Is It Time For A 51st State ?

While the election was being held here stateside to pick a new president (and other elected officials), the island territory of Puerto Rico was holding an election of its own. And their election may force Congress and the president to make a choice -- is it time for a 51st state?

There were a couple of initiatives on the Puerto Rico ballot. The first asked whether they wanted to maintain or change the status quo of Puerto Rico. About 54% voted for change, while 46% voted to remain a territory. The second question was what kind of change did they want. About 61% voted to become a state -- the 51st state of the United States. About 33% voted for "sovereign free association", which would keep their territorial status but give them more self-governance. Only a little more than 5% voted to become an independent nation.

Oddly enough, in the same election Puerto Rico's voters kicked Gov. Luis Fortuno (New Progressive Party) out of office, and replaced him with Alejandro Garcia Padilla (Popular Democratic Party). Fortuno was in favor of statehood, while the new governor, Padilla, would prefer to keep the current territorial status. However, the gubernatorial election was not viewed as a comment on the statehood question. Instead, Fortuno was kicked out because the voters were upset that he supported Willard Mitt Romney in the primary race.

Puerto Rico's non-voting member of the U.S. Congress, Pedro Pierluisi, says he will now present the results of the non-binding resolution to President Obama. He hopes to get the U.S. government to start consideration on making Puerto Rico a state. That would require the approval of both houses of Congress and the president.

I am in favor of making Puerto Rico the 51st state, but I seriously doubt that such a measure could get congressional approval right now. The Republicans are still solidly in control of the House of Representatives, and I think they would block making Puerto Rico a state. They are still stinging from losing 71% of the Hispanic vote in the presidential contest, and I doubt they are in any mood to add a few million more Hispanics to the voting rolls. In fact, Fox News is already questioning the validity of Puerto Rico's vote (even though 80% of the islan's population voted in the election).

What do you think? Is it time to make Puerto Rico our 51st state?