WI Puerto Rico was a state?

With a POD no earlier than 1960 and no later than 1998, make Puerto Rico a state and the affects of it.

Questions:

What date would it become a state?

What would change in American politics?

What would happen to other territories?

Would other states like this?

Would Puerto Rico be better off?
 
With a POD no earlier than 1960 and no later than 1998, make Puerto Rico a state and the affects of it.

Questions:

What date would it become a state?

What would change in American politics?

What would happen to other territories?

Would other states like this?

Would Puerto Rico be better off?


How about 1996?

President Clinton pushes it as a suckup to the Hispanic vote.

As history tells the republicans insist on a republican state also, so Guam!

Also since PR is so much bigger than Guam (house of representatives) the republicans demand North California!
 
How about 1996?

President Clinton pushes it as a suckup to the Hispanic vote.

As history tells the republicans insist on a republican state also, so Guam!

Also since PR is so much bigger than Guam (house of representatives) the republicans demand North California!

Shouldn't they be demanding Southern California for Orange County and the like, rather than weed-growing Northern California and San Francisco?

I doubt California really goes for it, though: too much tradition. Also, Guam...really? I doubt it; better to see if Hawaii want's a merger. I think the Republicans are happy enough with the electoral college as is.
 
How about 1996?

President Clinton pushes it as a suckup to the Hispanic vote.

As history tells the republicans insist on a republican state also, so Guam!

Also since PR is so much bigger than Guam (house of representatives) the republicans demand North California!
Wouldn't Puerto Rico be a Republican state? Or at least a swing state.
 
My understanding states have almost always been admitted in two, all the way back where it was one free and one slave.

Thus PR, which I have heard is considered a dem state, balance by GUam. But IMO not evenly.

THus North California, the Border is flexable. Perhaps more North-Eastern.

Oh and the electoral college logic is that currently with California such a solid dem state there are a lot of republicans whos votes never get to have a impact.
 
Some of the stuff I heard that suggested California to me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_secession_proposals

California

Present counties of California


  • In 1859, the legislature and governor approved the Pico Act splitting the area south of the 36th parallel north off as the Territory of Colorado.[2]
  • Since as far back as the mid-19th century, the mountainous area of northern California and parts of southwestern Oregon have been proposed as a separate state. In 1941, some counties in the area ceremonially seceded, one day a week, from their respective states as the State of Jefferson. This movement disappeared after America's entry into World War II, but the notion has been rekindled in recent years.
  • In the late 19th century, there was serious talk in Sacramento of splitting the state in two at the Tehachapi Mountains because of the difficulty of transportation across the rugged range. The discussion ended when it was determined that building a highway across the mountains was feasible; this road eventually became the Ridge Route.
  • During the mid-1990s, California had a serious ballot initiative drive which would have split the state into three states, consisting of central, southern, and northern California.[citation needed]
  • In the wake of the California recall, some people have proposed that the state should split into as many as four new states, dividing distinct geographically and politically defined areas as the Bay Area, North Coast, and Central Valley, as well as the historic Jefferson area, into their own states.[3]
  • A proposal to make the Colorado River basin of easternmost California (Imperial, parts of Riverside and San Bernardino) and three western Arizona counties (Mohave, Yuma and La Paz) into a separate state known as Riviera and the possible state capital would be either in Blythe, California or Yuma, Arizona the area's largest city in population.
 
If PR must also have another state with it, I suggest parts of Southeast CA and parts of West AZ merge into a new state.

I suggest the name of the GOP state be Deseret.
 

HueyLong

Banned
Shouldn't they be demanding Southern California for Orange County and the like, rather than weed-growing Northern California and San Francisco?

I doubt California really goes for it, though: too much tradition. Also, Guam...really? I doubt it; better to see if Hawaii want's a merger. I think the Republicans are happy enough with the electoral college as is.

California wouldn't consent to it. And it would require their consent.
 
I believe as of this moment if there is another state created anywhere then congress must create the state of Columbia out of what is D.C. There was some kind of regulation passed during the end of the Clinton era about it. So if PR is a state it will include probally the Virgin Islands and I believe that PR really could be the most conservative of the Two.
 
What about a big huge bill that has something for everyone?

PR and Guam balance.

Divide up California into two or three parts one each and one split: balance

Split NYC away from NY state. Another boon to republicans because New York State becomes republican. NYC of course remains in the Dem column. benefit Republicans.

Fold DC into VA placing VA more into play, benefit Dems.

55 states!
 

HueyLong

Banned
What about a big huge bill that has something for everyone?

PR and Guam balance.

Divide up California into two or three parts one each and one split: balance

Split NYC away from NY state. Another boon to republicans because New York State becomes republican. NYC of course remains in the Dem column. benefit Republicans.

Fold DC into VA placing VA more into play, benefit Dems.

55 states!

But the states in question have to consent..... And no state will.
 
Fold DC into VA placing VA more into play, benefit Dems.
No can do, If DC is going to be Retroceeded, It Must go back to Marysland.
Virginia already got It's Arlington & Alexandria parts returned after the ACW.
 
Speaking as a person rather ignorant of US politics, how exactly would becoming a state benefit Puerto Rico, Guam and other territories?
 

HueyLong

Banned
Why? Wouldn't the extra Senate representation in and of itself be worth it? I would think the objection to a state splitting would come from the other 49....

No, it wouldn't be. Not when you add in tax revenues and the like. NYC produces much of the tax revenue for the state of New York, for example. There is also the political challenge: Dems in NYC and upper NY know the state is theirs as one entity- and NYC on its own just wouldn't be as valuable.

As for California, the states have consistently refused to give up their poorest counties- much the same could be said of any attempt to mess around with western AZ.

There is a reason that (excepting West Virginia) no secession movement from a state has achieved anything resembling success.
 
With a POD no earlier than 1960 and no later than 1998, make Puerto Rico a state and the affects of it.

Questions:

What date would it become a state?

What would change in American politics?

What would happen to other territories?

Would other states like this?

Would Puerto Rico be better off?

Maybe before the '96 elections, so that Clinton can pander to the Hispanics, while the Republicans think it will go for them based on social conservatism. The plan backfires, as PR is socially conservative and economically Democrat, making it a swing state.

PR would proabably be in time better off, though not at the outset - it would be a drain on the government services, for example.
 
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