Puerto Rico is the most populous of the U.S. inhabited territories by far, and it is our focus, but that doesn’t mean that we are not concerned about the other territories. We believe that all the territories should have the right to choose their permanent political status. Actually, most have not done so. Puerto Rico has voted in four plebiscites to become a state of the Union and American Samoa has expressed a desire not to do so, but the other territories have not made a choice.
Commenter Tom from S-FL has a proposal, though.
“I’m pro-statehood in regards to PR’s status,” he writes, “but I also highly value Congressional balance.”
Congressional balance
Congressional balance is the idea that the U.S. Congress should remain fairly evenly balanced between the Democratic and Republican parties, giving neither side a strong majority. The balance can make it hard to achieve anything, but it can also prevent a slim majority from taking on excessive power. It can be seen as part of the American system of checks and balances.
Puerto Rico, the Marianas, and Guam
“The most realistic way I see to achieve this is to admit both PR and the reunified Marianas (Guam and the CNMI) as states simultaneously,” Tom continues. “PR as a solid Dem state seems a done deal, but the Mariana territories have a strong GOP, so this would minimize the likelihood of either party having a permanent lock on governing power.”
There is certainly plenty of evidence against the claim that Puerto Rico would be a blue state, including the current Republican governor, but many Republicans believe that it would be, and a Republican partner in the form of a new Pacific state could calm their fears.
US Virgin Islands
“I see no reason to change the USVI’s status, and don’t see the motivation coming from the islands’ residents, either. People there have citizenship and legislative autonomy, which is only fair. Theoretically, they could enter the union by combining with Puerto Rico into a single Caribbean state, but this would never happen. Geographically, unification makes perfect sense, but culture is vastly more important in determining political wills. The Mariana territories share fairly common cultural identities and a unified Chamorro identity. PR and the USVI share the same citizenship and territorial status, but have virtually nothing else in common.”
American Samoa
“American Samoa is far more complicated, and I don’t see statehood as being in the cards,” says Tom. “As mentioned, folks there are proud to be Americans, but have very legitimate fears about the repercussions citizenship would have on their unique culture, system of land ownership, and traditional form of governance.”
Indeed, American Samoa has traditions which would simply be contrary to the U.S. Constitution if Samoans were U.S. citizens. They have made it clear that they are not willing to take on the strictures of the Constitution in exchange for giving up those traditions.
“Yet denying American Samoans citizenship is robbing folks there of their rightful due,” Tom goes on. “These folks were unambiguously born in the US, and most have lived their entire lives under US jurisdiction. An admirably high number of them have, and continue to, put their lives on the line for their country’s defense. It’s insulting that they can be denied certain jobs, lack the right to vote in many elections, can’t sit on a jury of their peers outside of the islands, and aren’t granted the full set of rights the Constitution recognizes and codifies. There’s only one means to rectify this situation – a Constitutional amendment which grants full citizenship as a fundamental right, while providing explicit and unambiguous protections for American Samoa’s unique culture and system of self-governance. Within this context, remaining a territory seems like the only reasonable option.”
Two states and two territories
Tom’s proposal would rework the U.S. territories into two states and two continuing territories. Guam and the Marianas would need to restructure themselves into a single, reunified state, and Puerto Rico would move into the statehood which the territory has deeply desired for decades. American Samoa, perhaps with a new citizenship allowing some traditional differences which might be modeled on the special cases of native American nations, would remain a territory, as would the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Congress could make these changes with a simple majority, and each of the current territories could accept the offer embodied in the proposal — or reject it.
Would you agree with this proposal? Do you have a different idea of your own? Let us know in the comments!
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