if a state in the USA wanted to break away from the union and go it alone what would law do?

Question

here in england the scots want to break the union and go it alone and they are aload to campagin and have has some success in breaking away EG a regional governemt with powers to determine scottish affrairs

Answer 1

Well, prior to 1860, there were many states that believed the US Constitution was a document that formed a union of like minded states, so any one of them could seceed if they believed the union no longer shared their values or supported their livelihood or security. At least 7 tried to split from the union and suffered for it during the "civil war". The final result was an amendment to the constitution (15? 16th?) that forbids any state from secession...which is strange because those who fought the south thought it was already against the law. In any event, it has officially been "unlawful" for a state to even attempt to break from the union since 1865. I'm not sure how the British Charter mirrors the US Constitution, but "that" is where you need to look for a real answer to how England should treat any desire or attempt to separate from Great Britain.

Answer 2

The question isn't really relevant to Scotland, as America is a close federation of states bound together by a federal goverment under a written constitution. The United Kingdom hasn't got a constitution.
The surest way to get Scotland it's Independence is to carry on with the constant claptrap about Scotland being unable to exist on it's own. You know what happens when you tell the average Scotsman he can't do something, don't you? He'll do it just to prove you wrong. Remember the original tribe known as Scots came from Ireland, and we all know how stubborn the Irish can be, don't we? Well, we're related.
The Scottish Parliament has indeed been a good little first step towards independence, since a sizable chunk of the Scottish population voted in a party created with the stated aim of gaining full independence.
Tony Blair must be cacking his pants, since his great devolution idea backfired quite spectacularly and might well deliver independence eventually anyway.

Cheers Gortamor. It's nice to see a little support in amongst all the bile spouted by the English posters on here.

Answer 3

Well, like another person said. "We get Austin". But also we would need to control NASA so too bad! Texans that don't like our Constitutional United States should just move. Also Texas was not a very conservative state until 2000 when Tom Delay gerrymandered the congressional districts. If you put the districts back as they were before that you would see a Democratic state again. Texas amy have a lot of rednecks but it also has cities that are full of techs and highly educated people. Doubt if they are interested in seceding. Especially if they are going to be told what to do by a bunch of rural types. No way. All in all, I think it would be a good thing if did secede. Except for NASA. The other parts of the country would benefit as we move towards alternative energy sources. Perhaps we could catch up to Germany and other forward thinking countries. They will be hitting the 30% renewable energy mark very soon.

Answer 4

There would be a war.

However it may happen as the minorities are in fact growing, Latinos etc... The North of the US is continually supporting it but the Southern states are continually pissed at it. The blacks are feeling unheard yet again and the US is falling. Who knows it may happen. As for the Scots there is no reason for the English to pull them back, although there is the typical political arguing over policy they always stick as Great Britain when it really comes down to it.

Answer 5

The various states in the USA operate quite differently from the regions in the union. It is the history of the union and continuing history of the divide of true equity and equality that compels the Scots and others to seek their own voice. That scenario will not happen in America in this millennium!

Answer 6

Would be wonderful if the blue states could secede from the Union and leave the red ones to flounder - as they surely would, but will not happen. When the southern states did secede in the 1800s, President Lincoln went to war to force them back, as he believed they had no legal standing to break from the Union.

As the Scots, good luck to them in their bid to be independent. We are behind them all of the way!

Answer 7

The Union Leaders would schedule a block party and picket the Congress...and the Lawyers Union would sue the Country.

Answer 8

You must be a Yank, either that you are just really ignorant. "Here in England....".....don't think so mate, try "Here in the UK". That aside, the USA has always been one country, not like England & Scotland who both hasve seperate & distinct cultures.

Plus of course you have one legal system in the USA, but in the UK England & Scotland have seperate legal systems. Guess you hadn't maybe figured that.

Answer 9

Well as long as the paper work is filled in correctly i dont see any reason why a state cannot leave the union

Answer 10

The USA would probably do exactly what it did last time - go to war to whip the independent-minded bunch back into line. However, just as another American Civil War is unlikely, so for different reasons is a war over Scottish independence. Lots of English are just waiting, praying, hoping for that bunch of expensive whinging Scots to get off their backs. No war, just a sigh of relief.