# Theoretical question...could Hawaii leave the Union?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-question-could-hawaii-leave-the-union/799710>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [October 24, 2017, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-question-could-hawaii-leave-the-union/799710 "2017-10-24T13:21:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-question-could-hawaii-leave-the-union/799710/61 "2017-10-30T19:10:26Z")

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> [@StusBlues](#):
>
> Do you care to elucidate your position, or just attempt a mic drop and move on? 'Cause that ain’t doin it for me.

Do you remember the last time such a thing happened? It didn’t go so well for the side that tried to secede. Why would it be any different this time? What would “the US” have to gain by letting Hawai’i leave the union? Which state would be next?

The first rule of US club is you don’t get to leave US club.

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**Author:** ![SamuelA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@SamuelA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamuelA)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-question-could-hawaii-leave-the-union/799710/62 "2017-10-30T19:32:54Z")

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> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> ] On April 25, 1846, 2,000 Mexican cavalry crossed into the disputed territory and routed a small detachment of American soldiers sparking the “Thornton Affair” [53] Polk received word of the Thornton Affair, which, added to the Mexican government’s rejection of Slidell, Polk believed, constituted a casus belli (cause for war).[54] His message to Congress on May 11, 1846, claimed that “Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon American soil.”[55][56]\*

So 2000 soldiers entered U.S. territory from Mexico, starting the war? Did Mexico think it could win that war?

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**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2017, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-question-could-hawaii-leave-the-union/799710/63 "2017-10-31T00:21:34Z")

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> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Do you remember the last time such a thing happened? It didn’t go so well for the side that tried to secede. Why would it be any different this time? What would “the US” have to gain by letting Hawai’i leave the union? Which state would be next?
> 
> The first rule of US club is you don’t get to leave US club.

I would say there is some difference between contiguous states saying “Fuck it, we’re going” and a state that is 2,400 miles from the mainland petitioning for some form of sovereignty. I think the cession of the Panama Canal Zone (or even the independence of the Philippines) are closer analogies than the Confederate Rebellion.

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