Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican, touched off an outcry Wednesday by renewing her suggestion for a “national divorce” in response to a debate about blue-state residents moving to red states.
“All possible in a National Divorce scenario,” Ms. Greene tweeted. “After Democrat voters and big donors ruin a state like California, you would think it wise to stop them from doing it to another great state like Florida. Brainwashed people that move from CA and NY really need a cooling off period.”
The conservative firebrand was accused of fomenting “treason,” “secession,” and “civil war,” with some of her critics calling for “a national divorce from Marjorie Taylor Greene.”
“The nutty far-right (you know who) wants a ‘national divorce’, i.e., secession,” tweeted Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. “Pray tell, what will we do with the nuclear weapons? God forbid the loony right should get even one bomb.”
Rep. Ruben Gallego, Arizona Democrat, tweeted: “There is no ‘National Divorce’ either you are for civil war or not. Just say it if you want a civil war and officially declare yourself a traitor.”
In October, Ms. Greene released the results of an unscientific Twitter poll showing that 43% supported a “national divorce” that would split red states from blue states, while 48% opposed it.
Ms. Greene’s comment came in response to a tweet by Pedro L. Gonzalez, associate editor of the conservative magazine Chronicles, who had commented on a thread by San Francisco resident Hari Raghavan saying that he was moving to Miami despite its “worse politics.”
“I support actively discriminating against transplants like this through legislation. They shouldn’t be able to vote for a period, and they should have to pay a tax for their sins,” tweeted Mr. Gonzalez.
All possible in a National Divorce scenario.
After Democrat voters and big donors ruin a state like California, you would think it wise to stop them from doing it to another great state like Florida.
Brainwashed people that move from CA and NY really need a cooling off period. https://t.co/NB2dVj7n2X
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) December 29, 2021
California will lose a congressional seat for the first time in 2022 after its population dropped last year by about 182,000 residents amid complaints about unaffordable housing, high taxes, high crime and pandemic lockdowns.
“When there is a groundswell of some of the smartest and most ambitious in the country leaving an area, it’s clear that this is no longer the place where the American Dream is the strongest,” Mr. Raghavan said.
Christina Pushaw, spokeswoman for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, tweeted back: “Welcome to Miami, but please don’t vote for the same types of politicians that destroyed San Francisco.”
