In December 2016, journalist Kevin Baker wrote a piece for the New Republic complaining about the “lazily deployed” stereotype of the “condescending coastal liberal who lives in his own bubble,” and about the “right-wing project to label anyone in the opposition as somehow deracinated, unnatural, unconnected to ‘the homeland.’”

Then, in March, Baker wrote a column titled “It’s Time for a Bluexit,” arguing that progressive America, or “blue states,” ought to simply break off from the conservative-voting parts of the country and go it alone. It was, in his words, “virtual secession.” Can’t get more “unconnected to ‘the homeland’” than that.

Baker’s column is obviously not serious, but it appears to have struck a nerve with some liberals. Last week, he was back on the Bluexit train as MSNBC anchor Joy Reid invited him onto her show to elaborate on his column, while the hashtag “#Bluexit” trended, mostly in support of his basic point.