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Published Letters: 2
The desire to break unions is not the only motive for the Southern senators' dogged opposition to saving the U. S. auto industry. It is only part of a plantation mentality that never died in the South and that continues to hate the industrial, Yankee North. To them, it is a good thing to drive middle class working people to poverty, so that the hereditary aristocracy can feel secure and in control. There is no real loyalty to the Nation, since the South still does regard itself as fully American.
Now that we have Southerners out of the executive branch, the Obama administration and Congress should break the hierarchical power of the remaining Stennis-mold southern senators.
I agree with the analysis of neo-Confederate strategy, but disagree with the proposed remedy: that we of the Union pay to reconstruct the South. The differences are far from purely economic; they are cultural and stem from fundamental and irreconcilable differences regarding modernity versus plantation culture, the role of primitive religion, pluralism, and many, many more dimensions. We can never put this Humpty-Dumpty together, even after over 220 years.
We should acknowledge that after 135+ years, Lincoln was mistaken in trying to build one nation out of two so at odds with each other's basic approach to the world. I suggest that we pass explicit legislation to permit secession and/or permit the expulsion of states. I'm sure that the neo-Confederate public would quickly pressure their leaders to opt out,leaving Blue states to form new republics or to become a revitalized but smaller United States.
