Thursday 5 November 2020

Puerto Rican State Status?

 One of the little things not openly discussed yesterday, from voting on Tuesday....the ballot on going for statehood in Puerto Rico occurred.  

The public voted 52 percent to go for statehood.

If you look at public opinion polls...up until mid-summer 2020....most islanders were neutral.  Since August?  It's gone to around 50-percent.

Next step?  They'd have to approach Congress and submit the paperwork.  What would they get?  Two Senators, and somewhere around five Representatives.  

Happening in 2021?  I would have my doubts.  It was marginally in 'yes' area.  The House delaying this for a minimum of two years?  Absolutely.  

The only situation?  Well....NO.  You see...Guam is approaching this same idea, with the adjacent area of the Mariana Islands wanting to be part of the package.  The Mariana group?  About 100 miles NE of Guam.  Population of the two?  Around 240k.  So they'd get the two Senators, but only get one single Representative.  

That's it?  NO.  You also have the DC statehood crowd, and they'd like to achieve status as well.  They'd get two Senators and one Representative.  

Likely nature of this?  Within ten years, I could see all three achieving this.  Is there room for six more Senators in the Senate floor?  That might be an issue.  Which states would give up seven House seats?  You'd be developing a huge mess for clean-up later.  

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