I don't know nearly enough of Vermont politics, nor the USAs for that matter to make an informed post on this matter, however I can relate to the idea of a referendum and its consequences, having lived in Quebec my entire life.

The single most important thing to ask yourselves is "What exactly will change if we separate?" The answer although few like to admit it, is absolutely nothing positive. You will still be essentially part of USA, since you can't move where your state is located. You will now have 0 say in how the USA is run. Your economy will go down the toilet, in fact the simple act of holding a referendum regardless of outcome will have the economic downward spiral. I often wonder how anyone thinks separating from a democratic country will solve any problems.

Forgive me for being so negative, but after 27 years of dealing with the possibility of separating from Canada, I'm sure most of you would feel the same.