AHC/PC: Filipino/Cuban Statehood

What would it take for the Philippines/Cuba to abandon their desires for independence and seek statehood within the US? Whether as one or multiple states (as is often argued for the Philippines). If necessary, other regions can be given statehood, but reasoning should be explained (Puerto Rico, Guam/Mariana, Samoa, etc).

Bonus points for getting statehood peacefully.
 
Very difficult. Both already had independence movements against hte Spanish, halting them peacefully would take a lot of work. Taking chunks though, Havana and Manilla, might be possible.
 
Even with the Teller Amendment, it would be possible for the Cubans to elect for statehood over independence. But how does Downes v. Bidwell come into play?
 
Cuba would have been a State long ago if not for the whole slavery issue. I think slavery hurt America a lot more than people realize. Northerners didn't want to expand too far south because it'd give too much influence in the Senate to the South, and the South didn't want to go too far north for similar reasons. It was all about that stupid balance in the Senate between slave and free States.
 
I don't think that Santo Domingo annexation would help the cause for Cuba, and in fact might hinder it. Seeing as though they would already have a Caribbean port. There would be little need for the US to try and interfere in Spanish Cuba. And by consequence there would be no Spanish-American War.
 

NothingNow

Banned
Even with the Teller Amendment, it would be possible for the Cubans to elect for statehood over independence.

Assuming they'd ever want it. Which would require a completely different political situation in 19th century Cuba. And the US. American Sugar Beet farmers would hate cuban sugar, and well, the idea of a racially integrated and egalitarian state would not sit well with much of White America.

Cuba would have been a State long ago if not for the whole slavery issue.

Not after about 1848 IMO. Cuban nationalism was a very strong force in the second half of the 19th century, and has remained such in politics and thought since then.

And by consequence there would be no Spanish-American War.

Just a second Seven Years war. As for the Caribbean port, Tampa and Key West were great ports already. There really wasn't a need for a port specifically in the caribbean, as even a coaling station would be kinda superfluous with the existing (and politically accesible) infrastructure nearby.
 
I don't think the Philippines were ever a serious case for statehood. It had only a minority position among Filipinos, and even less among Americans. The US only reluctantly decided to claim Philippines as a colony, and done more to prevent a European power or the Japanese from doing it than anything else.

For Cuba, the longer Cuba remains outside US control, the harder it will be to make Cuba a state. The most likely departure that sees Cuba becoming a state is probably before the Spanish-American War.

President Polk instructed the US minister to Spain, Romulus Mitchell Saunders, to purchase Cuba for the very high price of $100 million (the price was high presumably because Cuba had a very profitable plantation economy) in 1848. Spain refused because of a combination of pride (it was their last colony and didn't want to lose it) and finances (since the colony was very profitable). If for some reason Spain decided to sell Cuba then, it would be the best time for Cuba to become a state. There was still support in Congress at the time to do so, but soon afterwards slavery politics would make it impossible. The US could have coopted the native elites so that their desires would not become for an independent Cuba, but liberty and self-government as a US state. Once a true independence movement began and fighting occurred, it would be much harder for that to happen.
 
Just a second Seven Years war. As for the Caribbean port, Tampa and Key West were great ports already. There really wasn't a need for a port specifically in the caribbean, as even a coaling station would be kinda superfluous with the existing (and politically accesible) infrastructure nearby.
It would nececitate the same need provided by Guantanamo. In short, having Santo Domingo would extend the reach of the USN, providing furhter security. It would only be as a show of force to deter any potential threat.

I don't think the Philippines were ever a serious case for statehood. It had only a minority position among Filipinos, and even less among Americans. The US only reluctantly decided to claim Philippines as a colony, and done more to prevent a European power or the Japanese from doing it than anything else.
Then how would one go about raising that sentiment?

For Cuba, the longer Cuba remains outside US control, the harder it will be to make Cuba a state. The most likely departure that sees Cuba becoming a state is probably before the Spanish-American War.
What about, in the off chance, the Mexico wins a reluctant Cuba/Spanish Caribbean from Spain. Mexican-American War forces Mexico to cede Cuba and OTL Mexican Cession, potentially more.

President Polk instructed the US minister to Spain, Romulus Mitchell Saunders, to purchase Cuba for the very high price of $100 million (the price was high presumably because Cuba had a very profitable plantation economy) in 1848. Spain refused because of a combination of pride (it was their last colony and didn't want to lose it) and finances (since the colony was very profitable). If for some reason Spain decided to sell Cuba then, it would be the best time for Cuba to become a state. There was still support in Congress at the time to do so, but soon afterwards slavery politics would make it impossible. The US could have coopted the native elites so that their desires would not become for an independent Cuba, but liberty and self-government as a US state. Once a true independence movement began and fighting occurred, it would be much harder for that to happen.
That makes sense. So something to do with the Ostend Manifesto?
 
I wonder what the population of the Philippines is ITTL. IT would be smaller. There would be considerable migration to the mainland. I remember reading that birth control is illegal in the Philippines. Griswold vs Connecticut would have taken care of that. There would be a huge Filipino population in the mainland US. I am counting on them voting Democratic and would love all the Filipino restaurants.
 
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There is a group of Filipinos that advocate becoming a US state, the Federalistas. To even increase their chances of getting a small success on the Philippine political climate, prevent Manuel Quezon's presidency and the infamous quote "better have the country run like hell by Filipinos than have the country run like heaven by Americans" and you can have a Philippines that becomes a US state.
 

katchen

Banned
A poll in 2003 among Taiwanese residents aged between 13 and 22 found that, when given the options of either becoming a province of People's Republic of China or a state within the U.S., 55% of the respondents preferred statehood while only 36% chose joining China (Wikipedia Article 2008 51st state),

So yes, US statehood is definitely considered to be a viable and valid option for at least some patients and their doctors.
 
There is a group of Filipinos that advocate becoming a US state, the Federalistas. To even increase their chances of getting a small success on the Philippine political climate, prevent Manuel Quezon's presidency and the infamous quote "better have the country run like hell by Filipinos than have the country run like heaven by Americans" and you can have a Philippines that becomes a US state.
If ever Filipinos are reluctant enough, we won't have damned political dynasties anymore! :D
 
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