There comes a moment when the scaffolding of a nation is no longer repairable, when the rot has eaten too far, when the frame of democracy that once held a people together becomes a hollow stage set propped up by lies. New England stands upon that precipice now. Our fields and cities, the cradle of American independence, look upon Washington and see not a republic of laws but an oligarchy of shadows, sustained by the rusted machinery of the Electoral College and the iron grip of men who sneer at the concept of majority rule. Donald Trump’s rise was not the aberration we once hoped it to be; it was the unveiling of a long-brewing tyranny.
The United States, as currently governed, is no longer the country of Jefferson’s pen or Lincoln’s resolve. It is an empire of ideological minorities: a Senate where the will of millions is crushed beneath the weight of a few sparsely populated states; a Supreme Court captured by ideologues; and a presidency seized not by popular mandate but by the math of an archaic system designed for a slaveholding past. We are told to kneel before this Constitution as though it were sacred scripture. But what is a parchment worth if its guardians twist it to enslave rather than protect? The colonies of 1776 did not plead for better treatment from the Crown; they declared independence. Why, then, should New England, this birthplace of rebellion and defiance, do less in the face of a tyrannical order?
The Moral Writ of Separation
Secession is often whispered as if it were a crime, a shameful word. Yet history teaches us that it is sometimes the only language tyrants understand. The American Revolution itself was secession, a breaking away from a power that ruled without the consent of the governed. What, then, is our current predicament if not a repeat of that dark play? When the voice of New England is silenced by gerrymandered districts, when courts stacked with zealots trample on our rights, when the federal government bends not to the will of the people but to the whims of a single man’s cult of personality, what moral claim can Washington still hold over us?
Hamilton once thundered that the fate of liberty is not decided by cowards but by those willing to stake everything upon its defense. Magneto, the iron-willed defender of his people, knew too that survival sometimes demands the courage to reject a poisoned world and build anew. We, the states of New England, must summon that same resolve. This is no longer about political disagreements. It is about the survival of our democratic soul.
The New England Compact
The first step is unity. No state can stand alone against the machinery of Washington’s economic and military might. But together, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, we form a region of unmatched economic strength, intellectual power, and historical legitimacy. We must convene a New England Compact, a provisional confederation bound by a common declaration: that the federal government no longer represents the consent of the governed.
This compact would form an Interstate Transition Council, tasked with seizing operational control of critical systems: the energy grid managed by ISO-NE, the ports of Boston and Providence, the high-tech corridors of Cambridge and Hartford, and the financial arteries that run through New York. These are the lifeblood of a new republic, and they must be secured before Washington can tighten its noose.
Recognition, Not Permission
The United States will not grant us the right to leave. Power never relinquishes power without force or fear. But the legitimacy of a nation is not born from the permission of its oppressor; it is forged by the recognition of the world. We must therefore launch a diplomatic first strike, engaging with Canada, the European Union, and key NATO nations to secure acknowledgment of our sovereignty. The Montevideo Convention tells us that statehood is defined by four pillars: a defined territory, a permanent population, a functioning government, and the capacity to engage in relations with other states. New England has all these things already.
Kosovo did not wait for Serbia’s blessing. South Sudan did not bow before Khartoum. Recognition was won by diplomatic will, by aligning moral narratives with international interests. New England’s cause is no less just. We must stand before the world and declare: we are a democracy under siege, and we will not go quietly into that night.
Fortress Economy
The most immediate retaliation from Washington will be economic. Tariffs, frozen federal funds, and the seizure of assets will be their weapons of choice. We must be ready. New England boasts one of the strongest economic engines in the world, with a combined GDP that rivals entire nations. Our ports, our universities, our biotech industries, and our financial centers are the scaffolding upon which a new economy can stand.
To survive the inevitable hostility, we must: • Establish a regional emergency currency, perhaps linked to the Canadian dollar or euro, to prevent federal sabotage of our financial systems. • Negotiate preemptive trade deals with Canada and the EU, ensuring that our goods and services, already world-class, have secure markets. • Nationalize critical infrastructure, from energy grids to defense manufacturing, shielding them from federal interference. • Propose a clean division of national debt, demonstrating fiscal responsibility to attract international investors.
This economic shield will not just protect us. It will prove to the world that we are not a rogue state but a viable, responsible republic.
Military and Security Strategy
A republic without the means to defend itself is but a lamb waiting for the butcher’s knife. The federal government will not relinquish control easily, and we must assume that Washington’s first instinct will be to intimidate, if not outright coerce, our states back into submission. For this reason, the formation of the New England Defense Force (NEDF) is paramount.
We begin with the assets already at hand: the state National Guards. These forces, currently under dual state and federal command, must be reorganized and placed under a singular New England authority before they can be federalized under 10 U.S.C. §12406 or the Insurrection Act. Governors must act swiftly and decisively, calling their Guards into service for the New England Compact and consolidating command structures into a centralized defense council. This force, though modest in numbers, is composed of well-trained personnel, many of whom are veterans of modern conflicts and adept in cyber and urban warfare, the precise skills needed for deterrence rather than aggression.
Yet no regional defense can survive in isolation. We must seek alliances, particularly with Canada, whose shared border and cultural ties to New England make it a natural security partner. A defensive pact with Ottawa, even informally at first, would send a clear signal that aggression against New England would not be a simple internal police action but an international affront. Long-term, overtures to NATO member states could secure military guarantees, perhaps through observer status similar to that once held by nations emerging from Soviet shadows.
Equally critical is the cyber domain. The next war will not be fought only on fields or in streets. It will be fought in networks and servers, in the invisible architecture of modern life. New England must immediately invest in offensive and defensive cyber capabilities, protecting our energy grid, financial systems, and communications from sabotage. A cyber alliance with nations like Estonia, who have mastered the art of digital defense, could give our young republic the teeth it needs to hold its ground.
Recognition and the Diplomatic Blitz
We cannot afford to wait for the United States to define us. The day the New England Compact is signed must also be the day we begin a diplomatic blitz, a coordinated, high-velocity campaign to win recognition from key international players. Canada, the EU, and the United Kingdom will be our first targets, with the goal of securing formal acknowledgment of our independence within weeks, not years. Every day that passes without recognition is a day the federal government can tighten its narrative of “domestic rebellion.”
We must frame our cause not as secession but as restoration of democracy. We will tell the world the truth: that America’s promise of representative government has been perverted by authoritarian power and minority rule, that we are not breaking faith with democracy but preserving it. The moral narrative matters as much as the legal one. Kosovo, South Sudan, and the Baltic states all knew this when they courted global opinion. New England must do the same, presenting itself as the natural heir to the American experiment while Washington slides into despotism.
Trade agreements and economic assurances will be our currency of legitimacy. By offering favorable trade deals to European allies, we demonstrate not only viability but mutual benefit. A sovereign New England, rich in intellectual capital and technological prowess, is a partner any modern economy would covet.
Building a New Democratic Government
Secession is meaningless without a vision of what comes after. If we are to break away from Washington, we must create something better, something worthy of the sacrifice. A Constitutional Assembly, convened within months of the compact, must draft a charter for a new republic. This constitution must correct the sins of the old: no gerrymandering, no Electoral College, no system that allows a minority to rule the majority.
We must embrace proportional representation to ensure that every voice counts, and we must embed strict constitutional guardrails against the accumulation of unchecked power. Independent judicial review, a clear separation of church and state, and robust civil rights protections must be enshrined. A new republic cannot simply inherit the broken machinery of its predecessor.
To foster a sense of unity, New England will need symbols of sovereignty: a new flag, a national anthem, and a narrative of resilience. These symbols will not be mere ornaments but the rallying points of a people choosing to rise above oppression.
Lessons from Other Secession Movements
History is rich with lessons for those who dare to break away. Scotland’s bid for independence teaches us the importance of economic credibility. Quebec’s referendums reveal the dangers of a divided populace. Catalonia’s failure shows how a lack of international recognition can doom even the most passionate movements. On the other hand, Kosovo and the Baltic states remind us that unity, clarity of vision, and international diplomacy can carve new nations from the rock of oppression.
We must heed these lessons. Our movement must be cohesive, not fragmented by petty squabbles or partisan divides. We must present to the world not a collection of states but a single, determined republic, guided by moral clarity and economic readiness.
Conclusion: The Duty to Survive
To some, this will all sound like madness. They will call us traitors, dreamers, fools. But tell me, who were the traitors in 1776? The colonists who demanded liberty or the Crown that denied it? We are not plotting rebellion for its own sake. We are safeguarding the future of our people.
Hamilton wrote, “Real liberty is neither found in despotism nor in the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.” And yet, what we have now is neither moderate nor just. It is the shadow of liberty, a parody of representation. Like Magneto, I will not ask the permission of those who would see us crushed. I will build a world where our children are safe, even if that requires tearing down the one that has failed us.
New England’s secession will not be easy. It will demand sacrifice, courage, and unity. But the alternative, submission to a corrupted Union, offers nothing but the slow death of the ideals we hold dear. We have the wealth, the intellect, the will, and the moral clarity to forge a republic that is both free and strong. The time to choose is now.
This post was taken with the author’s permission from JillyBean Monet’s Substack. To view her other posts, please click here: https://jillybeanmonet.substack.com/archive?sort=new