On Tuesday, Puerto Ricans voted on their preferred relationship with the United States. The largest share of voters elected to become a U.S. state.
In a two-part referendum that caused some confusion, some 54 percent of voters said they were dissatisfied with the relationship. The second question asked whether voters preferred becoming a U.S. state, an independent country, or a freely associated state (a type of independence in close alliance with the United States). Some 61 percent of those who answered voted for statehood on the second question, though more than 460,000 people intentionally voted blank.
Nevertheless, the recent ballot results have sparked real excitement in the community and it’s been reflected best in the 51-state American flags we’ve been seeing floating around on social media.
Adding another state to this country could change a few things, but most visibly it could potentially change the make up of our flag.
I have nothing against Puerto Rico, but financially for the U.S. it’ll hurt more than it’ll help. Puerto Rico would just be adding another welfare state to the U.S.
I hate to be the one to break the news but PR is already a welfare state. And most pay no income tax.
They aren’t allowed to vote. Making them a state will allow them to vote. The neighboring Virgin Islands is basically the same.
“Bona fide residents of Puerto Rico generally do not report income received from sources within Puerto Rico on their U.S. income tax return.”
http://irs.gov/taxtopics/tc901.html
>And most pay no income tax.
You mean they are all billionaires ?
I have nothing against welfare states. But I hate those guys.
Considering the policies of the US of late, we should ask North Korea if they’d like to join.
We need an even number. Either Texas secedes back to Mexico to get back to 50 or we add Cuba to get to 52.
I’ll take Cuba for 52. I have always wanted to visit….legally.
I’m going there soon to take pictures as soon as my Cuban father gets over Castro.
He was hopeful the GOP would do something about Castro every time they circle over Miami every 4 years like ass teroids.
You can come with me and carry my equipment and I’ll buy you a cigar and hooker.
I don’t smoke but …uh, never mind, just stay away from the east side of the island, orange clashes with just about everything.
No even number necessary. Just rearrange stars to 3 concentric circles of 17 stars each (51 awesome states, and the three rings can also signify the three non-contiguous states too). This should make all the liberal weenies happy as they hang another albatross around our collective necks.
The president picks the design… Obama will arrange the stars in the shape of a cheeseburger.
Chairman Meow, your design idea sounds very communist china like.
I would think a swastika like arrangement was more you speed.
We might have a Scotland available soon.
not as quaint as Ireland but they do have oil so you were probably thinking of invading anyway
This will happen because Obama will use it to get himself in the history books. He realizes that most presidents end up as foot notes. Bringing a new state in will boost his chances of being actively remembered.
Good point. Nothing else about Barack Hussein Obama becoming president is textbook-worthy.
:ohyou:
Probably will not happen.
Some reasons:
1) They are citizens of the US and PR.
2) If they want to vote in US national elections, they can move to a state.
3) PR residents don’t pay US income taxes.
I’ve thought about this, some time ago. And I’ve concluded that a 51 state union will likely NEVER happen. 52 maybe, but not 51. And not just because its makes designing the flag’s star field harder to do. But because it screws up the US Senate’s 50-50 vote balance. That gives the VP a crucial tie breaking vote. Any odd number of states, would almost never result in a tie vote. Unless, some state’s senators always take opposite sides. The VP role would effectively be ineffective. If anything, his or her vote would result in a tie vote. So other than banging the Senate’s gavel, 51 states would kill that job’s one main function. That’s why I believe an odd number of United States would never be allowed. Nothing to do with an awkward flag star field.
In that case, they probably would just have a moratorium on changing the US flag, at all. The same way the number of stripes had been frozen, since the first 13 states. Imagine if they hadn’t done that. The red and white section would be quite a checkerboard of 50 little rectangles. Here’s an idea. Go back to a ring of 13 stars (“Betsy Ross” variant), with the actual number of states in the center, as a number. Example a “51” in the center. Then, that’s all they ever needs to be changed. I doubt it would ever reach “99” or go past that. However that are other designs proposed. See bottom of this page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_States
BTW, the pie shaped star field variant isn’t bad. But the Jews would never stand for a non-six pointed star pattern. And seeing how much say their lobby has in US policy making. I’m surprised it’s not a star field of 50 six pointed stars, by now.
What if a senator didn’t vote… You are saying (all) 100 senators vote, each and every time. I don’t think so.
For all you guys that want an even number how about making Washington DC a state, they have no voting representation in Congress.
People who live in Washington may actually meet real politicians regularly – it’s not a good idea to let people in those circumstances vote
Ten years ago I thought they were crazy for not becoming the 51st state. Now they may be crazy for becoming the 51st state.
Comrade Obama’s workers paradise looks to be imploding to me.
Hmmm… if I give up my right to vote, can I not pay federal taxes as well?
There are still idiot countries that want to join the EU also.
It’s still going to be 50! Puerto Rico will just replace Texas, once Texas finally secedes.
Once Texas secedes, America can better protect itself against another 9/11 terrorist attack with improved border crossing security that requires all dumbass Texans to present a secure passport and approved visa papers when entering America.
Americans certainly don’t want illegal Texans picking our tomatoes or having anchor babies in America!
United States
Philippine Commonwealth
Under the provisions of the Tydings-McDuffie Act, the territory would become self-governing although its military and foreign affairs would be under the United States. (1934-1946)
Compact of Free Association
the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau currently have a similar status (associated state) after their independence.
Contemporary usage by the United States
Some agencies of the United States government, such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency, still use the term protectorate to refer to insular areas of the United States such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This was also the case with the Philippines and (it can be argued via the Platt Amendment) Cuba at the end of Spanish colonial rule. However, the agency responsible for the administration of those areas, the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) within the United States Department of Interior, uses only the term “insular area” rather than protectorate.
Let’s admit Puerto Rico and its population of heeldraggers into the Union now. Liberty’s been fisted so many times lately, what’s one more? She’s probably numb by now.