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
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:19 pm
So I will end with saying this obama is not my president no one will change my mind on this.
Unless you leave this Country and renounce your citizenship he IS your President you traitor.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
November 12th, 2012
8:19 pm
But you don’t see any problem with Obama receiving far less votes than he got in 2008, Mary Elizabeth?
It’s the Romney less votes you think are significant?
md
November 12th, 2012
8:20 pm
“Poor md can’t even stand behind his own mumbled questions and runs off a la Donald Trump. Say hi to The Hair for us.”
I stand behind everything I post Aqua, including the part that clarifies that it may or may not amount to anything…….what part of that do you not understand??
mike
November 12th, 2012
8:21 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.”
Lil’ Bar: would you mind if I keep a copy of that for my permanent records? Thanks.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 12th, 2012
8:21 pm
You must not have much income if you’re able to take those education tax credits, Fredo.
Maybe things will turn around for you after the liberal fascist is done hosing our economy.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:23 pm
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.
++++++++++++++++++++++
What private school did you attend? I went to St. Peter’s. For College I went to Valparaiso. My daughter goes to Woodward Academy. How about you? Or are you a public school victim?
cc
November 12th, 2012
8:24 pm
Del:
I know you to be correct on the debt crisis, and strongly suspect you are also right about war. I also believe that Obama is hastening the debt crisis, and doing so intentionally. We can only hope that he hasn’t weakened us too much militarily to survive a war.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:25 pm
Lil’ Barry Bailout – OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 12th, 2012
8:21 pm
You must not have much income if you’re able to take those education tax credits, Fredo.
++++++++++++++++++++
Do you read English/ Can you comprehend the written word? Please show me ANYWHERE that I said I have any education tax credits you liar.
Why do you lie about every thing? Are you that weak?
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
8:25 pm
So just as I suspected, Fred. You have nothing. And if you are only paying 9% you must be cheating, which makes you the traitor that you keep wanting to spew on everyone. And no, I do not have time to listen to talk radio. I actually do not listen to any radio. Radio in my car broke, and since I only commute 3 miles to work, I do not see the need to spend the money to fix it. But since you cannot seem to come up with a logical arguement for anything, you just keep talking junk. It just confirms everything I already know about folks that lean in the direction you seem to. We are done here. Thanks for playing.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:28 pm
I also believe that Obama is hastening the debt crisis, and doing so intentionally.
How? Do you have some rational reason or did Jesus whisper it in your ear (or Rush)?
We can only hope that he hasn’t weakened us too much militarily to survive a war.
How did he weaken us militarily? By killing Bin Laden? How do you even get out of bed in the mornings if you are so full of fear over lies?
Del
November 12th, 2012
8:28 pm
No Fred he’s not our president, he’s the president. We don’t historically do kings in America. One of the big differences between conservatives and the left is that we view government including the presidency as in the service of the people. The left views the people as dependent and subservient to government.
md
November 12th, 2012
8:28 pm
“YOU HAVE NO CONTROL beyond your PERSONAL economy.”
Some of us understand the 2 are connected……..if one goes south, they both go south. Your personal budget won’t mean squat if the ratings agencies keep downgrading our debt…….and for those that think that is not a possibility due to being the reserve currency, China has been buying tons of gold to backstop their run at creating a secondary reserve currency. You know they are just biding their time to jump in when the time is right………
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 12th, 2012
8:30 pm
If you we’re in my tax bracket, Fredo, you’d know that all the tax breaks you’re bragging about don’t exist once your income reaches a respectable level.
Keep striving, little buddy. Maybe you’ll get there one day.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:31 pm
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
8:25 pm
So just as I suspected, Fred. You have nothing. And if you are only paying 9% you must be cheating,
+++++++++++++++++
Really? My accountant didn’t think so. The IRS didn’t think so. So you can’t answer a single question. All you can do is be like Tibey and call me names and I’M the boogey man? Really?
You can’t list a single reason for your irrational rants on socialism. Can’t back up a single staement you made. Have shown you haven’t a clue as to what you are talking about and I have nothing?
Just damn son. That was particularly weak.
Glenn Beck
November 12th, 2012
8:31 pm
“We can only hope that he hasn’t weakened us too much militarily to survive a war.”
You mean by the increase in spending over the last 4 years?
saywhat?
November 12th, 2012
8:31 pm
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.”
______________________________________________________
There is a reason some people refer to them as the Tealiban, you know.
Its just simple folk clinging to guns and religion in the face of another ideology-repudiating beatdown. Their Cryberian Bubbles of Self Delusion won’t let their idiotic fears of persecution be assuaged. As mentioned by others, the gun industry is laughing at them all the way to the bank. The rest of us can only be content to laugh at them.
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
8:32 pm
Del at 8:28pm, you sir are exactly correct. Excellent comment.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
November 12th, 2012
8:33 pm
Yeah ’cause not submitting a passable budget and spending $1.5 trillion more than we took in each year brings us closer to being debt-free, right Fred?
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:34 pm
I don’t know your tax bracket Lil Bar. I DO know that there isn’t one higher than mine. You can scream all you want, but it doesn’t alter the facts. Your “belief” is irrelevant. Hell, you “believed” Romeny was going to be President. Your beliefs have been proven faulty in the past. Nothing has changed apparently.
Go ahead, call me names. Tell lies. It matters not. You can’t produce a single fact.
Damn I wish Bruno was here. Now THERE is a man who can back what he says with some truth………
Glenn Beck
November 12th, 2012
8:34 pm
Romney spotted at a coffee shop in Iowa.
2016 is on
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
8:35 pm
Fred, I backed up what I said exactly. Sorry if you cannot understand. And you are the one that is name calling, not I.
bluecoat
November 12th, 2012
8:37 pm
I just don’t understand how Obama can turn this country socialist,take all our guns,pay off all the unions etc.and not be able to get any help with the debt.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:37 pm
Del
November 12th, 2012
8:28 pm
No Fred he’s not our president, he’s the president.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
He is the President of THE UNITED STATES. Are you a citizen of the United States you traitor? If the answer is yes, then he is YOUR President. George Bush (both father and son) was also your President. Vladimir Putin wasn’t.
Vladimir Putin is the President of Russia. He is A President, but he ain’t MY President or OUR president. Anyone other than a traitor would understand that.
Del
November 12th, 2012
8:38 pm
“Call me names. Tell lies. It matters not”
Of course it matters the panic and fear is reflected in desperate post crying out for help.
mike
November 12th, 2012
8:38 pm
You cons are right this whole debt thing is Obama’s problem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcvLHHMC4iI&feature=player_embedded
Mary Elizabeth
November 12th, 2012
8:39 pm
I hope that those who are wary of my thinking at 8:13 pm will read my thoughts on my blog. I say that not to try to “win” any to my position, which would be diminishing to you and to me.
I simply desire to offer another perspective to some. One has to realize that this presidential election was a pivotal one, whatever your political persuasion. I believe something greater than politics was operative in President Obama’s win, on a level of consciousness that few consider.
Del
November 12th, 2012
8:40 pm
Fred, you’re only making the usual ass out of yourself here as you do with regularity next door. Calm down.
saywhat?
November 12th, 2012
8:40 pm
Del
_One of the big differences between conservatives and the left is that we view government including the presidency as in the service of the people. The left views the people as dependent and subservient to government.
_________________________________________________
Please don’t presume to speak for liberals. This liberal also views the government as in the service of the people. Its just that Republican administrations seem to be exclusively in the service of rich people. Democratic administrations at least try to serve ALL the people.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
November 12th, 2012
8:40 pm
Glenn Beck, your 8:34 has been repeated about a dozen times in the past week. Considering that both Mitt and Ann Romney have both insisted this was his last campaign, it was neither truthful nor funny any of the previous times either.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:41 pm
Kennesaw David
November 12th, 2012
8:35 pm
Fred, I backed up what I said exactly.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Really? In what post? Where? Fantasyland? You didn’t do it here, tonight, on this blog in English………
Please point out where I called you a name. Or will you admit that you lied about that?
cc
November 12th, 2012
8:41 pm
Fred ™@8:28 pm:
This shall be the only time I address or answer you, Fred. You are nothing to me, as in totally irrelevant to my life. I care nothing for your posts and have no regard for your opinion. Now, run along and try to impress less intelligent people, for they truly are the only ones you might impress.
Glenn Beck
November 12th, 2012
8:43 pm
Tiberius
Thanks for the reply, however I do not care what you think about what I post nor do I care about what you post.
You are an inconsequential lonely soul.
But thanks again for the reply.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:44 pm
cc
November 12th, 2012
8:41 pm
Fred ™@8:28 pm:
This shall be the only time I address or answer you, Fred. You are nothing to me, as in totally irrelevant to my life. I care nothing for your posts and have no regard for your opinion. Now, run along and try to impress less intelligent people, for they truly are the only ones you might impress.
+++++++++++++++++
In other words, you have nothing. I understand. It is a common occurrence for folks like you. I like your suggestion, except I doubt there really are less intelligent people than you and I wasn’t trying to impress you. I was trying to get some truth and honesty out of you. Vain attempt I see……….
Dusty
November 12th, 2012
8:44 pm
Good grief! This blog is turning into another fiasco just like the weekend. Did Bookman expel all his weakminded members and send them over here? Or did they open the doors at some institution?
If you grew up in a back alley, you don’t have to demonstrate it here. We don’t care. We just want you to act like Americans, That would be a nice change from the attitude exhibitied here.
Dems may have won the election but they surely do act like losers.
Del
November 12th, 2012
8:44 pm
“Democratic administrations at least try to serve ALL the people.”
You’re probably in your early years as a concerned citizen and watcher of politics, so I won’t interfere with your delusions.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
November 12th, 2012
8:45 pm
I have yet to experience any service from any administration – Republican or Democrat, saywhat.
mike
November 12th, 2012
8:45 pm
HELP WANTED: Republican Presidential candidate 2016. Must be good at speaking out of both sides of your mouth. Must excel at getting people to believe lies. Must be willing to sell out to powerful corporate interests like Koch Brothers, Sheldon Adelson, Americans for Progress, etc. Those with backbone need not apply.
md
November 12th, 2012
8:46 pm
“One has to realize that this presidential election was a pivotal one, whatever your political persuasion.”
Mary, I’ve been on the planet a good while now and have to say they have all been pivotal……every last one of them. At least until the next one comes along and then it becomes the pivotal one…….every thing being said about Obama’s re-election was basically said in reverse after Bush’s re-election…..
And the next one will pivot on where the economy is in 4 years…..if it’s decent and people have jobs, then it will be a toss-up, if we go back into recession and people don’t have jobs then odds are they will be ready for a change…….
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 12th, 2012
8:47 pm
Good grief, we’ve got a collective consciousness believer spewing her BS. Fortunately she’s no longer twisting young minds on a full time basis.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:47 pm
Glenn Beck: LOL Don’t you feel dirty after posting using that screen name? Isn’t it amusing that Glenn Beck, (the real one, not you) like the other Republicans Gods that they worships and emulate, Rush Limbaugh and that methhead Ayn Rand is a drunk and a druggie?
Why do the fanatical right wingers love whacked out drug addicts so much?
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:49 pm
Lil Bar? Did you forget what private school you attended or are you a public school loser?
SisterSarah
November 12th, 2012
8:51 pm
@md
You TOTALLY miss the point. OK.. so TELL me… WHAT does md do about the $10 TRILLION deficit?? Does he or she pull out his/her checkbook and write a check, or….oh I don’t know…..RUN FOR A CONGRESSIONAL seat somewhere? Or does md just sit out here on Kyle Winglfield’s blog talking schnit like everyone else who have NO REAL CONTROL over what happens to the U.S. economy, debt, deficit…whatever….?
Glenn Beck
November 12th, 2012
8:51 pm
Fred
I prefer Glenn the “dry drunk” over the oxy laden rants of Rush
Rush is Barnum & Bailey of talk radio. He knows he is playing his audience. Good for him. He is making the big bucks
But Glenn, I think he really believes his diatribes and rants.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:52 pm
I’m sorry LilBar, you didn’tsay public school loser, you said a “victim” of Public School. I did not intentionally misquote you.
MC
November 12th, 2012
8:53 pm
WOW KYLE! You went from sucking up to idiots to calling them idiots,. You got it right this time.
Michael
November 12th, 2012
8:54 pm
Love it or leave it. I am sure you have heard that before and probably used the term. Move to Mexico so you can use your guns.
Moon Mullins
November 12th, 2012
8:55 pm
Everyone is entitled to be stupid from time to time, but these ol’ boys are abusing the privilege.
Fred ™
November 12th, 2012
8:58 pm
Glenn Beck: I never have heard him. Didn’t he just settle a suit with his syndicates and is now off air?
It’s funny, I listen to conservative talk shows but liberal attempts have driven me crazy. I have never heard most of the folks the righties bring up like “Madcow” (I forget her real name) or any of the others on MSNBC. I’ve never watched MSNBC. I know i SHOULD just to be “fair and balanced” but if it’s as far left as folks say, I couldn’t stomach it. I’m only a leftist in todays nutcase world of fanatical right wing nutcases.
md
November 12th, 2012
8:58 pm
“WHAT does md do about the $10 TRILLION deficit??”
Vote accordingly…….and if at first one does not succeed, try, try again……..
In the mean time, I’ll waste time here and there on a blog or two voicing my concern until the day of reckoning comes for me or for others…….the right direction will reveal itself one way or the other, I just hope we don’t have to suffer too bad when we find out…….a la Greece.
Yes, for the most part us individuals will go on about our daily routines, unless things get worse and that changes by default…….won’t stop me from trying to help those “see the light”.
But knowing we choose everything we do, I’ll never agree to vote for others to pay my share just because they have it……..
Dusty
November 12th, 2012
9:00 pm
Fred,
I do believe you have insulted just about every conservative blogger here. Are you satisfied?
Obviously, that is the only reason you come here. .