PC: States in the USA as federations themselves

Are there any states that would of had the potential to be federations themselves, like the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina which, with the Srpska Republic, is a constituent part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, either at its formation (like Switzerland) or by decentralization (like Belgium)?
 

Susano

Banned
Constitutionally its surely possible, and I guess its doable as divergence that some settlers in the West try that. One candidate that comes to mind are the Dakotas, split in two states mostly because there were two centres, Pierre and Bismarck, and neither side could agree on which should become capital. So maybe a compromise creating a federalised states, with North, South and maybe an expansion westwards as sub-states? Especially with the right kind of pressure from Washington, which would depend on what party is at top at that time in this ATL...

As for the other route, decentralisation, it seems to me California is a perfect candidate to me. The regional differences in California are after all pretty large... or maybe an accidental decentralisation in Texas? In preperation to split the state up as allowed by the treaty of annexation, sub-entities of the state get gradually more autonomy rights, but for whatever reason that project gets cancelled - but the state regions already are used to decentralisation, so Texas decided to federalise.
 
Hawaii, with each island being a state within the state. If the islands aren't unified when (if?) the US takes it over, I think this is possible.
 
The Greater Commonwealth of Virginia, with: Piedmont (OTL Va.), Kanawha (OTL WVa.), Kentucky & Ohio , Wabash (OTL In.) & Illinois as its constituent members..
 
The Greater Commonwealth of Virginia, with: Piedmont (OTL Va.), Kanawha (OTL WVa.), Kentucky & Ohio , Wabash (OTL In.) & Illinois as its constituent members..
Seems like a recipe for disaster actually. If Virginia got that, I can't imagine the other states giving up their western claims. All kinds of messy.
 
Seems like a recipe for disaster actually. If Virginia got that, I can't imagine the other states giving up their western claims. All kinds of messy.


Agreed, and as I now know meaning of that newfangled term "PC" I see my idea as being wholly implausable.:eek:
 
Forgive me if I am wrong, but isn't this part of the backstory in the Fallout game series?

I might be misreading the OP.
 
In 1787, it's constitutionally possible--but only in terms of the letter of law, though not its spirit. Consider the case of Maine, Kentucky, and Tennessee: they existed as subdivisions (a county in the case of Kentucky) of Massachusetts, Virginia, and North Carolina for some time before they became states. There's not a lot that the parent states could have offered their constituent parts to make separate statehood less appealing: as part of Virginia, Kentucky would not have its own Senators, for example. This means less access to federal jobs and federal resources.

Today, a move to federalize a state within the US federal structure would be problematic because of the incorporation of the Bill of Rights against the states (i.e. 14th Amendment and associated jurisprudence). For example, Georgia used to elect its governor under a semi-electoral college system in which the victor had to win a majority of counties, rather than a majority of votes. In late 20th century, the US Supreme Court ruled this violated equal protection by failing to provide for one-man, one-vote. This doesn't make a sub-federation impossible, simply unlikely.
 
Hawaii, with each island being a state within the state. If the islands aren't unified when (if?) the US takes it over, I think this is possible.

Don't see why that wouldn't develop into the county system the state currently uses. The US would establish an overall governing authority which would develop into a Territorial government similar to other US states. Not all the island counties, as you suggest, will be financially capable of surviving or providing services.
 
Makes me think of the "Disunited States of America" by turtledove. I know this book was for little kids as a way to introduce alternative history to a younger gen. But the idea sounds similar somewhat. I always wondered how those other nations supposedly came to be like otl states. :rolleyes:
 

Susano

Banned
Today, a move to federalize a state within the US federal structure would be problematic because of the incorporation of the Bill of Rights against the states (i.e. 14th Amendment and associated jurisprudence). For example, Georgia used to elect its governor under a semi-electoral college system in which the victor had to win a majority of counties, rather than a majority of votes. In late 20th century, the US Supreme Court ruled this violated equal protection by failing to provide for one-man, one-vote. This doesn't make a sub-federation impossible, simply unlikely.

Well, contrary to what many people think ;) federalism is not defined by participation of the sub-entities at the federal level, but by their level of self-governance. Though if we use that as measurement, seeing that US-American counties on average have already quite wide-reaching self-governance rights, compared to equivalent administration levels in most European countries I guess one could say that most US states already are federalised to a degree...
 
Well, you have the Standard Federal Regions (created 1974). The conspiracy nuts claim that they have usurped state power by forming federations.

800px-USFederalRegions.svg.png
 
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