Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Marjorie Taylor Greene slammed after pushing for red state secession

Georgia Republican claims ‘everyone’ wants national split

Josh Marcus
San Francisco
Monday 20 February 2023 18:34 EST
Comments
Marjorie Taylor Greene claims she never used phrase 'Jewish space lasers'

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has generated a storm of controversy after calling for a “national divorce” separating red and blue states, with some interpreting the statement as a call for a second Civil War.

“We need a national divorce,” the Republican legislator wrote on Twitter on Monday. “We need to separate by red states and blue states and shrink the federal government. Everyone I talk to says this. From the sick and disgusting woke culture issues shoved down our throats to the Democrat’s (sic) traitorous America Last policies, we are done.”

The statement elicited condemnation from some Democrats, media figures, and anti-Trump Republicans alike.

The Independent has contacted Ms Greene’s office for comment.

“Let’s review some of the governing principles of America,” former GOP representative Liz Cheney wrote on Twitter. “Our country is governed by the Constitution. You swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Secession is unconstitutional. No member of Congress should advocate secession, Marjorie.”

“This is a member of the House Homeland Security Committee advocating for Civil War,” added Democratic strategist Kurt Bardella.

Others took a more historical view of the comments.

“The last time we tried this it ended up with Sherman burning her state Capitol,” Stuart Stevens of the Lincoln Project wrote on Twitter in a reference to the Civil War. “We need more AP history, not less.”

“The conservatives who scream loudest about the ‘anti-Americanism’ of the left turn out to be the most anti-American of all,” MSNBC’s Mehdi Hasan wrote on Twitter. “Surprise! Every accusation is a confession.”

Meanwhile, some took a more comic approach to their responses.

Speaking of the “national divorce,” comedian Jon Stewart asked: “But we get to keep the name right?”

The Georgia Republican’s views are representative of a larger current in US political thought.

According to a 2021 poll, support is growing for secession across the country, particularly among southern Republicans.

In the South, 37 per cent of respondents to a Bright Line Watch/YouGov poll said they had a “willingness to secede”.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in