Engagingly volatile as our election cycles have become, can you imagine what they would be like if the Civil War had turned out differently? Imagine the US as a country divided--in reality not just theory--with two governments: two presidents, two legislative bodies, two Supreme Courts, two justice systems, and all the rest.
Candidates would not only go after their rivals and those of the other party, but would also take on those of a real "other side." I nominate Dim Jemint-Confederate Republican as president: Let the tea flow freely! The Unionists would be lead by a triumvirate of Dennis Kucinich, Barbara Boxer, and Keith Ellison. Raul Grijalva would be the alternate. Rainbows and unicorns for all!
And the gridlock would ensue. This gridlock would walk up to the gridlock we know now, kick its ass, and stalk away laughing. Eight-hundred-seventy members of Congress, eighteen Supremes, uncounted federal agencies (on the one side--none on the other). Passports would be hard to come by, giving those of us here "legally" (ask the Native Americans to define that one) an idea of what it feels like to be on the other side of a border. Transportation, immigration, infrastructure, would be unbearably difficult to negotiate. Doing business would be a nightmare.
US-A and US-B would hardly get anything done at all. The people would line up and wait for a big bag of nothing. Jobs would move around like the ball in a backstreet shell game. Currencies would become worthless just by crossing a "state line."
Wait just a minute. I mean.... What? Now tell me again: Who won??
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