Russian Predicts New Texas Republic

Lone Star State, Single Again?

Former KGB strategy analyst getting his Warhollian face time by declaring U.S. will fall apart by 2010. His redrawn map of the U.S. was published by the Wall Street Journal, which although making for good copy, seems fanciful.

However, if for nothing but idle speculation, take a look at the map and see if you agree with the professor's analysis.

As if Things Weren't Bad Enough, Russian Professor Predicts End of U.S. - WSJ.com via kwout

First, it seems a bit fantastic that a Texas Republic would cover the entire South and Southeast. Ark-la-tex-ahoma seems more a plausible scenario, with bits and pieces of New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas thrown in to the west and north.

Other issues that come to mind:

• Ignoring the huge differences in culture between West Coast cities separated by mountain ranges such as Seattle versus Spokane.
• Utah attempted to become its own country before, it's hard to imagine it not trying to again rather than throw in with the Pacific coastline states.
• Chicago is a super regional powerhouse whose influence stretches to Minnesota's western and northern borders, down to Missouri's southern borders and around to Indiana.
• Does Canada have influence to exert?

In sum, the professor would have done just as well to simply copy the scenario laid out in the excellent, but now cancelled show, Jericho. .:.