones and disabled veterans moochers because they don’t pay taxes? Oh wait, that was Romney.
What makes you think we are a free market capitalist society? I know Rush and Neal tell you that and bandy the term around a pot, but we aren’t. We never have been. Do you even know how to define the word? Would you know a ’socialist” if one came up and bit you in the butt? I mean I know it’s all cool on talk radio to call everyone who doesn’t walk lock step with Rush a “socialist” but do you even REALLY know the definition?
I await your next words of wisdom. If you are lucky, I made a typo and Tibey can highlight it and insult me for it……..
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:05 pm
How many of you ever raised your hands and swore an oath to defend this nation from all enemies both foreign and domestic?
I did which is why I call you secessionists traitors.
Del
November 12th, 2012
8:05 pm
Obama will be a failed president in the history books not long after his second term concludes. Yes we’ll suffer through his second term where more damage will be done due to his ideology along with his incompetency but we will survive it. America’s survived much worse than Barack Obama.
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
8:07 pm
Interesting to me that someone that wishes to defend all parts of the constitution is a “nutcase”???? Seriously???
SisterSarah
November 12th, 2012
8:09 pm
@Fred
I TOO have served this country honorably, and I approve of the man, his wife, daughters, AND mother-in-law in the White House. There…now we have balance. See how easy that was??
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:10 pm
After reality sets in, as it did last time, prices will come back down and the demand curve will go back to how it usually looks when the “hysteria” wears off.
I doubt it. It’s a “uniting call” the Republicans use in their campaign of fear. They have to keep folks scared and that’s one of their “scare” buttons.
I was talking to a gun store owner laughing about that. He loves it. It drives his profit margin through the roof. I on the other hand hate it because I want prices to come down. I want a 1911 and right now they are WAY stupid priced. I want an M1 Garand as well and even one in crappy condition is ridiculously priced.
Crap. That remind me. I forgot to sign up for a free gun from that store in Marietta that was giving away a pistol and a rifle for voting.
cc
November 12th, 2012
8:11 pm
“America’s survived much worse than Barack Obama.”
Maybe there is truth in what you say, Del, but there exists a far bigger pronlem. The attitude of the voters who elected and reelected him is a sickness I’m not sure that America can survive.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 12th, 2012
8:11 pm
Fredo, Obozocare is a huge anti-capitalist scheme that essentially turns one-sixth of our economy into a government controlled utility.
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
8:12 pm
First of all Fred, I don’t have time to listen to talk radio, I work. Alot. And pay taxes. Alot. Secondly, redistibution of wealth is the cornerstone of Obama’s economics. Please do not attempt to deny this. And redistribution of wealth is the cornerstone of socialism. So I don’t need to make a list, sir.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:12 pm
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
8:07 pm
Interesting to me that someone that wishes to defend all parts of the constitution is a “nutcase”???? Seriously???
+++++++++++++++++++
And to whom are you referring?
Mary Elizabeth
November 12th, 2012
8:13 pm
I have written on various blogs, within the last few years, that I believe that the world, including America, is evolving toward a more egalitarian consciousness. It should be noted that Gov. Romney received two million fewer votes in 2012 than did John McCain in 2008. If you are interested in why I believe this, I hope that you will read my entry entitled, “A Wind Is Rising. . . ,” which I have linked, below, from my personal blog.
(And, I hope any who read my article will also enjoy the Alan Parson Project rendition of, “Time,” which is included.)
http://maryelizabethsings.wordpress.com/2011/02/05/a-wind-is-rising/
mike
November 12th, 2012
8:13 pm
“America’s survived much worse than Barack Obama.”
Can you say George W. Bush? We’re still suffering under his policies.
John
November 12th, 2012
8:15 pm
Well if there are enough people to want this then it could happen but like you said it’s not a big thing well we will see I did vote for that man and I wont support this man nor pray for a man that hates God
I can and won’t but if he gets impeached that would be even greater. There are a lot of people half this nation that don’t like him he has his hands full of angry people and I see he will not make it work nor will this nation get any better while he is in office So I will end with saying this obama is not my president no one will change my mind on this.
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
8:15 pm
Fred, @Mike at 8:03pm.
Aquagirl
November 12th, 2012
8:16 pm
I was talking to a gun store owner laughing about that.
He wouldn’t laugh if he knew his place was included in the secret markings on road signs for U.N. troops.
http://usahitman.com/secret-military-codes-hidden-road-signs/
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 12th, 2012
8:17 pm
A wind is rising, all right…and even a victim of public schooling knows that hot air rises faster than the cool breeze of rational thought.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:17 pm
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
8:12 pm
First of all Fred, I don’t have time to listen to talk radio, I work. Alot. And pay taxes. Alot. Secondly, redistibution of wealth is the cornerstone of Obama’s economics. Please do not attempt to deny this. And redistribution of wealth is the cornerstone of socialism. So I don’t need to make a list, sir.
++++++++++++++++++++++
So you repeat talk radio/FOXbot lies and that means you don’t have to make a list. i get it. What you MEAN is that you CAN’T make a list. You are merely repeating stuff you heard and haven’t a clue as to what it means.
I understand. There are more than a few like you out there. I know you don’t listen to talk radio or watch Fox. It’s just COINCIDENCE that you mouth their lies. They are actually following YOU around and stealing YOUR thoughts which is why they are identical. Gotcha. Thanks for the input.
As to taxes? I don’t pay a lot. I paid 9% in taxes last year. It was sweet. I pay nmore for my daughters tuition at Woodward and my wifes PhD at Vanderbuilt than I do for taxes. I love all the tax breaks I get. I won’t say they are fair though.
But you keep paying my taxes, and Rush’s taxes, and the Koch brothers taxes for us. We need the help………..
Del
November 12th, 2012
8:18 pm
cc,
We will survive…what drives us together is crises. Now that’s unfortunate but true throughout our history. We have just around the corner the national debt crises and it will be coming to a head on Obama’s watch. Economic crises and war is an ideological game changer and we have both coming at this country faster than what we want to believe. The lefts victory will be very short lived.