Future of Puerto Rico

[minionofmidas]

^^That would be a fairly large state. And bundling the US Pacific trusts into another state would be roughly five more votes, creating two new fairly large states. I would say to go for it if the people approve.

No, even including the former trust territories (whose current independence is a scam anyways) that would still be three EVs. Unless you were including Hawaii.
Anyways American Samoa has less in common with Micronesia than, say, Florida with Alaska. Why not turn the continental 49 into a single state instead?

[Holmes]

Puerto Rico is more populous than Wyoming, so, yes, it should be added as a state. How many electoral votes would it have, though?

I believe it would begin with an At-Large until the next census? And there would be one extra seat in Congress until the next redistricting.

I think that's what happened with Alaska and Hawaii right?

[minionofmidas]

Puerto Rico is more populous than Wyoming, so, yes, it should be added as a state. How many electoral votes would it have, though?

I believe it would begin with an At-Large until the next census? And there would be one extra seat in Congress until the next redistricting.

I think that's what happened with Alaska and Hawaii right?

They were far smaller and were added very shortly before a Census (after which Hawaii gained the second seat that it's population would have entitled it to anyways). There may also have been a desire to keep the House's size an odd number during the interim.
Most states have been admitted with one Representative, but there have been exemptions for very populous new states before (Oklahoma off the top off my head, Texas almost certainly, possibly others).

[aaaa2222]

^I'm pretty sure Maine had 6-8 when it joined the union.
Micronesia is currently independent. I'm talking about Guam, northern Mariana Islands and the like. Islands that we currently possess.

[minionofmidas]

^I'm pretty sure Maine had 6-8 when it joined the union.
Micronesia is currently independent. I'm talking about Guam, northern Mariana Islands and the like. Islands that we currently possess.

That is only Guam, the Northern Marianas, and American Samoa at the Pacific's other end. The Northern Marianas are the only part of the former Pacific Trust Territory (to which Guam never belonged, having been in US hands since 1898) to still be formally in US possession - practically it's a somewhat different matter. Four nominally sovereign countries were carved from the Territory: Palau, Kiribati, Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.

[aaaa2222]

The combined population of those three territories stands at roughly 360,000. That's just short of Wyoming, still not that bad. And it gives voting rights to these people on a national level, a right they should've had to begin with.

[minionofmidas]

The combined population of those three territories stands at roughly 360,000. That's just short of Wyoming, still not that bad. And it gives voting rights to these people on a national level, a right they should've had to begin with.

...and adding the four ex-trust countries, you get to a population to mirror the average single member (3 EV) state.
Although I still contend that American Samoa should not, under no circumstances, be lumped in with Micronesia.

[aaaa2222]

We do not own Micronesia! I highly doubt that they will rejoin the union, so thus they will not be grouped with Samoa. There's not even a movement that I know of for us to regain the former trust territories. I'm recommending that we group our current Pacific possessions into a state.
Anyway, east and west Oregon are quite different, there's no requirement that a state has a unified culture.

[minionofmidas]

We do not own Micronesia! I highly doubt that they will rejoin the union, so thus they will not be grouped with Samoa. There's not even a movement that I know of for us to regain the former trust territories. I'm recommending that we group our current Pacific possessions into a state.

While you should, perhaps, read up on the "Compact of Free Association", the Marianas are part of Micronesia (the world region, not the country) too.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Lol, not remotely comparable.

[aaaa2222]

I thought you were suggesting annexing Micronesia (the country).
Is it a legal requirement that states have a unified culture? Nope. Native American groups inhabiting say, Wisconsin, may be very different in culture from the state at large, but Wisconsin stands as a state.

[k-onmmunist]

Statehood.

[minionofmidas]

I thought you were suggesting annexing Micronesia (the country).

Well, I was contemplating the possibility - it makes more sense than throwing in East Samoa. It is a little unlikely, though - though certainly more likely than just about any other theoretically possible abolution of an independent country extant in the world right now (these things just don't happen any more. Good thing, too.)

Give Samoa back to the Samoans.

[7,052,770]

American Samoa is on the other side of the International Date Line of Guam and the NMI's, which combined with the cultural difference makes it a poor pick for being part of the state.  I'd suggest making Guam/NMI a state and offering annexation into that state to any of the trust territories (I bet they would all take it, but if they don't, fine).  American Samoa could be given the option of joining Hawaii, independence, or status quo.

[aaaa2222]

).

On October 23, 2007, that Resources Committee unanimously approved a substitute bill of HR900, which establishes that before 2009, a first plebiscite will be held in which Puerto Ricans will be asked if they desire to maintain their territorial status, in a yes or no question. The bill states that should the No as the favored choice, either another plebiscite asking between statehood, independence or an associated republic, or a constitutional assembly would follow thereafter, by choice of the United States Federal Court of Puerto Rico. The bill is yet to be considered by the United States House of Representatives, waiting for enough votes to carry a debate. Several organizations in Puerto Rico, such as the Puerto Rico Lawyer's College, have pledged to lobby against it, in an effort to prevent the solution of the status issue.

[Хahar 🤔]

I thought you were suggesting annexing Micronesia (the country).

Well, I was contemplating the possibility - it makes more sense than throwing in East Samoa. It is a little unlikely, though - though certainly more likely than just about any other theoretically possible abolution of an independent country extant in the world right now (these things just don't happen any more. Good thing, too.)

Give Samoa back to the Samoans.

Ablution? Isn't that the thing I do before prayer?

[justfollowingtheelections]

).

On October 23, 2007, that Resources Committee unanimously approved a substitute bill of HR900, which establishes that before 2009, a first plebiscite will be held in which Puerto Ricans will be asked if they desire to maintain their territorial status, in a yes or no question. The bill states that should the No as the favored choice, either another plebiscite asking between statehood, independence or an associated republic, or a constitutional assembly would follow thereafter, by choice of the United States Federal Court of Puerto Rico. The bill is yet to be considered by the United States House of Representatives, waiting for enough votes to carry a debate. Several organizations in Puerto Rico, such as the Puerto Rico Lawyer's College, have pledged to lobby against it, in an effort to prevent the solution of the status issue.

I really hate how against finding a solution to this issue Puerto Rico appears to be.  I also hate how apathetic the U.S. Virgin Islands appear to be.  There's no discussion at all about whether they would like to be become a state or independent.  What's so appealing about being U.S. property?
In Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands it appears that the majority is in favor of statehood and while they would be a small state, I believe it is necessary that we find a solution to this problem once and for all.  I'm not sure what can be done about Samoa though.  They're too far from Hawaii or the Mariana Islands and too small to become a state.  Maybe we should just let them go?

[aaaa2222]

).

On October 23, 2007, that Resources Committee unanimously approved a substitute bill of HR900, which establishes that before 2009, a first plebiscite will be held in which Puerto Ricans will be asked if they desire to maintain their territorial status, in a yes or no question. The bill states that should the No as the favored choice, either another plebiscite asking between statehood, independence or an associated republic, or a constitutional assembly would follow thereafter, by choice of the United States Federal Court of Puerto Rico. The bill is yet to be considered by the United States House of Representatives, waiting for enough votes to carry a debate. Several organizations in Puerto Rico, such as the Puerto Rico Lawyer's College, have pledged to lobby against it, in an effort to prevent the solution of the status issue.

I really hate how against finding a solution to this issue Puerto Rico appears to be.  I also hate how apathetic the U.S. Virgin Islands appear to be.  There's no discussion at all about whether they would like to be become a state or independent.  What's so appealing about being U.S. property?
In Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands it appears that the majority is in favor of statehood and while they would be a small state, I believe it is necessary that we find a solution to this problem once and for all.  I'm not sure what can be done about Samoa though.  They're too far from Hawaii or the Mariana Islands and too small to become a state.  Maybe we should just let them go?

Actually, Puerto Rico's support for statehood has consistently risen for the past few years. It is now well over 50%. The Pro-statehood party there just gained 48/68 of the "Senate" seats on the island, and the Governor's mansion.
We should probably chuck the Virgin islands in with Puerto Rico, as they're fairly close together. Samoa is an issue. We could ask Micronesia if they would like to be annexed, but that would be a foreign policy nightmare.

[muon2]

).

On October 23, 2007, that Resources Committee unanimously approved a substitute bill of HR900, which establishes that before 2009, a first plebiscite will be held in which Puerto Ricans will be asked if they desire to maintain their territorial status, in a yes or no question. The bill states that should the No as the favored choice, either another plebiscite asking between statehood, independence or an associated republic, or a constitutional assembly would follow thereafter, by choice of the United States Federal Court of Puerto Rico. The bill is yet to be considered by the United States House of Representatives, waiting for enough votes to carry a debate. Several organizations in Puerto Rico, such as the Puerto Rico Lawyer's College, have pledged to lobby against it, in an effort to prevent the solution of the status issue.

I really hate how against finding a solution to this issue Puerto Rico appears to be.  I also hate how apathetic the U.S. Virgin Islands appear to be.  There's no discussion at all about whether they would like to be become a state or independent.  What's so appealing about being U.S. property?
In Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands it appears that the majority is in favor of statehood and while they would be a small state, I believe it is necessary that we find a solution to this problem once and for all.  I'm not sure what can be done about Samoa though.  They're too far from Hawaii or the Mariana Islands and too small to become a state.  Maybe we should just let them go?

Actually, Puerto Rico's support for statehood has consistently risen for the past few years. It is now well over 50%. The Pro-statehood party there just gained 48/68 of the "Senate" seats on the island, and the Governor's mansion.
We should probably chuck the Virgin islands in with Puerto Rico, as they're fairly close together. Samoa is an issue. We could ask Micronesia if they would like to be annexed, but that would be a foreign policy nightmare.

The small population and remote location are problems for Guam. Even with the addition of the Northern Marianas the population would be a little over half the population of WY. The issues of 2 Senators and 3 EV for a state that small would be a barrier for many. OTOH, it would be difficult to see it annexed to HI given the great distance to that state.

[aaaa2222]

That is true, but what say you to offering annexation to several of our former trust territories?

[Hash]

).

On October 23, 2007, that Resources Committee unanimously approved a substitute bill of HR900, which establishes that before 2009, a first plebiscite will be held in which Puerto Ricans will be asked if they desire to maintain their territorial status, in a yes or no question. The bill states that should the No as the favored choice, either another plebiscite asking between statehood, independence or an associated republic, or a constitutional assembly would follow thereafter, by choice of the United States Federal Court of Puerto Rico. The bill is yet to be considered by the United States House of Representatives, waiting for enough votes to carry a debate. Several organizations in Puerto Rico, such as the Puerto Rico Lawyer's College, have pledged to lobby against it, in an effort to prevent the solution of the status issue.

I really hate how against finding a solution to this issue Puerto Rico appears to be.  I also hate how apathetic the U.S. Virgin Islands appear to be.  There's no discussion at all about whether they would like to be become a state or independent.  What's so appealing about being U.S. property?
In Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands it appears that the majority is in favor of statehood and while they would be a small state, I believe it is necessary that we find a solution to this problem once and for all.  I'm not sure what can be done about Samoa though.  They're too far from Hawaii or the Mariana Islands and too small to become a state.  Maybe we should just let them go?

Actually, Puerto Rico's support for statehood has consistently risen for the past few years. It is now well over 50%. The Pro-statehood party there just gained 48/68 of the "Senate" seats on the island, and the Governor's mansion.
We should probably chuck the Virgin islands in with Puerto Rico, as they're fairly close together. Samoa is an issue. We could ask Micronesia if they would like to be annexed, but that would be a foreign policy nightmare.

The PPD incumbent Governor was extremely unpopular due to a number of scandals. I think the PNP numbers in the recent elections are a bit inflated due to that.

[aaaa2222]

That is true, but even so, PNP gained far over a majority in the election.

[phk]

51st state then we can add Baja, Sonora et al and work our way down south from there.

[??????????]

51st state then we can add Baja, Sonora et al and work our way down south from there.

[Rowan]

Let the leaches go, it's long past due.

[7,052,770]

Let the leaches go, it's long past due.

Racist much?

The only fair answer is to let them become a state.  It's time they received representation (and paid taxes).