I think, as footage proves, I was unreserved in expressing my disappointment that President Obama won re-election. I've been a stalwart defender of the conservative principles he's opposed, and I've been very critical of his failures.
But I'm also not a petulant child. And that's one way I'd describe the secessionist movement coming out of some far-right corners of the GOP. With all due respect to my conservatives in arms who are choosing to deal with this loss by threatening to leave the country and take a state or two with them, may I just say, go to the corner. You need a time out.
On the morning after the election I woke up, ate breakfast, put clothes on and got back to the business of living my life. Yes, it's under a president whose policies make my blood boil, but I don't think moving to Canada would solve much, unless of course it means I automatically get stock in Canadian bacon? No? Is that not how it works up there? Then I'm definitely out.
Nor do I think attempting to break up our great union into pieces so that I need a passport to go to Wyoming is particularly productive. For one, there will be another election in four years. And even though many of these policies will be hard if not impossible to undo, I'd rather be an American than a New Yorkian. Because that sounds weird.
Ron Paul's weighed in on the matter, writing that "secession is a deeply American principle. That is what our Revolutionary War was all about." That's true, but it was also about committing to the cause of democracy, which, if implemented correctly, would call into question our values from time to time, and would require us to disagree once in a while. We didn't say, "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union until we don't like it anymore at which point we will take our toys and go home." This thing was built to last. We were in it for the long haul. We knew we'd have to work for it.
And that's what I'm going to keep doing. Because when things don't go our way we don't pout in the corner like children. We put on our big-boy pants and get down to business. Now more than ever, we need to commit to our great country. And we need to commit to each other, and find ways to disagree productively. This stunt is immature and unpatriotic. And I resent it.
I mean, if I can come in here, the day after the election, and face these three lunatics day after day, surely you can find a way to move on too.