Virginia

[DipStick]

The secession talk is silly and equates almost to a temper tantrum.

"We don't get the results we want in elections so let's make our own state"

Calvert and St. Mary's County wouldn't be any better off if they joined Virginia. It's all about partisan politics.

The only area anywhere in these two states that actually has a good reason to secede is Northern Virginia because that region funds everything in this state. You have Northern Virginia roads which are a clusterphuque and traffic nightmares yet the taxpayers up there are paying for roads to be repaved in Floyd County and Pulaski County. They're paying for a highway expansion in Roanoke. They're paying for road work in Martinsville and Danville. They're paying for schools to be maintained in Riner. And they don't get a thing out of it.

Northern Virginia is responsible for, I don't know, 80% of tax revenue and probably only get about 20% of the pie when it's all said and done. Not to mention, Northern Virginia gets to have us rednecks down in Southwest Virginia decide what's best for them.

 

[Dakota]

Maryland counties join movement to secede from largely Democrat-run state | Fox News

Very interesting read...

 

[DipStick]

Maryland counties join movement to secede from largely Democrat-run state | Fox News

Very interesting read...

It amounts to a temper tantrum. We don't get our way in elections so let's form our own state. Good luck surviving without Baltimore, PG, Montgomery County and Charles County's tax base.

If Northern Virginia, let's say, joined Maryland, I don't know what this state would do either.

 

[itsbob]

It amounts to a temper tantrum. We don't get our way in elections so let's form our own state. Good luck surviving without Baltimore, PG, Montgomery County and Charles County's tax base.

If Northern Virginia, let's say, joined Maryland, I don't know what this state would do either.

I really don't think Baltmore is a tax base.. I would bet they take in much more than they give..

 

[Oysterback]

It amounts to a temper tantrum. We don't get our way in elections so let's form our own state. Good luck surviving without Baltimore, PG, Montgomery County and Charles County's tax base.

If Northern Virginia, let's say, joined Maryland, I don't know what this state would do either.

I think it's about citizens being cut out of the process, and having their concerns ignored.
I live in rural Carroll County, and with the O'Malleymandering that went on when the Congressional district lines were redrawn, I now have urban areas like Rockville, Takoma Park and Silver Spring in my district!

Nice and easy way to pick up another Democratic vote in the House.

 

[Sweet 16]

It amounts to a temper tantrum. We don't get our way in elections so let's form our own state. Good luck surviving without Baltimore, PG, Montgomery County and Charles County's tax base.

I think that's their point: like the citizens of NoVA, they don't want to fund Baltimore, PG and MoCo anymore because their tax bases take more than they give. Chuck Co. still has some rich folks.

 

[DipStick]

I think it's about citizens being cut out of the process, and having their concerns ignored.
I live in rural Carroll County, and with the O'Malleymandering that went on when the Congressional district lines were redrawn, I now have urban areas like Rockville, Takoma Park and Silver Spring in my district!

Nice and easy way to pick up another Democratic vote in the House.

Carroll County ain't anywhere near as "rural" as it used to be. Quite honestly, Carroll County has the same problem Charles County has - except that problem is packaged under an entirely different political party's label.

 

[Oysterback]

Carroll County ain't anywhere near as "rural" as it used to be. Quite honestly, Carroll County has the same problem Charles County has - except that problem is packaged under an entirely different political party's label.

It is true that Carroll County is not as rural as it once was, but the families that moved here have similar values as those who already live here.
Having those voices and values ignored by Annapolis rubs a lot of people wrong.

Right now, the Western Maryland Initiative is an embarrassment to O'Malley.
It's attracting national attention, and nothing reads "Presidential material" like having a large part of your state look into secession!!

 

[DipStick]

It is true that Carroll County is not as rural as it once was, but the families that moved here have similar values as those who already live here.
Having those voices and values ignored by Annapolis rubs a lot of people wrong.

Right now, the Western Maryland Initiative is an embarrassment to O'Malley.
It's attracting national attention, and nothing reads "Presidential material" like having a large part of your state look into secession!!

I don't know about that.

6,000 people on a Facebook page ... it's gaining traction because Conservative media and their "Hate Democrats" mantra is picking it up. Fox News gave it national attention because it fits their mantra. All because millions of people, nationwide, got their news solely from Fox News and didn't believe Obama would win.

 

[Oysterback]

I don't know about that.

6,000 people on a Facebook page ... it's gaining traction because Conservative media and their "Hate Democrats" mantra is picking it up. Fox News gave it national attention because it fits their mantra. All because millions of people, nationwide, got their news solely from Fox News and didn't believe Obama would win.

6000 today on Facebook. Last week was 1300. Democrats, Republicans and Independents are represented on their page.

I think it's gaining traction because it resonates with the population of the region Annapolis ignores.
New York, Michigan, Colorado, California and Oregon all have active initiatives going.
Maybe if the Democratic Party practiced what they preach, and truly become inclusive of all opinions, they wouldn't have as many people hating them. Right now, it's my way or the highway.....and send us what you have in your wallet.

I don't mean to belittle the suffering and tragedy going on right now in Colorado, but I wonder if O'Malley has figured out what their Rain Tax would be.....

 

[DipStick]

6000 today on Facebook. Last week was 1300. Democrats, Republicans and Independents are represented on their page.

I think it's gaining traction because it resonates with the population of the region Annapolis ignores.
New York, Michigan, Colorado, California and Oregon all have active initiatives going.
Maybe if the Democratic Party practiced what they preach, and truly become inclusive of all opinions, they wouldn't have as many people hating them. Right now, it's my way or the highway.....and send us what you have in your wallet.

I don't mean to belittle the suffering and tragedy going on right now in Colorado, but I wonder if O'Malley has figured out what their Rain Tax would be.....

Has nothing to do with being PROMOTED on Fox News, I'm sure.

I follow several TEA Party groups on Facebook - doesn't mean I support their "cause".

Secession is silly talk that amounts to a temper tantrum.

"The election didn't turn out the way we wanted, so let's form our own state!"

Good luck with that.

 

[Gilligan]

I think it's gaining traction because it resonates with the population of the region Annapolis ignores......

Exactly. There are always morons stuck with the "it's Fox Snews fault" mantra when anything fails to match up with one of their narratives.

I've seen the "disenfranchisement" of more conservative/traditional Marylanders happen up close and personal over more than 50 years. Now that it is clearly a permanent and irreversible condition, it's not hard to understand why secession is attractive to some residents. I'd be all over it too...except that I've decided not to hang around the People's Republic of Maryland that much longer anyway.

 

[Railroad]

I support the Secession idea, but there must be a sustainable plan in place. Also, I've not taken the time to research what has to be done for a "legal" secession from a state, but I'm guessing that if there are necessary approvals, we'd never get them and the adversarial relationship with Annapolis would be long and painful. And removing state presence in the counties in the form of the SHA and MSP, the Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation (DOLLAR), etc., would be problematic at best. What about the people forced to depend on state aid for medical, food stamps, unemployment, etc.? They would suddenly be left unsupported, in the absence of a plan.

The persistent Democrat domination in the state has been a fact of life for many decades. These days that domination might be the result of the welfare vote (among other things), and certainly that seems to reflect the mindset of a nation which elects leadership based on entitlements vs. principles.

And who's to say that a new conservative state would fare better for very long? It seems like good things decay with time, and the shorter the memory of the people and politicians, the faster that decay progresses.

 

[Oysterback]

Has nothing to do with being PROMOTED on Fox News, I'm sure.

I follow several TEA Party groups on Facebook - doesn't mean I support their "cause".

Secession is silly talk that amounts to a temper tantrum.

"The election didn't turn out the way we wanted, so let's form our own state!"

Good luck with that.

Repeat after me....."Fox News"....."Tea Party"......"silly talk"......"temper tantrum"......
You have repeated those words and phrases over and over again in your last few posts. Getting lost on the short track?

I'm sure having national exposure has brought some interest to their Facebook page, as it would to anyone's page.
I found about it through this thread.
Personally, I find Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and all the other all news channels boring. Little news, and mostly opinion.

It's not about how the election turned out, it's about how those elected are treating their constitutes. THIS is what is truly driving their popularity.

I don't think the Western Maryland Initiative has much of a chance of becoming reality, but I love the way a grassroots campaign like this makes politicians on BOTH sides of the aisle squirm and wiggle!

 

[Chris0nllyn]

I don't know about that.

6,000 people on a Facebook page ... it's gaining traction because Conservative media and their "Hate Democrats" mantra is picking it up. Fox News gave it national attention because it fits their mantra. All because millions of people, nationwide, got their news solely from Fox News and didn't believe Obama would win.

Don't act like Dems don't do the same thing.

Every god damn thing that happens against Dems is the Republican's fault.

People are sick and tired of not being included. Everyone's money is going to funding public transportation for Baltimore City, PG and Montgomery Counties. How long as the TJ Bridge been in disrepair?

There are videos of the schenanigans pulled during the SB281 hearings. the state has become gerrymandered into a Demcratically controlled state with little to no Republican influence.

 

[bcp]

Don't act like Dems don't do the same thing.

Every god damn thing that happens against Dems is the Republican's fault.

People are sick and tired of not being included. Everyone's money is going to funding public transportation for Baltimore City, PG and Montgomery Counties. How long as the TJ Bridge been in disrepair?

There are videos of the schenanigans pulled during the SB281 hearings. the state has become gerrymandered into a Demcratically controlled state with little to no Republican influence.

dont forget that when the busses cost too much because of fuel, the fare doesnt go up, the price we pay at the pump does to subsidize the public transportation even more.
And the whole time, that same transportation is bringing the criminals from Baltimore City to surrounding areas,, like, Arundle Mills to do their looting.
We just lose all the way around.

 

[Oysterback]

This is from Western Maryland: A New State Initiative Facebook page.

The 5 western counties are 11.3% of the total population of Maryland (653,133 out of 5,773,552). Some people have said the state sends more money into these counties than it takes out. This graph is from the Comptroller of Maryland for years 2007 to 2012 (6 years). The total dollars back to the 24 jurisdictions is 26.701 billion. The amount to the 5 western counties is 2.55 billion. That is 9.55% of the total, though the population total is 11.3%. What is unclear from this chart is the "source" of the funds going back to the county. Using 2012 tax data, the 5 western counties paid 595 million in state income taxes alone (excludes local taxes, property, sales, use, etc.). Using the same amount for 6 years that is a total of 3.57 billion. Well the 2.55 billion back to the 5 counties is far short of 3.57 billion.

It is difficult to figure out the "exact" amount extracted vs put back in to these counties for a variety of reasons. One is lack of the detailed data.

http://finances.marylandtaxes.com/static_files/benefits/md-counties-stats2012.pdf

 

[GURPS]

http://finances.marylandtaxes.com/static_files/benefits/md-counties-stats2012.pdf

dont confuse Dipstick with Facts ........