Who would you prefer to become the 51st state?

[RB TexLa]

[Lance_Boyle]

1. Saudi Israelia, of course.

But it won't happen. Nor will Puerto Rico or DC statehood.

[ColbertWatcher]

34. Saudi Israelia de Cuba. n/t

[Fovea]

2. Who'd want to?

we are not doing very well by the 50 we have now.

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. Making Puerto Rico would enfranchise far more citizens

PR's population is almost 4 million, while DC's is less than 600,000.

[Badrock]

7. Yeah, but PR doesn't want it

In the last referendum, they turned down both statehood and independence by a wide margin. They have too sweet a deal, getting federal money and American citizenship without paying taxes. Good on them, I guess, since the feds don't seem to be in any rush to change that arrangement either.

[Breeze54]

4. Iraq already IS our 51st state!! n/t

[VADem11]

5. DC

DC suffers from congressional interference in local laws plus they have taxation without representation. It's also a more logical choice than having to integrate a mostly Spanish Speaking territory with an independence movement.

[TechBear_Seattle]

8. Technically speaking, Congress IS the local law for DC

The Congress shall have power... to exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States....

Article I, Section 8, United States Constitution (emphasis added.)

That the District of Columbia has any form of local government is a concession from Congress.

Corrected formatting.

[VADem11]

21. Technically

But that part of the Constitution is outdated for a modern city. The elected city council should be the ones who decide what is law in DC.

[Zuiderelle]

6. Whichever one doesn't broadcast those pesky Amber Alerts.

[BryMan]

9. Neither

Make DC part of Maryland, and make Puerto Rico an independent non-protectorate of the US (total independence).

[sabbat hunter]

30. shouldn't

the people of Puerto Rico have a say in their governmental future?

[BryMan]

43. Sure

And last I've heard they always poll against statehood. And they also bring nothing to the table worth the amount spent anyways. They thumb their noses at being part of this country while gaining alot for it.

Time to let them go it alone.

[johnaries]

10. What about the US Virgin Islands? nt

[TechBear_Seattle]

11. Statehood for Puerto Rico would not require a constitutional amendment

Statehood for DC would.

[VADem11]

22. Not necessarily

Congress could invoke Article Four, Section 3 of the Constitution to admit DC.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_Four_of_the_United_States_Constitution#Section_3:_New_states_and_federal_property

[TechBear_Seattle]

36. That depends on how Article I, Section 8 is interpreted

The Congress shall have power... to exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States....

Congress probably could declare that the District of Columbia was no longer a state. It seems to me that, in doing so, Congress would be required to find and designate some other federal district to serve as the federal capitol, and that district by definition would be under direct and exclusive Congressional control. Much easier to keep things in DC.

Keep in mind the Framers' original intent. The United States was a federation of sovereign states. If the federal capital were within the jurisdiction of any state, that state would have a tremendous amount of control over the actions of the federal government, not to mention a preeminence among the states that would quickly inflame nationalistic passions over which state would have that preeminence and control. The wisest course was what the Framers did: establish that the seat of federal government would be under the direct control of that government, on neutral and uncontestable ground.

[ccharles000]

12. DC

[tekisui]

13. Give PR complete self determination. If they vote to be a state, welcome them

if they want independence, grant it. The same with Native American Nations within our borders.

DC should have representation and statehood.

[robcon]

14. Canada.

Just kidding.

[scheming daemons]

15. After the Castros die.... how about Cuba?

It would be Vegas South.

[pitohui]

40. mississippi is vegas south EOM

,

[tuckessee]

16. How about a choice of "None"? n/t

[mainegreen]

17. North Virginia.

If the R's want to split CA to their advantage, lets split VA to ours!

:7

[LeftinOH]

18. Absorb DC back into MD, merge ND and SD together, and we've got 49 states.

Do we really need a Federal capital district? And- Are the Dakotas ever going to receive the much larger migration of settlers that IA, KS, or MN did? No and No, IMHO.

[slackmaster]

19. Every square inch of "Canada" that is south of the southernmost corner of Alaska

Fifty-Four Forty or Fight!

[baldguy]

27. Something like 90% of the Canadian population lives within 100 mi of the US border.

[Blue_In_AK]

33. It would be good

if Alaska had that little stretch of the Yukon Territories that runs between the border and Haines, then we wouldn't have to carry a passport to get to our capital over land. Of course, you can't drive all the way down there anyway, without taking a ferry partway, so I suppose it doesn't matter.

[donco6]

20. Denver and Boulder. We'll secede from the rest of CO.

And any other liberal enclave that wishes to join would be welcome.

Sigh.

Seriously, tho, I'd vote for Puerto Rico. I don't think DC should be a state.

[LWolf]

23. Do we really need a 51st state?

How about if we leave DC a district, and let Puerto Rico become it's own little nation?

[exothermic]

24. Neither of those, for damn sure.

...

[RB TexLa]

38. Why?

[JANdad]

41. Yea...Why?

[rucky]

25. Neither. It would make our flag look funny. n/t

[pitohui]

39. there is already a 51 star designed flag, it don't look funny

i saw it hanging at one of the historic old forts in san juan, puerto rico

an "ugly" flag, altho surprisingly often cited as reasons for not wanting a 51st state, is not really valid

i didn't pick favorites as both should be states in my view but puerto rico is basically being given all sorts of financial incentives not to become a state, while d.c. is just being fucked over and disenfranchised and not even benefiting from its status




this is the one i saw, there are other designs, none look "funny"

[undeterred]

26. Canada.

[Siyahamba]

52. We want to make the US the 11th province.

[terrya]

55. Go for it

It's the only way we'll get national health insurance and full equality for GLBT people.

The United States being the 11th Canadian province? Be my guest.

[undeterred]

60. Do we get health care?

That will work for me.

[Marrah_G]

65. I would like to formally request that you adopt New England.

[Retrograde]

28. Split California

34,000,000+ people and the same number of senators as Wyoming. Few congressional representatives per capita than other states.

The southern part can be California, and the northern part can go back to the old name of Alta California: the only question is where to draw the line.

[newmajority]

47. How? Build a wall around Orange County?

And they can have Feinstein and Harman.

[RNdaSilva]

58. Monterrey, Kings, Tulare and Inyo Counties north...

a nice straight line here.

[Angleae]

68. Wasn't there a movement or proposition or something

that split CA into three not too many years ago?

[sabbat hunter]

29. DC

because they seem to want statehood. Let the voters of PR decide if they want to be a state. If they vote yes, then they should be come a state too.

[alphafemale]

31. I think most in DC actually WANT representation and Statehood. nt

[MadrasT]

32. I voted D.C.

But how ya gonna arrange 51 stars???

[TheMightyFavog]

37. Wikipedia's got a couple...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/51_star_flag

[pitohui]

42. see post 39, i actually saw this flag flying in puerto rico EOM

,

[Iggo]

54. 51 = 3 x 17

*********
********
*********
********
*********
********

Something like that...

[rpannier]

35. Oilatopia

That would encompass the lands of Saudia Arabia, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Kuwait, Iran (The Kingdom of Persia for the benefit of mcbush) and parts of Russia

[Release The Hounds]

44. The Upper Peninsula

[Radical Activist]

45. Iraq

[Juche]

46. France

According to my calculations, France would get 98 electoral votes in any presidential election due to their 64 million population.

It'd be almost impossible for another protofascist, right wing fuckup to become president with those 98 electoral votes always leaning fairly far leftward.

Viva France.

[Dutch]

56. Yeah, France would NEVER vote for a right-wing fuckup as president!

Oh, hang on a minute....

[Juche]

67. Sarkozy is no Bush

The fact that Le Pen only won 18% of the vote in 2002 when Le Pen would've won 40%+ in America and easily carried the south is what I was referring to. Sarkozy seems to be more along the lines of a republican before they got overtaken by movement conservatives in the 70s.

[LostInAnomie]

48. Can't we just get rid of South Carolina and make DC the 50th?

[CK_John]

49. I believe British Columbia will become New Columbia the 51st State. n/t

[LeftyMom]

51. That would create undue competition for California's most vaulable cash crop.

:shrug:

[LeftyMom]

50. Northern California

We'd start charging So Cal for taking all of our water, and we'd be rolling in money. It'd be awesome.

[RNdaSilva]

59. See 28. and 58. above.

[smalll]

53. GERMANY!

Population of Germany - 82 million. Population of California? Only 36 million. Germany becomes the 51st state, Obama has a literally insurmountable lead over McSame in the Electoral College.

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

57. You didn't have an option for "both"

Why can't we have 52 states? Then we could dedicate one week of the calendar year to each state...hopefully Oregon Week will be in April, May or October to advertise our spring or fall beauty.

But if PR prefers independence, let them have it without complaint.

[RB TexLa]

61. They can't both be the 51st state

:)

[Rhythm]

62. Puerto Rico, since it's population is greater than 20+ other states

Right now, DC's population is greater than that of Wyoming, but because of it's geographic compactness, it would make for a poor 'state' geographically.

IMHO, Washington DC's residential and commercially zoned districts should become part of Maryland, since it's doubtful that they are ever going to have their Constitutionally guaranteed representation any other way.

[defendandprotect]

63. Are we still collecting states . . . ???

If there were any Hawaiians left, I think they'd probably like their nation back ---

If the earth keeps turning long enough, all of this should be rolled back ---

but we will never be able to undo the damage we've done all over the planet!

[MasonJar]

64. Both!

[Marrah_G]

66. We need to split into smaller countries, not add territory.