In Vt., 9 candidates for governor, other state offices run on secession platform

Source: abcnews.go.com...

Peter Garritano poses for a photo in Shelburne, Vt. on Tuesday Jan. 12, 2010. Garritano is running for lieutenant governor of Vermont, topping a slate of secession-minded candidates seeking election to statewide office this year. (AP Photo/Alison Redlich) Collapse

(AP)

The way the 54-year-old automobile salesman sees it, the “empire” is about to implode and tiny Vermont can lead the way by becoming its own independent republic. So he’s running for lieutenant governor, topping a slate of secession-minded candidates seeking statewide offices this year.

Their name: Vermont Independence Day.

“The only hope is to just say, ‘Look, this isn’t working for us. We want to start fresh again, with a real democracy,’” Garritano said. “I think that’s the answer. Hopefully, it won’t take another horrible economic breakdown to realize that the people running things don’t look out for the little guy, or us, or the soldiers. It’s all about profit and getting the last drops of oil on Earth and trampling people’s rights.”

Garritano, gubernatorial candidate Dennis P. Steele and seven candidates for state Senate seats plan to declare their candidacies Friday.

Their cause isn’t new: It’s the latest incarnation of a movement that’s bubbled in Vermont and elsewhere for years. Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire and Texas all have made noise about seceding, to no avail.

Their method is: Organizers say it’s the first time since the Civil War that a secession movement has fielded a slate of candidates for statewide office, although individual pro-secession candidates have run before.

Few political observers give them much hope of winning,

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[edit on 13-1-2010 by 12m8keall2c]

Some here will argue that a State has no right to secession. However each of the first states were soverign republics,and as such have the right to seceed. More power to the people of Vt.

Yes, more power to them. A lot of people will say secession is illegal, but the Confederate Congress used the Constitution to secede, this can be researched and read if one is so inclined to do so. The thing is, Vermont is right, there have been too many Rights trampled on, to many dollars spent overseas for illegal wars and war actions, not to mention the "War on Drugs," the biggest waste of taxpayer dollars since the Civil War.
Every sitting president since Lincoln has either asked Congress for more presidential power and got it granted, or, like George Bush, just granted more power to himself by decree. Un-Constitutional for one thing, and plain old greedy for another thing. No to mention the free energy devices and hydrogen fuel devices that our government is hiding from us, trying to get us to pay for gasoline for as long as humanly possible. I hope other States will quickly follow suit if Vt. does secede.

Vermont has a socialist senator, as well as a top-notch health care system set-up w/ Howard Dean's leadership as Governor. More proof that citizens who take their personal freedom and well-being seriously understand the need to keep corporatism in check.

We need to restore the government to be for, by, and of the people. The constitution preserves the rights of individual citizens. Corporations are not people, and thus have no endemic constitutional rights. If corporations have the business plan of spreading our butt cheeks, then we should have the right to revoke their charter....

Best,
Skunknuts

[edit on 1/13/2010 by skunknuts]

I will have to say if any state declares sovereignty and secession, they will need to deal with the flood of immigrants.

I will be one of them illegals if they do not let me emigrate legally.

More power to them.

Federally mandated ANYTHING is unconstitutional in regards to the individual or state. I guess that right their will eliminate anyone saying this would not be legal.

The only real argument would be that THEY HAVE TO HELP SUPPORT THE COLLECTIVE.

That would be the only LEGITIMATE argument anyone has.

FREEDOM! It will only come when screamed for by the people.

What about a scenario if the world government gets created and destroys the Constitution.

Can state secede if the constitution gets thrown out the window under the guises of doing good things?

The legality of secession is idiotic. How can be refusing to play along "against the law"? If you are refusing to play along the law, whatever law, doesnt apply to you.

The only means by which such a thing is enforceable would be for the fed to invade the seceding state. An act which is sure to incite more secession by other states.

Originally posted by uswgo
What about a scenario if the world government gets created and destroys the Constitution.

Can state secede if the constitution gets thrown out the window under the guises of doing good things?

Good question, uswgo, here is my answer, from a Constitutional standpoint. The American People will remain at least partly free, and will partially have Civil rights for just as long as those Americans can hang on to their firearms. Once those are given up, it is anyone's country for the taking. Is secession legal? Some believe it is:
Here are some links for the researcher, enjoy!

America’s Two Constitutions (One for the Rich, One for the Poor)
www.dmiblog.com...

American Patriot Network
www.civil-liberties.com...
(Plenty of good links here)

A Declaration Of Independence From The Government Of The USA
www.informationclearinghouse.info...

American Governance
One Constitution for the Rich, another for the Poor
www.usavsus.info...

The United American Freedom Foundation
Pray for the best, Prepare for the worst
www.uaff.info...

THE CONFEDERACY PROJECT A Blueprint For Peaceful Secession
www.outdoorsunlimited.net...
(Warning, this website may cause thinking..)
www.outdoorsunlimited.net...

U.S. Constitution Online
www.usconstitution.net...

Confederacy and Union
www.mrnussbaum.com...

The Case Against Secession
www.claremont.org...

Secession
everything2.com...

Was Secession Treason?
www.daveblackonline.com...

Was the Union Army’s Invasion of the Confederate States a Lawful Act?
home1.gte.net...

The Civil War caused and allowed a tremendous expansion of the size and power of the federal government. It gave us our first federal conscription law (the military draft), our first progressive income tax, and our first enormous standing army; it gave us a higher tariff, and it gave us greenbacks. James McPherson writes approvingly:

This astonishing blitz of laws . . . did more to reshape the relation of the government to the economy (and the people) than any comparable effort except perhaps the first hundred days of the New Deal. This Civil War Legislation . . . created the blueprint for modern America.3 (And also went AGAINST the Original U.S. Constitution that FORBADE all these things ! Our Founding Fathers were careful to NOT allow these things in the establishment of American government ! These things are what they fought AGAINST; and here this *new* northern Federal government via Lincoln, was completely revamping the U.S. government and Constitution !)

The Legality of Secession
www.endusmilitarism.org...

Perhaps the best argument against the legality of secession is the one that rests upon secession being an “insurrection." [Section VIII of Article 1] of the Constitution gives Congress the power; to call forth the militia to “suppress insurrections.” However, many people would argue that secession is not an insurrection. They see secession as the withdrawal of recognition of an authority as lawful rather than the refusal to obey recognized lawful authority, or to obey un-Constitutional laws, or to obey tarrifs placed on the South by Washington D.C. In addition, secession is not in itself an aggressive action taken against the residue of states left within the Union. It is a point often overlooked, but some States that seceded during the Civil War are very proud of the fact that they did not declare war - or fight an offensive war - against the Union, but only fought a defensive war in order to be able to govern themselves as they saw fit. Everyone should remember this if they wish to understand the thinking of many in the South.

Will some of the State secede from the corporation known as UNITED STATES, or will they just file for full sovereignty and tell the corrupt government to go to hell?
One thing is clear to me, anyway, and that is that America can stand no longer being trod over, being taxed to death, being denied Rights given them by the Constitution, and being forced to obtain a license to perform a right, such as live together as a married couple without State sanction, and to drive a private vehicle on publicly owned roads, paid for with taxpayer dollars. Has everyone heard the the new Health Care will be heavily taxed, and the tax will be enforced by the IRS, another private owned corporation? Got an email on this today:

IRS To Enforce ObamaCare Taxes
The health care reform bill deal would require the IRS to dole out taxpayer dollars -- subsidies -- to low-income Americans to help them pay for health insurance, administer tax credits to small businesses to help them offer health insurance to workers and collect billions of dollars in new taxes on employers, insurance companies and medical device companies.

The American Cancer Society and American Heart Association, say the Senate ObamaCare bill penalizes people for not losing weight, reducing their blood pressure or going to the gym.

The ObamaCare compromise also seeks to force insurance companies to cut or eliminate profits and effectively becoming private federal agencies.

These and other details that are part of the compromise amount to nothing more than a backdoor deal for Nationalized Healthcare Enforced By The IRS and is nothing more than a Public Option socialized government run healthcare.

ObamaCare funding is more than $1 Trillion short and cannot be paid for without new taxes.

Obama and Democrats in Congress are ignoring plan details and adding more than $3000/yr of debt to every American.

Obama has lied again by pushing massive tax increases on every American earning less than $250,000/yr. Every Person will be hurt with increased costs of an out of control Government Run Health Care bureaucracy.

BUT -- did you know that, thanks to a parliamentary maneuver by Senate Republicans just before the recess... ObamaCare could be dead on arrival in the U.S. House of Representatives?

IT'S TRUE -- but WE have to make sure that it DOES die!

secure.conservativedonations.com...

In Vermont anyone can run for governor or lt. governor and just about anyone does.

Vermont is basically a very blue state, and while Vermonters have a decidedly independent streak, a movement to secede would more likely be coming from the left than the right, unlike, say, Texas.

Can you say socialist revolution?

Above all, I hope these guys win. This empire sucks. I hate all these taxes.

I wont move there, but if Texas, or any southern states become independent, I'd move there and pay some state taxes.