Liberty State

The right-wing bigots and farmers of Eastern Washington are reviving, once again, the idea of seceding.  It's true, with the low population, low tax base, low level of education and low level of voter turnout, Eastern Washington loses every statewide election.  But that also means a breakaway state would be bankrupt within two years.

Too bad they're too stupid to figure that out.  Hopefully some Westerners will point it out to them.

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Currently, Eastern Washington has close to the same number of residents as the entire state of Idaho and produces a similar amount of tax revenue. That is if nothing changes.  Liberty State will not have the same size and scope of government as Washington State.  Thus, there is more than enough money. To drive this point home, if Liberty State found just 10% savings in the size and scope of government it could easily operate without any property or income taxes.

I'd like to see the maths on this!  Idaho has BOTH a state income tax (which Washington does not) and a property tax which is 50% higher than Washington's.  Idaho has a 6% sales tax; the base Washington State sales tax is 6.5%.  Some counties -- mostly in Western Washington -- pay as much as 10.4%.

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According to a 2012 study by an Evergreen State College research team, King County produces 42 percent of the state’s tax revenues – but receives less than 26 percent back in the form of state benefits. That’s a return of 62 cents on the dollar.

Spokane County receives more back than it pays in: $1.35 for every dollar, according to the study. Rural Ferry County gets $3.16 back for every dollar it sends to Olympia.

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The movement to create a Liberty State is not a new concept.  However, it has recently been met with a resolve unlike nothing [sic] we have seen in modern times.

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The State of Liberty would be comprised of the 20 counties of Eastern Washington knotted by conservative politics, wide-open landscapes and a shared reliance on natural resources and government services.

"Knotted" like dogs fucking, presumably.

There's a poll on the website for choosing the "state animal": grizzly, bobcat, caribou, cougar, wolverine, or elk.  Unfortunately they don't offer the one appropriate mascot: the dodo.

In another upcoming poll they're going to ask people to choose their "state rifle."  You can't make this up, kids.

Here's a list of some of their "Grievances":

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Trampled Right of Conscience
Washington's Attorney General targets private business owner's [sic] right to express their religious freedom. Liberty will uphold the rights of business owners to fulfill their religious believes [sic] within thier [sic] own operation.

Ignored Parental Rights
Parents are forced to immunized [sic] their children, regardless of religious conviction.

Expanding Firearm Restrictions
I-594 was the straw that broke the camel's back. Furthermore, proponents of restrictive firearm laws have clearly stated their intent to further restrict firearms and the citizens' right to choose the firearms they feel are appropriate for their self defense.

Economic Prosperity
Washington State burdens placed on industry, agriculture, and businesses of all sizes will be overturned. Homeowners will reagain [sic] property rights. Right of concious [sic] will be defended.

Lower Tax Obligations
Government doesn't produce or own wealth - citizens do. Legislation will be held to a high standard for achieving greater results with less strain on hard working residents.

Greater Amount of Freedom
The right to manage and protect life and property will be honored at all levels of government.

The Seattle Times wrote:

”The recovery in the Inland Northwest has been considerably slower than the Puget Sound region,” said Grant Forsyth, chief economist for Avista, the investor-owned utility headquartered in Spokane. Job growth has been comparatively weak and wages lower.

For example, Spokane’s recovery didn’t kick in until the spring of 2012, two years after the turnaround began here. Employment has gained traction since last summer but the latest unemployment rate for metro Spokane, in June, was 6.9 percent. By contrast, Seattle-Bellevue-Everett’s rate was 3.9 percent and the state’s 5.3 percent.

But nearby Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties, heavily dependent on declining extraction industries, have some of the highest unemployment rates in the state.

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State governments receive aid from the federal government to fund a variety of joint programs, mainly in the form of grants for such things as Medicaid, education, and transportation. In 2014, federal aid to the states accounted for roughly 31 percent of all state general revenues. Federal aid varies from state to state. For example, Mississippi received approximately $7.2 billion in federal aid in 2014, accounting for about 41 percent of the state's general revenues, the highest percentage of all of the states. By contrast, North Dakota received about $1.5 billion in federal aid in 2014, or just 17 percent of the state's general revenues, the lowest percentage in the nation.[4]

The table below notes what share of Idaho’s general revenues came from the federal government in 2014. That year, Idaho received approximately $2.5 billion in federal aid, 33.9 percent of the state's general revenues. Taking into consideration the state's 2014 population, this came out to about $1,541 in federal aid per capita.

Representative Matt Shea -- who is not running for re-election due to being charged with domestic terrorism -- is reviving the idea of Liberty State on his way out the door.


I said last year they'd be bankrupt in 2 years.  With their minuscule tax base and high social services costs, I'd like to revise that down to 15 minutes.

Maybe they could join The Confederacy and New California.