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DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two

07-14-2020 , 12:42 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Article IV, Section 3
New states may be admitted by the Congress into this union; but no new states shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state; nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states, or parts of states, without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned as well as of the Congress.

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.
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.

Quote:
Originally Posted by McConnell
They plan to make the District of Columbia a state—that’d give them two new Democratic senators—Puerto Rico a state, that would give them two more new Democratic senators... So this is full bore socialism on the march in the House. And yeah, as long as I’m the majority leader of the Senate, none of that stuff is going anywhere.
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:

Quote:
Originally Posted by A Possible Quebec-Style Culture Conflict
Establishing English as the official language of this Spanish-speaking nation would generate cultural divisions similar to those challenging the French-speaking people of Quebec and the rest of Canada.
https://www.heritage.org/americas/re...nd-contentious

Quote:
Originally Posted by It is not in the interests of the American people to help the poors (who are by the way also American people)
Put simply, Puerto Rico is an economic sinkhole. The General Accounting Office has estimated that the added tax burden coming along with statehood would cause enormous job losses and damage the economy of Puerto Rico even further. What benefit would the American people get from adding to the union a bankrupt state with a tanking economy?
https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/...-case-against/


DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 12:51 PM
I don't know much about this issue....the question I have is, what benefit will it bring the US?
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 12:54 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by itshotinvegas
I don't know much about this issue....the question I have is, what benefit will it bring the US?
More justice for Americans.
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 12:58 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by itshotinvegas
I don't know much about this issue....the question I have is, what benefit will it bring the US?
More Daddy Yankee summer jams.
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 12:59 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by itshotinvegas
I don't know much about this issue....the question I have is, what benefit will it bring the US?
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.
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 01:03 PM
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.
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 01:06 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by itshotinvegas
I don't know much about this issue....the question I have is, what benefit will it bring the US?
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
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 01:11 PM
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
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 01:38 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by itshotinvegas
I don't know much about this issue....the question I have is, what benefit will it bring the US?
Citizens of DC and Puerto Rico are American citizens and therefore deserve representation in the federal government.
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 01:42 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by EADGBE
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:
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):

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR)
Wyoming is smaller than Washington by population, but it has three times as many workers in mining, logging and construction, and 10 times as many workers in manufacturing. In other words, Wyoming is a well-rounded working-class state. A new state of Washington would not be.
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 01:49 PM
Can we bring in Guam and the US Virgin Islands as well?
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 02:37 PM
Ding Ding Ding...

We have winner.
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 02:37 PM
Why not?
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 03:51 PM
I duno, the 54 star flag looks kinda funny..

DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 04:28 PM
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?
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 04:32 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelhus100
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.
wat
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 04:42 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by goofyballer
wat
they dont understand that Puerto Ricans are Americans
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 04:52 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelhus100
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?
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
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 04:55 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Victor
they dont understand that Puerto Ricans are Americans
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.
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 04:59 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by EADGBE
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
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.
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 05:47 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelhus100
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?
The situation you're describing as an eventuality has kinda already been reality for a long time
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 07:30 PM
Allowing citizens to vote for their government seems like the bare minimum a representative democracy should do.
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 09:54 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelhus100
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.
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.
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 10:25 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelhus100
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.
I didnt know that giving them the vote made it easier for corporation to set up operations.
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote
07-14-2020 , 10:33 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by tame_deuces
Allowing citizens to vote for their government seems like the bare minimum a representative democracy should do.
but voting doesnt even matter in this country
DC/PR Statehood: The Nifty Fifty become the More Blue Fifty Two Quote

      
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