DisgruntledTunaFan

Puerto Rico – the 51st State? Congress to move fast on this one. The Radio Patriot

Last night on his TV show, Glenn Beck dropped another bombshell — on Thursday, Congress will take up a bill to make Peurto Rico a state. Why is our Congress doing this now? Secretly? Quickly? If it hadn’t been for one of Beck’s “Refounders” (a Congressional insider), would we even know about this? Wy is this important to you and me?...........................

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Wolfpack

Without knowing a single thing about this bill, I know the summarization is incorrect. Congress cannot unilaterally make Puerto Rico a state, so it would take more than a Congressional vote.

DisgruntledTunaFan

Well, we DO have a non-natural born US citizen in the White House-so I guess nothing should surprise us anymore.

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efin98

Yes, they can. US Constitution gives Congress the sole power alone to admit new states.

They could be admitted at any time if the pro-statehood vote wins, that is when they appeal to Congress to enact admission of statehood will come.

Congress though can do it anytime they want, it's their right to do it. But without the majority vote from Puerto Rican voters it won't happen.

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efin98

This is a tempest in a teapot- did you read what it is actually talking about?

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h2499/show

Official Summary
10/8/2009--Reported to House amended. Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009 - Authorizes the government of Puerto Rico:
(1) to conduct a plebiscite giving voters the option to vote to continue Puerto Rico's present political status or to have a different political status;
(2) if a majority of ballots favor continuing the present status, to conduct additional such plebiscites every eight years; and
(3) if a majority of ballots favor having a different status, to conduct a plebiscite on the options of becoming fully independent from the United States, forming with the United States a political association between sovereign nations that will not be subject to the Territorial Clause of the Constitution, or being admitted as a state of the Union. Prescribes the eligibility requirements for voting in the plebiscite. Requires the Puerto Rico State Elections Commission to:
(1) certify plebiscite results to the President and Congress; and
(2) ensure that all ballots used for the plebiscite include the full content of the ballot printed in English. Requires the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to pay all costs associated with such plebiscite (including the costs of printing, distribution, transportation, collection, and counting of all ballots).

So in other words- a bill to force two votes to determine their political status and to finally force them to periodically readdress their status.



Congress is not pulling a fast one. They are not shoving statehood down their throats. They are not using Puerto Rico as a way to get new Senators and Representatives for the Democrats- they are forcing the issue down there.

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"As long as we have Belichick, I always think that we're going to be just fine."...Tom Brady, in reference to his coach.

“It is what it is, but it ain’t what you think.”...Brandon Spikes

Wolfpack

You aren't really disagreeing with what I said. I said Congress can't do it unilaterally. Under the current situation, Puerto Rico has to also be on board with the decision.
If Puerto Rico votes for statehood, ratifies the U.S. Constitution, and Congress votes to let them in, and the President signs off on it, then yes they are the 51st state. AFAIK, Puerto Rico has not formally applied for statehood, so whatever vote taking place tomorrow will not make Puerto Rico a state.

Sure enough I took 5 seconds to Google this bill, and it just reinforces what I have said. This bill will establish a referendum in Puerto Rico whereby the citizens may (A)maintain the status quo, (B)apply for statehood or (C)apply for independence. Nothing in this bill tomorrow will change Puerto Rico's status as a territory.

Why?PJ

considering that 40% of puerto ricans want statehood, and there are bound to be some that want to be completely independant, nevermind don't like the way their situation is now, and there are extremely high odds that puerto ricans will vote that they do not like the current situation.

take the current situation off the board, and the vote will be either to make them 100% independant, or a state.

Which means puerto rico will be a state.

Forcing the issue will do exactly the oppposite of what puerto ricans have made loud and clear they do not want.

of course, you can't blame them, getting all the benefits without any taxes must be nice.

And while i do detest the means, it is about time the gravy train stopped.

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efin98

Article 4, section 3: New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new States shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

I am of the belief that not only can they force statehood they can do it so long as the state isn't part of another state...and with the exception of Maine and West Virginia and Kentucky they haven't been parts of existing states, all have been territories or annexed land.

They operate under the Enabling Act of 1802 for the guidelines for admitting new states normally... Enabling Act of 1802 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The process is they force the state to proceed with statehood...and after that they either reject or admit the new state. That is where their unilateral power ends.

And they have unilaterally rejected states: they have refused admission of Franklin(formed from Parts of North Carolina and what would be Tennessee), Texas and Utah. They have also held up admission of other states for varying reasons from slavery to the location of the state capital.

And unilateral isn't the word, they have the power to force the issue of statehood before the would be state's legislature...that would normally end the admission process or force it to jump start without the vote of the public.

And under Article 4, section 4 they may not even be under any obligation to listen to the Puerto Rican legislature as their status as an insular territory...Congress gave them the right to form a government but they could also take it away.

They don't need to ratify the US Constitution, they already operate under it as US citizens living on US soil...it's a commonwealth territory but it is still US soil.

The bill has nothing to do with the actual process of admission, just with forcing the issue before voters. However it does bring up the issue again which hasn't been brought up for 12 years.

They were 3.3%(52,000 votes) short last time from a majority in favor of admission to the union...now might be the time for another vote.

__________________
"As long as we have Belichick, I always think that we're going to be just fine."...Tom Brady, in reference to his coach.

“It is what it is, but it ain’t what you think.”...Brandon Spikes

DarrylS

Any rumor that is started by Glenn Beck is suspect.. right now it would seem like political suicide, as it would come on the heals of the Arizona conundrum..

Do not see it right now..

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sdaniels7114

This isn't the first time this has happened. On an irregular basis, the US government has insisted that the Puerto Rican government hold this same sort of referendum. The result has always been continuing as a protectorate or commonwealth or whatever the current situation is called. The last guys to bring this up were the contract on America crowd in the mid 90's. Looks to me that the only thing that's new is that now it'll be on a regular schedule.

Interesting Wikitrivia: the President of Puerto Rico is Barack Obama, even though they didn't get to vote for him.

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