Do Democrats suddenly realize that people shouldn't be forced into groups of which they want no part? Are they starting to understand the detriments of federally centralized power?

Or is it just that when the federal government is made up of liberals, it is fine to force their will on the nation, for citizens' own good? But now that Republicans are in charge, the Democrats don't want to be forced to follow centralized laws. Now, apparently, is the time to allow a laboratory of governments in the state legislatures, and municipalities.

This is sort of like how when I was a kid, my sister would always convince me to play "school" provided that she was the teacher first, and I the student. Inevitably, when my turn came to play the teacher, my sister was done playing.

I have no affinity for "red America" much more than I like "blue America"–for President I voted for Harambe, the dead gorilla.

I am, however, a big fan of individuals ruling themselves. I believe in free choice, and voluntary association. Government is only just when formed out of voluntary groups, of which secession is always just down to the individual when he or she no longer agrees with the group.

And after shoving their government-fetishist policies down everyone's throats for eight years, the liberals realize their turn is over for a bit. So now, some liberals would rather go back to the decentralized federation of state power–until of course it is their turn to "play teacher" again.

The Modest Proposal (That Would be Extreme if Anyone Else Proposed It)

So should we believe the progressives at NewRepublic.com when they claim they are willing to let us go our separate ways?

So here's my modest proposal:

You go your way, we go ours.

We give up. You win. From now on, we'll treat the animating ideal on which the United States was founded—out of many, one—as dead and buried. Federalism, true federalism, which you have vilified for the past century, is officially over, at least in spirit. You want to organize the nation around your cherished principle of states' rights—the idea that pretty much everything except the U.S. military and paper currency and the national anthem should be decided at the local level? Fine. We won't formally secede, in the Civil War sense of the word. We'll still be a part of the United States, at least on paper. But we'll turn our back on the federal government in every way we can, just like you've been urging everyone to do for years, and devote our hard-earned resources to building up our own cities and states. We'll turn Blue America into a world-class incubator for progressive programs and policies, a laboratory for a guaranteed income and a high-speed public rail system and free public universities. We'll focus on getting our own house in order, while yours falls into disrepair and ruin.

In short, we'll take our arrogant, cosmopolitan, liberal-elite football—wait, make that soccer ball—and go home.