XPost: ba.politics, dc.media, soc.penpals   
   XPost: alt.burningman   
   From: greed@barackobama.com   
      
   A plan to divide California into six separate US states is   
   closer to making it on to a November ballot, with organisers   
   gaining approval to collect signatures.   
      
   The seemingly far-fetched initiative, sponsored by Silicon   
   Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, claims "political   
   representation of California's diverse population and economies   
   has rendered the state nearly ungovernable."   
      
   And on Tuesday, the California Secretary of State's office gave   
   the movement a boost, saying that proponents "may begin   
   collecting petition signatures."   
      
   At least 807,615 voters will need to sign the petition by July   
   18 to make it onto the ballot.   
      
   The proposal aims to split the state - America's most populous   
   with around 38 million inhabitants - into "six smaller state   
   governments, while preserving the historical boundaries of the   
   various counties, cities and towns."   
      
   In 2012, California was tied with Russia and Italy - all with a   
   GDP of approximately $2.0 trillion - for eighth place in world   
   GDP rankings, according to the Center for Continuing Study of   
   the California Economy.   
      
   The proposal would create a state out of Silicon Valley, home to   
   tech giants Google, Facebook and Apple. It would also create   
   South California, which would include Hollywood and the US   
   entertainment industry.   
      
   West California, Central California, North California, and   
   Jefferson in the most northern part of the state, would also go   
   it alone.   
      
   According to the proposal, voters overwhelming approved dividing   
   California in two in 1859, but Congress did not act due to the   
   Civil War.   
      
   Mr Draper, who has funded more than 400 companies including   
   Skype and Baidu, is founder of venture capital firm Draper   
   Fisher Jurvetson in Menlo Park, California.   
      
   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10655   
   270/Plan-to-split-California-into-six-states-gains-ground.html   
      
       
      
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