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June 06, 2013 01:58 PM UTC

BREAKING: Weld, Other Counties Talk Secession (Yes, Really)

  • 76 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: FOX 31's Eli Stokols reports, it's officially a movement!

Commissioners from Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Washington, Yuma and Kit Carson counties all expressed interest in the idea.  Many met earlier this week at a Colorado Counties Inc. conference to discuss the feasibility of forming a new state.

Conway and Weld County commissioners Doug Rademacher and Mike Freeman told the Greeley Tribune they think a North Colorado would be a viable state.

—–

weldcountyrebs

The Fort Collins Coloradoan's Patrick Malone reports:

Rural Colorado county commissioners are pursuing a plan to splinter from the state and create a new one in the aftermath of a legislative session they say runs counter to their way of life.

Laws passed this year in the Democrat-controlled Legislature enacting stricter gun control and impacting agriculture paired with attempts to expand regulation of oil and gas production to provide the tipping point, according to Sean Conway, a commissioner in Weld County, which is leading the charge to ask voters in November whether to form a new state…

Conway said it would likely be a requirement that the counties are contiguous, but he said any county — including some in neighboring states such as Nebraska and Kansas — is welcome to pursue the option, which he concedes is extreme. [Pols emphasis] Larimer County commissioners were unfamiliar with the plan, Commissioner Lew Gaiter said.

“Some will call (it) extreme, maybe aggressive,” said Weld County Commissioner Douglas Rademacher. “I would say absolutely. Extreme times call for extreme actions.”

We really don't know what to say about this–if it were some "Tea Party" or "9/12er" activist group proposing Weld County's secession from the state of Colorado, we would let it end with a good laugh–and it would still be newsworthy, much like the spate of "petitions" after last year's election calling for various states to secede rather than face another four years of tyranny under President Barack Obama.

Call us quaint, but we're shocked to see elected county commissioners seriously talking about such a patently ridiculous idea. Even in the case of Weld County commissioners, it's an escalation of a series of increasingly politically far-out positions, after already facing controversy over their decision to stop offering emergency contraceptives at county health clinics. Weld County's Sheriff John Cooke, as we've noted in this space, has embraced undeniably extreme positions on guns, the very issue upsetting the commissioners–such as repealing the post-Columbine Amendment 22 gun show background check law, and even repealing all instant federal background checks for gun sales. There seems to be a real breakdown of rationality in Weld County, among officials who wield considerable power. It's embarrassing, but also kind of fascinating to watch.

As Malone reports, apparently if a county wants to secede, a countywide vote is necessary, which would then require state legislation, the Governor's approval, and subsequent petitioning of Congress to create a new state. Alternatively, they might be able to join Wyoming or Nebraska, but we don't know how that would work exactly.

Perhaps the best thing to do is let them get it out of their system, like when a kid throws a tantrum.

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76 thoughts on “BREAKING: Weld, Other Counties Talk Secession (Yes, Really)”

  1. The only ones not embarrassed by this are the ones doing it.

    I personally say let them go, they can not test their flaming water in Weldistan at all if that's what they want.

    1. Perhaps we should just give our Oil & Gas kickbacks to the Great State of Wyoming and join Statehood there, along with many other rural, fiscally responsible counties in Colorado.  Better yet, I would like to see a State of Denverboulder try to support itself.  I'd give it 5 years and they would be over-run with non-taxpayers, and out of productive land and water….wait…they're on that track now!  They already owe roughly $19Billion in long-term debt between them (compared to our zero)…who should be using who as an example here?  Thanks to all of the "authorities" in Denver, but we don't subscribe to what you are studying to become!

  4. Sean, shame on you.  You're better than this.  The reality is that many of us old-time moderate used to be Republicans sat around for years and years while your right-wing nut cases passed all sorts of crap.  Now the tables are turned and you want to seceede?  Come on.  You know this isn't going to happen and your effortr does nothing.  You might do better to live up to your own roots and get rid of the extreme element in your "Republican" party that's causing you to lose all these issues.  Remember when we controlled everything with a coalition of conservative and moderate Republicans.  Of course you do.  You lower yourself by pulling this crap and you gyrt tiyr iwb cayse,  We're already close to a situation where it will be impossible for the new "Republican"Party to elect anyone state-wide.

     

    PS, if you want to seceede, be my guest.  I'm guessing those farmers up there won't be so happy when they find out the size of the state road funds that they lose that they're taking from the urban counties based on miles of road rather than cars travelled.  You guys can deal with the potholes as far as I am concerned.

    2. Yep. Good luck with being your own dirt poor state. As for the rest of us, we won't have to live with your loony state legislators. Boo hoo.

      2. Actually, the oil and gas revenue Weld County sends back to the state more than pays for every state service they receive. They are far from dependent on Denver in rural Colorado. That's the point.

        2. Another lie numbnuts?

          Post some evidence to substantiate that what you say is true?

          You can't because you know that rural counties receive all kinds of benefits from the state.

          What a bald face liar whose pants are on fire because he is as dumb as a tire.

        3. Arap,

          You realize that the first thing that Weldistan would do is pass a Palin-sized tax increase on oil and gas, right? I'm not sure your benefactors would approve.

    3. Nice post Craig

      Talk about wasting taxpayers money.  These commissioners should be spending their time on getting things done for their constituents.

      What's missing from this discussion is the cost of disassociation.  How much money are they going to have to fork over for all the bonds and indebtedness that has already been approved by the voters of the state.  We have a similar situation in Gilpin County where the children in the north part of the county attend Boulder County schools in Nederland which goes back to a spat from the 50's.  There have been several efforts to consolidate the Gilpin Schools but they always get stopped at the cost of disassociation.  Gilpin County resident would have to pay BVSD the equivalent of their share of the outstanding bonds and it is a monster number.

  6. The voters will probably say no.

     

    Colorado Pols illustrates a complete lack of historical and political understanding when they surround Weld with confederate stars.  Weld and other Counties are not trying to secede from the United States system of Federalism nor are they trying to secede from Colorado government. They are trying to form a 51rst State.

    Colorado Pols are the xenophobes in this circumstance.

     

    On a side note, I only wish Weld Republicans had the nards to distance themselves from the Federal Leviathan…

     

     

    1. Secession fromt he State of Colorado.  That's what it says.  Sorry you got your boxers in a bunch for nothing.  Do anarchists wear underwear? 

    3. The only reason they aren't looking to secede from the USofA is because they haven't gotten around to discussing the repeal of Federal background checks or how to deal with Obamacare yet.

      Same crowd, different whine.

    5. Colorado Pols illustrates a complete lack of historical and political understanding

      We will have you know, sir, that Colorado Pols is the authoritative source on Colorado's involvement in the Civil War.

       

      1. As usual, it's nockworst who is the ignorant fool.   Only Congress has the authority to create new states.  The exception to this rule is Texas, which was an independent nation before joining and which retains the right by the treaty by which it joined the union, to subdivide into as many as five states.  Were it not for this nagging little thing called the U.S. Constitution, I'd be all for these doofuses forming the State of Asshat, other than that I refuse to let them take my beloved Phillips County with them.    

  7. I am offended by the use of the Confederate flag. They do not want to secede from America, but from a urban controlled state government that no longer represents their values. I think rather than insulting the people of rural Colorado, Colorado Pols should be asking why they are so upset. Don't tell me the county commissioners of all these counties are crazy, this is more than that.

    1. Elections have consquences. It's real simple. What are the rest us, the  overwhelming majority, supposed to do?  Stop voting for the legislators of our choice?  If they'd rather go it alone as a starving, dirt poor state, I won't stand in their way. Maybe you'd like to go with them.

    2. Guppy: the commissioners you refer to are not all crazy, but they prefer rhetoric to results. How else do you explain them supporting lame lightweights their counties send to the Legislature with a rank inability to work with those from another party? Sean Conway is no dummie, but he has cast his lot with the know-nothings.

       

    3. We have an urban controlled state government because 2/3 of the people live in, or very close to, the urban center of the state. I'm sorry that Colorado isn't run anymore by your antiquated rural notions, I really am. It's quaint and all, but this is the modern world. 

      And they are crazy, it isn't more than that. If they were sane, they would be trying to boost up the state Republican Party so that they could take back the Governor's Mansion and Legislature. You know, using that whole democracy thing.

      Instead, they jump right to the extreme conclusion immediately, which is secession from the state to form their own state. The confederate symbolism is apt, so be offended all you want. I thought you people always argued it symbolizes States' Rights and not the whole slavery thing anyway?     

      1. You can't understand what urban dominance feels like until you live in a rural area. For rural citizens, depriving them of the right to defend themselves with no police able to respond in time DIRECTLY threatens safety.

        I live in the suburbs, but I am smart enough to know that our rural citizens still matter. And I apologize to them.

        1. Guppy: I live in a rural area. I know of no one, not one, who is not sufficiently prepared to defend house and home. Nobody needs a huge magazine for home defense. We're much better shots. Hunters who need more than one shot to take down game are ridiculed. It is you who has no idea what rural life is like.

           

          1. I also live in a rural area. I welcome the civilizing aspects brought about by the large number of urban voters. Even the rural voters know damn well, or would learn in about 5 minutes, that this is just a nutty idea brought to you by conservatives, mostly the GOP

              1. fool. check Lake County voting stats. overwhelmingly D. Obama X 2 after getting fed up with little Bush. We haven't elected an R to a county office in 20 years.

                1. Guppy:  I am about to look really stupid by asserting I speak for 'rural' Colorado arguing against folks that really do live there and providing totally-pulled-from-my-keister claims that I will preseent as fact.  In a Landslide you city-dwellers! 

          2. I, too, live in rural Colorado and have for decades.  There are many of us who are not represented by the extremists who want their own rightwing state. 

            And ArapaGOP:

            You can't understand what urban dominance feels like until you live in a rural area. For rural citizens, depriving them of the right to defend themselves with no police able to respond in time DIRECTLY threatens safety.

            I do not suffer from urban dominance, I have excellent local law enforcement in my rural area, and I do not feel the need to have an arsenal in my home to defend myself.

             

        2. Not a single bill passed by this legislature deprives them of their right to defend themselves. They can still buy a gun. They can still buy bullets to put in that gun. Unless they have a domestic violence rap sheet of course, then it's only a little bit harder. 

          1. on the other hand, Division of Parks and Wildlife has numerous restictions for many years on ammo, weapons and magazines. Never have heard a hunter squeel about not being allowed to use their AR and 30 rd mass murder magazine to go after elk.

        3. I think all the gay citizens of this state have a very good understanding of what it's like to have the domination of others restrict their rights. Or to put it in words you might understand:

          You can't understand what straight dominance feels like until you live in a gay area. For gay citizens, depriving them of the right to marry the one they love DIRECTLY threatens their equality.

          I'm straight, but I am smart enough to know that our gay citizens still matter. And I apologize to them.

        4. Another big lie you hope nobody will notice? Nobody is depriving anybody of the right to self defense. They can still have as many guns as they want and 15 rounds per isn't exactly defenseless.

          As long as their preference is for candidates who spout nonsense and swear never to compromise they aren't going to have much of voice.  If it isn't working for them they should try something else.

          Don't blame Dems for the red rural base's lousy choices.  They should look for candidates willing to make deals across the aisle if they want their minority voice to carry some weight. They could get a little with candidates open to giving a little instead of electing the kind of extreme righties for whom there is an uncrossable, no compromise line on every issue and who  hurl accusations and insults at their opponents before any conversation even starts, including using "Democrat" incorrectly and pointedly when "Democratic" would be the proper term.

        5. I think what your feeling fool from your Highland Ranch $600k home is penis envy.  You don't know what it is like to have some balls and brains and have any abilities to work well with others.  What a teeny tiny failure of a person.

        7. I'm from rural Larimer and I'm curious about this "urban domination."  Is that something you wealthy suburbanites down in Denver go for when you visit Colfax after the bars close?

    5. I live in rural Colorado so please don't pretend a little suburban troll such as yourself can dain to speak for those of us that actually live outside your urban bubble.

       

  8. Every few years there's been a threat from one county or another, or several, to separate the Western Slope from the rest of Colorado. It gets ink for a while, then dies off once the reality of state water law, Denver Water's ownership of huge water rights on the Western Slope, school and college funding and highway funding works into the picture. A dose of reality kills the idea every time. So it will be with Weldistan (nice name, bullshit!)

     

    1. I'm guessing Weldistan, being a separate state, wouldn't be in the current water compacts. They'd have to negotiate for water rights, and they'd be the most junior of rights despite the long standing rights many of these farmers currently hold.

    2. I prefer realist's Weldizbekkabekkastan but, as I recall from the clown show that was the Republican presidential primary season, I think it needs one more "bekka".

  9. Hmm… only 3 out of Weld's 5 GOP County Commissioners were involved. It seems this awesome idea of further isolating the already urban-dependent rural counties isn't universally liked on the right.

    On the plus side, I saw a recent proposal to move forward on high speed rail along the Front Range. Too bad that, with this bunch, the chance of a spur over to Greeley is entirely out of the question.

      1. They can build the spur with money that they get from corporations which because they don't believe in taxes they will give away huge concessions and let the corporations meter any air they breath for the next fifty years.  That's how shrewd they are when dealing with the big city slicker CEO's that they adore.

  10. There's nothing new about "I hate the Federal  government, now gimmee my check." These are the same people who, in 2008, screeched, "No government take-over of heath care and hands off my Medicare". They are also the people who have no problem with cutting Medicaid, since " it only goes to the kids of those lazy bums who won't get a job and who are probably 'illegal ' anyway". Thyey are mostly bitter old people who don't grasp that it is Medicaid not Medicare that pays their nursing home bills. I say let 'em go, hope the door hits 'em on the way out and good luck financing your state with no tax base. 

  11. And representating the Great State of Weldistan . . . I noted Cory Gardner's name associated with this lame-brained idea, I suppose that he sees forming a new state as his only chance to obtain a Senate seat. All of us darned urbanites certainly won't ever vote for him.

    2. How about Derpistan? That way, it won't have to be bleeped out when anouncers have to say, "Today, the entire state of Derpistan imploded in a black hole of stupidity as the Outhouse of Representatives erupted in gunfire over a dispute between the Tea Party, the Extra-Strength Tea Party, and the Libertarians. There were over two dozen fatalities, none of them significant."

  13. They are forgetting one basic principle of the Republic.  You can move to a state that has a constituency that matches your political identity.  They should just move to Texas.  This is childish and just typical of the type of leadership that seems to plague this part of the state.  Marylin Mussgrave, Ed Clark, Brett Reese, John Cooke and Ken Buck get to add this entire line up of county commissioners to the hall of fame that they have created in this region of the state.  

     

    1. Yeah, they could help offset all the browns that are gonna turn Texas blue in a generation or so.  And to paraphrase the immortal Will Rogers, it would improve the IQs of both states.

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