Not only would the results of the federally sanctioned plebiscite not bind Congress to anything, constitutionally they couldn’t force Congress to admit Puerto Rico as a state, since the Constitution vests Congress with the exclusive authority to admit new states. Congress will have the final say on whether PR becomes a state.
As for the “Tennessee Plan,” it’s a gimmick proposed by some pro-statehood politicians in PR. DC did something similar in tbe 1980s, electing “shadow senators” to lobby for statehood (Jesse Jackson was one of them). It was a useless strategy.
I swear, the hysteria I’ve been hearing from conservatives regarding the plebiscite bill (similar to the one passed by tbe Republican House in 1998 that died in the Senate) is something that I would expect from liberals. Yes, the bill has flaws (one of them, allowing all U.S. citizens born in PR to vote even if they don’t live in PR anymore, is blatantly unconstitutional), but there is absolutely nothing nefarious about asking U.S. citizens in PR if they wish to continue living under territorial status (where they are legislated upon by a Congress that they did not elect) or would prefer a non-colonial status.
“absolutely nothing nefarious about asking U.S. citizens in PR if they wish to continue living under territorial status (where they are legislated upon by a Congress that they did not elect) or would prefer a non-colonial status.”
If the bill actually read this I would support it. Instead you’ve got ‘sovereignty association’ crap in it. As is, that’s absolutely unconstitutional.