The Congress should require P.R. to balance its budget with a sinking fund to retire its outstanding debt. And maybe kick in a few dollars to help this happen.
As for D.C., its citizens should vote for federal offices as part of Maryland (with Maryland getting another Congressman based on the population of both it and DC). Similarly, the citizens of the U.S. Virgin Island can vote for federal offices as part of Florida, Guam as part of Hawaii, and Northern Marianas Island as part of Alaska (if those states would have them).
Precedent of P.R. could result in other pro-democracy and pro-capitalist Latin Republics, with a high standard of living, to join. Right now, I’m thinking Chile. But, I could be persuaded as to Panama, Costa Rica, Dominican Rep., Colombia and Peru.
Just to be sure, each of these countries has a strong center-right party, like our Republican Party.
And, speaking of new states, what about the far-flung English speaking democracies of the world? And what about Japan and Poland?
Leave the U.N. for the dictatorships and let the U.S. be for the democracies.
In view of the possibility of many new states, we should freeze the number of stars at 50.
>>>Leave the U.N. for the dictatorships and let the U.S. be for the democracies.
In view of the possibility of many new states, we should freeze the number of stars at 50.<<<
A long time ago, in the early 1980s, I read a science fiction novel with the same premise, although in the book, it started with the Dominican Republic asking for statehood, which was granted. Soon enough, there was an American empire spread across the globe. The book couldn’t have been that good since I recall nothing but that premise as the foundation for its fictional world, and I’ve actually looked for the book a few times over the years. If someone out there knows about it, drop me the name.