For Liberty and Independence | |||||||
| Capital (and largest city) |
Troy | ||||||
| Other cities | Schenectady, Albany, Plattsburgh, Amsterdam, Glenn Falls, Malone, Saratoga Springs | ||||||
| Language official |
English | ||||||
| others | French | ||||||
| Demonym | West Vermonter | ||||||
| Governor | Brian Mayfield | ||||||
| Lieutenant Governor | Terry Lewis | ||||||
| Population | 902,251 | ||||||
| Established | October 8, 1986 | ||||||
| Annexation | to Republic of New England | ||||||
| date | October 7, 1986 | ||||||
| Currency | New England Dollar (NE Dollar) | ||||||
| Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time | ||||||
The State of West Vermont is a state in the Republic of New England (RNE). It is made up of the former New York counties of Clinton, Saratoga, Washington, Warren, Columbia, Rensselaer, the majority of Franklin and Essex, and parts of Ulster, Albany, Schenectady, Greene, Hamilton and Dutches which were annexed to the RNE. Half of New York's original capital of Albany was placed on RNE's side of the border, originally infuraiting New York. New York's new capital is in Utica.
West Vermont was annexed by the RNE in response to the massive invasion by American troops into the RNE in 1986 when the nation was formed. The New English military, despite being small, was able to overcome all odds and push the United States further back than even their borders, occupying the eastern New York counties then went on to become West Vermont, although West Vermont wasn't recognized as New English sovereign territory by all nations until 1991. Even today, there's a faction of staunch American allies who privately oppose West Vermont being a part of the RNE, while officially endorsing it.
West Vermont's capital is Troy. It's current governor of Brian Mayfield of the Centrist Party. It's Lieutenant Governor, who is elected separately, is Terry Lewis who is an Independent. Lewis is a member of the national American Reunionist Party, a group advocating New England to rejoin the United States, but is illegal in the state of West Vermont.
Albany[]
The City of Albany, which has 30,000 on the American side of the Albany Wall and 2,500 people on the New English, is a divided city, similar to Berlin from 1947 to 1989. Once thriving, it's now desloate. Soldiers, rather than police, patrol city streets, and riots are common on the New English side. Towers stand abandoned. Homes deserted. Very few cars roam the streets anymore.
The New English side of the City of Albany, December 2009.
Many in New England advocate the cession of the New English side of Albany, but it is opposed by every New English president since Milton Emerson, and only a few American presidents made it an issue during campaign time.
Albany has taken on a look of Pripyat, Ukraine, another abandoned city, especially after snowfall. Many believe some more desolate parts of Albany to be haunted. Although numerous "investigations" haven't turned up any signs of haunting.
No news media remains, as all TV stations, and most newspapers and radio stations, have stopped broadcasting or printing out of Albany years ago. The last remaining radio station is the anti-New England WJBS, that may be funded by the American government to subvert West Vermont. The biggest reaming newspaper is the Albany Free Post, which is staunchly anti-New England. The state-run Albany Herald-Argus is a pro-New England propaganda newspaper. There are also plans for a pro-New England state-run radio station to serve the Albany area.
Propaganda is frequently dropped, shot, and flown over the Albany Wall by both sides, similar to the DMZ between North and South Korea, before North Korea's collapse in 1994. It is considered one of the most tenuous borders in the world.
Naming[]
The naming of the counties after being transfered to New English hands was stressful. Several proposals were the State of Saratoga, the State of York, the State of Eastern New York, the State of Victory, the State of Kennedy, the State of Hamilton, the State of Independence, the State of Iroquois, the State of Dukakis, State of Ulster, State of New York, the State of Schnectady, the State of Franklin, the State of Clinton, the State of Essex and the State of Emerson. Then-New English President Michael Dukakis decided that "West Vermont" suited the state's locale, and liked the simplicity of the name, even though it was nowhere near the top of the list of popular names for the state.
Relationship with the rest of New England[]
West Vermont has a very tenuous relationship with other New English states and the New English federal government. It rejects the left-wing politics of the rest of New England, instead voting for Centrist candidates. Many unaffiliated members of the West Vermont State Congress are members of the national American Reunionist Party, which is illegal in West Vermont. It's current Lieutenant Governor, Terry Lewis, is officially an Independent but a member of the national ARP. He even spoke at the ARP national convention in Providence in 2010, while campaigning for the position of West Vermont Lieutenant Governor.
Every election year, there is a West Vermont exclusive referndum on whether to return to the United States or not. Every time, West Vermonters vote to return to the State of New York and the United States, but the New English federal government always refuses to recognize those results. Also, each time the referendum is held, less people support reuniting with the United States.