*badum-TISCH*

First, the Republican platform is just political posturing and means nothing in reality.

Second, a State of Puerto Rico would send 5 or 6 new Democratic reps to the House of Representatives and two Democratic Senators, and probably have 9 or 10 safe Dem votes in the Electoral College.  Since the number of House seats is set at 435, those seats would have to come from somewhere, and no matter how you look at it, it won’t be to the Republicans’ advantage.

In the past, states have been admitted in such ways as to keep the political balance in Washington the same as it was before.  Before the Civil War, free states and slave states were admitted together.  Even Hawaii and Alaska were admitted with this philosophy in mind.  In all reality we’d have to find a state to admit to balance out Puerto Rico – and Washington DC wouldn’t work in that formula at all, just more Dems.

So, you’re saying that all those world capitals have been or are in mortal danger of being captured by whatever regional constituencies they happen to be in?  That Ottawa has been captured by the regional interests of Ontario?  You’d have a really difficult time convincing me of that.  A lot of White Southern Ontario Racists® and pretty much all of Alberta are always going on about how Ottawa’s been captured by Québec. 

What’s different about the USA vis-à-vis DC, such that you can’t give them representation?  Is it genetic thing?  Manifest destiny®?  Or perhaps (tongue firmly in cheek) because Washington DC has a significant African American population?

Why not carry that argument further?  Whatever county a state capital is in shouldn’t have representation, because the state capital could be captured by the municipal interests.  Likewise, when a mayor gets elected, his ward should automatically be barred from municipal council meetings.

I think the Republicans will need to be thumped solidly at least one more time.  The Republic establishment might understand the danger, but that doesn’t do any good if your primary is decided by white Evangelicals. 

Personally, I am all for Puerto Rico joining the Union, but it has to be clear and completely unambiguous that they actually want to join.  To get that, you need a straight up or down vote, and at a bare minimum, you need a majority.

*Republicans will still be able to win the House for a little while due to gerrymandering. Without gerrymandering the Democrats would have also won the House this election.

/Hates Historical Illiteracy

The other 10% of the electorate are right-wing and left-wing nutters who have pretty much divided this country

10% left-wing? Maybe 3% on a good day. Unless your definition of left-wing nutter is what Europe calls ‘moderate right’.

That’s how i understand it working, at least.

Maybe we can have a flag where 51 stars are visible at any one time in a projection of the 51 brightest stars in the night sky over some arbitrary location in America?