From Reuters: Liberals in southern Arizona seek to form new state
by Hugh Holub on May. 10, 2011, under 51st state, baja arizona, free baja arizona, politicsLiberals in southern Arizona seek to form new state
Brad Poole : Reuters
May 10, 2011
TUCSON, Arizona (Reuters) – A long-simmering movement by liberal stalwarts in southern Arizona to break away from the rest of the largely conservative state is at a boiling point as secession backers press to bring their longshot ambition to the forefront of Arizona politics.
A group of lawyers from the Democratic stronghold of Tucson and surrounding Pima County have launched a petition drive seeking support for a November 2012 ballot question on whether the 48th state should be divided in two.
The ultimate goal of the newly formed political action committee Start our State is to split Pima County off into what would become the nation’s 51st state, tentatively dubbed Baja Arizona.
Backers have until July 5 next year to collect the 48,000 signatures required to qualify for a spot on the ballot. If they succeed, it would mark only the first hurdle in a long, circuitous process that even the most determined of supporters readily acknowledge has little chance of bearing fruit.
“We at least need to get it on the ballot, as a nonbinding resolution, to ask the people of Pima County if they want to be a part of Arizona,” Tucson attorney Paul Eckerstrom, a former Pima County Democratic chairman who launched the campaign, told Reuters. “All the stars would have to align for this to happen, but it could conceivably happen by the fall of 2013.”
U.S. history is replete with efforts to carve one state from another — from the creation of Kentucky and Tennessee in the 1790s to more modern misfires like proposals to partition Long Island from New York or to split California in half.
The last successful intrastate secession movement was the formation of West Virginia during the Civil War.
May 10th, 2011 on 1:40 pm
Your good at maps so why dont you show where the Democrat and Republican registrations are in Tucson? Bet you will find the “Progressive” democrats in the center of Tucson or the southwest area. All real close to the Shanty. lol
May 10th, 2011 on 9:30 pm
It’s my understanding Pima County has always paid more in taxes to the State recieves in services. AZ is a huge state and the people in Phoenix would hardly miss us. Additionally, it would be easier to fence off the border to the new Arizona at the Edge of Pima County, than between Mexico and Arizona which would save them money. Finally, I think we should find out under what conditions Jan Brewer and Russell Pearce would set us free, then create those conditions.
May 11th, 2011 on 5:21 am
Just imagine if progressives took the money and energy and used it to feed hungry children instead of wasting it on something so incredibly stupid and useless.
May 11th, 2011 on 4:32 pm
Then put the border fence on the *northern* part of the state, essentially ceding it to Mexico.
May 13th, 2011 on 4:04 pm
I am a conservative that strongly supports the rightist policies in Arizona. However, I understand that being crushed by your enemy with no hope of ever getting you own shot at representation is wrong, even if your side is the winner.
I fully support the movement to split into a fifty first state. They may be leftists, but they nonetheless deserve full representation and rights to determine themselves. Our republic was created to give EVERYONE a voice wthout a tyranny by majority.
Besides, the conservatives would LOVE to get those loons out of their hair, and surely, vice-versa! They can then be free to go about governing themselves. From there, we’ll see what Arizona succeeds.
I hope this passes. I’d love a fifty first state.
Also, for all the conservatives, you should UNQUESTIONABLY join in supporting this. Getting these pesky leftists out of your great state will allow you to REALLY crack down on the illegals. The Lefitsts will elect legislative bodies that will probably screw themselves over with entitlements and pandering to those in the country unlawfully… -but so what? They have the right to represent themselves as much as the conservatives.
Just look at California! The queers and nuts are screwing over the enitre state. The citydwellers are banning Happy Meals and may make students learn “gay history” in schools. They’ve centralized and bankrupted the entire state in their quests. Now, if California’s thirteen gay counties (the coast) and the sane realm (the inlands) split, that’d give some peace in a state clashing so strongly.
How can you NOT support this? By giving Baja Arizona a chance, you’re giving the conservatives freedom to legislate without liberal whinings, and you’re giving the liberals something that EVERY legal American deserves: a voice.
This is win-win-win-win. It may even get Queerifornia and California to split off as well.