Glenn Reynolds: Federalism Would Defuse Secession Fervor

Instead of imposing one-size-fits-all policies from above? What madness!

Since the election, we've seen more interest in secession. Hundreds of thousands Americans in all 50 states have petitioned to secede. Is the United States breaking up?

Nope. No more than in 2004, when disappointed Democrats were talking about secession, and circulating maps of America divided into "The United States of Canada" and "Jesusland." (This formulation even inspired a not-bad futuristic novel by Richard Morgan about a United States that did split.) Seceding over a presidential election is silly.

So why talk about seceding? Well, partly to register disapproval. Though I doubt President Obama is losing sleep over it, that his White House petition site is full of calls for secession is certainly an indication that many aren't overjoyed by his re-election.