I'm looking at this from a different perspective than you are.  For me, this isn't so much about politics as it is Federal tax dollars.  Alabama, and for that matter, all the Confederate except Texas, are Federal dollar takers, not makers.  In other words they take far more in Federal tax dollars than they pay in.  California would be the last State I would trade as they are the world's eighth largest economy and a huge contributor as opposed to a Federal tax taker.  To give up California would be utterly stupid. Not saying you are stupid or anything, just that we are not on the same page when it comes to generating positive Federal tax revenue.  Alabama ain't one of them.