For most of my voting life, my chosen presidential candidate lost.  Since 1972, when I proudly voted for George McGovern, there have only been three Democratic presidents:  Carter, Clinton and Obama (and I wasn’t that crazy about Carter, because he was mean to Bella Abzug, whom I worshipped).  So I can understand the frustration and anger felt by those who supported Mitch Romney in this year’s election.

And yet, even as I was hurt and angry by the actions of my fellow Americans, to the point that I looked at real estate listings in Toronto, I never acted on my emotions.  I never threatened to take my ball and go home.

(“But, Martha,” you say.  ”You looked at real estate listings?  Isn’t that an action?”  And to you, I say that, as a New Yorker, looking at real estate listings is our version of porn.  And it makes as much difference in our public lives.

However, that is not the response of some of the loonier elements of the Right.  The thought of four more years of an Obama presidency makes them want to secede from the United States.  They have started petitions on the White House web site, which the Obama administration created as a means of listening directly to Americans.  The administration has promised to respond to every petition that receives more than 25,000 signatures.

So far, only Georgia, Tennesee, Florida, North Carolina and Texas meet this criteria.

Who are the people signing these?  This is my favorite.  In case you don’t click through, the key quote, in my opinion, is this:  ”Derrick Belcher, a 45 year-old topless carwash owner, is behind the Alabama petition, according to AL.com. He supported Ron Paul in 2012 and told the site he’s serious about creating a new union of states that did not vote for Obama’s reelection.”

Oh, please.  I’d like to see Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina and Texas survive without being able to suck at the federal teat.  Without funds for roads, schools, hospitals, FEMA and more, they will create a Third World country.

Fortunately, as soon as news of these petitions spread, others popped up to counter them.  Some petitioned for specific areas (Austin, Atlanta) to be able to stay in the United States even if Texas or Georgia actually secede.  Others said to let the states go, but only after they paid their share of the national debt.  And still others (and my particular favorites, because I’m a vindictive bitch) called for the deportation of anyone who signed a secession petition, or to put them on trial for treason.

As I said last week, the black guy won.  Get over it.

To which I add:  America. Love It or Leave It.

Martha Thomases, Media Goddess, also found some nice homes in Ottawa, Montreal and Vancouver, although the latter is too expensive for her.