The Facts
- San Bernardino County, California's fifth-largest county with 2.2M people, has approved an advisory ballot proposal allowing local officials to inquire into the possibility of seceding from the state.
- As this would be an attempt to form a new state — the first since Hawaii in 1959 — the ballot measure directed officials to look into the legalities of such a move. If pursued, secession would need to be approved by both the state legislature and Congress.
- Though secession is likely to be a long shot, the vote is significant given the racial and ethnic diversity of the county and points to division as residents face growing homelessness, rising crime and housing prices, and some of the highest taxes in the country. As of 2019, its unemployment rate was 9.5%, and its poverty rate was 12.2%.
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The Spin
Republican narrative
Though state divorce may sound extreme, the right to consider it is fundamental to American principles. Anyone who's traveled to upstate New York, western Maryland, or the rural parts of any state knows how disparate these regions are from the liberal urban hubs that control their legislatures. San Bernardino is no different. Not only should it secede, but so should many other regions if we hope to have a fair national electorate.
Democratic narrative
The idea of dividing California into multiple states, often proposed by aggrieved Republicans, is nothing new, and neither is its abysmal chance of succeeding. The irony is further displayed in that if another state were to be created, it would lead to a larger federal budget — the opposite of what Republicans argue for day in and day out.
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