DC should not be a state, but there is no question that DC residents should be able to vote for president. I suggest the same thing should be true of Guam and PR.
Screw that!
“DC should not be a state, but there is no question that DC residents should be able to vote for president. “
The District of Columbia was originally created from 100 square miles donated by the states of Virginia and Maryland. In 1846 the 31 square miles donated by Virginia was returned to Virginia by the federal government.
The solution for DC is to return the 69 square miles donated by Maryland to Maryland with the exception of the federal buildings, parkland, and museums located along and near the mall. This would include the White House, executive office building, Capitol, Supreme Court building, archives, Smithsonian, executive office building of the President, Washington Monument, and several other memorials. The residents of the District of Columbia, with the exception of those residing in the White House (president and family), would become citizens of Maryland and vote in Maryland elections. The President and his family residing in the White House would vote in their home state(s).
As to Puerto Rico, it is bankrupt. Politics aside, there are no advantages to the people in other states to bring Puerto Rico into the union. The advantages lie with the citizens of Puerto Rico who will plead with Congress to bail out their state and continue to subsidize their fiscal irresponsibility. That alone is reason enough for Congress to reject statehood for Puerto Rico.
I know very little about PR. Wha I know I gleamed from West Side Story! Just haven’t followed it. But does it have any potential? If they could curb the rampant crime, could it become a desirable vacation destination? Cut out Mexico?
DC residents vote for president; the District of Columbia has electors in the electoral college.
> there is no question that DC residents should be able to vote for president <
Yep. And have proper Congressional representation as well. No taxation without representation, and all that.
The problem is that DC is too darn big. There should be a small federal district - federal offices, monuments, etc. - but no residential buildings. Give most of DC to Maryland. (Sorry, Maryland FReepers.)