Puerto Rican Statehood?

[Spanish Moss]

If I had to bet money, I'd say no they won't vote to become a state - but I think it'll be close, and it very well could happen.  Whether their choice is ratified is a different story - that I'd be unsure of.

If they want to be a state, I certainly support it.  I definitely think DC should either be a state, or all but federal buildings (ex., the White House) should be absorbed by Virginia and Maryland.  I'd support any American territory that wants to be a state.

[Spanish Moss]

If I had to bet money, I'd say no they won't vote to become a state - but I think it'll be close, and it very well could happen.  Whether their choice is ratified is a different story - that I'd be unsure of.

If they want to be a state, I certainly support it.  I definitely think DC should either be a state, or all but federal buildings (ex., the White House) should be absorbed by Virginia and Maryland.  I'd support any American territory that wants to be a state.

If PR votes to petition Congress for statehood, then I would hope that Congress would accept that petition. It would be interesting to see if that gets tied to any other petitions such as DC, though ideally it should stand on its own.

In past DC threads I have thought it makes more sense to give DC Congressional votes as a part of MD, with its own CD and a vote for MD Sen. Of course its 3 EV would vanish in such an arrangement. That could well be part of a PR deal should the referendum favor statehood.

I would resist a general territorial petition from any source. There should be a minimum population. Some territories are so small that if they were states it would really stretch the inequity in CD size. Not to mention the tremendous power of two senators for a population that could be a small fraction of a typical CD.

I would say, then, that they should have the equal right to declare themselves autonomous of the United States.

[Spanish Moss]

Puerto Rico does NOT want to become a state......only the Dems want it to become one.

Well, whether they want statehood or not is what the referendum is going to reveal.  It's not as if the Democratic Party is somehow pushing to force it to become a state.

[Spanish Moss]

Puerto Rico does NOT want to become a state......only the Dems want it to become one.

Well, whether they want statehood or not is what the referendum is going to reveal.  It's not as if the Democratic Party is somehow pushing to force it to become a state.

There is where we disagree, friend.  It will add to their side of the aisle.

Yes, and I agree they'd love to see it happen - but again, there's no evidence I've seen to indicate they're actually doing anything physical to make it happen.  I see nothing wrong with simply hoping it happens.