What Is Calexit? New California Independence Movement Willing to Negotiate with Trump Jason Le Miere - Newsweek
go to original May 23, 2017

Can California Actually Secede from the U.S.? (NowThis)

The latest iteration of the so-called “Calexit” movement took its first formal steps last week when organizers submitted a ballot measure that would amend the state’s constitution to remove the word “inseparable” from the declaration that “California is an inseparable part of the United States of America.” It is the second such push since November, when Donald Trump lost to Hillary Clinton by 30 points in California, the country’s most populous state, but ultimately went on to win the Electoral College vote and the White House.

The latest campaign is a toned down version of the initial proposal, which was withdrawn last month when the leader of the campaign relocated to Russia. As well as removing the word “inseparable” from California’s Constitution, it would add language pushing the state to become what supporters have called a “nation within a nation.”

"It is the intent of the People of the State of California that California become a fully-functioning sovereign and autonomous nation, whether within continued association with the United States of America or as an independent country, peacefully through negotiation with the federal government of the United States," reads the proposal submitted by the California Freedom Coalition.

... The latest polling on support for Californian independence, conducted at the end of March, showed just 32 percent in favor. But Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, a political analyst and professor at the University of Southern California, said there is little question that the movement is, understandably, attempting to capitalize on the widespread disapproval of Trump and policies that have been viewed as targeting Californians.

“My guess is what the Calexit movement is taking advantage of is the real anger out here, the real frustration out there, the real negative impact that many of the trump policies may have,” she told Newsweek. "California knows it’s in the crosshairs with regard to the Trump administration.”

Read the rest at Newsweek

Related: California Engages the World — and Fights D.C. — on Climate Change (Boston Globe)

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