@clyde:

Secession or separation in one form or another has been an interest of mine since the mid 1990s, after the OJ Simpson trial. My first thought was why not just kick California out of the union?

But it will never happen as long as most of the Baby Boomers are alive and are a large voting block. They will never support it out of fear of losing their Social Security and Medicare benefits, both Federal programs.

But in twenty years, yes I think a breakup becomes likely.