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Washington lawmakers have filed a bill that would split the state in two, forming a 51st state called Liberty.

(DAN LEVINE/AFP/Getty Images)

A proposal to cleave off a 51st state has popped up in the Pacific Northwest, this time with a proposal by Washington lawmakers to split the state in two along the crest of the Cascades.

But unlike previous proposals to make new states or secede from the union altogether, which were propagated by liberals in the wake of Republican Donald Trump's presidential victory, this movement appears to be spearheaded by conservatives who want no part of the progressive proclivities of western Washington.

The bill, known as House Joint Memorial 4000 and pre-filed for 2017 by Representatives Matt Shea and Bob McCaslin, would turn eastern Washington into the new state of Liberty, which would see its western border along the ridge of the Cascades. The rest of the state borders would mimic those of the current, unified state of Washington.

"Since statehood, the lifestyles, culture, and economies of eastern and western Washington have been very distinct and dramatically different," the bill reads. "While the urbanization and rapid growth in the western portions of the state has progressively heightened this divergence of cultural and economic values between the western and eastern portions of the state."

This is far from the first time a group has advocated for the splintering off of a dissatisfied populace. After the most recent election, the hashtag #CalExit gained steam, pushing for the Golden State to become a golden country of its own. Then there was the short-lived pursuit of the nation of Cascadia, in which a ballot proposal was put forth and then quickly withdrawn after its proponents faced a swift backlash.

Whether we get a new state to our north remains to be seen, but if the bill follows in the footsteps of its historical predecessors, you shouldn't hold your breath.

-- Kale Williams

kwilliams@oregonian.com

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