Does Dave know something we don't?

[Grad Students are the Worst]

Compare the default 2004 map:



With the default 2008 map:



Notice anything?

[Gabu]

Hmmmm...

That's interesting.

[12th Doctor]

Yeah, interesting.

[12th Doctor]

Where did you get that map?

[Gabu]

If you use the URL

http://www.uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT/genusmap1.php?year=2008

you can just change the year to whatever year you want and it alters the map.

[Colin]

Dave's been to the future.

Seriously though he probably put it on their just in case Puerto Rico becomes a state in the next four years.

[Erc]

It's what he used for the Fantasy vote...

[A18]

Who won the gubernatorial race in Puerto Rico? A pro-statehood candidate, or a pro-commonwealth candidate?

[Erc]

I don't know.

No, really, I don't.

[A18]

I just get a NYT sign up page. And there's no waying I'm signing up for the NYT.

[A18]

Well, unless I get really bored about 19 minutes and later and decide to retrieve my old password.

BOSTON, Dec. 13 - With the winner of Puerto Rico's race for governor still in dispute, a federal appeals court here heard arguments on Monday about how thousands of disputed ballots that could tip the outcome of the election should be handled.

According to preliminary vote counts certified by the Puerto Rican election commission, the pro-commonwealth candidate, Anibal Acevedo Vilá, narrowly defeated Pedro Rosselló, the former governor and pro-statehood candidate, by 3,880 votes. The disputed ballots were not included in that count.

Isn't the legislature there pro-statehood? If so, and if the pro-statehood gubernatorial candidate wins, Bush should push Congress to admit Puerto Rico into the Union.

[12th Doctor]

I say it is time for them to put up or shut up.  Either they become a state or they leave.  We shouldn't have to pay their bills when they are easily large enough to be a state.

[Nym90]

I agree that Puerto Rico should become a state.

I don't see what kicking them out of the USA would accomplish, however. Does the federal government even have the authority to kick them out? How would that even be done?

Even if we could kick Puerto Rico out of the country, wouldn't doing so look pretty bad?? I would think something like that would be pretty unprecedented in the world. Would the benefits really outweigh the negatives?

[MAS117]

I used to like the idea of PR being a state. Now I think they should stay a commonwealth.

[A18]

I agree that Puerto Rico should become a state.

I don't see what kicking them out of the USA would accomplish, however. Does the federal government even have the authority to kick them out? How would that even be done?

Even if we could kick Puerto Rico out of the country, wouldn't doing so look pretty bad?? I would think something like that would be pretty unprecedented in the world. Would the benefits really outweigh the negatives?

Article IV, Section 3.

Clause 2: The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.

I used to like the idea of PR being a state. Now I think they should stay a commonwealth.

How come?

[Wrecking Ball and Chain]

I support statehood for Puerto Rico just because it'd be a solid Democratic state. Puerto Ricans are the most Democratic voting group among Hispanics.

[Colin]

I support statehood for Puerto Rico just because it'd be a solid Democratic state. Puerto Ricans are the most Democratic voting group among Hispanics.

Of course you're talking about Puerto Ricans in the United States. We really don't know what would happen if Puerto Rico becomes a state. Might I remind you before Alaska and Hawaii became states everyone thought that Alaska would be a solidly Democratic state while Hawaii would be a Republican stronghold. As we know they were completely wrong. We would have to wait and see.

[Nym90]

I agree that Puerto Rico should become a state.

I don't see what kicking them out of the USA would accomplish, however. Does the federal government even have the authority to kick them out? How would that even be done?

Even if we could kick Puerto Rico out of the country, wouldn't doing so look pretty bad?? I would think something like that would be pretty unprecedented in the world. Would the benefits really outweigh the negatives?

Article IV, Section 3.

Clause 2: The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.

I used to like the idea of PR being a state. Now I think they should stay a commonwealth.

How come?

Thanks. So If I interpret this correctly, Congress could, by a simple majority vote, kick Puerto Rico out of the USA?

[A18]

Depends what you mean. The President would have to sign it, like any other bill, but yes, a majority vote in Congress is sufficient.

[Erc]

They're a territory.  The Representative bodies of Puerto Rico have the power that Congress chooses to delegate to them, nothing more.  Of course, Puerto Ricans would still be US Citizens (did we ever overturn the Insular Cases?), which would cause problems.