steve.foote Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 When I first heard about this, I thought it was one of the dumbest things I had heard in a long time. In fact, I thought it was a joke. But, it appears to be serious and will likely be settled in the courts. Basically, Georgia wants to correct its north border with Tennessee to the 35th parallel. According to news reports, the border was improperly surveyed in 1818 and Georgia now wants to correct it, moving the border about a mile north to a position which conveniently includes about a half mile of the Tennessee River. There are a lot of advantages of doing this for Georgia, but significant disadvantages for Tennessee and Alabama. Georgia picks up a much needed water resource, extra tax base and more physical land. Tennessee loses a sizeable chunk of Chattanooga, tax base, and would have a new partner regarding use of the river. Alabama would also be impacted by the water useage. I haven't formed an opinion myself, but I can see the issues from both sides. I know this kind of dispute is settled every day in the courts regarding private property lines, but I'm unaware of such battles over state boundries (I'm sure there have been some). I would imagine that should the border be corrected, it will hurt some feelings on the north side of the border. Here's a link to one of the current news stories: Border war with Tennessee gets serious Link to comment
Marty Hill Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Wow, does that mean I'll be able to wash my bike in '08? Link to comment
SageRider Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Wow, does that mean I'll be able to wash my bike in '08? You'll sell it first... Link to comment
Bullett Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Does a boundary by acquiescence apply to a state? If the current border has been recognized for over 100 years, seems a bit iffy to me. I can certainly understand the basis for Georgia's action. Unfortunately, as we continue to stress our natural resources, I expect there will be more litigation like this. Link to comment
StretchMark Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Next time a Lady Vol basketball game is on, I say we just invade and take the whole dang state over, they'll never even notice. Added benefit is that it would bump our "Smartest State" ranking up from 41 to 36...bonus Link to comment
David Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 We're a superpower, baby, and we'll kick your lilly white asses. Link to comment
steve.foote Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Next time a Lady Vol basketball game is on, I say we just invade and take the whole dang state over, they'll never even notice. Added benefit is that it would bump our "Smartest State" ranking up from 41 to 36...bonus We don't even need to wait for a BB game. We can simply walk in backwards and tell them we're leaving. Don't forget, the toothbrush was invented in Tennessee. Link to comment
steve.foote Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Wow, does that mean I'll be able to wash my bike in '08? You'll sell it first... You beat me to it, Michael. Link to comment
steve.foote Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Does a boundary by acquiescence apply to a state? If the current border has been recognized for over 100 years, seems a bit iffy to me. This isn't the first time that Georgia has attempted to correct the border. An attempt in the early 1900 started it off and it's been revisited several times over the last century. In fact, that is what is being sighted as the justification for trying again. Link to comment
Dave McReynolds Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 I wonder what happens to the border if it's marked by a river or something, and the river changes course. Do the states gain and lose land accordingly, or do the boundaries stay where the river used to be? Link to comment
DavidEBSmith Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 I wonder what happens to the border if it's marked by a river or something, and the river changes course. Do the states gain and lose land accordingly, or do the boundaries stay where the river used to be? Generally the latter. See Carter Lake, Iowa (a city in Iowa located west of the Missouri River), Reverie, TN, and Bubbleland. There's a lot of places along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers where the boundaries don't match the river anymore. Link to comment
Ken H. Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Just the first volley in the water wars to come. Link to comment
smiller Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 I would have to think that there's some principle in law that essentially means 'if it's been screwed up for that long and no one's been hurt then just leave it alone.' There's probably even a fancy Latin term for it. Link to comment
Mdcruiser Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 This is one of the rare areas where original jurisdiction lies in the US Supreme Court. If Georgia sues Tennessee before the Supreme Court of the United States, the latter will likely name a special master to provide the court with an opinion. The court usually takes the side of the special master. Those dastardly Virginians sued Maryland a few years ago. Maryland owns the whole Potomac River (the border is not down the middle of the river as is usual), and the question was whether a Virginia county could increase its intake of drinking water from the river (the Supremes said it could -- a bit fishy to this Marylander (who works in Virginia, by the way -- as a law professor...), given that two Supreme Court justices live in the county that wanted to take the additional water. The Chief Justice is a Marylander, thank goodness! Georgia and Tennessee won't have to worry about such bias. Link to comment
steve.foote Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Just the first volley in the water wars to come. Hardly the first volley. Water has been fought over since the beginning of time. Link to comment
Quinn Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Think of all those people in Tennessee that will have to buy shoes if they're annexed. Link to comment
steve.foote Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Think of all those people in Tennessee that will have to buy shoes if they're annexed. Oooo, that's harsh. Link to comment
David Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Think of all those people in Tennessee that will have to buy shoes if they're annexed. Easy, there. Is it still illegal to transport books across the border into NC? Link to comment
bimmers Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 we may gain access to some new varietes of moonshine as well. It has bee reported that Georgia is actively recruiting for their armed forces, oh this was the former Soviet Georgia, well we will ge tthere too...... On a (slightly) serious note though, borders all around the world are bieng rectified so why should a Banan Republic like the USA not join in that border correction game and let GA start, and that way Sonny Perdue can earn his vice presidency without going to war with Tennessee!! h Link to comment
Matts_12GS Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Is it still illegal to transport books across the border into NC? Only if they haven't been colored in yet... Link to comment
DavidEBSmith Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Don't forget, the toothbrush was invented in Tennessee. Because in any other state it would have been the teethbrush? Link to comment
PhillyFlash Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Great, when we finally get the troops back from Iraq they'll be on their way to this battleground. I say just nuke the whole area and get it over with now. Link to comment
steve.foote Posted February 26, 2008 Author Share Posted February 26, 2008 Don't forget, the toothbrush was invented in Tennessee. Because in any other state it would have been the teethbrush? Bingo. Link to comment
steve.foote Posted February 26, 2008 Author Share Posted February 26, 2008 Great, when we finally get the troops back from Iraq they'll be on their way to this battleground. I say just nuke the whole area and get it over with now. Oh, I don't think it'll come to that. But, we will probably have to form a Minute Man Project to keep the, uh, illegals out of Georgia. Link to comment
Matts_12GS Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Oh, I don't think it'll come to that. But, we will probably have to form a Minute Man Project to keep the, uh, illegals out of Georgia. Aliens in TN? I think you're talking more about abductions then you are infiltration, right? Link to comment
tallman Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 You have been to the visitor intake center at Clingman's Dome? Link to comment
f86sabre Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Great, when we finally get the troops back from Iraq they'll be on their way to this battleground. I say just nuke the whole area and get it over with now. Bad idea. Lots of good riding roads in that part of the country. Link to comment
MattS Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 But, we will probably have to form a Minute Man Project to keep the, uh, illegals out of Georgia. You mean, like, Yankees. Well they let you in. At least you won't have to worry about this guy again: Link to comment
TN_R_Girl Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Yeah well ... at least the Tennessee politicians are keeping a good sense of humor about all this: http://www.wrcbtv.com/news/index.cfm?sid=2981 Link to comment
Lone_RT_rider Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Think of all those people in Tennessee that will have to buy shoes if they're annexed. Easy, there. Is it still illegal to transport books across the border into NC? I thought that was Alabama? Of course, living in SC I have no room to talk... Link to comment
ghaverkamp Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I can't believe this discussion about two flyover states is still going on. Who'd even care of the border was just eliminated? Link to comment
Quinn Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I can't believe this discussion about two flyover states is still going on. Who'd even care of the border was just eliminated? Remember that it's really about water and tapping the river. I would think that California could relate to water rights as in overbuilding in LA leading to trying to suck all the water out of its neighboring States. Well, Georgia has Atlanta with the same problems and solutions. Link to comment
MattS Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I can't believe this discussion about two flyover states is still going on. Who'd even care of the border was just eliminated? Tennessee is definitely a flyover state, but too many flights fly through Atlanta for Georgia to be. That particular border is the boundary between the "mere south" and the "deep south" ... like the difference between Mayberry and Deliverance. A good idea to keep it there. Link to comment
steve.foote Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 That particular border is the boundary between the "mere south" and the "deep south" ... like the difference between Mayberry and Deliverance. A good idea to keep it there. That's about the funniest thing I've read in a while. There is a lot of truth to it. Link to comment
ericfoerster Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Do I hear banjo's? Link to comment
Bullett Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Yeah well ... at least the Tennessee politicians are keeping a good sense of humor about all this: http://www.wrcbtv.com/news/index.cfm?sid=2981 Thanks for sharing that bit of . . . fun??? I laughed so hard, I thought I would bust a gut! It's nice to know that there are politicians somewhere who aren't pompous jerks, like we have here Link to comment
DavidEBSmith Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 That particular border is the boundary between the "mere south" and the "deep south" ... like the difference between Mayberry and Deliverance. A good idea to keep it there. That's about the funniest thing I've read in a while. There is a lot of truth to it. Yah, but Steve, Deliverance was set on your side of the border. Link to comment
Ken H. Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Yeah well ... at least the Tennessee politicians are keeping a good sense of humor about all this: http://www.wrcbtv.com/news/index.cfm?sid=2981 Yeah, but I would think Tennessee might what to take it all a bit more seriously. (And I suspect behind the scenes they are.) If Atlanta truly goes dry this upcoming summer, things likely to get real serious and real ugly, really fast. Link to comment
steveknapp Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Come on, Futurerama predicts a future where Atlanta has no issues with water... Link to comment
DavidEBSmith Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 The river is only 200 feet across the border, the Georgians need to get Daniel Plainview to drill and suck that water out. I DRINK Y'ALL'S MILKSHAKE! I DRINK IT UP! Link to comment
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