If you’ve looked at the electoral results map, you’ll notice there’s a bit of a stark difference between the red and the blue bits.

Uncle Ben's rebrands as Ben's Original and drops racist logo

That massive blue block on the left – encompassing California, Oregon, Nevada and Washington state – stands out quite a bit against all of the red.

So it may not be a huge surprise that people living in that Democrat-voting block are now looking at other options – specifically, secession.

Since Donald Trump’s electoral victory was first announced, #Calexit has been trending on Twitter, with distraught Californians looking to form their own state.


California could head off (Picture: Getty/Metro/Mylo)

And although it hasn’t been that long, the idea is really taking off

Looks like California can legally secede for some reason. Interesting. #Calexit — David Latchman (@SciWriterDave) November 9, 2016

Well, that took about 30 minutes. #CalExit — Caprice (@CapiCapone) November 9, 2016

Racism, sexism, queerphobia, transphobia, classism, ableism. If all of this makes American 'great' again, then we are not America. #CalExit — California Republic (@SagisAngel) November 9, 2016

I am so 100% for #calexit — Alex Messick (@PotatoScavenger) November 9, 2016

So #Calexit is a thing right? I am a million times down for that. — Sam Bell (@sarcasticsoresu) November 9, 2016

Even celeb blogger Perez Hilton is in on the action

Seriously. What are the steps to make this possible??? We must secede!! #Calexit — Perez (@ThePerezHilton) November 9, 2016

And others are saying Oregon and Washington (and maybe Nevada) should secede too

If we combine OR & WA what will the red states do without us bailing them out? All the brain trust & money goes w/US of West States #Secede https://t.co/QlPAPIpNGI — Ann Archie (@SamnRickisMom) November 9, 2016

One man suggested that the new country could be called ‘Cow’

CA, OR, and WA should either be a new country known as Cow or a Canadian province(also known as Cow). #CalExit — Denmark Gacayan (@tekniks) November 9, 2016

So could it actually happen?

Possibly – there is no specific ban on state secession in the US Constitution. In fact, there’s nothing on secession in there at all.



Plus, there’s a bit of a legal loophole.

In the case of Texas v White, the Supreme Court said:

When Texas became one of the United States, she entered into an indissoluble relation. The union between Texas and the other States was as complete, as perpetual, and as indissoluble as the union between the original States. There was no place for reconsideration or revocation, except through revolution or through consent of the States.

Did you notice that last bit? ‘Except through revolution or through consent of the States.’

If enough Californians want it, there’s a chance it could happen.

And this is far from the first west coast secession movement in the US – the Cascadia secessionists have long campaigned for a separate state of Cascadia, which mostly spans the Pacific Northwestern states.

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