Washington State - Split in 2? [Archive]

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Jr_Bullit

02-23-2005, 08:15 AM

This was on the news last night, and my dad I and discussed it briefly. He thinks the idea is nuts and has no merit. I'm not as sure it's an insane idea, though I highly doubt it would happen in reality. Washington is physically split down the middle by the Cascade Range, with Eastern Washington having a completely different climate, devoted more to agriculture and a different type of lifestyle. In politics it's generally hard-core republican.
The west is all business, and it is the more populated area in the state by far. The climate is wet, the people are liberal, the businesses are wealthy, and in general it's the reason WA tends to lean towards the democratic side.

I'm curious to hear what you all think...to me it makes sense politically, but not really financially (how would the East continue to enjoy it's perks without the West continuing to pay the taxes?).

State News Release

House of Representatives

Date: February 18, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Varadian, (360) 786-7569

Two Washingtons? A proposal to split the state in two is scheduled for hearing

OLYMPIA -- Eastern Washington - it's more than just a state of mind. In fact, it may one day become a separate state.
Citing distinct differences in lifestyles, culture and economies, Senate Joint Memorial 8009 would request that the federal government to establish Eastern Washington as a separate state. Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle, is currently the only Democratic senator to cosponsor the measure, explaining that a disproportionate amount of tax revenue generated in the western half of the state flows to the east.

"This would a wonderful benefit to Western Washington," Kline said. "Why should the western half continue to subsidize the east? We could use that money right here for job creation, education and health care."

The proposal would set the western boundary along the crest of the Cascade Mountains and the western borders of Okanogan, Chelan, Kittitas, Yakima and Klickitat counties. The eastern, northern and southern borders would be the existing state borders.

SJM 8009, sponsored by Sen. Bob Morton, R-Orient, is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Government Operations & Elections Committee at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, in Senate Hearing Room 2 of the John A. Cherberg Building in Olympia.
http://access.wa.gov/leg/2005/Feb/n2005118_4677.aspx

MMike

02-23-2005, 08:20 AM

They might want to look up a guy named Jacques Parizeau to spearhead this plan...

Jr_Bullit

02-23-2005, 08:29 AM

From what they said on the news last night - this didn't pass on Tuesday, but nor was it rejected....I'm not sure what that means - this was the only article I could find on it this morning...

mattv2099

02-23-2005, 09:56 AM

I'm from washington. This is a pretty weird idea. I've never heard of or thought of splitting washington.

I would just worry about all the eastern WA kids who need to come to western WA to go to college. out of state tuition is the sux. lol.

Actually, I think the idea is pretty cool.

reflux

02-23-2005, 10:12 AM

That would mean a lot of American flags would need replacing. Why don't we just make CA a separate country, divide WA into two states, and keep all the American flags the same? I'd be more than happy to support the cessation of CA (sarcasm).

sanjuro

02-23-2005, 11:15 AM

I've heard the same plan for California, a split of North and South. It was some attempt to increase electoral votes so another Bush would never make it into office.

valve bouncer

02-23-2005, 11:50 AM

I've heard the same plan for California, a split of North and South. It was some attempt to increase electoral votes so another Bush would never make it into office.
How would that work? I always thought electoral college votes were allocated according to population.

Changleen

02-23-2005, 12:54 PM

Split the whole US in 2! Red and Blue! Blues can be friends with the world again (yay) and Reds can just go off and worship jeebus and divorce each other until they need aid from Mexico. Let's face it, now more than ever you guys have pretty deep ideological differences. Would you stay with a partner who was so different? Most neighbouring European countries are less different than say, Arizona and Calfornia, so why stay together? Is it just for the kids? Research shows that it's better for kids if their astranged parents get divorced than stay together in a loveless partnership. For g-ds sake won't somebody think of the children? Maybe you could even have a little civil war over it - we all know how much those reds like shooting stuff. It'd make em feel better about the whole break-up if they got to smash some of the furniture as they left.

Ridemonkey

02-23-2005, 12:57 PM

Changleen

02-23-2005, 01:02 PM

That part was pretty good. The rest was drivel.The rest was an apparantly failed attempt at humour. :(

Zark

02-23-2005, 01:11 PM

I've heard the same plan for California, a split of North and South. It was some attempt to increase electoral votes so another Bush would never make it into office.

Really? I thought they wanted the split because Nor Cal bitches about So Cal using all the water and So Cal is tired of the incessant use of the term "Hella" :rolleyes:

MMike

02-23-2005, 01:49 PM

Finally made it to the Times...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002187797_webeasternwash23.html

Toshi

02-23-2005, 01:51 PM

Really? I thought they wanted the split because Nor Cal bitches about So Cal using all the water and So Cal is tired of the incessant use of the term "Hella" :rolleyes:
hella is soooooo seattle.

Changleen

02-23-2005, 02:27 PM

MikeD

02-23-2005, 02:49 PM

How would that work? I always thought electoral college votes were allocated according to population.

No, the state gets a total # of electoral votes equal to the number of representatives it has in the House of Representatives in Congress.

Now, it's the state's choice how those electoral votes are cast, according to that state's constitution and state laws. Most states have a system by which the single candidate with the majority of the state's popular vote receives ALL of the state's electoral votes.

Some states (only a few small ones now, I think) actually have provisions to allow the votes to be distributed among multiple candidates in some fashion, to better reflect the desires of the entire populace, instead of making the state a single unit for one party or the other.

People in larger, polarized states on both sides are exploring the possibilities to change this for the benefit of their respective parties. Lots of states (Colorado, for example, and California to some extent) have a dense urban liberal population and a sizable spread-out conservative rural population (or some other polarized demographic), and the side with the slight majority is pissing off the other and vice-versa.

MD

Tenchiro

02-23-2005, 03:45 PM

Eastern WA would be like a third world country (even more so...) without the tax revenue from the rest of the state.

Jr_Bullit

02-23-2005, 04:33 PM

Unfortunatly for you Blues and the rest of the world none of this is likely to happen because of $$$$$s.

Oh and I know some chicks from Seattle who say 'hella' alot, and also a chick from Washington who says it alot, although she grew up in Seattle I think.

Last I checked - the split hadn't happened yet, and Seattle is still in WA so that would make sense.

I don't think I've heard that word actually spoken since highschool tho... :rolleyes:

Jr_Bullit

02-23-2005, 04:34 PM

Eastern WA would be like a third world country (even more so...) without the tax revenue from the rest of the state.

Nahh...like Fargo :D

Atomic Dog

02-23-2005, 05:17 PM

Eastern WA would be like a third world country (even more so...) without the tax revenue from the rest of the state.

Sweet, now maybe I can live out my dream of being a land baron!

And I'll charge all you westsiders triple for land when your urban sprawl flows over the mountains. (Not that it hasn't already begun.) :devil:

PsychO!1

02-23-2005, 05:28 PM

The real question is....Which side keeps the name Washington, and what would the other side be called???

JMAC

02-23-2005, 05:56 PM

It's almost as stupid as seperatist quebecs crackpot ideas of seperating from Canada. It's stupid just makes more beurocracy so more tax money is wasted. No way around that. :mumble: :mumble:

Changleen

02-23-2005, 05:58 PM

Last I checked - the split hadn't happened yet, and Seattle is still in WA so that would make sense.

I don't think I've heard that word actually spoken since highschool tho... :rolleyes:Yes, Thank you. I meant Oregon, obviously. Can't you read my mind?

pnj

02-23-2005, 10:51 PM

I don't think I've heard that word actually spoken since highschool tho... :rolleyes:

if you want to hear it spoken on a semi regualar basis, you should try to make a point to hang out with me. I don't have to tell you though, you might lose some IQ if you do...... :oink:

.:Jeenyus:.

02-24-2005, 01:08 AM

The real question is....Which side keeps the name Washington, and what would the other side be called???

East Washington and West Washington mayhaps? :think:

It will be like the State of Jefferson..... :rolleyes: ;)

sanjuro

02-24-2005, 02:15 AM

Really? I thought they wanted the split because Nor Cal bitches about So Cal using all the water and So Cal is tired of the incessant use of the term "Hella" :rolleyes:

Hella - Good one

mattv2099

02-24-2005, 02:48 AM

The real question is....Which side keeps the name Washington, and what would the other side be called???

Well. western washington will go by the name 'western washington.' I think eastern washington will adopt the name 'south washington.'

fluff

02-24-2005, 03:39 AM

Well. western washington will go by the name 'western washington.' I think eastern washington will adopt the name 'south washington.'

How about George Washington and Martha Washington?

enkidu

02-24-2005, 06:20 AM

How about George Washington and Martha Washington?

But they never split. They stayed together.

MMike

02-24-2005, 11:10 AM

The real question is....Which side keeps the name Washington, and what would the other side be called???

WaRshington

MMike

02-24-2005, 11:11 AM

It's almost as stupid as seperatist quebecs crackpot ideas of seperating from Canada. It's stupid just makes more beurocracy so more tax money is wasted. No way around that. :mumble: :mumble:

Vive le Québec libre!!!

ummbikes

02-24-2005, 11:24 AM

WaRshington

Simply brilliant Mike, you are getting back in your game for sure! :thumb:

RhinofromWA

02-24-2005, 01:50 PM

I don't know....If they split the salmon runs would die as the columbia was damned even more and the cost of produce and electricity would sky rocket for the west side and send the businesses into turmoil. They would then leave the west side for greener pastures and leave Western washington with no tax base, poor liberals and lots of worthless housing....remember when Boeing cut back heavily in the mid 70's :eek:

:rolleyes:

It is funny to think aboiut them separating but I think the fact that the polar opposites are close to swapping the slight majority is scaring both sides. Eastern WA has always been second class to Western WA. I think Western WA is scared.

How does that song go? "....a country boy can survive...." "...I'd like to spit some beach nut in that dudes eye..." :D

Snacks

02-24-2005, 02:43 PM

Eastern WA would be like a third world country (even more so...) without the tax revenue from the rest of the state.

:rolleyes:

Have you spent much time over there as of recently?

Echo

02-24-2005, 02:47 PM

I've always thought upstate NY would be a whole lot better off if New York City was a separate state. Not a single vote or opinion has ever meant squat in upstate, because NYC has such a huge population, and however they vote is what the rest of the state gets to deal with. But NYC would be a useless pile of debt if they couldn't siphon from the rest of the state, so obviously they will never agree to a separation, and since their votes decide everything, the rest of the state is eternally screwed.

Good luck Washington :(

02-24-2005, 03:15 PM