With the unconditional surrender of the Midwest Federative Republic, we can move beyond nuclear bloodshed and work towards rebuilding and creating a better future of the Midwest and Columbia alike. In the following discussion, we will be speaking exclusively about the states under Columbian jurisdiction which include:

• Minnesota

• Iowa

• Missouri

• Wisconsin

• Illinois

• Chicago FD

Kansas, Texas-occupied Missouri, Indiana, and Michigan have been placed under Texan and American jurisdiction and thus we are not at liberty to discuss their futures.

For purposes of reconstruction and rehabilitation, the United States of Columbia will be occupying the Midwest for the next five years. After success using a similar method for Deseret some twenty years ago now, we will once again use it to set up a Midwest that we are comfortable with, and one that is rebuilt and economically growing once again.

Here, though, is where we offer the Midwest some choice.

The Midwest will have a choice between what we will refer to as the Chinook model and the Deseret model.

The Chinook model is based on Chinook's integration into the United States of Columbia. They were admitted as a commonwealth, a federal level of governance between the states and the federal government in Columbia City. Naturally, the existence of such a government meant that as a commonwealth, Chinook was exempt from some federal powers. Many federal regulations did not apply in the commonwealth, and participation in many federal programs was optional. While the commonwealth has since fallen out of usage, with their last legislative session being a decade ago and commonwealth policy more or less in line with federal, it still provides an option where the Midwest can remain a unified entity under the Columbian federal structure. However, it is important to note that in this case, the wording of the 28th Amendment means that an independence referendum would be conducted on a state-by-state basis, and by precedent set in the Prairie States, such a referendum would only be conducted after a sustained demonstration of desire for such a referendum.

The Deseret model, based on the post-war occupation of Deseret, worked like this. The states of the Midwest, in this case, would join the union as territories. This grants the individual states increased autonomy and exemptions from many federal taxes, programs, etc. However, in return, these territories are allotted half of their usual representation in Congress, meaning that Iowa, for example, would only have two assemblymen and a single senator rather than four assemblymen and two senators. The states of the Midwest would function for five years as territories while the federal government effectively rebuilds the wartorn parts of the region, and at the end of five years, the states would each hosts referendums on continuing territory status, statehood, or independence.

In either case, Columbia helps rebuild. After a few months of peace, we imagine that the military patrols should end, making this more of a rebuilding mission than an occupation one. These are the two options for the Columbian-occupied Midwest moving forward. You are welcome to discuss with us your choice as well as anything else we may be able to help you with in the post-war situation.

We hope that hostility between us can be put in the past for the benefit of all, and we look forward to a safer, strong North America as a result.