An Imperfect Union
“National Divorce” Time Simulator
Draw a split between a single United States, a
Red States bloc, and a Blue States bloc.
Then choose trade policies and partners, and hit Play to
watch what happens to GDP, healthcare, energy, food and trade over
10 years.
United: shared grids, ports, currency
Split: duplicated governments, weaker blocs
Civil war: everyone poorer and less safe
Choose a group, then click states on the dark map. Set migration and trade
policies below, then press Play to watch how each bloc’s grade
and “GDP twin” country change over time.
United States
Blue States bloc
Red States bloc
Neutral / unassigned
Major city (leans blue)
Major city (purple / mixed)
Major city (leans red)
Impact by bloc
Each bloc gets an overall grade (A–F) and a rough
GDP twin country, compared to the original United States.
City controls below model people leaving big metros for political reasons:
Less, Expected, or More
migration.
United States (joined)
A
Full U.S. economy
Population
People to run factories, hospitals & bases
GDP
Economic output & tax base
Healthcare
Hospitals, nurses, doctors
Military
Bases, brigades, fleets & logistics
Energy & fuel
Oil, gas, electricity systems
Food & farmland
Ability to feed the population
Innovation & universities
R&D labs, patents, campuses
Housing affordability
Higher = easier to afford a home
City migration (metros in U.S.)
Blue States
–
No bloc yet
Population
Big metros & coastal hubs
GDP
Finance, tech, media
Healthcare
Major teaching hospitals
Military
Navy & coastal bases
Energy & fuel
More imports, fewer wells
Food & farmland
California & Great Lakes farms
Innovation & universities
Silicon Valley, Ivy League, etc.
Housing affordability
High rents pull this down
City migration (metros in Blue bloc)
Red States
–
No bloc yet
Population
More rural, fewer megacities
GDP
Energy, agriculture, manufacturing
Healthcare
More rural hospital deserts
Military
Army & Air Force cores
Energy & fuel
Oil fields & refineries
Food & farmland
Farm belt & ranch land
Innovation & universities
Growing tech & research hubs
Housing affordability
Cheaper in many areas
City migration (metros in Red bloc)
Trade & Tariffs
Big economies sign better deals. Smaller blocs pay more when they throw up
tariffs. Trade stance sliders roughly move toward more
conservative (tariffs & friction) or more liberal (open trade), changing
each bloc’s leverage and long-run GDP path.
United States (joined)
Deal leverage
Power in EU / Pacific / NATO talks
Tariff drag
Lost trade & higher prices at tariff walls
Trade stance
Conservative tariffs ↔ Liberal free trade
Mixed
Blue States bloc
Deal leverage
Appeal to EU, Pacific democracies
Tariff drag
Cost of walls vs Red bloc & world
Trade stance
Conservative tariffs ↔ Liberal free trade
Mixed
Red States bloc
Deal leverage
Energy & farm exports as bargaining chips
Tariff drag
Hit to exporters & consumers
Trade stance
Conservative tariffs ↔ Liberal free trade
Mixed
Trade deal negotiator
Pick who wins the best trade terms with each partner group.
The more blocs tilt deals away from each other, the more the world map below
shifts and the more fragile growth becomes.
10-year trajectory
Set a scenario, then move the year slider or hit
Play to watch grades and “GDP twin” countries change from
Year 0 (right after a split) to Year 10.
Better trade policy and more cooperation mean steadier growth.
Year 0 (immediately after split)
Global reaction map
Countries in EU, Pacific partners, and NATO are shaded by which bloc they sign
their best deal with. Colors are muted so the focus stays on the U.S., but the
message is clear: fractured blocs bargain worse with the world.
Favors United States
Favors Blue States
Favors Red States
Neutral / mixed