http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/11/1159521/-Puerto-Rico-Statehood-and-status
H.R. 3024 requires a referendum to be held by December 31, 1998, on Puerto Rico's path to self-government either through U.S. statehood or through sovereign independence or free association. It requires the President to submit to the Congress for approval legislation for: (1) a transition plan of at least ten years which leads to full self-government for Puerto Rico; and (2) a recommendation for the implementation of such self-government consistent with Puerto Rico's approval. It sets forth specified requirements with respect to the referendum and congressional procedures for consideration of legislation. - one of many phony federal initiatives for determination of Puerto Rico's status, this one from Don Young of Alaska in 1997
There has been a fair amount of talk regarding the vote in Puerto Rico for statehood in a referendum held in its most recent election (Puerto Rico votes on the same calendar as the U.S. presidential election.) The claim isPuerto Rico votes for statehood for the first time:
For the first time in their history, a majority of Puerto Ricans expressed support for U.S. statehood in a non-binding referendum on the future of the island's relationship with Washington. [...] Just over 61 percent of voters favored seeking to make Puerto Rico the 51st state, while 33.31 percent supported an enhanced commonwealth arrangement and just 5.53 percent were in favor of full independence.
There are a couple of problems with this take: (1) the status quo was not among the choices in the statehood portion of the referendum and (2) Puerto Rican support for statehood is largely irrelevant—the United States is not close to offering statehood to Puerto Rico.
The history of non-binding referendums and Congressional action and inaction regarding statehood for Puerto Rico is instructive here. So, without further ado, a little history.
let's get real this is an issue only because like my home DC and statehood we are progressive leaning that adds more votes and a new electoral map, that does not favor the right wing, believe it.
Could Puerto Rico become the 51st State? Not Any Time Soon
It has been 54 years since any states have been admitted to the union, 1959 when Alaska and Hawaii were admitted at the same time. This dual admittance is of extreme significance. Why? Because the admittance of both states were believed to negate the political impact in terms of national politics. Ironically, it was Hawaii that was believed to be the Republican state and Alaska to be the Democratic state. Best laid plans.
Puerto Rico would be viewed as the admittance of a Democratic state, and rightly so. Two additional Democratic senators and likely 5 or 6 of 7 House Democratic representatives would be the likely upshot of granting Puerto Rico statehood.
if a right wing epiphany, or all the republacans thatare still racially incline get abducted, no no time in our future maybe after all the diehards croak.
