Author: Stephen Johnson / Source: Big Think

- The tongue-in-cheek petition, whose stated aim is to reduce the national debt, has been signed more than 8,600 times as of Tuesday.
- Selling Montana, the fourth largest state in the country, would constitute the largest land deal since the Louisiana Purchase.
- The national debt is often a source of concern for individuals, but the chances of the U.S. defaulting on its debts are relatively low — in part because the bulk of the national debt is owned by the American public.
In February, the U.S. national debt hit a record $22 trillion, a landmark figure that highlights the extent and rate at which government borrowing exceeds the collection of tax revenues. So, you’re probably wondering: What has Montana been bringing to the table during the many years in which the national debt has been spiraling out of control? Nothing. It’s been sitting there, being utterly useless since it glommed onto the union in 1889.
That’s the argument behind a new petition that seeks to sell the nation’s 41st state to Canada for a cool $1 trillion.
“We have too much debt and Montana is useless,” Ian Hammond, the main petitioner, wrote on Change.org. “Just tell them it has beavers or something.”
On Tuesday, more than 8,666 people had signed the petition, which has a goal of 10,000 signatures. And it turns out some of those supporters are self-described Montanans.



Montana is rarely in the national spotlight. When the state is mentioned, the focus is usually on what Montana lacks: people (particularly black residents), big cities, professional sports teams and an American president who was born there. So, what does Montana have? A nearly $5 billion tourism sector built around the natural beauty of “The Treasure State”, including attractions like Yellowstone National Park,…
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