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Puerto Rico deserves its star: Alaskans should join...in supporting statehood
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner ^
| 06/21/2017
Posted on 06/21/2017 6:34:42 AM PDT by cll
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"In my opinion, Congress has no existence and can exercise no authority outside of the Constitution. Still less is it true that Congress can deal with new territories just as other nations have done or may do with their new territories. This nation is under the control of a written constitution, the supreme law of the land and the only source of the powers which our government, or any branch or officer of it, may exert at any time or at any place. Monarchical and despotic governments, unrestrained by written constitutions, may do with newly acquired territories what this government may not do consistently with our fundamental law. To say otherwise is to concede that Congress may, by action taken outside of the Constitution, engraft upon our republican institutions a colonial system such as exists under monarchical governments. Surely such a result was never contemplated by the fathers of the Constitution. If that instrument had contained a word suggesting the possibility of a result of that character it would never have been adopted by the people of the United States. The idea that this country may acquire territories anywhere upon the earth, by conquest or treaty, and hold them as mere colonies or provinces,the people inhabiting them to enjoy only such rights as Congress chooses to accord to them,is wholly inconsistent with the spirit and genius, as well as with the words, of the Constitution". - Justice John Harlan, dissenting in the Insular Cases, 1901)
1
posted on
06/21/2017 6:34:42 AM PDT
by
cll
To: rrstar96; AuH2ORepublican; livius; adorno; wtc911; Willie Green; CGVet58; Clemenza; Narcoleptic; ...
Puerto Rico Ping! Please Freepmail me if you want on or off the list.
2
posted on
06/21/2017 6:35:43 AM PDT
by
cll
(Serviam!)
To: cll
” Puerto Rico deserves its star”
Terrible idea.
Let’s trade them to Mexico for Baja.
3
posted on
06/21/2017 6:36:15 AM PDT
by
Pelham
(Liberate California. Deport Mexico Now)
To: cll
—NO—it should be given back to Spain-—
4
posted on
06/21/2017 6:36:26 AM PDT
by
rellimpank
(--don't believe anything the media or government says about firearms or explosives--)
To: cll
The money quote:
The real reasons many oppose Puerto Rican statehood are political, as was case for Alaska. With Hispanic people in the U.S. voting overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates, many in the GOP fear Puerto Ricos senators and representatives would tilt the balance of power in the House and Senate. Thats not only a craven reason to deny the territorys people the right of self-determination, history has also shown it to be foolish. Alaska, for instance, was assumed to be a safe state for the Democratic Party and Hawaii was assumed to be Republican, as that was the makeup of their territorial governments. But relatively soon after each achieved statehood, both flipped their predominant party status, with Alaska becoming a GOP-friendly state and Hawaii becoming one of the safest strongholds in the country for the Democrats”.
5
posted on
06/21/2017 6:37:06 AM PDT
by
cll
(Serviam!)
To: cll
now, that’s an idea - send Puerto Rico to Alaska, and build a vacation wonderland on Puerto Rico. Or they could take Hawaii, either or.
6
posted on
06/21/2017 6:37:06 AM PDT
by
blueplum
( ("...this moment is your moment: it belongs to you " President Donald J. Trump, Jan 20, 2017))
To: cll
If we want a crime-ridden, fiscally irresponsible, bankrupt state we already have Illinois.
PR offers nothing of value to the USA. Not only no to statehood, cut ‘em loose completely and let them be their own country.
7
posted on
06/21/2017 6:37:23 AM PDT
by
freedumb2003
(The Civil Rights movement compared content of their character to skin color and chose the latter)
To: cll
Just what we need! Two more socialist Senators! If PR can be a State, why not DC? Then we can have four more Socialist Senators!
8
posted on
06/21/2017 6:38:13 AM PDT
by
arthurus
To: cll
Spanish speaking, socialism loving PR should be returned to Spain.
9
posted on
06/21/2017 6:39:54 AM PDT
by
Paladin2
(No spelchk nor wrong word auto substition on mobile dev. Please be intelligent and deal with it....)
To: cll
Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens for a century, but its 3.4 million people are unrepresented in Congress and cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections. It seems like it should be easy to solve the last half of that sentence. Why shouldn't citizens living in US territory be allowed to vote in federal elections? That would include Guam, and why not other far flung territories that are absolutely part of the US, but far too small to be considered for the normal representation in congress and the senate.
10
posted on
06/21/2017 6:40:09 AM PDT
by
marron
To: cll
That’s all we need.... Two more Dem Senators. I think....NOT!
To: cll
There will be a vacancy when Illinois is demoted to a territory...
12
posted on
06/21/2017 6:41:28 AM PDT
by
Magnum44
(My comprehensive terrorism plan: Hunt them down and kill them)
To: cll
Dems would love it re: Congress - it would mean two more Dem Senators, plus Dem Representatives...forever.
To: arthurus
Jeez, if people would just read before offering a visceral reaction.
14
posted on
06/21/2017 6:42:04 AM PDT
by
cll
(Serviam!)
To: rellimpank
To: cll
It’s a failed corrupt socialist country, leave it alone. Only to bring in 2 Democrat senators is why the left supports this move same with DC.
16
posted on
06/21/2017 6:42:12 AM PDT
by
stockpirate
(SETH RICH gave the emails to wkikileaks, murdered he was, cover up it is)
To: cll
17
posted on
06/21/2017 6:43:03 AM PDT
by
I want the USA back
(Le Pen: "Islamism is a totalitarian ideology that has declared war on our nation, on civilization.")
To: cll
F**k that. Cut them loose.
18
posted on
06/21/2017 6:43:14 AM PDT
by
mrmeyer
(You can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him. Robert Heinlein)
To: arthurus
with calls for PR statehood, I wonder about other places too.
There’s been talk of making the District of Columbia a state.
What about others? Should we make Guam a state? American Samoa? The Virgin Islands?
Talk of “equal” status?? Well, territories don’t have the same status as states. That’s why they are not “equal”. What am I missing???
To: cll
PR has nothing in common with the US. Give PR a choice - go back to Spain or be independent. If you will not pick, we should pick for them and it should be done this year.
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