Politico: Putin's Plot For Texas Secession

Fascinating story on Politico. It begins:

Nathan Smith, who styles himself the “foreign minister” for the Texas Nationalist Movement, appeared last Spring at a far-right confab in St. Petersburg, Russia. Despite roaming around in his cowboy hat, Smith managed to keep a low-key presence at the conference, which was dominated by fascists and neo-Nazis railing against Western decadence. But at least one Russian newspaper, Vzglyad, caught up with the American, noted that TNM is “hardly a marginal group,”and quoted Smith liberally on the excellent prospects for a partial breakup of the United States. Smith declared that the Texas National Movement has 250,000 supporters—including all the Texans currently serving in the U.S. Army—and they all “identify themselves first and foremost as Texans” but are being forced to remain Americans. The United States, he added, “is not a democracy, but a dictatorship.” The Kremlin’s famed troll farms took the interview and ran with it, with dozens of bots instantly tweeting about a “Free Texas.”

For Russians, this was delicious payback. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union two decades ago, many Russians have come to blame the United States for their plight; a seething resentment over U.S. culpability in the loss of Russian national power is one of the reasons Vladimir Putin is so popular. It has only worsened since the United States has led an international effort to isolate and sanction Moscow over its annexation of Crimea and incursions into eastern Ukraine. Thus, over the past 15 months there has been a sudden, bizarro uptick of Russian interest in and around the American Southwest, most notably Texas, where secessionist sentiment never seems to entirely die out (TNM’s predecessor group, the “Republic of Texas,” disbanded after secessionist militants took hostages in 1997). In a rehash of the Soviet Union’s fate, numerous Russian voices have taken to envisioning an American break-up, E Pluribus Unum in inverse—out of one, many.

Hit the link for much more.

SCOTLAND: Another Secession Bid?

Yesterday's election in Britain may result in another bid for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) obliterated its opponents, taking 56 of Scotland's 59 seats in the Westminster parliament. The Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats could muster only one seat each. This marked a spectacular gain from the six seats the SNP won in the last United Kingdom election in 2010. But with the Conservatives securing victory across Britain overall to stay in power, a wide divide has opened up between England and Scotland. The results from Thursday's election immediately put the question of another referendum on Scottish independence at the forefront of minds north and south of the border. Scots voted against independence last September but the SNP, which led the drive, has surged in popularity since then and eclipsed the pro-union Labour Party, which has traditionally counted Scotland as a stronghold in Britain-wide elections.

In the September 2014 secession vote, 55% voted no.

CALIFORNIA: Former NOM Staffer Files For State To Secede From United States

JMG reader Ben points out yet another crackpot 2016 ballot measure for California. This one calls for the state to become an independent nation.

Sovereign California is challenging the bankrupt and dysfunctional American political system with a new hope for California. Our new hope lies in greater autonomy so we can do what is right for California. For the past three decades, the United States has used us as a donor state – reinvesting a quarter of our tax dollars every year to bankroll infrastructure and education in other states while roads in California remain neglected – now 3rd worst in the nation – and our children attend substandard schools – now 5th worst in the nation. Is this ever going to stop? Not unless we change the status quo – and that means a new relationship with the United States. We will define that new relationship by establishing a state panel that puts ideology aside and puts California first. This panel represents a new hope for California.

If the name on the below referendum filing seems familiar to you, that's because he is the very same NOM tour bus driver that later came out in support of same-sex marriage. In blog posts after his April 2011 defection, Louis Marinelli claimed that Brian Brown had instructed him to take photos of counter-protesters that made them appear to be "crazy." Brown then dismissed Marinelli as "nothing more than a volunteer bus driver," but Good As You then proved that Marinelli was the administrator of NOM's Facebook page and had actually come up with the idea of the bus tour in the first place.

It's Time For Anti-Gay States To Secede And Form New Nation Called "Reagan"

Brian Tashman writes:

While speaking yesterday with Janet Mefferd about his book, “The Secessionist States of America: The Blueprint for Creating a Traditional Values Country…Now,” MacKinnon called for a movement of states, starting with South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, to establish a new country that will adhere to the Religious Right’s political agenda. Texas, MacKinnon explained, was not included in his secessionist blueprint because “there have been a number of incursions into Texas and other places from some of the folks in Mexico.”

Poll: 53% Of Teabaggers Favor Secession

Via the Los Angeles Times:

According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Friday, 23.9% of Americans polled from Aug. 23 through Sept. 16 said they strongly supported or tended to support the idea of their state breaking away from the country. About 53% of the 8,952 respondents strongly opposed or tended to oppose secession, slightly less than the percentage that kept Scotland in the United Kingdom. Support for secession cuts across many lines, the poll found, but the West and Southwest, where the vision of rugged individualism still draws praise, seemed more inclined to back separation than the staid New England area. Younger and poorer folks were more likely to want to run for the exit. Politically, conservatives and Republicans seem to like the idea of leaving more than Democrats. Among people who said they identified with the tea party, supporters of secession were actually in the majority, with 53%.

(Tipped by JMG reader Joel)

BRITAIN: Cameron Promises Devolved Powers For All Nations In United Kingdom

During his triumphant speech early this morning, British Prime Minister David Cameron vowed that "just as the people of Scotland will have more power over their affairs, so it follows that the people of England, Wales, Northern Ireland must have a bigger say over theirs." He continued, "The question of English votes for English laws - the so-called West Lothian question - requires a decisive answer. So just as Scotland will vote separately on their issues of tax, spending and welfare, so too England as well as Wales and Northern Ireland should be able to vote on these issues." Some have worried that the government will be pushed further right without liberal Scottish votes in Parliament.
  

Today's Front Pages In Britain

Open Thread: Scotland Poll ResultsUPDATE: BBC Calls It, "The UK Survives"

The polls have closed in Scotland and the votes are being tabulated. Since there was no exit polling, all eyes are on the 32 Scottish councils as they report their results. The first reports are expected at around 9PM Eastern time and we should know if the world has a new independent country about five hours later. The Guardian will be updating the returns at the above link.

UPDATE: Glasgow voted YES for independence, but the margin was smaller than expected. Once Glasgow reported, the BBC immediately called it. "There will be no independent Scotland."

Glasgow - Scotland's biggest city - votes for independence BUT it won't be enough. The UK survives
— Nick Robinson (@bbcnickrobinson) September 19, 2014

My YES friends, let's turn our passion towards ensuring the Devo Max promises the Westminster establishment have made to us are delivered

— Alan Cumming (@Alancumming) September 19, 2014

I've spoken to Alistair Darling - and congratulated him on an well-fought campaign. #indyref

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) September 19, 2014

Today's Front Pages In Great Britain

More here. (Tipped by JMG reader Kyle)

Scotland Goes To The Polls

Via the BBC:

People in Scotland are voting on whether the country should stay in the UK or become an independent nation. Voters will answer "Yes" or "No" to the referendum question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?" With 4,285,323 people - 97% of the electorate - registered to vote, it is expected to be the busiest day in Scottish electoral history. Votes will be cast at 5,579 polling stations until 22:00 on Thursday. The result is expected on Friday morning. Strict rules mean the BBC - in common with other broadcasters - is not allowed to report details of campaigning until after the polls close. Once the polls have closed, ballot papers will be counted in each of Scotland's 32 local authority areas. These will include votes cast from the 789,024 postal vote applications, which was the largest volume of registration for postal votes ever in Scotland. After votes have been tallied, the counting officer in each area will communicate the result to the chief counting officer Mary Pitcaithly in Edinburgh. With her approval they will then make a declaration of the result,.

Headline Of The Day

Today might be the last day of the United Kingdom as we've known it. CNN reports that last minute polls remain in a dead heat.

Politicians are making their final pleas to Scottish voters Wednesday, the last day of campaigning before they head to the polls to vote on independence. Opinion polls put the two sides neck-and-neck ahead of Thursday's historic referendum, which could see Scotland split from the United Kingdom. The latest poll of polls, released Wednesday by ScotCen, an independent research center, shows "no" at 51% and "yes" at 49%, with "don't know" voters excluded. It is consistent with results over the past week or so, which have indicated the race is too close to call. Polls suggest around 8% of voters remain undecided, making their votes crucial to deciding the outcome of the referendum.

As the vote nears, emotions are running high on both sides of the divide. There were chaotic scenes as Labour Party leader Ed Miliband met with members of the public on Tuesday, forcing him to cut short a meet and greet. Prime Minister David Cameron pleaded on a visit to Aberdeen this week for Scotland to stay in the union. If they leave there will be no return, he warned, saying, "This is a once-and-for-all decision." Cameron will face tough questions over the effectiveness of the pro-union "Better Together" campaign if Scotland opts to leave, with critics accusing the main parties in Westminster of complacency over the vote. They have also questioned the promise of more powers for Scotland if it stays, warning that England and Wales should not lose out.

Separatist movements around the world are hanging on every bit of news out of Scotland.

Taiwanese Animators On Scotland's Vote

54% Of LGBT Scots Favor Secession

According to an online poll conducted by Pink News, 54% of LGBT Scots plan on voting for independence from Great Britain.

2,163 Scottish readers took part in the poll conducted on the Pink News website on Friday and Saturday. 54% said that they intended to vote yes, 44% said that they would be voting no while 2% said that they were still undecided. Among 1,204 non-Scottish readers of Pink News, 87% said that they opposed independence, 5% supported it, while 8% were unsure. First Minister Alex Salmond told Pink News: “I am delighted this Pink News poll has produced a majority for the Yes campaign, as well as the opportunity to build a fairer country that comes with it. It is a fantastic response from Scotland’s LGBT community and is a further demonstration of the rise in support for a Yes vote we have seen across Scotland. An independent Scotland will herald a new era for equalities, enshrining rights and protections in a written constitution.”

Both the Yes Scotland and Better Together campaigns have been courting LGBT voters. If the overall margin proves to be as tight as predicted, LGBT votes could turn out to be important.

Yes Scotland Protests The BBC

"Pro-independence Scots rallied outside the BBC’s Glasgow headquarters on Sunday to protest the public broadcaster’s pro-union 'bias' and demand the resignation of political editor Nick Robinson."

John Oliver On Scotland

Raw Story recaps:

“So Scotland and England have been involved in something of a 300-year-old arranged marriage,” he explained, “And look, I will be the first one to acknowledge, England has been a little bit of a dick since the honeymoon. In 1746, we actually banned the kilt, just because we knew they liked it. And then, we chose ‘God Save the King’ as the U.K.’s national anthem, a song which, at one point, had a verse referencing ‘rebellious Scots to crush.’ Although, to be fair, we later realized that was wrong and replaced it with a line about pissing on the Welsh.” Oliver mocked the name of the campaign designed to keep Scotland a part of the UK, “Better Together,” saying “it sounds like what people say to convince themselves to stay in a dead marriage.”

SCOTLAND: Polls Split On Final Weekend

Via the Telegraph:

Polling experts said the Scottish independence referendum was “too close to call” on Saturday night as a clutch of surveys gave contradictory pictures of the state of the campaign. A survey of 705 Scots by ICM for The Telegraph suggested that the Yes vote had opened up an eight-point lead over the No campaign. Results of the online poll showed 54 per cent of Scots who have made up their minds planned to vote in favour of independence, with 46 per cent intending to vote against. However, a separate telephone poll of 1,000 Scots by Survation [seen above], released by the Better Together campaign against independence, put the No vote ahead by the same margin. Meanwhile, an Opinium/Observer poll also showed a narrow gap in favour of No. Excluding undecided voters, the poll found 53% of those questioned plan to vote No while 47% intend to vote Yes.

A separate poll taken in England and Wales unsurprisingly shows a strong majority against secession.

Groundskeeper Willie For Yes Scotland

New From Yes Scotland

The pro-independence Yes Scotland appears to have adopted Dougie McClean's 1977 classic Caledonia as their theme song. Caledonia has been covered by countless artists and is often described as Scotland's unofficial national anthem. Kylie Minogue and Lulu performed the song with McLean at last month's closing ceremony for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

New From Scotland Better Together

"With just one week to go, now's the time to get out there and make the positive case for a No vote on 18 September - more powers for Scotland guaranteed, without taking on all the risks of separation. It's the best of both worlds for Scotland."

Alan Cumming For Yes Scotland