Restore the Republic of Vermont (1775-1791)?

Dear The Question Authority,

Should Vermont secede from the Union?

BP


Dear Beep,

Funny you should ask. Just this past weekend, at the Mountaintop Human Rights Film Festival in Waitsfield, Vermont, a Secession table was circulating petitions to put Vermont Independence on the agenda for various towns' Town Meeting.

(Small towns in Vermont are governed by annual town meetings, not elected representatives. True democracy!)

And here I have to admit something: While I will always say yes to any pollster asking if I favor Vermont's independence, it's truly one of the most ridiculous wastes of time for activists that I can think of.

I told the man behind the table that. I said, "While I love that you're here doing this, the idea is really stupid."

The guy went into his spiel: the states each lose 15% on every tax dollar to bureaucracy alone. The Civil War was an unconstitutional infringement of states' rights to leave the union.

I replied, "You're hoping to win a federal case by arguing the Confederate side of the Civil War in court? You're looking forward to a time when you don't go shopping in Lebanon, New Hampshire because there are two-hour lines at Customs?"

At this, his face dropped. I'd convinced him.

He picked up his cell phone, made a call, and left the building, his petitions still on the table.

Love and kisses,

The Question Authority

(send your questions to The Question Authority at bohemia123@aol.com)