I am presenting an idea to the local Democratic leadership today -- a governmental organization that would lie between State/Provincial Governments and Federal Governments. I am giving it a name -- Union Pacificus ("Peace-loving Union" but also with the name intention of dealing with Pacific Rim countries, a double entendre). It would look at the U.S. states of California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii, the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta plus all 47 prefectures of Japan (perhaps reduced to 3 or 4 jurisdictions) plus all 16 provinces of South Korea (again, perhaps reduced to 3 or 4 jurisdictions, all 82 provinces of the Philippines, plus both Provinces and 6 Municipal districts of Taiwan (the latter two also possibly reduced in number, but that would rely totally on their local governmental input) and finally the two states of Baja California, Mexico. I could see UP jointly tackling some heretofore non-defined issues -- 1. a Resource Protection Force, an elite highly trained and superbly equipped permanent force with the task of mitigating natural disasters in the UP region (forest fires, earthquake damage, and floods); 2. Uniform Healthcare Administration supported by a direct tax to all participating jurisdictions that covers Disease, Disability, Mental Illness, Dental, and Eyecare; 3. Sustenance and Housing Administration, again supported by a direct tax that would ensure proper meals and housing is provided to all of the participating jurisdictions and the people residing therein.
I am starting with the Democratic party, not because of an ideological bent, but because they represent the governing authorities in the four named American States and the NDP government of BC -- Alberta is an anomaly politically from this norm but I think the UPC government would be attracted to the economic strength of the union (we shall see) and its inclusion would underscore the non-political nature of the union. All existing State and Province jurisdictions in the three areas of concern would be ceded to the new Governing Body. UP bureaucratic centre could be Honolulu, Hawaii (near the geographical centre of the new formation).
This could lessen Trump's perceived power on the Federal level and honor a sensibility alignment that has always run north-south in North America, not east-west. I think these would be core constituents allowing others to join as membership rules and regulations are defined and offered out to other constituents -- similar to the EU starting with 6 founding members (Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) and eventually expanding to the 27 members today with applications from an additional 9 or 10 under consideration.
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