Independent Cascadia? Greater Idaho? Disunited States Look Toward Divorce
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- Andrew Engelson, a journalist turned organizer, hosted a poetry reading in Seattle to inspire reflection on the identity of "Cascadia," a bioregion spanning Northern California to British Columbia.
- The event aimed to highlight regional connections through odes to natural features, suggesting that Cascadia might be better off separate from the United States.
- Engelson's group, Cascadia Democratic Action, is promoting discussions that could lead to 2028 ballot measures on secession in Washington and Oregon if political conditions do not improve.
- This movement reflects a broader trend in the U.S. where some citizens, frustrated with disempowerment, are considering redrawing or dissolving state boundaries.
- Engelson emphasizes regional affinity across the U.S.-Canada border, noting stronger ties to Vancouver, B.C. than to distant U.S. states like Arkansas.