Opinion: Madera, the new state capital
On Monday, President Trump announced that he is thinking about “opening” the nation, abandoning many — if not all — of the precautions that we are currently taking against the spread of the coronavirus. Every medical organization and health service in the country states that such action will result in hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of additional deaths. But, as we know, the president does not listen to advice from scientists.
If Trump carries through with his plan, I have a solution that could save a great many Californians. On the same date that Trump declares an end to COVID-19 precautions, California announces that the state secedes from the union. Although I opposed secession during the 20 years that I wrote Pulse of the Heartland for the Tribune, I believe that it is now the only way to secure the health (both fiscal and physical) of the state. And, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel to become independent.
The new country of California already has a government structure equivalent to that of the U.S. Congress, specifically a Senate and an Assembly. The governor would become acting president, and the state’s temporary capital would be Sacramento. Each county would become a state in the new nation, and the county seat or most significant city would be the state’s capital. For example, in the great State of Madera, the City of Madera would be the capital. Mayors, obviously, would become acting governors.
Our existing U.S. Senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives would be appointed as acting ambassadors to various key countries. Our acting president would immediately establish mutual assistance treaties with our friends in Canada and Mexico, countries that have recently had somewhat cool relations with the United States.
Our new nation produces all of the food that citizens need, and our excess food would be traded to allied nations. The Great State of Madera, and the rest of the Central Valley, will be the new nation’s breadbasket. And, of course, we have dairy farms, a wide variety of wineries, and at least one distillery in Oakhurst.
Throughout the state, we have our own oil refineries, and they would produce gasoline that conforms to our existing standards. We also have the ability to generate our own power in numerous ways, having once led the world in wind-power but also having geothermal, fossil fuel, nuclear, and other power sources.
The State of California has great public and private universities, as well as highly regarded research and teaching hospitals, like Stanford, Scripps, and several campuses of the University of California.
I doubt that we’ll have to create permanent alternatives to current conditions because the sitting occupant of the White House will not obtain a second term of office, given his lack of regard for the health of the nation‘s citizens. Once order is restored to the United States of America and the coronavirus pandemic has subsided, California can petition to be readmitted. Because of the riches that our new nation possesses, there is no question that we would become both the 31st and 51st state of the union.
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Although Jim Glynn moved to Modesto last year, he resided in Madera for more than 20 years, and he is currently house hunting in Madera, hoping to return before summer. He is a retired professor of sociology.
