Maine
Secedes from the Union: A Utopian Fantasy
Mary-Ellen
Pecci
Purdue
University Global
Maine Secedes from the
Union: A Utopian Fantasy
TO: The Legislature of United
States of America.
FROM: The Senate Subcommittee
on State Affairs: The Organized Territory of Maine
DATE: April 4, 2018
SUBJECT: Maine Secedes
from the Union
Due to U.S. Government
cut backs and tax exemptions the State of Maine will secede from the union and
form its own socially centered government. The new state is called (OTM),
Organized Territory of Maine. As a courtesy to the United States of America,
herein are the guidelines voted on by the people and accepted by the newly
elected governor. The newly formed governing agencies look forward to restructuring
criminal justice/education, trade, immigration, and health and human services,
transportation and environmental protection. Other institutions will also be restructured.
Data on these will be available in annual reports.
The population of the
State of Maine holds the oldest demographic, other than Florida, of any state
in the Union per capita. The population over 50 years old is 38.7%. It also is
one of the ‘whitest’ states, (Policy Academy, 2012). Cuts in budgets to Medicaid, Housing and
Urban Development, Health and Human Services and other detrimental welfare
economic institutions, and the loss of immigrant workers to an already socioeconomic
stressed state have instigated the move to secede.
Criminal
Justice—Department of Corrections: A sub-agency under the Department of
Education
The first institution
that will experience a new face will the (DOC) Department of Corrections. It will now fall under the (DOE), Department
of Education. Prisons and jails will be
turned into classrooms where students will be connected by computers to their
respective classes. There will be a
focus on psychology, sociology, business administration, public administration
and technology. Education through undergraduate school will be free to all
citizens. The non-profit organization of (RTM), Retired Teachers of Maine, will
be organizing the programing and classes for the DOC branch of the DOE. Fund raising activities for future grants for
students who will proceed in a master’s degree and/or doctorate degree program
will also be a function of RTM. We fully
expect issues of drug use will slowly fade from the crime scene pallet once
education has taken up space in the culture and society of those who are
addicted. Support of society and peers will promote reform. Presently, in
capitalistic societies there is a propensity for denial amongst theorist as to
the influence of social environment as Wikstrom & Treiber (2016) portray in this circular conclusion:
“Our
findings support the assertion that the relationship between social
disadvantage and crime involvement may be explained by the fact that more young
people who experience childhood disadvantage at home and in their neighborhoods
are likely to develop a high crime propensity and be exposed to criminogenic
settings, but that these are far from inevitable outcomes of growing up
disadvantaged.”
Grants will be available
for higher education. Those students that have been accurately accessed as of
true criminal mind will serve their sentences in the capacity of class room
instructors, correcting papers, and providing encouragement to students until
they are deemed no longer a threat to society.
Trade—Department
of Economic and Business Affairs
The (DEBA) Department of
Economic and Business Affairs will regulate trade. The (OTM) will focus on building an economic
base that revolves around solar power, wind power, wave power and other energy
efficient businesses. The northern half of the state, old abandoned farms, are
ripe for development of manufacturing and assembly of energy efficient goods.
This will promote home and small business development in that part of the
territory. Wright (2012) explains one way capitalism contradicts the full
realization of democracy; it allows private
wealth to affect access to political power which creates workplace
dictatorships. Therefore OTM will provide strong tax incentives for companies
to form as an ‘employee owned’ company. Foreign trade will be a necessity both
import and export. OTM negotiators will be ethical and forward thinking experts
in their fields. Our nonprofit chambers of commerce will work with other nonprofits
involved in educating business and international trade. One such organization is,
(NEXCO.org, (n.d.).
Immigration—Department
of Citizenship and Immigration Services
The (DCIS) Department of
Citizenship and Immigration Services is another institution which will have a
new face. It will oversee entry of those from other countries with an eye
toward persons who have experience in the fields of technology of which we need
their skills. OTM will continue to use the process of investigation that the
U.S. has in place before accepting entry. Once accepted and working or in
school for one year-- citizenship will be available with certain formalities but at
little cost. The nonprofit group Legal Eagle for Change will help process
documents. Children of immigrants that are born in OTM will automatically be citizens. Children brought in when under the age of 15
will also be granted citizenship on the granting of a parents citizenship. The
nonprofit organization, Scouting for Citizens, will be responsible for
overseeing settlement to and in communities where specific skills are in need. The
present group of DACA immigrants will be first to be accepted into OTM.
Department
of Health and Human Services
The (DHHS) Department of
Health and Human Services will be largely operated by nonprofits and volunteer
services. Each agency under DHHS such as child protective services, elder
protective services etc. will have a main office in the capital but each county
will have major staffing by nonprofits where outreach will be simplified and
close to those in need. The nonprofit groups overseeing clients will be staffed
mostly by volunteers comprised of retired social services employees and
educators assigned a specific town, city, or township. Weekly check-ins’ on
clients and efficient reporting on conditions will be required by volunteer
staff to the county nonprofit. The main DHHS office will be the information
gatherer, statistics and analysis preparer and budget projector.
Department
of Transportation
The (DOT) Department of
Transportation will work closely with DCIS and DHHS to provide not only good
infrastructure but also to provide “social transportation networks” that will
promote emotionally healthy societal interaction as well as needed
transportation for medical and life necessities. The elderly specifically are
at risk of being cordoned off from society. The nonprofit “Hell on Wheels” will
be responsible for grant writing and fund raising as well as trip organization.
Funds will be needed for vehicles, repairs, and insurance. Weekly bus transport to a mall, a state
park, a museum are suggested. Drivers and monitors will be volunteers.
Environmental
Protection Agency
The (EPA) Environmental
Protection Agency will play a major role in OTM. Gasoline mowers, leaf blowers
and other gas operating landscaping equipment will be banned. Emissions control
will be a priority. This type of equipment will no longer be sold. Powerful new
designs in electric model landscaping equipment are now available. Incentives
to purchase electric cars, SUV’s and pickup trucks will be instituted. Solar
powered electric plug in stations will be on the budgetary agenda. EPA funding
for grants to nonprofits will aide in educating the public and also provide
grants toward technical school education. Our nonprofits will continue to work
with international nonprofits such as The Ocean Conservancy, Sierra Club and
the Environmental Defense Fund.
Discussion
The International Bill of
Human Rights will be the focus of government. The Constitution will be based on
the United States Constitution but changes will be instituted that equate to
the goals of the International Bill of Human Rights. Article I in the IBHR
(1948) states all humans will act toward each other in the spirit of
brotherhood. Article II forbids any kind of discrimination. Human dignity is
the focus throughout. Adjustments in the new Constitution will be forthcoming.
One initial change will be to the Second Amendment; only active militia in wartime
can have possession of military style arms.
OTM will be a Social
Democracy and as such the people will have a greater say then just provided by
the voting booth. Wright (2012) offers a point regarding Capitalism; it excludes crucial
decisions from public deliberation. Social justice is more than material it is
the social condition. It involves equity, trust, respect, and solidarity. In
order to achieve this we have to start off with a balanced society. There will
be Medicare for all. (UBI) Unconditional Basic Income will be
instituted. Citizens will be allotted an amount above the poverty level. There
will be no other public programs of income support and no minimum wage as UBI
compensates. This opens up the door for many volunteers as well as families to have
the opportunity to achieve via further employment. It removes the competition for unpaid
internships and encourages worker cooperatives. Everyone will have “equal
access” not just equal opportunity. ‘All access’ at all times is a guarantee
where ‘opportunity’ can disappear if one fudges in the early stages. (Wright,
2012).
Conclusion
Organized Territory of Maine will
mobilize and create collective social action and provide an equitable and
flourishing lifestyle. We hope to beat Norway on the happiness scale. This
experiment in new statehood will hopefully set an example for future states.
References
(ACL)
Administration for Community Living (2012). Policy Academy Maine State Profile.
Retrieved from https://www.acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2016-11/Maine%20Epi%20Profile%20Final.pdf
NEXCO.org.
Retrieved from http://www.nexco.org/about-us-2/
Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (Dec. 10, 1948). Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/
Wikstrom, O.H. & Treiber, K. (2016). Social Disadvantage and Crime; A Criminological Puzzle. Am Behav Sci.
60(10): 1232–1259. Retrieved
from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4962323/
Wright, E.O. (2012). Transforming Capitalism through Real
Utopias.
American Sociological Review. XX(X)
1 –25. Retrieved
from DOI: 10.1177/0003122412468882
