California will not secede because the United States Congress will not approve.

Background of the Calexit Movement

Following Donald Trump’s victory, dissatisfied Democrats in California moved to divide California from the United States. Texans, led by the California National Party and the Yes California Campaign, initiated a petition drive to gather 600,000 signatures in 180 days to force a Calexit referendum in 2018. (Kilgore, 2017).

Legal Right to Secede

Kilgore (2017) acknowledges that the Calexit decision has raised the question of whether a state within the United States would secede. Although many Democrats tend to think that a special session is possible and even required by the constitution, the reverse is true. Even if they gather the necessary signatures, California secession will be unlikely, according to Kilgore (2017).

First, the state has no legal right to secede. The founders of America while drafting the Constitution had no intention that a state would exit the established union.

Secondly, secession would require amendment of the Constitution. Such move calls for approval two-thirds of the congress and 38 states. However, since the majority of the congressmen are Republican who overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump regime, they are likely not to approve the secession mission.

Thirdly, previous efforts by states to secede failed. For example, the effort of Texas in 2012 failed when the Obama administration frustrated the succession request by Texans by indicating that every state has the right to remove a government but has no right to exit the union.

Implications of Secession

Finally, a move to secede renders California a failed state. California is currently facing financial challenges such as huge debts. Therefore, it can hardly support its 40 million people without Federal government assistance. Furthermore, the state faces several natural disasters that it cannot manage without Federal government intervention. The withdrawal would expose the state to many disasters such as tsunamis and massive earthquakes, which would have significant implications for California.