Puerto Rico could become the 51st state of the United States, possibly leaving Guam and the Philippines to wonder, “Damn, that could have been us.”
The U.S. hasn’t allowed a state to join since Hawaii. That’s almost 50 years of nobody getting in.
It is necessary for two-thirds of the U.S. Congress to vote yes on the request to become a state – like on American Idol where you need two of the three judges to vote yes so you can go to Los Angeles – in order for President Barack Obama to sign it into law.
The numbers are a little murky, but the majority of the people would like some sort of independence. The two-part ballot voted on first asked Puerto Ricans if they liked the way things were with them being a U.S. territory.
According to New England Cable News, 900,000 voters, or 54 percent, voted no, saying they were not happy with the current situation of only being a U.S. territory.
I would have run out the door yelling, “freedom!” But in part two, all voters had a chance to decide if they preferred statehood, independence or to become a “sovereign free association.”
If Puerto Rico wants to be the 51st state, then all power to them in their quest to statehood. I would prefer this option. 51 is the new 50. Now we don’t have to cross a border for real authentic Latino flavor. We can just cross the Gulf and visit our new state.
If they just want independence, they should also be allowed that.
I do, however, have a little problem if they wanted to become a sovereign free association, which would grant the Islands four million people more authority. It’s like they want to stay friends with the United States with all the benefits, but without the overbearing commitment.
All this talk of a state possibly joining has taken some focus off the news that over 20 states have petitions going around trying to secede after President Barack Obama’s victory.
The last seceding attempt went really bad last time. Most of the states with these petitions are the states that supported Mitt Romney, including Texas, Alabama and South Carolina. Since they can’t take their country back, they will just leave it.
If Texas wants to leave the county, I feel that is our own fault. We had our chance when we took her from Mexico and thinking we could change someone was our own fault.
