Then There Was 2: Calexit Effort Joined by Draper’s New 3 State-Splitting Plan
AGENDA 21 RADIO
“I interviewed Draper in 2014 and discovered he had little to no knowledge as to how state splits work constitutionally following Article IV Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution”.
BY PAUL PRESTON
Now there’s a a second contender to alter California by way of the ballot. The first to enter the ring was “Calexit” by “Yes California” which calls for California to ‘secede’ and create a new nation.
The Yes California Independence Campaign promotes the secession of the state of California from the United States. It proposes including a measure for a referendum in 2019 on the state’s 2018 gubernatorial election ballot.
Then There was 2
On Friday a second ballot initiative was submitted for a 3 “new states” state split configuration of California. Tim Draper has submitted a application to gather signatures for the 2018 ballot to split the state into 3 states, Northern, Southern and California. Draper in 2014 attempted to split the state into 6 states stating at the time: “California, this is your opportunity to get a better government,” he said, “or a government that’s closer to you and more responsive.” Draper’s 2014 state spilt attempt fell short after he spent $4.9 million of his own money.
From the 3 State proposal:
“SECTION 3. LEGISLATIVE CONSENT FOR THE CREATION OF THREE NEW ST ATES WITHIN THE CURRENT BOUNDARIES OF CALIFORNIA. Article 3.1 of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 173) of the Government Code is added to read: § 173(a) Upon enactment of this section, the legislative consent required by Section 3 of Article IV of the United States Constitution for the creation of three (3) states within the current boundaries of the State of California, as provided by Article 3 of Chapter 1 of Division 1 of Title 1, is given by the people”.
I interviewed Draper in 2014 and discovered he had little to no knowledge as to how state splits work constitutionally following Article IV Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution. The new three state split is a much better proposal and much more workable design to split California while following Article IV Section 3 as you can read from above.
California secession efforts are plentiful this year, but tech billionaire Tim Draper wants to go old school: Just split the Golden State into three.
Draper spent more than $5 million in 2014 on an unsuccessful effort to qualify a ballot measure asking voters to divide California into six states. He never gave up on the idea, though.
His newest measure, filed Friday, says the “political representation of California’s diverse population and economies has rendered the state nearly ungovernable.
“The citizens of the whole state would be better served by three smaller state governments while preserving the historical boundaries of the various counties, cities and towns,” Draper wrote in the proposed measure’s statement of findings.
Draper’s initiative would put the state on record as seeking Congress’ permission to replace California with three states. If approved, California’s various debts and assets would be allocated among the new states.
Sprawling “Northern California” would include Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado and 36 other counties, while “Southern California” would cover 12 counties, from Fresno to the south. The new “California” would be anchored by Los Angeles County and then extend up the Central Coast to San Benito County, more than 300 miles away.
The measure does not mention Tulare County, but it’s within the boundaries of the proposed state of Southern California.
Draper’s proposal would keep the three new states in the U.S., unlike several “Calexit” measures meant to ease California toward independence because of the Golden State’s perceived incompatibility with the policies of Washington, D.C. and other states.
Perhaps noting the outside chance that all of the measures could end up on next year’s ballot, Draper’s plan includes language that it would override other measures “relating to the same subject” if it got more votes.
The measure would need 585,407 valid voter signatures to qualify for next fall’s ballot.
