Future of Puerto Rico

[justfollowingtheelections]

Not necessarily true.  They currently have a republican governor.  I think we must put an end to the status quo, not only in Puerto Rico but in the other territories as well.  All other territories became states at some point so it really doesn't sit well with me that these insular territories have had that status for more than a century in some cases.
Either give them statehood or set them free.

Yes and no. They have a penepe governor who happens to be affiliated with the Republicans. Take statehood/commonwealth out of the picture (which divides the Democratic voters but not the Republican ones) and you have a solidly, solidly Democratic state.

Of course, there would probably be a minor leftist pro-independence party active at the state level. But think Vermont (plus independence, and of course the reasons for voting Democratic or Republican would be very different from Vermonters).

I'm thinking Bronx, not Vermont

A solid Democratic state doesn't equate to two Democratic senators.  Arkansas is a solid republican state and they have two democratic senators.  Local politics will always be influenced by factors very different than the ones that determine national politics.

My point is that territories are no different than colonies (you belong to us, but you're not one of us, therefore you cannot vote) and in the year 2008 it's disgraceful that we still have them.

[ottermax]

They definitely should become a state. I think that it will happen at a surprising time, and won't be as big a story, similar to Kansas statehood during the civil war. All this debate will seem silly when it actually happens.

[Stranger in a strange land]

Not necessarily true.  They currently have a republican governor.  I think we must put an end to the status quo, not only in Puerto Rico but in the other territories as well.  All other territories became states at some point so it really doesn't sit well with me that these insular territories have had that status for more than a century in some cases.
Either give them statehood or set them free.

Yes and no. They have a penepe governor who happens to be affiliated with the Republicans. Take statehood/commonwealth out of the picture (which divides the Democratic voters but not the Republican ones) and you have a solidly, solidly Democratic state.

Of course, there would probably be a minor leftist pro-independence party active at the state level. But think Vermont (plus independence, and of course the reasons for voting Democratic or Republican would be very different from Vermonters).

I'm thinking Bronx, not Vermont

A solid Democratic state doesn't equate to two Democratic senators.  Arkansas is a solid republican state and they have two democratic senators.  Local politics will always be influenced by factors very different than the ones that determine national politics.

My point is that territories are no different than colonies (you belong to us, but you're not one of us, therefore you cannot vote) and in the year 2008 it's disgraceful that we still have them.

I would disagree that Arkansas is "solidly Republican" (it certainly isn't at anything but the presidential level), but your point is otherwise valid. However, I'd point out that voters tend to be more partisan in Senate races than they are in state and local races.

[minionofmidas]

Not necessarily true.  They currently have a republican governor.  I think we must put an end to the status quo, not only in Puerto Rico but in the other territories as well.  All other territories became states at some point so it really doesn't sit well with me that these insular territories have had that status for more than a century in some cases.
Either give them statehood or set them free.

Yes and no. They have a penepe governor who happens to be affiliated with the Republicans. Take statehood/commonwealth out of the picture (which divides the Democratic voters but not the Republican ones).

It might be more accurate to say that mainland politics divide the PNP voters but not the PRD voters.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Remember that Hawaii was brought into the Union as a Republican state and Alaska as a Democratic one.... and they voted the opposite of that supposition as soon as the 1960 election. (and both by less than 1% difference between Nixon and Kennedy)

Things change (I voted 51st state)

[SPC]

Independence, please.

[Nym90]

Statehood.

[Psychic Octopus]

How about 51st state, they add the Virgin Islands to be part of the state, and they do a program where they all learn english? and I like their flag, but we ARE not getting the homoeroticized 51st flag.

[Fritz]

"Homoeroticized"?  What flag design was that???

The 51-star flag arrangement for the next state (whatever it is) has already been determined, I believe it is 3 rows of 8 and 3 rows of 9.

[Lunar]

It sounds like NiK was making a Lunar reference

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=4512.msg1847202#msg1847202

[Matt Damon™]

Make Utah a commonwealth and give PR statehood. There, that solves the flag issue.

[Psychic Octopus]

It sounds like NiK was making a Lunar reference

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=4512.msg1847202#msg1847202

Yes i actually was.

[Hash]

and they do a program where they all learn english?

Most certainly not.

[minionofmidas]

Make Utah a commonwealth and give PR statehood. There, that solves the flag issue.

Texas.

[aaaa2222]

Let them have a vote. Go with what the majority says, akin to what we did in Alaska.
Shall we petition Obama? (Can he even add a state?)

[Matt Damon™]

Make Utah a commonwealth and give PR statehood. There, that solves the flag issue.

Texas.

Texas is trending democrat and will be a swing state by the 2020s so no need for it.

[Psychic Octopus]

How about make North Virginia a state, make Puerto Rico a state, and make Vermont and Utah territories.

[muon2]

The issue of the flag seems to be overblown. In 1959 the flag was changed with the loss of the flag so many had fought and died for in WWII and Korea. For those soldiers that 48-star flag was the symbol that pulled them through. If we were to change to a 51-star flag, I see no more loss of investment by the country then it had in '59.

[Hash]

How about make North Virginia a state, make Puerto Rico a state, and make Vermont and Utah territories.

No. Vermont is made of win, Utah is kind of cool too.

[minionofmidas]

Make Utah a commonwealth and give PR statehood. There, that solves the flag issue.

Texas.

Texas is trending democrat and will be a swing state by the 2020s so no need for it.

Nobody can know right now what the swing states by the 2020s will be.

[aaaa2222]

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

[Matt Damon™]

Make Utah a commonwealth and give PR statehood. There, that solves the flag issue.

Texas.

Texas is trending democrat and will be a swing state by the 2020s so no need for it.

Nobody can know right now what the swing states by the 2020s will be.

That's true but things are trending that way. latins are increasingly dem-leaning and the majority of young texans are latins. That combined with northerners moving in means a more moderate texas.

[Psychic Octopus]

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

8, I believe.

[7,052,770]

who cares if we change the flag?

[aaaa2222]

^^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.