American provinces

[Strategos' Risk]

An interesting idea from the "North Shore Military Academy" series from Thomas Wm. Hamilton on Changing the Times: provinces. Basically granted to Native American regions and noncontinental territory annexed through war (and thus not very Anglophone or culturally integrated), Provinces are given one vote each in the House of Representatives and one electoral vote each.

Could such a concept happen in the U.S.? Possibly something along the lines of something not a territory, not yet a state?

 

[Nicomacheus]

Interesting idea. Votes in the House of Represenatives could probably come by Act of Congress, but electoral votes probably require constitutional ammendment. The former would be a stretch, but OTL the current Congress is / was considering a bill that would grant DC a voting member in the House.

What's the benefit to the citizens of the province? American protection, I guess. In the example of Puerto Rico's commonwealth status, though, they don't have to pay as much taxes, but they still get protection, freedom of movement, etc. Without any benefits, I'd imagine the provinces would resent not being states.

 

[Lord Grattan]

It wouldn't work, IMO, because it leaves unresolved the issue of soverignty.
This concept would work only the issue of soverignty is settled. I could see having ethnic states with all rights, local control and privileges of citizenship & statehood (including voting House & Senate representation and participating in Presidential elections). This would only work though if the tribes involved surrendered their soverignty (no more "nation of ...[tribe's name]") to the US.

 

[Strategos' Risk]

From the Time for Patriots and an overview. It's a pretty good "modern Americans are ISOT'd back to the ARW and secretly manipulate history" series.

"Provinces with one seat in the House of Representatives and none in the Senate. What's that all about?"

"To satisfy the Bahamians, the Cherokee, and some others later in our history. The Bahamians have been pestering Congress for years. Shouldn't this satisfy them?"

"I take it that provinces would each be good for one electoral vote for President?"

"Yes, and the federal district is defined as a province once it has enough residents."
"If this will appease the Bahamians and the Cherokee, I might be able to sell it to the Convention. I notice you did not add anything to my draft regarding slavery or votes for women, despite persons associated with your academy having achieved a certain, ah, notoriety for their views on those subjects."

THE WORLD CREATED BY

www.changingthetimes.net

Hawaii, the Bahamas, Assiniboine, Newfoundland, Luzon, Mindinao, Puerto Rico, Cuba and eight American Indian territories are Provinces, with one vote each in the House of Representatives and one electoral vote each. Provinces tend to support the Federalist Party because it frowns on the existence of Provinces, believing these regions should receive statehood. However, most have too small a population for statehood, and it is denied the Hispanic provinces because of a low level of English literacy.

I think it's a nice little half-measure between insular areas (territories, commonwealths, etc.) and state. Would be more representation than what PR and D.C. are getting now.

 

[Strategos' Risk]

Bumping this because I'd like to know if this could be a stepping stone of representation to Puerto Rico or D.C. as well as all those other territories we forget about like American Samoa. Also a way to both incorporate while representing Native American tribes willing to give away their sovereignty.

I could see having ethnic states with all rights, local control and privileges of citizenship & statehood (including voting House & Senate representation and participating in Presidential elections). This would only work though if the tribes involved surrendered their soverignty (no more "nation of ...[tribe's name]") to the US.

 

[Pulmonic_Consonant]

Jesus Christ, you started this thread before the Great Recession.

Also, to answer your question- that's basically what reservations are. The only difference is that the jurisdiction is sort of split in funky ways with the state government. Reservations are just piles of asterisks, really.

 

[Strategos' Risk]

Reservations don't come with representatives or electoral votes.

 

[Pulmonic_Consonant]

Reservations don't come with representatives or electoral votes.

Didn't see that bit... to be frank such a thing would be basically impossible- the US would have no reason to. After all, it doesn't even give those rights to the territories that currently exist, which are far richer and better integrated than these potential provinces would be (especially considering the vast majority of them would be on the abysmal land that settlers didn't want).