If Texas secedes at the same time Puerto Rico becomes a state...

[Silent3]

...think of all the money we'll save not having to replace and update all of our flags.

[DonViejo]

1. Texas won't secede and Puerto Rico won't be granted...

statehood. The Republicans are not going to allow four million new and probably majority Democratic voters become a state. They do not want six new Democratic Congressional reps or two more U.S. Senators either. When Rick Santorum campaigned down here, he said statehood would be considered but, PR had to become English only.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

2. You are right.

The house would block any enabling act for the reasons you cited!

[kurt_cagle]

3. Unless there's a balance

Create a red state from a blue one(s) leaning purple, with a distinct red population - say the Eastern half of Oregon and Washington. This was in essence what happened with Hawaii and Alaska. Hawaii was really only considered with the much more Republican Alaska in the mix. Do that and the only thing that happens is that the number of House members goes up by 12 members (6 for both Puerto Rico and 6 for State X), and you have 104 Senators. In general, states have usually come in as pairs for precisely this reason.

[Jamastiene]

4. I would not be so quick to write Texas entirely off.

There are many great people (specifically Democrats) who are Texans. Ann Richards was a great great Democrat from there. Willie Nelson is a die hard Democrat too.

And remember this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Democratic_Party#Texas_eleven

I wouldn't write the entire population of Texas, or Texas as a state, off because of what a few jerks want to do.

I would be more than happy to see Puerto Rico become a state though. That would be great.