Y ou grew up knowing only one America. You weren't alive during the colonial era or the American Revolution. You have only ever known one American flag – the flag with 50 stars. In some states, you 'll see the Confederate flag hanging in windows or unfurled across some building walls. That flag takes some Americans back to a very different country, much like the very first national flag of 1861 – the flag with seven stars. America is an evolving country, but its evolution is overlooked by generations that become comfortable with their country's present history. In 2014, something unique could happen. In this lifetime, our generation could see another phase in America's ongoing evolution.

America is a union of independent states. If a powerful American capitalist gets his way, the state of California could become six separate and independent states by 2016. Tim Draper, a venture capitalist from Silicon Valley, has set out on a quest to gather enough signatures to put his proposal for six Californias on the November ballot. The benefits of a divided California come into effect when attempting to solve the state's most troublesome and dangerous problem to date: debt.

California's unemployment rate hovers around 10% with over 1.5 million members of the labor force without work. The state's debt sits at an astronomical $419 billion and is expected to surpass $420 billion by the end of 2014. As of today's date, California spends $72 billion more than it takes in. Dividing California into six separate states could also result in the state's current debt being divided into more manageable segments. More importantly, dividing California could alleviate the state's looming tax burden.