The Secessionist Campaign for the Republic of Vermont
By Christopher Ketcham | Time.com
Jan 31, 2010
The President on Wednesday may have reassured Americans that the state of the Union is "strong," but, just the week before, a group of Vermont secessionists declared their intention to seek political power in a quest to get their state to quit the Union altogether. On Jan. 15, in the state capital of Montpelier, nine candidates for statewide office gathered in a tiny room at the Capitol Plaza Hotel, to announce they wanted a divorce from the United States of America. "For the first time in over 150 years, secession and political independence from the U.S. will be front and center in a statewide New England political campaign," said Thomas Naylor, 73, one of the leaders of the campaign.
A former Duke University economics professor, Naylor heads up the Second Vermont Republic, which he describes as "left-libertarian, anti-big government, anti-empire, antiwar, with small is beautiful as our guiding philosophy." The group not only advocates the peaceful secession of Vermont but has minted its own silver "token" — valued at $25 — and, as part of a publishing venture with another secessionist group, runs a monthly newspaper called Vermont Commons, with a circulation of 10,000. According to a 2007 poll, they have support from at least 13% of state voters. The campaign slogan, Naylor told me, is "Imagine Free Vermont." In his fondest imaginings, Naylor said, Vermonters would not be "forced to participate in killing women and children in the Middle East."
Second Vermont Republic's gubernatorial candidate is Dennis Steele, 42, a hulking Carhartt-clad fifth generation Vermonter and entrepreneur. He owns Radio Free Vermont, an Internet radio station, and honchos an online venture called ChessManiac.com. Steele says that, if elected, his first act in office would be to bring home Vermont's National Guard from overseas deployments. "I see my kids going off to fight in wars for empire 10, 15, 20 years from now," said Steele, who served three years in the U.S. Army. "People in Vermont in general are very antiwar, and all their faith was in Obama to end the wars. I ask people, 'Did you get the change you wanted?' They can't even look you in the eyes. We live in a nation that is asleep at the wheel and where the hearts are growing cold like ice."
Continue at: Time.com
not quite so easy
I spend not quite half the year in Vermont (uh oh.. making it easier to find me!) and can say that Vermont is in no way ready for libertarian anything. Just as Ron has said that 'end the fed' and 'end social security' does not mean turning the spigot off tomorrow, there is no way a heavily dependent VT could survive in the near term. The state is a basket case in most respects - heavily dependent on not just agriculture subsidies but welfare payments in general. A lot of people do not work here And unfortunately, the powers that be, not just in Burlington but through many of the towns, are simply NOT business friendly. Permitting anything will make you want to put multiple bullets in your head. They aren't even a 'green' state - they've said no to wind power on the hill tops, they are against nuclear and they burn more wood than probably any other state per capita.
New Hampshire is the one which should be doing this, they are far more prepared but even there, outside the Boston burbs jobs are not what one would call plentiful.
gedankenexperiment.dk views on finance, politics and science
What is a "LEFT Libertarian"?
Is a "Right Libertarian" someone who does NOT believe in "The U.S. government [as]an immoral enterprise — engaged in imperial wars, propping up corrupt bankers and supersized corporations, crushing small businessmen, plundering the tax-base for corporate welfare, snooping on the private lives of citizens ..."?
Then I guess we're all "Left Libertarians" here on DP, right?
Personally, I think this is just more evidence of the the false "Left/Right" paradigm that we have been force fed in order to keep us divided.
I hope this attitude of returning sovereignty to the states catches on big time!
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"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive."
Calling all statesmen, abandon the monetary regime!
This would certainly result in Martial Law on behalf of the union. Exposing the geopolitical strategy of the Federal Government close to home will most definitely send a wake up call to all Americans about the repercussions of imperialism.
The role of a farmer, in Fukuoka's mind, is an observer, not an intervener, of the natural order in his/her particular landscape. How is that any different than Hayek in regards to Economics?
I'd love to see Olberman, Maddow and Matthews choke on this one
They'd have everyone believe that seccession was a "Southern phenomena" supported only by cross-burning racists.
Well now, Vermont certainly doesn't fit that narrative, now does it?
Oh, this will have the Lincolnites frothing at the mouth, especially from a "Union" state!
I hope this gains some ground, I really do.
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RON PAUL 2012
If this happens,
I'm moving to Vermont. NO MORE IRS!!!!!!!
Didn't these guys secede from
Didn't these guys secede from the union like 15 years ago? This isn't new for Vermont.
I wonder if China will sell Vermont weapons?
Anyway, I'm sure there is a brigade of marines ready to storm into VT's capitol building and arrest these peaceniks if they even DARE to stop forwarding payroll withholdings to the US Treasury.
"Cowards & idiots can come along for the ride but they gotta sit in the back seat!"
Dr. Edwin Vieira on "Secession"
Please see this link also posted below:
http://www.newswithviews.com/Vieira/edwin203.htm
Debbie
Money Bomb for them
Shouldn´t a Money Bomb be aranged for them? It would give them a boost and more publicity.
Here is a recent article on
Here is a recent article on "secession" by the eminent Constitutional scholar, Dr. Edwin Vieira, Jr.:
http://www.newswithviews.com/Vieira/edwin203.htm
Debbie
Also in Montana
Alaska, Hawaii, and Texas.
More info...
Dennis Steele: http://www.governorsteele.com
On Local School Control: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc_yVAFbIcU
On the War and Nat'l Guard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKhCnmAvLFU&feature=channel
And, to cap it off, a poem read in support of the campaign: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovige8h0tL8&feature=channel
Just imagine the turmoil if
Just imagine the turmoil if these candidates are elected. Well, D.C. definitely needs to be shaken up a bit, this might be a good way to get started. Maybe the Patriots in Vermont will be successful in waking up all the politicians who are virtually asleep at the wheel.
...
It sure would bring some excitement to the scene..
Looks like an interesting year! :)
But that man should play the tyrant over God, and find Him a better man than himself, is astonishing drama indeed!~~D. Sayers
There is no difference between an authoritarian government from the right or the left...F. A.Schaeffer