"Twenty-three Democratic attorneys general now gather on near-daily Zoom calls at 8 AM Pacific, which means the East Coast officials are already on their third coffee. They divide responsibilities and share templates for lawsuits they’ve been drafting since last spring."
Blue states are finally learning what red states have known all along: you don’t need federal permission to govern.
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Also this: cmarmitage.substack.com/p/i-research...
Once they win elections, it's already too late.
'Mass. sends $4,846 more per cap to fed govt than it gets back. NJ, WA, same position, bleeding 1000s pp annually. Over 5 yrs, NY contributed $142.6B more than it received. Meanwhile, red states pocket $1.24 for every dollar they send to DC. Blue states are paying red states to undermine democracy.'
You, sir, are a gem!
Hakeem Jeffries stated this months ago, but you'd never know that from how the tankies sh!t on him constantly:
democraticleader.house.gov/media/press-...
Dear Colleague:I write with respect to our ongoing effort to push back against the far-right extremism that is being relentlessly unleashed on the American people.
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I was on a lobbying team encouraging my state representative to legislate an end to qualified immunity for cops. He said his hands were tied until there was movement in Washington D.C.. I said, “Let me let you in on a little secret called Federalism and State Sovereignty.”
This would force MAGA to become cannibals to survive
Very glad to see this!!
IMO, #retributiondaycommeth soon
My angst is a little less knowing this. Thank you for sharing.
A great read. Thank you.
But D states don't have to worry about a Fort Sumter moment. Trump and his already seceded. You can't derive your power from the same source you've broken faith and oaths to.
Trump is the Regressive leader, Dictator, whatever. He's not President.
Doomers should read this.
Good to know. Thanks for sharing.
This is reassuring. Thanks for sharing.
I hope there’s more states can do, but the Feds still control a lot. Trump can cut off the blue states from the rest of the world pretty easily, and all of the Federal enforcement agencies and military can wreck havoc even if all they do is get deployed and stand in place
D states need to find some more aggressive way to package and promote their municipal debt as investment vehicles to provide income free from federal taxes.
YES!!!
Why "soft?"
I don't want to share a country with MAGA fucks anymore. I've been able to tolerate Republicans in the past, but now it is unbearable.
We need a national divorce and the only question is how violent it needs to be.
Oh my God, yes. This is what I’ve been praying for. Free CA. Free Blue States & cities. We like democracy. We want democracy. Constitution guarantees our civil liberties. If this gangster government tries to take them, Constitutional union becomes null & void. IDGAF what fascists on SCOTUS rule.
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There always something going on behind closed doors. Trump will not win.
I just don’t like when people say he keeps winning everything he does not. I know it seems like it, but he has not.
Excellent article and this gives me hope. Nothing but respect for the Democratic governors that are taking steps to counter the threats that red states are taking
YESSSSS!!!!!! 😈
Stop paying taxes CA, NY, IL. Watch the Republican controlled states crumble. Sweet.
Wow! Outstanding approach by state governments.
Thank you @azagmayes.bsky.social. I sure hope the trials of AZ's fake electors happen while you're in office. And, Bravo to the aggressive AZ state grand jurors who voted to indict Rump, too. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Heck of an article. Helps subside the sense of doom.
Impressive how organized and proactive they have been. I hope they’ve allowed for the contingency where Trump militarizes their cities.
I hope their respective Adjutants General are also talking, because we're already there.
There's no way in hell we're tolerating shitbag red state militias patrolling the streets of Brooklyn
They need to be drafting a new set of laws and action plans to establish a new federal government with functional agencies.
Secession can’t come soon enough. We need it formalized to keep the US out of the blue.
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Hallelujah!
Let’s do it. No compromise with fascists.
So proud of my Governor JB and so happy I live in Illinois
I 💙 this!! #SoftSecession
OMG...I can finally sleep (a little bit) better tonight...
This sounds great, but who is this writer and what is the source ?
Presuming Hawaii Attorney General Anne E. Lopez is involved, props to her for getting on at 5am!
This is one of the most hopeful things I’ve read in a while….. also… this was my idea.
Time to engage Republican state AG’s……in a limited way……
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Haven’t had an ‘oh…oh shit.’ moment like that in a while.
For me this is the ‘oh…oh shit.’ when you realized that what the doctor just said was bad.
This is reassuring. "Blue states building parallel systems" is a very important thing they need to be doing. Having blue state versions of all these agencies and departments (CDC, FDA, FBI, Depts of Housing/Education/Labor, etc) is crucial to keep important work moving for when we get rid of trump.
Thank you so much for sharing. 📌
Finally, excellent write up about “soft succession”, yes, it’s happening. Can’t wait for blue states to start refusing to pay fed gov. Hit them in the pocket book.
This is the path forward, it gives options for the future while maintaining a hard stance of no we won't pay the bills for this, in capitalism money is the best weapon
As a blue dot in Texas, I support these actions entirely. Although we'll still be stuck here in this sea of red, this is the most encouraging thing I've read, for our country, in quite some time. I raise my coffee cup to blue states. ✊ 👏 ✌️
This is an excellent read and I just shared it with my family. I
The author is flat wrong on one point though: bsky.app/profile/sylv...
Time to bludgeon the trump regime with states rights
Wow, this article is exactly what I needed to read right now. IMHO, the tactics outlined in this article are exactly what's required. And even more people need to be trained in ways we can resist, especially if we live in red states where those state governments will do nothing to stand up to Trump.
Good to know. Happy that our team is pulling together and that is absolutely needed at this time.
Bye Felicia. Let's succeed. Fuck if maga lets fight. Imal ready to fight. You. #cali #politics. You have my vote @gavinnewsom.bsky.social just as Kamala did before.
The fact that D state leaders are actually talking about it in these terms is honestly leaving me quite a bit more optimistic for the future
Incredible read. Make Trump irrelevant in blue states 👍😎
Make it happen Cap’n ✌️
There can be no shared future with conservative culture. Start with a soft secession, end with a real one.
A system of that allows Trump to happen is not worth preserving.
In the future, they will be touted as the heroes that they are.
When do I get to stop paying Federal taxes... I just got another notice that we owe another $1600......................
This is some of the most encouraging stuff I’ve read in nine months.
The real question is, how can Blue states claw back the tax dollars they're sending to Washington?
Big talk but what does it matter when Trump just sends in the military to help abduct random people off the street?
Democrats are organizing to fight back.
It’s time someone explains how Mussolini’s reign ended to Melania.
Tell her machine gun wounds are never good for the complexion!
#Trumpocalypse
And shifting your spending habits if you can. It's all about money. Period.
My only hope is that we setup a relocation/refugee program for folks left in Trumpthinskin’s bankrupt christofacist kleptocracy with a Weekend at Tacky Bernie’s Dear Leader.
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They had better step lively
Very glad this is happening, and I hope to see more of it.
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Republicans are breaking apart America.
This is one of the most hopeful articles I’ve read in a long time
Soft succession is what we’re going to need
The south and middle America can have Donald Trump and all his failed policies. Every red state will be bankrupt without the blue states.
We can do this without a shooting war
#EconSky
Blue states finance Red states.
C'mon people.
FIGHT!
Explore the balance of payments between states and the Federal government.
Thank you to every single one of you! And thank you, Joshua, for sharing this. 💓
Fuck the Confederacy
I'm happy to hear such discussions are happening. If the blue states stop supporting the federal government, good luck to the red states trying to survive on their own...
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This is so encouraging. What I have been fervently hoping for
Well that’s something
I’m glad Pritzker is on the cover. He should be seen as a leader in this effort. Illinois is doing the most substantive pushback.
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🙏 Thank you! Kind of news needed!
Most encouraging article on this site: "The legal foundation for soft secession was written by conservative justices who never imagined blue states would use it. Yale Law Professor Heather Gerken calls it 'uncooperative federalism.' States don’t have to actively resist."
This is dated but you get the point.
Wonderful!!! Blue states have the power and are going to use it.
Phil Weiser talked to us about why he has filed so many suits against Cheeto Pedo’s regime!
I hope this very shortly extends to purple states like Virginia.
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Time to organise blue states armies
How about ending the welfare? For States that can’t survive fiscally without blue states subsidies?
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Somehow this is both incredibly upsetting and incredibly reassuring. Such are these times, I guess. Thanks for sharing this; I didn’t know.
👆 more of this
Dem governors need to agree publicly to a set of principles to defend democracy in America.
We should go back to the Articles of Confederation. Each state a separate semi-autonomous country.
This is somewhat comforting.
Fascinating and encouraging.
Thank you I’ve been hoping this was the case!
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I agree 1000%
It’s a start. Personally, I’m hoping for a hard secession. Or, like, being adopted by Canada.
Get some hope! This is vital; plz read!
THIS gives me such hope. Thank you for sharing this!.. I have been waiting to see our elected Democratic officials ACT TOGETHER IN UNISON. We're only going to win this battle if WE UNITE THE FIGHT. Out of this effort, our LEADER will emerge.
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I've been talking about “soft-secession” for months. I thought no one was listening.
It’s like moving out and getting a restraining order while you consider your options. It doesn't necessarily mean divorce, but it is our SOVEREIGN RIGHT as free people to say, WE DO NOT CONSENT, WE KEEP US SAFE!! 🌵
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We the people can take this country back
The General strike -the people united shall never be stopped. If we strike together we can make true real change. Sign the strike card today.
I’m proud that Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is among them. Thank you @keithellison.bsky.social!
States need to impound taxes to the feds. Trump does it so should we
Meh, you are essentially the problem. Gossiping about your'morning tea'. No evidence of anything. "templates" No wonder your Country is totalled.
Is this real? Why are his other posts so pessimistic? I really really want to hope there's been this much of an organized effort happening behind the scenes. Not that I want a secession, but until adults are back in charge, federalism seems one of a few ways for states to resist fascist imposition.
IMHO the Pacific Time Zone folks should be getting on the horn at 5 AM Pacific Time.
Gave me hope but then the CA $ info looks wrong and this:
“One participant described a December session where they walked through scenarios of federal troops being deployed to blue states.”
Response (planned since Dec?!) in LA DC and soon Chicago has been weak. Hope there’s more in the works :/
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Reshared this article but seeing some questions pop about the author, Chris Armitage, and whether they are a legitimate source. Is this a source you trust, @joshuajfriedman.com?
This is the best news I have heard in a long time
This gives me hope!
This is exactly what blue states need to do. Stop wasting time! CA is being invaded by a fascist army, it is time that the state protects its residents. Stop paying federal taxes and create state militias. Succession is the answer.
The United States can’t survive without blue states revenue. Trump knows that. He needs to leave blue states ALONE. The economic power we hold should matter!
I think we should be contacting our governors, if we have dem governors & thanking them but also asking what they're doing specifically. We, as residents of their states, may have valuable input for them as well. And we need to make sure that we hold them to what they're doing.
Great read!
This gives me some serious encouragement. Republicans have spent years screaming about states rights as they now simply fold when faced with a dictator and a rogue government. This information shows me Democrats are stepping up to the plate to help ensure state rights actually mean something. When
There needs to be an effective cost for Trump's deliberate and forced balkanization of America -- of us! Blue cities and states need to decide what that cost will be, and they must decide now, before this goes too far. Trump must be deterred.
That’s wonderful to hear!
Thank you. You give me hope
Do you understand there are blue people in red states? These are United States. The fact that people are so quick to want to withhold funding kind of tells you how we got here. Capitalism is king—every person for themselves.
Excellent
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I would read this if it wasn't on substack
