Puerto Rico?

[Cadeho]

How do people feel about Puerto Rico becoming the 51st state, or what about if it were its own nation?

I think it would be neat to have another state, however, I like having that grand even number of 50... so... California, I'll vote you out of the Union Survivor style. I'll get a little crowded up on Capitol Hill with new Senators and representatives. And if they choose to be independent, would it affect the US at all?

Yahoo story

[BrandonTO416]

I think Puerto Rico should determine its own fate. Let the citizens vote on whether or not they want to become a US state or a free sovereign nation.

If they opt to become a US state, they should pay all taxes and expect the same rights and responsibilities of all other states. That includes leaning to English as the first language.

I would welcome their first national elections in 2008 for President, Congressional Seats, and two new Senate seats.

In the same time period I'd like to see DC either recognized as a part of Maryland as the land was originally carved from.

If we could do the above and integrate with a new flag for the 2008 elections, we could hopefully get a refreshing new start. Maybe the new flag could be a circular pattern of 51 stars. A fresh face for an ailing nation that needs rejuvenation.

[Gusterfell]

^I agree with all that except the idea that they should be required to convert to a primarily English society. The US does not have an official language, and we have survived just fine without one for over 230 years. I see no reason to require people to make such a drastic change in their lifestyle simply to satisfy our own idea of what America should look like.

[kayman]

I would love to see Puerto Rico join the US as another state. Some of my ancestry goes back to Puerto Rico, so it would put a huge smile on my face. However, I do agree with Heckles that DC should get Congressional representation also. Those people in pay their taxes just like you and me elsewhere, so they should get fair representation also.

[runawayjim]

I would love to see Puerto Rico join the US as another state. Some of my ancestry goes back to Puerto Rico, so it would put a huge smile on my face. However, I do agree with Heckles that DC should get Congressional representation also. Those people in pay their taxes just like you and me elsewhere, so they should get fair representation also.

[Pillsbury]

i'm more in favor of puerto rico becoming it's own sovereign nation, along with all the other US territories.

as for DC, i think it should more become a part of a state than it's own state. they have a rep in the house that sits on various committees, but does not have any voting rights.

[kayman]

i'm more in favor of puerto rico becoming it's own sovereign nation, along with all the other US territories.

as for DC, i think it should more become a part of a state than it's own state. they have a rep in the house that sits on various committees, but does not have any voting rights.

[runawayjim]

Why do believe that? If we followed that ideology back 1950s, Alaska and Hawaii would have become their own nations rather than states. Also, Puerto Rico is about the same distance as the Hawaiian Islands are in distance from, if not closer, to the contagious 48.

[JDC]

Make it a state, and in order to avoid going over 50 states, combine the two Dakotas. I've read there were once talks of combining the two states to cut back on administrative costs. Then we'll combine Virginia and West Virginia and make Iraq a state. After all, the federal government seems to care more about Iraq than any of the current 50 states! Oh, and while we're at it, we can combine the Carolinas and make Canada a state. No point having another country separating us from Alaska.

[Charlotteman]

Haven't Puerto Ricans already voted on this question?

Make Puerto Rico a state AND make D.C. a state. D.C. has a larger population that several existing states. If you've ever been to D.C. you'll notice real quick that Dorothy and Toto aren't in Maryland or Virginia any more.

D.C. has it's own culture, it's own politics, it's own municiple philosophies.

Why shouldn't D.C. be a state? The only reasons I've ever heard is that right-wingers don't want two more liberal democrats in the US Senate and a liberal voting member in the US House.

But getting back to Puerto Rico, heck yeah make it state. But don't be chauvanistic about English/Spanish. Our country will probably be fully bilingual in the next 25 years anyway.

[suburban george3]

Make it a state, and in order to avoid going over 50 states, combine the two Dakotas. I've read there were once talks of combining the two states to cut back on administrative costs. Then we'll combine Virginia and West Virginia and make Iraq a state. After all, the federal government seems to care more about Iraq than any of the current 50 states! Oh, and while we're at it, we can combine the Carolinas and make Canada a state. No point having another country separating us from Alaska.

[dgreco]

Um, I definitely would rethink my position on using guns if they tried to combine NC with SC!!!! SC is too backwards for me!!

I say make Puerto Rico a state and also DC... so what if that makes 52 states? I'm not sure how the flag would look, but that shouldn't be a major concern..

[tamias6]

I'd say let Puerto Rico make its own choice. If it wants to be a state, great! Welcome to the party. If not, that's fine too. Only the Puerto Rican's knows what will work best for them. All they need to do is to be prepared to deal with the ramifications of there choice rather its for the better or worse.

Edit: Almost forgot about D.C. If that city were to be reverted back to the states, Maryland can not and must not have it all. One half of D.C. is inside Virginia Boarders while the other is inside Maryland. So each half must go to each state. The point is D.C. was made to belong to neither state so one could not say it was better than the other. Another thing, doesn't D.C. folks living in the Virginia side vote for Virginia reps while the Maryland side vote for Maryland reps?

[Charlotteman]

One of the most blatantly unfair situations in our country is the fact that D.C. residents don't have representation in the US Senate, nor the US House (even though the disctrict is given a non voting member in the US House)

I say put it to public vote in D.C. and Puerto Rico.

Who cares about problems with star symmetry on Old Glory?

[lammius]

Edit: Almost forgot about D.C. If that city were to be reverted back to the states, Maryland can not and must not have it all. One half of D.C. is inside Virginia Boarders while the other is inside Maryland. So each half must go to each state. The point is D.C. was made to belong to neither state so one could not say it was better than the other. Another thing, doesn't D.C. folks living in the Virginia side vote for Virginia reps while the Maryland side vote for Maryland reps?

[Gusterfell]

Virginia took its part of DC back in the 1840s. All of present-day DC is in what was once Maryland.

[Cadeho]

And wasn't taxation without representation the issue that brought us to independence? Ironic?

[runawayjim]

i'm not sure i understand why some people want DC to become a state. sure, they should have representation in the federal government, but at the same time, they are way too small for a state. while the population would be larger than that of only wyoming (at least according to wikipedia). it should be part of maryland if anything.

[Pillsbury]

Um, I definitely would rethink my position on using guns if they tried to combine NC with SC!!!! SC is too backwards for me!!

[Charlotteman]

i'm not sure i understand why some people want DC to become a state. sure, they should have representation in the federal government, but at the same time, they are way too small for a state. while the population would be larger than that of only wyoming (at least according to wikipedia). it should be part of maryland if anything.

[runawayjim]

That's like saying Pluto is too small to be a planet. hehheee

Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire aren't exactly Texas-sized states, and they all have at least three voting members in the US Congress.

A final decision about statehood for Puerto Rico isn't a pressing issue. But the fact that D.C. residents are not represented in Congress (the way all other Americans are represented) is something that should be addressed immediately. Either make it a state, or give it to Maryland, or Virginia. Just don't leave such an unfair issue unresolved.

[Lowerdeck]

the population of DC is lower than that of RI, VT, and NH. VT and NH are actually larger in size than RI, DE, and CT.

i never said that they don't deserve to be represented, but i don't think they should be their own state.

[runawayjim]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_states_by_population

DC is lower than everyone except Wyoming.

Vermont is just above DC. Delaware is under a million. New Hampshire got 1.3 million. Connecticut, while being only 50 miles by 100, has 3.5 million. Rhode Island, where if it took you an hour to drive between two points in the state you did it too slow, that has a million people too.

[Lowerdeck]

i was just comparing it to the smallest states in land area. DC is way way way smaller than RI in land size. it's not worth making it a separate state, it should be part of maryland, as it used to be.

[JDC]

I like how DC is on its own, as it is a "federal district" so to speak. That said, there ought to be a representative system in place just like all the other states have.

As far as combining the Carolinas goes, I was (sort of) kidding. I live in the better - I mean the northernmost - of the two as well. Though you'd have to agree there are still plenty of "backwards" people in NC (just like anywhere else).