[cll]

"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)

[ontap]

You can bet if it was filled with conservatives there would be a different opinion!!!

[Songcraft]

Here are some of the possible changes to Old Glory that were suggested by various groups a few years ago, if Puerto Rico were to become the 51st state and add a star.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Sure. We could use another bankrupt Democrat state.

[Reeses]

Puerto Rico: "Here Uncle Sam, now you take the steering wheel! I'll take the stereo and Jose will take the rims."

[Deplorable American1776]

We only have 50 states? I thought it was 57....😀

[Leep]

We don’t need no stink’n sanctuary island

[Ozark Tom]

55% of the typical voting portion of the population declined participating in the June 11, 2017 referendum, citing rigged voting; whereas, normal voter participation in PR is often >78%. The 23% of the voting population which participated, and which voted 97% for statehood, belong to a single political party.

The previous referendum Nov 6, 2012 asked whether to retain the Territorial Status Quo yes/no (54% No), then as a second question, listed alternative status options as a choice. <45% voted statehood, <35% chose free association, +5% voted independence, and >27% were left blank as a protest. More than 78% of the population participated.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/11/us/puerto-ricans-vote-on-the-question-of-statehood.html?_r=0