Should residents of American Samoa receive US citizenship?

[they don't love you like i love you]

Yes, since the whole "US national" distinction instead seems pretty pointless. It's almost like Wulfric's proposal that civil unions be established for gays with some rights arbirtarily absent for no reason whatsoever besides Moderate Hero compromise.

[Sumner 1868]

Yes.

[James Monroe]

Yes.

[Zioneer]

Yes, this is a no-brainer question.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

No.  For much the same reason why they opposed becoming an Organized Territory, they (or at least their leadership) prefer the current arrangement.  They perceive it as keeping their options open without committing to being a permanent part of the United States.  After all, they know full well that Statehood will never be an option for them.  If their preference changes, then I'd support universal citizenship, but it's not particularly difficult now for anyone there who wants citizenship to obtain it.

Yes, this is a no-brainer question.

Only if you have no brains.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Yes.

[ElectionsGuy]

Every person from a US territory should receive US citizenship.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I thought they already had it.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

The populations of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands should be added to Hawaii's voting population. Puerto Rico should be given statehood, with the American Virgin Islands included in its voting population.

[H. Ross Peron]

Every person from a US territory should receive US citizenship.

[TNF]

Either give them citizenship or give them independence.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Either give them citizenship or give them independence.

Puerto Rico, at least, very much does not want independence.

[TNF]

Either give them citizenship or give them independence.

Puerto Rico, at least, very much does not want independence.

Then give them the right to elect members of Congress. They shouldn't be taxed without representation.

[Dr. Cynic]

Every person from a US territory should receive US citizenship.

Hear, Hear!

[Indy Texas]

Yes. We should do what all Continental European countries have done and integrate our vestigial territories into the country proper.

All of the Pacific island territories could be admitted as one state. Puerto Rico needs to be told to either join us or leave us; they're like a cat that keeps demanding to be let in only to want to go out five minutes later.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Either give them citizenship or give them independence.

Puerto Rico, at least, very much does not want independence.

Then give them the right to elect members of Congress. They shouldn't be taxed without representation.

Yeah, they're big enough to be the fifty-first state.

The other small territories would be better off being incorporated into existing states, where their voices can be heard as part of a larger whole. Much like DC should be.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

The populations of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands should be added to Hawaii's voting population. Puerto Rico should be given statehood, with the American Virgin Islands included in its voting population.

That would make Hawaii almost as big as the continental US.  I don't think those islands want a state level government thousands of miles away, which would reduce their self-government.

[Maxwell]

We shouldn't have any territories that aren't clear cut states.

[7,052,770]

No.  For much the same reason why they opposed becoming an Organized Territory, they (or at least their leadership) prefer the current arrangement.  They perceive it as keeping their options open without committing to being a permanent part of the United States.  After all, they know full well that Statehood will never be an option for them.  If their preference changes, then I'd support universal citizenship, but it's not particularly difficult now for anyone there who wants citizenship to obtain it.
Only if you have no brains.

I don't know about that. The Samoas together have over a quarter-million people, that might could make a state (I'm assuming Samoa would probably accept if offered). Guam + NMI is over 200K people, that could probably make a state too.

Yes, these two states would be low population, but it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Combining them all into one state would be tricky because of International Date Line issues, but that could be an option too. (I wouldn't add them to Hawaii, because Hawaii's population would dwarf them.)

[TDAS04]

Absolutely.

[Vega]

No.  For much the same reason why they opposed becoming an Organized Territory, they (or at least their leadership) prefer the current arrangement.  They perceive it as keeping their options open without committing to being a permanent part of the United States.  After all, they know full well that Statehood will never be an option for them.  If their preference changes, then I'd support universal citizenship, but it's not particularly difficult now for anyone there who wants citizenship to obtain it.

Has there been a referendum on it, though? If there was one, and they decided the way you're saying above, then no. But I can't help to feel like they would whole heartily want citizenship.

What good does it do them to move away from the US? An island like theirs has to move close to one power or another (probably New Zealand).

And Harry, the entirety of the Samoas could have been taken if the hurricane of 1889 never happened.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

No.  For much the same reason why they opposed becoming an Organized Territory, they (or at least their leadership) prefer the current arrangement.  They perceive it as keeping their options open without committing to being a permanent part of the United States.  After all, they know full well that Statehood will never be an option for them.  If their preference changes, then I'd support universal citizenship, but it's not particularly difficult now for anyone there who wants citizenship to obtain it.
Only if you have no brains.

I don't know about that. The Samoas together have over a quarter-million people, that might could make a state (I'm assuming Samoa would probably accept if offered). Guam + NMI is over 200K people, that could probably make a state too.

Yes, these two states would be low population, but it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Combining them all into one state would be tricky because of International Date Line issues, but that could be an option too. (I wouldn't add them to Hawaii, because Hawaii's population would dwarf them.)

If the Samoas combine, it almost certainly would be by American Samoa joining independent Samoa.  Moreover, American Samoa and Samoa have been diverging in culture and interests over the years as their culture adopts American and Kiwi influences respectively.  Incidentally, until a few years ago, Samoa was on our side of the IDL but changed to bring them into alignment with New Zealand, time wise.  So the idea that (Western) Samoa would consider joining the US, even as a state is ludicrous.

As for Guam + NMI, yeah, it'd be smallish tho doable.  It might even be needed to get Puerto Rico admitted as a State as it would be Republican counterweight to admission of an expected Democratic state.  Of course, it would be hilarious if it turned out like the last pair of states where Republican Hawaii was to be a counterweight for Democratic Alaska.

Has there been a referendum on it, though? If there was one, and they decided the way you're saying above, then no. But I can't help to feel like they would whole heartily want citizenship.

I love the smell of knowing-what-they-want-better-than-they-do in the afternoon.  It smells like ...  paternalism.  The lack of any agitation on the part of the islanders themselves isn't sufficient evidence apparently.  Ruining their tuna cannery industry by imposing mainland minimum wages some years ago apparently wasn't enough to convince some people that imposing mainland values on them doesn't always work in their interests.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

We shouldn't have any territories that aren't clear cut states.

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands?

More seriously, it's hard to see how the USVI ever becomes a state.  Even if you add in the British Virgin Islands and anomalously the Spanish Virgin Islands, it's not even 150,000 people, less than ¹/₂₀₀₀ of the US population, smallish for a Representative, and ludicrously small for two Senators.