You could Mexico the 52nd state and pretty much solve the problem of illegal immigration in one fell swoop

As for me, I'm fine with whatever the Puerto Ricans decide. If they want to be a state, great. If they want things to stay the way they are, great. If they want the associated state deal the Pacific Islands got, great. And if they want complete independence then that's fine too.

As for the article's claim that this would only help the Democrats, I'm not so sure. The current governor is a pretty big player in the GOP.

I think a revolutionary should overthrow the imperialist pigs and Viva Puerto Rico!

Hey, it worked for Castro.

And, honestly, how cool would it be to tell your kids:

"Back in my day, there were only 50 states..."

We could use this as an opportunity to get rid of Delaware, the most useless state. I mean, the empty ones out West at least have a lot of land, and small ones like Connecticut and Rhode Island have good sized cities and a large population. Delaware is three counties and a crappy beach. Give it back to Pennsylvania and keep the number pretty at fifty.

How cool would it be if states dropped out of the union and you told your kids I remember when there were 50?

"Alberta and British Columbia may join the United States someday; U.S. states named Sonora and Baja California are not out of the question."

And this authors credibility definitely is in question?

Definitely get rid of delaware and their 4 dollar toll each way for 25 miles of heavy traffic driving.

Ergo the 3/4 wrong or not even wrong. It's probably more likely that Mexico gets a state called Baja Arizona than America get one called Baja California.

Fun fact. The Wikipedia article on the history of Delaware ends at 1865.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Delaware#State_of_Delaware

But Delaware has no sales tax! Where else are visitors to Media and Chadds Ford and Philadelphia gonna go buy their trinkets?

The article is out of order, but it definitely moved beyond 1865.

"Delaware symbolically ratified the amendment on February 12, 1901–40 years after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation"

Statehood is preferable to the current arrangement, but PR should be independent. The US government has treated Puerto Rico abominably, and its political repression of the independence movement is a disgrace.

Well, Pennsylvania could always abolish their sales tax. But I'm talking silly.

My best friend for the second half of grade school was mostly black and lived in Delaware before moving by us. There were two reasons the family moved. The first was that his dad got a new job here. The second was that the Klan burned a cross in a field down the road from them. Yeah.

Why are so many companies incorporated in Delaware?

The Klan doesn't exist. It was so stated in the same article that started this thread ;)

How is there a political repression of the independence movement? There have been three plebiscites with independence as an option. The thing is it's just not very popular.

because like new Jersey used to they give ridiculous incentives

"Statehood is preferable to the current arrangement, but PR should be independent. The US government has treated Puerto Rico abominably, and its political repression of the independence movement is a disgrace."

Funny the people of Peurto Rico dont seem to want independence.

or Puerto Rico

So many companies are incorporated in Delaware because you don't have to actually be based there and the taxes are very low. I had to do a term paper on this last semester. There's a lot of info on it if you're interested, which I can't imagine anyone could ever be.

If i remember from my teaching during the robber barons era, Jersey and Delaware made rules that allowed for holding companies, which focused many national corporations within their state limits, Deleware has continued and has a low corporate tax i believe

The system with states is idiotic to begin with.

"The system with states is idiotic to begin with."

Que?

Federal law against seditious conspiracy has been used against Puerto Rico very heavily. Leaders of the Nationalist Party were arrested in the 1930s. The leader of this party was jailed for over three decades. In 1937 there was the infamous Ponce massacre. Another independence uprising was put down in 1950, followed by killings and jailings. In 1978 two more independence activists were murdered. To this day there are many Puerto Rico independence activists who are in jail for their beliefs.

http://www.ushrnetwork.org/content/actionalert/activist-puerto-rican-independence-needs-support-call-parole-board-today

Yeah it's no surprise the political establishment in Puerto Rico is anti-independence. To say otherwise is to put yourself at great risk.

except they constantly vote for independence, statehood, or territorial association and independence never wins out (neither does statehood). It isnt just the political establishment

"To this day there are many Puerto Rico independence activists who are in jail for their beliefs."

And for opening fire on the US congress

It seems the most recent plebiscite (1998) a whopping 2% of Puerto Ricans voted for independence with a 71% turnout

I doubt they're in jail for their "beliefs." They're probably in jail for breaking a law.

At any rate, there seems to be very little popular support for independence, and yet it's always discussed as an option and the United States government shows every indication that it would be fine with that result of the people of the island wanted it. The thing is they don't seem to.

"And for opening fire on the US congress"

Because all the jailings are somehow directly related to an event which happened 57 years ago.And that shooting happened in a historical vacuum that wasn't preceded by decades of assassination and terror against the independence movement.

" They're probably in jail for breaking a law."

Right, nice research there.

"At any rate, there seems to be very little popular support for independence, and yet it's always discussed as an option and the United States government shows every indication that it would be fine with that result of the people of the island wanted it."

Just like most blacks don't advocate the program of the BPP today. Because they were exterminated and jailed by the FBI. Ditto the American Indian Movement. People learned very early you were taking your life in your hands if you supported the Nationalists. But subjugation I guess is proof of support. I'll remember that next time Syria comes out with a poll that says Assad has a 99% approval rating.