If RBG’s seat is filled, Dems should go nuclear across the board

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Is there any particular reason why you have a Vatican avatar now, Jalaketu, or have you just bought into the "political Catholicism is when you're right-wing; the more right-wing you are, the more Catholic it is " nonsense-mongering of people like Bill Barr and Matteo Salvini?

Mmh care to explain?

Salvini doesn't strike me as someone who thinks that what he's doing is political Catholicism unless you want to count performative nonsense about going to sanctuaries and similar?

"Performative nonsense about going to sanctuaries and similar" is about my understanding of what #right-wing populist political Catholicism consists of, yes.

Uh ok it just sounded strange to put him right next to William Barr, whom I'd say fits more your original definition and less "performative nonsense".

Also I know some people *cough cough my father* who buy into more serious right-wing cEntRist mOdeRaTe political Catholicism and Salvini is generally hated in those circles, but you may already know these dynamics.

"A day may come when La Lega has a PM, but it is not this day."

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Is there any particular reason why you have a Vatican avatar now, Jalaketu, or have you just bought into the "political Catholicism is when you're right-wing; the more right-wing you are, the more Catholic it is " nonsense-mongering of people like Bill Barr and Matteo Salvini?

Mmh care to explain?

Salvini doesn't strike me as someone who thinks that what he's doing is political Catholicism unless you want to count performative nonsense about going to sanctuaries and similar?

"Performative nonsense about going to sanctuaries and similar" is about my understanding of what #right-wing populist political Catholicism consists of, yes.

Uh ok it just sounded strange to put him right next to William Barr, whom I'd say fits more your original definition and less "performative nonsense".

Yeah, I'm being more of a keyboard warrior today than usual so my examples weren't the best.

Also I know some people *cough cough my father* who buy into more serious right-wing cEntRist mOdeRaTe political Catholicism and Salvini is generally hated in those circles, but you may already know these dynamics.

I know the type, yeah. I tend to think they're relative good guys in most countries' political contexts, but that might not be the case in the US these days.

[7,052,770]

Statehood for PR & DC.  There is no valid argument against granting statehood to each.

In fairness for PR, there has yet to be a referendum there showing that a majority of the populace supports statehood. The 2012 referendum showed that of the 78.2% of voters who showed up, 54% wanted to change the status quo. Of those, 61.2% favored statehood. .782*.54*.612 = 25.8%. The 2017 referendum with 22.9% turnout showed 97.2% of voters favoring statehood. .229*.972 = 22.3%.

They're having a straight yes/no vote on statehood this November. If it passes, PR should be immediately admitted, as both parties' platforms have endorsed PR statehood for a long time. If it fails, so be it and table this conversation for at least a decade

[Former President tack50]

Is there any particular reason why you have a Vatican avatar now, Jalaketu, or have you just bought into the "political Catholicism is when you're right-wing; the more right-wing you are, the more Catholic it is " nonsense-mongering of people like Bill Barr and Matteo Salvini?

Mmh care to explain?

Salvini doesn't strike me as someone who thinks that what he's doing is political Catholicism unless you want to count performative nonsense about going to sanctuaries and similar?

"Performative nonsense about going to sanctuaries and similar" is about my understanding of what #right-wing populist political Catholicism consists of, yes.

Uh ok it just sounded strange to put him right next to William Barr, whom I'd say fits more your original definition and less "performative nonsense".

Also I know some people *cough cough my father* who buy into more serious right-wing cEntRist mOdeRaTe political Catholicism and Salvini is generally hated in those circles, but you may already know these dynamics.

Not sure if it applies in Italy, but iirc at least in France (and probably other European countries), "Devout Catholics" are generally slightly less conservative and tend to prefer the traditional parties of the right; while "Non practicing Catholics" are more conservative and reactionary and prefer the likes of RN and what not

Could also just be a function of age though

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Why stop at Puerto Rico? Add Guam, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands as well for another 6 Senate seats.

Isn't there a requirement for states to have a certain population? 100,000 or so?

No, but there's generally been a rough guideline of having enough population to get a Representative even without the guaranteed minimum of one. DC and PR are the only territories to meet the traditional population criteria. For many years Nevada was the exception that proved the rule. Nevada got admitted early because of projections it would quickly grow up, but then it failed to grow and even shrank. Arguably it should have been our 50th state (admitted 1960), and Hawaii our 48th (admitted 1912 or so).

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Admitting DC and Puerto Rico isn't enough as it still leaves the Senate at an R+4.5 skew. Democrats need to at least admit DC, Puerto Rico, Guam and the US Virgin Islands as states, which gets the Senate down to R+2.5. Still bad, but potentially liveable. Then you can add a couple of justices to the Supreme Court and expand the House and lower federal courts in line with population. Pass a Voting Rights Act and anti-gerrymandering legislation.

Ideally you want to abolish the Senate, the EC and institute proportional representation but those probably require constitutional amendments.

I'd also add American Samoa.  Five new states gets us to ten new Senators which would definitely help unskew the Senate even more.  

American Samoa has a Republican delegate.

[Badger]

Grant PR a binding referendum, subject to the vote of Congress. Off early multiple options of statehood, status quo, and Independence. Statehood would require an overall majority vote for the measure to pass (independence as well theoretically, but they won't get more than around 5% of the vote).

[7,052,770]

Grant PR a binding referendum, subject to the vote of Congress. Off early multiple options of statehood, status quo, and Independence. Statehood would require an overall majority vote for the measure to pass (independence as well theoretically, but they won't get more than around 5% of the vote).

They already have a two-option Y/N statehood vote in November, so if Yes wins, that's all Congress needs to admit them. In fact, it would be a really bad look on the world stage if we have a part of our country not represented in Congress that wants to be, and have it denied for political reasons.

[Roronoa D. Law]

Statehood for PR & DC.  There is no valid argument against granting statehood to each.

In fairness for PR, there has yet to be a referendum there showing that a majority of the populace supports statehood. The 2012 referendum showed that of the 78.2% of voters who showed up, 54% wanted to change the status quo. Of those, 61.2% favored statehood. .782*.54*.612 = 25.8%. The 2017 referendum with 22.9% turnout showed 97.2% of voters favoring statehood. .229*.972 = 22.3%.

DC had a similar referendum in 2016 and vote 78% in favor.

But you know …. Republicans think it is better to disenfranchise 3.9 million Americans (total population of DC & PR combined).  But Wyoming's 500,000 get 2 Senators because …. cows.

Because...Wyoming is a constituent part of the Federal system in a way DC and Puerto Rico are not?

DC is literally the Federal system. Plus you never addressed his main argument as to why people in DC, Puerto Rico, and other territories are somehow less American than people on the mainland. Even France lets Guyane vote.

[Battista Minola 1616]

Yeah, I'm being more of a keyboard warrior today than usual so my examples weren't the best.

Also I know some people *cough cough my father* who buy into more serious right-wing cEntRist mOdeRaTe political Catholicism and Salvini is generally hated in those circles, but you may already know these dynamics.

I know the type, yeah. I tend to think they're relative good guys in most countries' political contexts, but that might not be the case in the US these days.

Yeah I had noticed you were more salty than usual.

Oh no they are *not* good guys in Italy (or maybe they are because they are irrelevant).
tHe LeFt-wiNg iS cOmmuNist
tHe rIghT-wiNg iS fAscIst
wE neEd a CentRisT pOpuLar ModErAte ReFormIst paRty
gEndEr TheorY baD
wdym i Can'T cAll ThEm fAgs. tHis is PC pOlice

[Battista Minola 1616]

Is there any particular reason why you have a Vatican avatar now, Jalaketu, or have you just bought into the "political Catholicism is when you're right-wing; the more right-wing you are, the more Catholic it is " nonsense-mongering of people like Bill Barr and Matteo Salvini?

Mmh care to explain?

Salvini doesn't strike me as someone who thinks that what he's doing is political Catholicism unless you want to count performative nonsense about going to sanctuaries and similar?

"Performative nonsense about going to sanctuaries and similar" is about my understanding of what #right-wing populist political Catholicism consists of, yes.

Uh ok it just sounded strange to put him right next to William Barr, whom I'd say fits more your original definition and less "performative nonsense".

Also I know some people *cough cough my father* who buy into more serious right-wing cEntRist mOdeRaTe political Catholicism and Salvini is generally hated in those circles, but you may already know these dynamics.

Not sure if it applies in Italy, but iirc at least in France (and probably other European countries), "Devout Catholics" are generally slightly less conservative and tend to prefer the traditional parties of the right; while "Non practicing Catholics" are more conservative and reactionary and prefer the likes of RN and what not

Could also just be a function of age though

Uh in Italy it is even more stark. Screening by religious attendance the most left-wing group is weekly. Precisely weekly > never > occasionally > monthly. And yes, "weekly" also vote FI at higher rates but that is becoming less relevant.

It is mostly a function of age and of the history of DC and of the Italian right-wing.

[Sir Mohamed]

Statehood for PR & DC.  There is no valid argument against granting statehood to each.

In fairness for PR, there has yet to be a referendum there showing that a majority of the populace supports statehood. The 2012 referendum showed that of the 78.2% of voters who showed up, 54% wanted to change the status quo. Of those, 61.2% favored statehood. .782*.54*.612 = 25.8%. The 2017 referendum with 22.9% turnout showed 97.2% of voters favoring statehood. .229*.972 = 22.3%.

DC had a similar referendum in 2016 and vote 78% in favor.

But you know …. Republicans think it is better to disenfranchise 3.9 million Americans (total population of DC & PR combined).  But Wyoming's 500,000 get 2 Senators because …. cows.

Because...Wyoming is a constituent part of the Federal system in a way DC and Puerto Rico are not?

DC is literally the Federal system. Plus you never addressed his main argument as to why people in DC, Puerto Rico, and other territories are somehow less American than people on the mainland. Even France lets Guyane vote.

This, and if majority of PR citizens vote for statehood and 117th congress admits the island as a state through public law, there is really argument against other than GOPers complaining about 2 more Dem senators.

DC citizens also pay federal income taxes. That's reason enough to give them representation in the Capitol.