Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
since 1898 5 former territories have become states and the Philippines was granted independence.
it doesnt even appear that Congress requires a plebiscite. they can make the island a state at any moment.
would PRs political affiliation hinge on which party admitted the island to the union? i think it'll just split along the current PR party lines, which are usually 50/50. which makes PR another swing state. bring on the money!
since 1898 5 former territories have become states and the Philippines was granted independence.
it doesnt even appear that Congress requires a plebiscite. they can make the island a state at any moment.
would PRs political affiliation hinge on which party admitted the island to the union? i think it'll just split along the current PR party lines, which are usually 50/50. which makes PR another swing state. bring on the money!
But the Philippines was never a U.S. Territory. U.S. citizenship was never given to the people of the Philippines. The U.S. constitution never applied to the Philippines. Federal laws never applied to the Philippines. The people of the Philippines were never under the jurisdiction of the U.S. It was mostly a military occupation that lasted longer because of pre WW 2 and WW 2 and the Empire of Japan, Soviet Union and China. The U.S. knew something was brewing in Asia and control and wanted to keep a military presence. It's the reason they moved their Pacific Fleet from California to the territory of Hawaii. The people that run this country are chess players and see things 10 moves ahead.
Congress requires not only a plebiscite but multiple ones. In order for Puerto Rico to become a state, it has to have a Democratic referendum even AFTER congress passes the act to accept the New State constitution. Whatever Congress passes it has to go to Puerto Rico to be voted on it and then if it passes it goes back to Congress and be sign by the President. It's a process. It's part of American Civics which the public schools in the island refuse to teach. They rather cover "Don Quijote" in Castillian (old Latin Spanish) than American Civics.
This is from a classic movie how the U.S. government works, this is not counting Puerto Rico's government which is the same. Getting both sides to agree to something this big and complex is from very hard to impossible in today's political climate.
If they vote independence they can get aid from China
and who protects the island from chinese overfishing? no great power has clean hands but China comes with even more baggage than the US. they will help you only to own you and no country is doing more to decimate fishing than china.
If they vote independence they can get aid from China
If PR was to become independent, the USA would continue to be its largest source of aid, trade, etc. The US will not let China gain too strong of a foothold so close to the mainland.
Before the Covid pandemic China was increasing its influence in neighboring DR. It was interesting to see certain projects that the Dominican government put for bidding and not many contenders appeared, even asking for help to US investors got a cricket response. Then out of nowhere China came and offered to finish financing the Punta Catalina power plant. I kid you not that not long after that a bid came from the USA. Lets pretend China had nothing to do with that. lol The US clearly warned the DR on what it considered the dangers of China's help and suddenly there was more resources for various things courtesy of the US government.
At one point before China established an embassy in Santo Domingo, the representative from China was on a televised interview practically laughing at the USA because of the way it was acting after China offered many things. According to her, the US was putting in evidence its decline and the rise of China.
Here she is complaining (in Spanish) to the Dominican media of a US intervention after China offered something to the DR. She even calls the US government "irresponsible" for saying such a thing against an increasing Chinese power in the DR.
The Admission to the Union Clause of the United States Constitution found at Article IV, Section 3, Clause 1 has absolutely NO requirement for plebiscites.
Section. 3.
New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State 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.
The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.
The Admission to the Union Clause of the United States Constitution found at Article IV, Section 3, Clause 1 has absolutely NO requirement for plebiscites.
Section. 3.
New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State 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.
The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.
you are putting part of the requirement. All 13 colonies and all 37 territories that are states today had referendums/plebiscites to accept the new constitution (All states have constitutions when they become states) . Congress can't make a territory into a state until it passes the referendum in the territory. You know that when Congress approved the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 1952 with a new constitution, there was a referendum in the island. It's a LEGAL binding contract.
English words like Spanish have different meanings and you have to put them into context in a sentence to know the true definition. Dispose in the constitution doesn't mean to get rid of. It means arrange in a particular position.
"The Congress shall have Power to dispose of ( arrange in a particular position) and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States". There is NO period after the word dispose because it's supposed to go with make all needful rules and regulation (American order).
Congress makes a territory and makes all laws and regulations until it becomes state by granting sovereignty. That's what 37 territories that are states today did. The Mormons in the territory of Utah had NO sovereignty for 50 years and they had to obey the federal government. That's why they demanded statehood. Have Sovereignty within the U.S. System. Congress are not in the business of giving real estate away especially when all the people are under their full jurisdiction (meaning the U.S. owns the cows and barn)
The U.S. Supreme Court already confirmed that by declaring Congress can't take U.S. Citizenship involuntarily making independence for Puerto Rico impossible. If the U.S. owns the cow why give up the barn? do you understand that U.S. Citizenship is passed by blood and it doesn't matter where you are born and Congress can't take it involuntarily?
Philippines was NEVER a U.S. territory and the Philippines people weren't U.S. Citizens, NEVER. That's why after WW 2 and the U.S. kicked out the Japanese empire out of the Philippines, it was easy to negotiate independence. There wasn't any jurisdiction or citizenship tying the Philippines to America. That's not the case with Puerto Rico. 2 completely different scenarios.
The U.S. never had intentions in making the Philippines a U.S. territory or grant them U.S. Citizenship. The U.S. wanted to have a military presence to control Asia and the Cold War and they got it. So don't mix Puerto Rico with the Philippines. Nothing in common other that they were both a colony of Spain in the past.
There is a financial and sovereignty angle. Puerto Rico's median household income will rise and it will be in the same ballpark as the 50 states. That benefits them and the Union. That's the culmination of all territories in the Union to become state and have sovereignty within the U.S. System. That's the reason 37 territories became states. You think Hawaii, New Mexico and the rest of the territories in the South that became states who most were dirt poor could have achieved their economy today if they remain a territory? You know the answer to that.
I asked about Utah because that's one example of many and I live here and I know very well the history here and the religion. Mormons were kicked out of Missouri and were wondering lost for years in the desert which the territory belonged to the Federal Government. Apart from building temples and having multiple wives, what did they offer the country? The U.S. owned the territory (more like a freaking desert) So why make a state with a territory that was mostly desert full of Mormons? Simple, that is the culmination of all U.S. citizens in a territory under the U.S. System. It gives them sovereignty under the U.S. System and that's how the Mormons turned a desert into one of the most prosperous states in the Union in 100 years.
Again, you think they could have done that by remaining a territory and outcast from the rest of the country?
Statehood gives sovereignty to the territory and gives them power under the U.S. system to do things that the federal government can't do. That's why 37 territories went for statehood and got it.
The political topic is legit, this country is very divided and the Democrats wants to divide it further for their power grab. P.R. also made many mistakes politically during their history that they are paying the consequences today. Elections has consequences but these questions about "financial gain" for the rest of the country is a myth. If We go by that and what the rest of the country feels about them , most territories would have never been states. We wouldn't have 50 states, not even half.
Again I agree with you. No offense but the history lesson isn't needed.....
I'm concerned about the future of PR. Mostly in the short term. What will get better, what might slide back. Long term statehood is the answer.
It's great to see the pride people in PR have.
I'm an outsider, I guess if most are happy with their lives as they are....then statehood can wait. Otherwise if not, it's the only answer.
Again I agree with you. No offense but the history lesson isn't needed.....
I'm concerned about the future of PR. Mostly in the short term. What will get better, what might slide back. Long term statehood is the answer.
It's great to see the pride people in PR have.
I'm an outsider, I guess if most are happy with their lives as they are....then statehood can wait. Otherwise if not, it's the only answer.
No offense taken. The history wasn't for you but the other poster that gives "reasons" that territories has to give the whole nation a financial "gain" or need the approval of the whole nation when that was never the case for the 37 territories that are states today.
I always think Puerto Rico's political class and elites in the island are the worst problem for statehood. The Democrat party identity politics and power grab doesn't help. Statehood will come but not in my lifetime.
No offense taken. The history wasn't for you but the other poster that gives "reasons" that territories has to give the whole nation a financial "gain" or need the approval of the whole nation when that was never the case for the 37 territories that are states today.
I always think Puerto Rico's political class and elites in the island are the worst problem for statehood. The Democrat party identity politics and power grab doesn't help. Statehood will come but not in my lifetime.
They elites and the Dems both are grifters so maybe not...!?
PR can become the Singapore of the Americas if they stick with Act 60 and they raise capital gains on the mainland to over 40% like they've been talking about. Investment will come in to modernize the island and it will create more jobs over time.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
