Homeland Stasi gave South Carolina an unasked for extension on the implementation of RealID. Maine got no such extension, probably because they knew Gov. Baldacci would cave. And because Maine touted its opposition so loudly, the Feds wanted to make sure Maine knuckled under. Just like the Governor caved on state police enforcing INS rules a couple of years back. Montana got an extention too - bullies don't confront people that stand up for themselves.

Every time Maine comes up against the Feds, no matter how screwed up the Feds and no matter how much damage to Maine, the State caves. What is our Guard doing in Iraq? The Governor could order it home and demote to the front lines the officers that do not obey. NSA wiretapping - compromising the "paramount interest of the state"? Maine accepts the NSA's promise they are doing nothing illegal - even though the president boasts of breaking the law and a little later the NSA admits it lied. Everyone knew it lied. Maybe 1000 signing statements by now, destroying the concept of law and justice? Impeachment - no never.

Just like Maine is going to cave on issues around electricity, gas and water. The Energy Corridors bill of which I wrote a couple of days back - that's not going to preempt Federal action because Maine will cave. Maine will continue to chip the forests, the salmon and the eels to sell electricity out of state. It's National Security. And big bucks.

Just like Maine is going to cave on RealID. If lacking RealID I couldn't get into a federal building in Maine, what's the problem? Why would I want to? So I could talk to my "representative" or something hairbrained like that?

It past time to talk about secession or dissolution of the Union, a State and Federal Constitutional Convention. The energy and natural resource crisis alone is going to force that just as it did for the Former Soviet Union. Such calls won't come from the Vichy Democrats running the show because for now they're making too much money plundering Maine. Business as usual. And for the rest of us, there is always convenience and shopping.

A little incovenience is what we need. One state and one governor standing up the Feds in this whole march to fascism would have made a world of difference a couple of years back. That is one of the roles of a state, to run interference between its citizens and the central authorities and it could still make a difference. But it won't be Maine.