If you think things are bad now, then, brace yourself: it is about to get a whole lot worse. If you are alarmed at the speed with which the Trump administration has set about dismantling every institution of American government and every pillar of the international order, you must understand that this is not just the initial burst of activity, the “shock and awe” phase after which things will settle down: if anything, the pace will continue to accelerate.
The world has never before been faced with such a threat. The United States has handed the nuclear codes to a madman, a criminal, a would-be dictator and a moron, all in the same person. Whatever the purpose to which he directs these powers – to impress his dictator friends, to further enrich himself and his cronies, to seize absolute power or just to watch the world burn – we must hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
Last time we had anything remotely close to this was 160 years ago. And this time the sane ones would be the ones going against the federal government.
It’s… we’re in the unknown as a country.
Also doing an uprising or outright causing regional sessions would be a lot more devastating if the US is already at war with someone else. It’d cause chaos in everything from logistics to the chain of command, that’s not even getting into how it’d fuck up all asset control.
Just to use an example say the Trump declared war on Canada next week and only California declares secession. That alone would fuck up so much more on all sides than just California declaring independence.
As you said we’re in uncharted waters and it’s best to play it safe, any actions not carefully considered could even strengthen Trump’s position.