If the Dems take the Senate and Presidency (big if), is there any particular reason why they should not push through DC and PR as states? All it would ultimately take is a simple majority vote in Congress. I am particularly curious to see if there are any liberals against the idea.

Article about potential legal mechanics for DC statehood (We'd probably have to repeal the 23rd Amendment).

2017 Ballot: 97% of PR Voters vote for statehood

I have yet to hear a convincing reason why they should not be states from Republicans, but I'm sure there are and I am open to hearing the arguments against. However, you're going to have to do better than McConnell's usual 'more democracy = socialism' stance.

As far as l can tell, the real arguments from the right against are basically 'we don't want poor people' and 'we don't want Spanish speaking people' who aren't 'real' Americans:

https://www.heritage.org/americas/re...nd-contentious

https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/...-case-against/

I don't know much about this issue....the question I have is, what benefit will it bring the US?

More justice for Americans.

More Daddy Yankee summer jams.

Well considering that the people of both those places are already Americans, I think you are asking the wrong question. The question should be, IMO, 'would it improve the lives of the people of those constituencies'? The answer to that question is unequivocally yes.

Dems dont want those as states. more political power for the Dem party would pressure them to actually do something to implement popular policies that the Party pretends to support but actually would do everything to block. like m4a. or really anything that benefits the people.

Hard to see the Rs coming on board at this point without adding to 'their' side. Some people argue PR could be red--but I kinda doubt it will shake out like that. DC would obv be blue. Kinda why new states have tended to come in pairs especially the more recently we go back in time--but the Missouri Compromise kinda established it as a reality too

Yea, it remains to be seen if they will actually push it forward without McConnell waiting in the Senate to swat it down. Dems are pretty split on DC, PR is much less controversial.

https://thehill.com/hilltv/what-amer...g-dc-statehood

https://news.gallup.com/poll/260744/...statehood.aspx

Citizens of DC and Puerto Rico are American citizens and therefore deserve representation in the federal government.

Don't forget "only blue-collar Americans are real Americans" (nevermind that they're a party whose singular goal is giving tax cuts to the rich):

Can we bring in Guam and the US Virgin Islands as well?

Ding Ding Ding...

We have winner.

Why not?

I duno, the 54 star flag looks kinda funny..

Putting aside any moral claims, it seems adding Puerto Rico as a state would be a great benefit to the elite/corporate class, as there would be a much larger supply of cheap labor, which would depress wages.

For the 90% of Americans it would probably be a net economic negative for most.

Maybe promising to push Puerto Rico statehood is the olive branch the Democratic Party will extend to the elites when they take over in exchange for raising taxes?

wat

they dont understand that Puerto Ricans are Americans

Puerto Ricans are American citizens. They are not foreigners. They can already travel freely and work within the U.S. without having to obtain any visas. They are already coming over in large numbers. Any potential demographic effects to the mainland are likely already present anyway.

I doubt the island will 'empty out', in some kind of mass migration though. The vast majority of the 400,000 Puerto Ricans who left to the lower 48 after Hurricane Maria have returned home to the island.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...ed-since-maria

US Corporations can set up operations as easily in Puerto Rico same as in the states?

I assumed there would be some differences. If not, then fair enough.

Well, I was thinking more along the lines of it would allow US Corporations moving operations to Puerto Rico easier and run out local businesses.

But perhaps it is already easy and this is a moot point.

The situation you're describing as an eventuality has kinda already been reality for a long time

Allowing citizens to vote for their government seems like the bare minimum a representative democracy should do.

There are some differences, as there are with individual states in continental US. But three things:

1. Puerto Rican businesses are American businesses just like Texan businesses are American businesses.
2. Many of the largest companies in Puerto Rico are recognizable names in continental US. Simon for example owns one of the largest shopping malls in Puerto Rico.
3. They use USD and are officially served by the Federal Reserve

To the extent Puerto Rico has brands/businesses not well known in continental US, it is more as the result of geography than as the result regulatory issues.

I didnt know that giving them the vote made it easier for corporation to set up operations.

but voting doesnt even matter in this country