Polarization leads to secession?

As we previously discussed in October, our country is the most politically polarized it has been since post-Civil War Reconstruction.

A perfectly clear example of this: Recently in Colorado, five rural counties want to secede and become the 51st state.  The conservative community argues that its voice isn't heard and its votes are worthless due to the massive democratic population within the cities.  These five conservative counties would relax gun control and outlaw marijuana, gay marriage and new renewable energy standards, which liberal-dominant Colorado has legalized.  For more information, check out The Seattle Times' article or The New York Times' article on Colorado's proposed (and completely impossible) split.

And the craziest part?  Colorado's not the only state considering splitting up over politics... But for now, the vote to secede is just a statement and not at all likely, considering Congress would have to agree.

  

US White House Falling Down, Falling Down, Falling Down...

What could be a more appropriate way to begin a discussion about dystopias than the shut down of our very own government?  For the first time in almost twenty years, the US government has shut down.  If you missed that, or missed why that happened, check out this article, "Government Shuts Down In Budget Impasse," from The New York Times (Sept 30).

Without starting a belabored discussion about the dismal state of affairs in the world of US government, it is safe to say that this lack-of-an-operating government stems from the fact that today, our country is more politically polarized than since post-Civil-War Reconstruction.  This polarization has grown from the general population and now infects Congress; fewer representatives and senators identify as 'moderate,' and what happens?  Congress can't agree on a new budget after delaying for nine months (the budget was supposed to be ready by January... and then was extended to March... then sequestration happened...)  If you like charts and graphs, this Voteview.com article, "The Polarization of the Congressional Parties," graphs out the progression of political polarization from 1879 to 2009 with multiple charts.    

What are the implications of this tendency toward extremism, at least in political ideology?