03-13-2021, 06:46 PM
(03-13-2021, 06:29 PM)Dill Wrote: Both the DC and PR issues have much in common, as we are finding out.
In each case, there is a larger issue behind the discussion, namely minority party control of the Senate, which has become an abuse of power under the filibuster.
People are now looking at these statehood options to return some balance of power back to the Senate.
Which is wrong. That should not be the reason we are contemplating statehood for these territories. Ending imperialistic policies? YES! Giving full rights, immunities, and privileges to all US citizens? YES! Insuring every citizen is represented fully in Congress? YES! Trying gain a political advantage? NO!
That is the problem that has caused SSF to view things the way he does. The entire population of Puerto Rico, DC, and every other territory could vote Republican and my position would still be the same: they should all get the referendum option of statehood. But the motives have been shown to be corrupt for a lot of people pushing statehood and it has turned people off from the idea. I'm not naïve, I know that everything is politics. We just need to reevaluate our values a bit, here.
"A great democracy has got to be progressive, or it will soon cease to be either great or a democracy..." - TR
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - FDR
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - FDR
