The 51st State

[smile72]

Eh...I'm all for Puerto Rico becoming a state.

 

[10_0ARMY]

51 is an odd number...what would be #52? D.C.

On a serious note...I'm no political expert, but I'd say who gives a shit if they are a state? Doesn't Puerto Rico get most of the benefits that states have for being a territory anyways?

 

[Sanoblue]

technically we dont have the 50 we claim to have.... as some states arnt really states.... we have principalities commonwealths and the like as well...

 

[retKHAAAN]

will we be able to trade in our old flags towards new ones?

or maybe I'll just wait another year for the next upgrade with the bigger screen and shinier stars

 

[Gahars]

technically we dont have the 50 we claim to have.... as some states arnt really states.... we have principalities commonwealths and the like as well...

It's the other way around, actually. We have 50 states + the District of Columbia + the territories, commonwealths, etc.

 

[Sanoblue]

Virginia is not a state.... its a commonwealth....

 

[Gahars]

Virginia is not a state.... its a commonwealth....

Ah, here's your mistake.

It may be officially titled "The Commonwealth of Virginia", but that doesn't mean it's still an actual commonwealth (like, say, Puerto Rico) to this day; it's a carryover from the state's colonial past (Here's a Wikipedia article on the subject).

 

[Sanoblue]

ok but they still have odd laws and its own governing force of that such and its own tax messed upness

 

[Gahars]

ok but they still have odd laws and its own governing force of that such and its own tax messed upness

And none of that makes Virginia any less of a state, so your point is...?

 

[Sanoblue]

And none of that makes Virginia any less of a state, so your point is...?

no less of a state just not the traditional form of state judicial and governing body. it has maintained alot of the traditional views of a commonwealth

 

[FAST6191]

I had wandered into this thread hoping it would be a discussion of my favourite Samuel L Jackson film.

As for the matter at hand assuming it is a benefit for the area I see no reason to say nay if that is what people want. What little I know of the situation says it might not be a clear cut thing as the measure of autonomy afforded to it does allow for some interesting things.

ok but they still have odd laws and its own governing force of that such and its own tax messed upness

Odd laws and interesting taxation methods both of which are state specific seem to be the norm for most states I have ever been in. Indeed trying to figure out what goes in what state provides 90% of the nightmares me and mine have trying to do business across state lines and that is before we try to figure in city/county/area specific stuff. Own governing thing was a bit more nebulous but don't most places have a state government as well?

 

[Gahars]

no less of a state just not the traditional form of state judicial and governing body. it has maintained alot of the traditional views of a commonwealth

The Commonwealth ideal of having a "government based on the common consent of the people" is shockingly common throughout the United States. Plus, the state government isn't all that different from the rest of the United States; the exact makeup and balance between the branches may differ slightly, but each state has its own individual quirks. Whatever differences exist in the structure of the state's government aren't radically different from the rest of the nation.