Could This Be the USA's 51st State?

Rural counties in Colorado move to form North Colorado
By Ruth Brown,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 28, 2013 4:06 PM CDT
Could This Be the USA's 51st State?
Corn growing on a farm near Mead, Colorado.   (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

The good people of northern Colorado are sick of those Denver city-slickers telling them what to do. Fed up with what they see as a lack of representation, several rural counties are now seriously considering seceding to form their own state: North Colorado. At a public meeting on Thursday, most of the 50 people in attendance supported the move, reports the Greeley Tribune via the Huffington Post. A Facebook page for the 51st State Initiative has more than 10,000 likes. Commissioners say they hope to put the North Colorado idea to a public vote in November.

"We believe there's an attack on oil and gas," says one commissioner. "We believe there's an attack on agriculture. I don't think those down in Denver understand any of it." Residents are also concerned about gun control, water rights, and education, reports 7NEWS. But secession will take more than a few town meetings—it will require an act of Congress. At the very least, the movement should make those urbanites take notice, says another commissioner. "We have to address a growing problem that was clearly evidenced here, tonight," he says. "There's a disconnect. People feel politically disenfranchised, and we're trying to figure out a way to reengage." (There are actually two more contenders for the title of 51st state: this one and this one.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X