Puerto Rico, to become the 51st State?

Sorry, let me make it clear for you. When considering the polling data of ALL Americans, it is less popular than when polling only Democrats. Better?

I'm not sure about Guam, but making the US Virgin Islands a State might add another two Republican Senators, so that is a non-starter. =)

 

From the little I've read on the topic I seem to recall that within Puerto Rico the population has generally voted against statehood more than once. Furthermore, the benefits accorded Puerto Rico and its economy are often used as an argument against statehood.

Regardless, the whole thing is initially up to the citizens of Puerto Rico. Let them debate the facts. Let them vote.

Meanwhile, while O_Nation and Will paint an attack on Dems on this topic their real underlying argument is simply that as Republicans they will say and do anything they can to prevent an increase in statehood for a state or region that has a majority of Democrats. There is simply no other argument against this.


The most egregious example of denying Americans the right of representation in Congress comes from preventing the people of Washington DC the right of voting representation in Congress. The only real reason to deny this right is politics. Clearly the population of DC would currently support democrats in congress.

Per the 2009 census estimates DC has a population of about 599,000 residents. Wyoming has a population of about 544,000 residents. Wyoming's population has 2 voting senators and a member of Congress. DC has no voting members. Residents of DC pay US taxes, fight in wars, get killed defending the US etc. They have no voting representation in Congress. Its a travesty.

When votes come up about war and peace, serious domestic issues, major policies, etc.....the 544,000 people of Wyoming have 3 votes. The 599,000 residents of DC have no votes. Obstructionist republican politics is the sole reason that exists. During the last decade President Bush pushed for Democracy throughout the middle east. Meanwhile he and his Republican cronies kept the population of Washington DC from participating in Democracy. Meanwhile he was happy to get any residents of DC to go over and fight in Iraq and Afghanistan and he got some, including those that died fighting in the US armed forces.

That is some sick politics!!!

 

@Earlpearl: You are unquestionably right. This is about politics. You and I can go back and forth on who the evildoer is in this instance, but as you point out, the people of Puerto Rico have consistently weighed in against statehood and also would vote heavily democratic. That gives some pretty strong indications as to who it is that would promote statehood against the will of the people would be.

Regarding both DC and Puerto Rico, the political issue is not so much seats in the House, which are numerous. The real fight is the senate. California gets two senate seats, Rhode Island gets two senate seats. It doesn't take a math genius to realize that, when you pull in a state that leans heavily one direction or the other, the balance is easy to tip. I'll read up a bit on DC, but as far as I know, states rights has never been an issue for DC as it was never considered a state. I'll grant you they should have representation in Washington but considering DC IS Washington there are most certainly other issues at play.

 

LOL. Every time you post something and I disagree I'll probably have to source this quote.

 

Yesterday I spoke with a marine who is a native of Washington DC. Enlisted starting in 2004 and reupped. He is close to leaving the Marines. The guy did 2 tours in Afghanistan and 1 tour in Iraq. The guy recently returned from duty in Panama.

The sad thing is this guy does not have a voting representative in either the House of Representatives or anyone to represent his interests in the Senate. What a shame and what a crime against this citizen and patriot.