A few years ago, I would have agreed with you, and was campaigning for Alberta or the western provinces to join the US.  But today, things have turned around completely, we've had a conservative Government for 4 years now, reversing the socialism trend that years of liberals had, meanwhile your neighbours have gone and voted in an avowed socialist tax and spender.  As disappointing as it was to have Obama win, the bright spot that I saw is that smart money and smart people from US would start moving and investing here instead, and they are.  I can honestly see the midwest states eventually wanting to join.  They will have the only viable economies in the US soon/already, and will be duly taxed out of it to support the socialists around the coasts.  if they join us, we will have a majority of voters instead of the east which has it now, and there will be no way for the remaining socialists out east to tax our wealth.  

 Don't get me started on BSE.