Sure they can. That's a baseless fallacy based on programming, not reality. Just like people accepting Biden doubling the number of Gestapo tax agents instead of Border Patrol. But I'm all for secession. Try a combination of big gov't from the top, coupled with defunded police and anarchy/crime at the local level in collapsing cities, mythical green energy and $10/gallon gas, a $30 minimum wage, exorbitant taxes, a large permanent working class (even for those "unwilling" to work per the New Green Deal's original language), groomers/drag queens sexualizing pre-schoolers and 600 genders, a ridiculous two-tiered justice system with Obama-appointed woke judges more interested in politics and "fighting oppression" than the facts of the case, and a dozen or so other terrible ideas. Just don't depend on the red states for food or energy. Let's see how it goes.