Republican wants Cook County to secede from Illinois

[Tender Branson]

Bill Mitchell, Illinois State Representative, Proposes Separating Cook County From Rest Of State

Republican State Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Decatur, introduced a bill Tuesday urging Congress to "enact legislation dividing Illinois and Cook County into separate states."

The bill [HJR0052] argues that the state of Illinois is "functional to the extent that its people agree on politics, society, and economics." Because, according to the bill, the majority of Cook County residents "hold different and firmly seated views on these important questions" than residents of the state's other 101 counties and have roughly equivalent populations. They both should each "enjoy the chance to govern themselves with their firmly seated values," the bill's sponsors believe.

Mitchell's bill goes on to cite Maine's secession in 1819 from the state of Massachusetts after over forty years of being a "physically separate but politically contiguous" part of the state.

The bill, finally, calls on the state's General Assembly to authorize a referendum leaving the matter up to the state's voters. Once approved, the fate of the bill would then theoretically be left up to the U.S. Congress and President Obama.

Mitchell explained to the Decatur Tribune that when he speaks with his constituents, "one of the biggest things I hear is 'Chicago should be its own state.'"

"Downstate families are tired of Chicago dictating its views to the rest of us," Mitchell continued. "You only have to look at the election results from last year's governor’s race to see the problem. Cook County carried Pat Quinn, while almost every downstate county supported Bill Brady. Our voters' voices were drowned out by Chicago."

As of Tuesday, only state Rep. Adam Brown, R-Decatur, has signed on to the measure as a co-sponsor. He told the Decatur paper that "lame-duck Democrats" were responsible for the passage of the state's income tax hike, civil union passage and the abolition of the death penalty.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/22/bill-mitchell-illinois-st_n_1108767.html

[Tender Branson]

I've just looked it up:

"Reduced Illinois" has voted 52.8 to 45.5 for Obama - just like the US did.

So it would become a swing state.

[memphis]

First off, he's not from Cook County, so he the thread title is wrong. He wants to kick Cook County out of Illinois. And he offers lame excuses for an obvious political exercise. People in Memphis aren't thrilled that the hillbillies in Middle and East Tennessee dictate state policy, but we don't jump to secesssion because of it. Does he not care that Cook County is the goose that lays the golden egg? But I suppose obvious troll is obvious.

[greenforest32]

Kudos to Cook County for being badass

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_gubernatorial_election,_2010

You must be logged in to read this quote.

When will rural folks learn?

[anvi]

Yep, I'm certain that downstate Illinois will be a real bastion of economic opportunity, international investment, runaway job growth and enviable prosperity if it can only get Cook County of its back.  So, these guys, because they lost one governor's race by a whisker, want to get Chicago out of their state, and they want to do it by circulating a state referendum to be voted on by the very state citizens, in Cook and the surrounding largest counties, who outnumber them in the first place.  And here I thought South Dakota politicians came up with the most hairbrained schemes.  

[All Along The Watchtower]

Illinois is terribly boring outside of Cook County.

[minionofmidas]

Cook County only? That makes no sense. Ought to be the eight counties from Kankakee to McHenry.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Cook County only? That makes no sense. Ought to be the eight counties from Kankakee to McHenry.

Exactly. An argument can be made for separating the entire Chicago metropolitan area from the rest of Illinois, but not for separating part of it.

[opebo]

Cook County only? That makes no sense. Ought to be the eight counties from Kankakee to McHenry.

Exactly. An argument can be made for separating the entire Chicago metropolitan area from the rest of Illinois, but not for separating part of it.

Greedy bastards want to keep the white part.

[Хahar 🤔]

Illinois without Chicagoland would be, what, Indiana?

[tmthforu94]

Leave a little space up North and call that Illinois. Merge the southern part of the state with Indiana and Missouri. At least where I live, the two sides are so similar you can't tell you're in a different state.

BTW, I think this "Southern Illinois" would be a Lean Republican state like Missouri. Of course, it voted on national average with Obama in 2008, but probably wouldn't have came that close if he hadn't been from Illinois.

[Franzl]

At least where I live, the two sides are so similar you can't tell you're in a different state.

Where is that not true between any two U.S. states?

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

So basically, what this would do is create a new state- which would be more Democratic than Vermont, just because of population- and make the rest of Illinois a slightly left-leaning swing state that would possibly backfire on this guy's intentions.  Nice.

[Franzl]

So basically, what this would do is create a new state- which would be more Democratic than Vermont, just because of population- and make the rest of Illinois a slightly left-leaning swing state that would possibly backfire on this guy's intentions.  Nice.

Since when is Illinois without Chicago anything but right-leaning?

[memphis]

Cook County only? That makes no sense. Ought to be the eight counties from Kankakee to McHenry.

Exactly. An argument can be made for separating the entire Chicago metropolitan area from the rest of Illinois, but not for separating part of it.

Cut out city states? Are we trying to emulate medieval Italy? The states have cities and rural areas on purpose. They're complementery.

[Хahar 🤔]

At least where I live, the two sides are so similar you can't tell you're in a different state.

Where is that not true between any two U.S. states?

I can always tell when I'm entering Nevada.

[Franzl]

At least where I live, the two sides are so similar you can't tell you're in a different state.

Where is that not true between any two U.S. states?

I can always tell when I'm entering Nevada.

Alright. I accept Nevada as an exception, if only for the casinos crowding the border. But 2 miles into NV is no different than 2 miles into CA.

[memphis]

At least where I live, the two sides are so similar you can't tell you're in a different state.

Where is that not true between any two U.S. states?

I can always tell when I'm entering Nevada.

Alright. I accept Nevada as an exception, if only for the casinos crowding the border. But 2 miles into NV is no different than 2 miles into CA.

It's easy to tell you're entering AR or LA becuase the interstates in those states suck. I went to school in New Orleans, so I've done the southern part of I-55 at least a hundred times. For all its shortcomings, Mississippi takes care of its roads. The second you see that damn Bienvenue en Louisane sign, it's bump bump bump all the way to the Big Easy.

[Bacon King]

At least where I live, the two sides are so similar you can't tell you're in a different state.

Where is that not true between any two U.S. states?

I can always tell when I'm entering Nevada.

Alright. I accept Nevada as an exception, if only for the casinos crowding the border. But 2 miles into NV is no different than 2 miles into CA.

It's easy to tell you're entering AR or LA becuase the interstates in those states suck. I went to school in New Orleans, so I've done the southern part of I-55 at least a hundred times. For
l all its shortcomings, Mississippi takes care of its roads. The second you see that damn Bienvenue en Louisane sign, it's bump bump bump all the way to the Big Easy.

Actually, Louisiana's been doing some massive roadwork over the last few years- I think they got a lot of stimulus money for it. They even completely rebuilt the I-10 twinspan over Ponchartrain. Last I saw, it looked like they might be tearing down the Huey P- which is a great thing; every New Orleans native I know is horrified at the thought of driving over that bridge. And as far as the interstates go, the quality of I-10 seems considerably improved.

I agree with you that Mississippi's highways are very well maintained, though, and they also have the nicest rest stops in the country. There's still a huge contrast on the other side of Mississippi, though- Alabama's interstates are worse than Louisiana's ever were.   

[redcommander]

Sounds like a good idea. That liberal cesspool keeps those corrupt Libs in office. Pat Quinn has certainly done wonders for the state since being elected.

[Bacon King]

Sounds like a good idea. That liberal cesspool keeps those corrupt Libs in office. Pat Quinn has certainly done wonders for the state since being elected.

Hey, if you want to make a new state that has two Safe D Senate seats, while keeping the rest of Illinois's two seats in reach for the Dems, that's fine with me.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Cook County only? That makes no sense. Ought to be the eight counties from Kankakee to McHenry.

Exactly. An argument can be made for separating the entire Chicago metropolitan area from the rest of Illinois, but not for separating part of it.

Agreed.  Although I see no harm in just keeping Cook County part of Illinois.

[memphis]

At least where I live, the two sides are so similar you can't tell you're in a different state.

Where is that not true between any two U.S. states?

I can always tell when I'm entering Nevada.

Alright. I accept Nevada as an exception, if only for the casinos crowding the border. But 2 miles into NV is no different than 2 miles into CA.

It's easy to tell you're entering AR or LA becuase the interstates in those states suck. I went to school in New Orleans, so I've done the southern part of I-55 at least a hundred times. For
l all its shortcomings, Mississippi takes care of its roads. The second you see that damn Bienvenue en Louisane sign, it's bump bump bump all the way to the Big Easy.

Actually, Louisiana's been doing some massive roadwork over the last few years- I think they got a lot of stimulus money for it. They even completely rebuilt the I-10 twinspan over Ponchartrain. Last I saw, it looked like they might be tearing down the Huey P- which is a great thing; every New Orleans native I know is horrified at the thought of driving over that bridge. And as far as the interstates go, the quality of I-10 seems considerably improved.

I agree with you that Mississippi's highways are very well maintained, though, and they also have the nicest rest stops in the country. There's still a huge contrast on the other side of Mississippi, though- Alabama's interstates are worse than Louisiana's ever were.  

That's incredible that Louisiana is getting it's act together on roads! I finished in 2005 and haven't been back since, so my version is rather out of date. And they were trying to fix the New Orleans city streets when I was there, but there were just so many that were out of control messed up. You couldn't drive more than 15 mph on many streets, even some major ones because of it. I don't think there's anywhere in America that even compared.
I have no idea if this is true or not but the urban legend was that Louisiana refused to raise the drinking age to 21 until the 90s, so the feds cut off funding for roads for a long time. If true, Louisiana apparantly decided the Spring Break type tourism was more important than maintaining roads. Or maybe they were just a bunch of drunks. Anything was possible in that town. Except for cracking down on crime. Everybody I knew was a victim. But that's a story for another day...
Oh, and tearing down the Huey P? HOLY CRAP! That would be epic! I presume they'd have to build a replacement bridge for Jefferson Parish...

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

So basically, what this would do is create a new state- which would be more Democratic than Vermont, just because of population- and make the rest of Illinois a slightly left-leaning swing state that would possibly backfire on this guy's intentions.  Nice.

Since when is Illinois without Chicago anything but right-leaning?

Well, maybe left-leaning goes too far.  But it's definitely swingy.

[Bacon King]

At least where I live, the two sides are so similar you can't tell you're in a different state.

Where is that not true between any two U.S. states?

I can always tell when I'm entering Nevada.

Alright. I accept Nevada as an exception, if only for the casinos crowding the border. But 2 miles into NV is no different than 2 miles into CA.

It's easy to tell you're entering AR or LA becuase the interstates in those states suck. I went to school in New Orleans, so I've done the southern part of I-55 at least a hundred times. For
l all its shortcomings, Mississippi takes care of its roads. The second you see that damn Bienvenue en Louisane sign, it's bump bump bump all the way to the Big Easy.

Actually, Louisiana's been doing some massive roadwork over the last few years- I think they got a lot of stimulus money for it. They even completely rebuilt the I-10 twinspan over Ponchartrain. Last I saw, it looked like they might be tearing down the Huey P- which is a great thing; every New Orleans native I know is horrified at the thought of driving over that bridge. And as far as the interstates go, the quality of I-10 seems considerably improved.

I agree with you that Mississippi's highways are very well maintained, though, and they also have the nicest rest stops in the country. There's still a huge contrast on the other side of Mississippi, though- Alabama's interstates are worse than Louisiana's ever were.   

That's incredible that Louisiana is getting it's act together on roads! I finished in 2005 and haven't been back since, so my version is rather out of date. And they were trying to fix the New Orleans city streets when I was there, but there were just so many that were out of control messed up. You couldn't drive more than 15 mph on many streets, even some major ones because of it. I don't think there's anywhere in America that even compared.
I have no idea if this is true or not but the urban legend was that Louisiana refused to raise the drinking age to 21 until the 90s, so the feds cut off funding for roads for a long time. If true, Louisiana apparantly decided the Spring Break type tourism was more important than maintaining roads. Or maybe they were just a bunch of drunks. Anything was possible in that town. Except for cracking down on crime. Everybody I knew was a victim. But that's a story for another day...
Oh, and tearing down the Huey P? HOLY CRAP! That would be epic! I presume they'd have to build a replacement bridge for Jefferson Parish...

Just googled it, and they're actually expanding the Huey P, so it'll have normal sized car lanes. I assumed they were getting rid of it because last time I was down there, it was closed off with a big crane next to it.

But yeah, New Orleans city streets are still a permanent construction zone; I doubt that'll ever change. My geology professor said it was because all the roadside trees mess up the pavement, but I've heard the drinking age thing as well.

Regarding crime, from my three years at Tulane I can only think of a few times that something happened to people I know- mostly bike thefts (and my frat house was robbed, but that ended up being another frat's pledges). The only thing I've really seen people be victims of is TUPD's overzealous enforcement of the school's alcohol/drug policies. It's anecdotal, of course, but it does seem like crime isn't as much of a problem compared to when you were down here.

Which school did you go to, memphis?