A Study in Florida’s Sustainability as an Independent Nation

An Educational Project of the Florida League of the South

Florida’s first state seal pattern as it appeared on Florida’s Ordinance of Secession 10 January 1861

In the wake of the Second North American Secession Convention, held October 3-4, 2007 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, self-government has become a hot topic across the country. Today, there are secessionist movements from Vermont to California – from Alaska to Dixie.

The people are now crying out for a return to local control.

Even though the government established by the Articles of Confederation, agreed to in 1778 was styled "The United States of America," it was a joint venture by the new sovereign States for common purposes. The powers of government remained firmly lodged in the legislatures of the 13 States.

Moreover, while the Articles of Confederation may have appeared to be weak as an instrument of national union, there were good reasons why they went no further. In each of the newly sovereign States the people had just adopted constitutions for the governance of their State. Their desire for self-government was forcefully and simply expressed by a soldier who had been in the battle of Concord and Lexington, when he was later interviewed by John Adams. When asked "What was the matter, what did you mean going into the fight?" The soldier responded, “What we meant in going for those red-coats, was this: We had always governed ourselves and always meant to. They didn't mean we should.”

After successfully fighting to preserve the broad right of self-government, which they had enjoyed since the founding of Jamestown, the people of each State were not about to give up the power to govern themselves to any other legislative body. Unfortunately, the servant government they created as a result of their sacrifice so many years ago has today become an oppressive master.

In a poll conducted by CNN in 2006 a startling 78% of Americans said that the Washington based government is “broken”. The poll also concludes that over 21 million Americans believe the system cannot be fixed. What would lead Americans, including our fellow Floridians, to have such a pessimistic outlook on Washington’s government? A confiscatory federal taxation system enforced through threats of prison or death certainly is no favorite among our people. Even a change to the so-called “Fair Tax” would do nothing to curb a bloated and out of control government. The money our state collects from us through various taxes and surrenders to the federal government is used to enslave us with little or no benefit to our state. As an example, in the year 2003, for every dollar the State of Florida sent to the federal government, she received one dollar in return. On a personal level, that is almost $6000 for the 18,000,000 million plus citizens in our Great State. Therefore, we Floridians together, put our hard earned money into one collective pot and allow the political suits in a faraway place to send it back. However, we only receive if we beg; and then our money must be spent where we are told, as if we had not the intelligence to provide for our own States’ needs. Is this freedom?

We say no thank you. Let us keep our money and spend it as we Floridians see fit.

Florida and other Southern states continually have their conservative votes diluted by liberal “Blue States” forcing the tyranny of the majority upon us in such fields as abortion, gun control, legal and illegal immigration and foreign policy to name just a few.

Think about this: since the ratification of the 17^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Florida has had no representation in Washington, DC. Through its embassy in Washington, DC, the Congolese Republic actually has more representation than the State of Florida, which has become nothing more than a taxable province used to facilitate the feeding of Washington’s foreign and domestic boondoggles.

The corruption and intrusions of the federal government are legion and it would take volumes to outline here. However, there is no need. Seventy eight percent of Americans already know the system is broken.

At one time, we lived under a system of federal government in which there were three safeguards to our liberty. This tripod of security included nullification, interposition and secession. Somewhere along the path of the Washington government becoming broken, nullification and interposition were lost. The only tool left in our defense is secession. However, can we as Floridians survive as an independent nation? How do we rank compared to other nations of the earth?

We have already demonstrated from the example of 2003 that we can live happily without federal tax dollars. In 2006, Florida had a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 713.5 billion dollars. Compared to the approximately 192 nations of the earth this would place Florida very favorably at around #19 on the list. This would place Florida above such Western nations as the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland and even the insanely rich nation of Saudi Arabia. Florida’s economic strength would make for a viable independent nation.

In land mass Florida is approximately 53,927 sq. miles. This makes Florida larger than the sovereign Western nations of Austria, Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland or Belgium to name a few. Size is obviously not a limiting factor to Florida’s independence.

Our population of approximately 18.1 million is larger than that of many sovereign Western nations to include the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland and Norway. Compare Iceland’s population of only 312, 851 and you can see that sovereignty and safety don’t depend on a large population.

As for national security, Florida military historian, Robert Hawk points out that Florida has one of the largest Guard organizations in the US and has all the necessary units to perform as an independent army. The Florida army Guard contains infantry, artillery, cavalry, air defense, engineer, communications, military intelligence and Special Forces as well as troop-carrying and reconnaissance helicopter units. The Florida Air Guard contains air-to-air combat aircraft as well as medium lift transport, which can operate out of any of the state’s 27 military airfields.

If Florida felt the need to increase the size of her military her large population pool would give her a military of dramatic proportions. If Florida were to follow the model of the US military with an active duty force of only 4.76 troops per 1000 citizens, Florida would boast an active armed force of over 86,000 personnel, larger than such Western nations as Australia, Canada, Belgium and Finland. If Florida were to follow the Swiss model with an active duty force of 47.90 troops per 1000 citizens she would have the 6^th largest army in the world with only Communist China, the US, India, North Korea and Russia having a larger active duty force.

When it comes to industry, most people only think of Florida in terms of tourism and citrus fruits. Florida however has a strong, skilled and competent manufacturing workforce. Florida supports overt 16,000 manufacturing establishments producing computer and electronic products, transportation equipment, fabricated metal products, food, machinery, nonmetallic mineral products, chemicals, furniture and related products and plastic and rubber products just to name a few.

Florida is rich in natural and agricultural resources, which would aid her in self-sustainability. Florida produces 25% of the world’s phosphate. Ninety Percent of phosphate use is geared towards the manufacture of fertilizer for the production of food and fiber products. Phosphate is also important in livestock feed supplements as well as vitamins, soft drinks, toothpaste, film, light bulbs, bone china, flame-resistant fabrics and optical glass. Florida also leads the continent in the production of masonry cement, peat output, sand, crushed stone and clays.

With Florida’s year-round growing seasons and over 42,500 working farms, she is able to produce over 280 crops, which account for an 87.6 billion dollar impact on the economy. Florida conducts agricultural trade with over 100 countries worldwide which generates around 1.3 billion dollars in cash receipts annually. Florida raises over 952,000 head of beef calves a year. Our livestock industry including beef, poultry, eggs and milk accounted for record gross receipts of over 1.5 billion dollars in 2004. Florida could not only easily feed herself as an independent nation; she is helping feed the world.

Florida’s aerospace and aviation industry is defined by the 1,800 related companies employing over 83,000 workers. Florida hosts nearly 1/3^rd of worldwide commercial space activity. Florida’s defense industry is one of the largest in the US with its firms building everything from satellites and next generation air defense systems to body armor and armored vehicles.

As you can see, Florida possesses the critical resources that are necessary to prosper as an independent republic. Reinstating our separation from that leviathan federal government unquestionably opens the door to greater liberty and prosperity for the people of Florida.

The only question remaining is – what are we waiting for?