Our 51st state?

Presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have all supported the idea of Puerto Rico becoming a state. Puerto Rico has held five referendums -- or is it "referenda"? -- on statehood. In 1967, 1993 and 1998, residents voted against statehood. In 2012, a majority voted in favor of statehood but nothing came of it. In June 2017, an overwhelming majority, 97%, voted for statehood. Maybe it will finally happen. Then we can start on Guam, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Puerto Rico introduces bill in Congress seeking statehood by 2021
CBS News, Jun 27 2018 5:35 PM

Puerto Rico's non-voting representative in Congress is introducing a bill that seeks to make the US territory a state by 2021. Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez said today that 14 Democrats and 20 Republicans currently sponsor the bill among the 435 members in the House of Representatives. The Republican sponsors include the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah, and the chairman of the Indian and insular affairs subcommittee, Rep. Doug Lamalfa of California.

The chances for the passage of the bill are not clear. It calls for the creation of a bipartisan, nine-member task force that would submit a report to Congress and to the President identifying laws that would need to be amended or repealed so Puerto Rico could become a state. The panel would also be instructed to recommend temporary economic measures to help the island in the transition to statehood.

Puerto Rico has been a US territory since 1898. Its inhabitants are US citizens, though they are barred from voting in presidential elections and have only one congressional representative with limited voting powers.

Governor Ricardo Rossello said the island's unequal status is the cause for 5.4 million Puerto Ricans to currently reside in the continental US. a trend exacerbated by the damage inflicted in September by Hurricane Maria. "In the past this issue has been very hard to move forward," Rossello said. "No longer do we want ambiguity. We want clarity. Either here in Congress you are with us or you are against the people of Puerto Rico." More than 2,300 customers on the island are still without power nine months after the storm.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/puerto-...ay-2018-06-27/

We have a petulant, pompous, thin-skinned, egotistical, narcissistic President who lashes out at anyone who dares to criticize him. He has fired some of his critics who worked in the White House. He can't fire San Juan's Mayor, however. Instead, he's refusing to consider statehood for Puerto Rico because the Mayor criticized his administration's slow response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. She also failed to fawn all over him when he tossed rolls of paper towels to rescue workers and she criticized him for saying the report that the death toll was 2,975 was "made up by Democrats" to make him "look bad."

Puerto Ricans want statehood. Republicans are willing to make Puerto Rico a state. The President says "no" because he's childish, petty and vindictive.

Trump says no statehood for Puerto Rico as long as San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz is in office

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-...924-story.html

Our bigoted, racist, white nationalist, Puerto-Rico-hating President will no doubt be joined by many Republicans in opposing this bill. Puerto Rico statehood will be granted some day -- but surely not while Trump is in the White House.

'It's time to end 120 years of colonialism': Lawmakers introduce Puerto Rico statehood bill

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/stateho...ny-referendum/

Governor Rosselló was speaking out of frustration. I'm sure he would never actually carry out his threat -- but millions of Americans would probably love him if he did.

Puerto Rico's Governor warns Trump: 'If the bully gets close, I'll punch the bully in the mouth'

https://news.yahoo.com/puerto-ricos-...162447705.html

Puerto Rico might become our 51st state – and the District of Columbia might be our 52nd. Flag manufacturers could wind up making a lot of money.

US House committee to hear bill proposing DC statehood

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/...C-13909107.php