My book I'm reading on myths of American history has talked a lot about the aftermath of the Civil War, in particular the Reconstruction Era (1863-1877) when Northern troops occupied the South and attempted to implement the terms of the surrender of the Confederacy after they lost the war.
It was an ENORMOUS loss to the country that this reconciliation never happened, that Andrew Jackson pulled the troops out and let the Southern states go back to their Antebellum ways.
I read the Wikipedia article on the Reconstruction, and ordered Eric Foner's definitive book.
Made me think of a solution to the current dysfunctional situation caused by the failure to Reconstruct. Here's my solution.
Merge Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia -- I.e. the original Confederate states -- along with Idaho, Arizona and New Mexico -- states that have since joined the Confedracy -- into one big state. Call it The Confederate State of America. Two senators. About 30 representatives. Make them govern themselves and secure their own borders and enforce their own KKK laws. When weather disasters hit -- and you'll notice these states claim the lion's share of FEMA money -- make them do it on a "balanced budget" basis, where it comes out of other aid already appropriated. Let them try to run their CSA with the non-existent tax base they favor.
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