Movements to become the 51st US State

[Farnan]

Some of these are obvious, others are just weird but interesting:

Washington, D.C.: There is a movement for a Constitutional amendment to make DC a state. Not sure of its current support, but not enough to make it happen.

Puerto Rico: Little under half the population seeks statehood.

Albania: Back in 1991 there was talk of a referendum to ask for US statehood. Not sure of how we would answer that one if it went in our favor. But nowadays it is unlikely to happen despite the support of the US in Albania.

Guyana: http://www.guyanausa.org/ Not likely to happen, but interesting.

Phillipines: Until granted independence in 1948 there was movement for US statehood.

Sicily: Shortly after WWII there was talk in Sicily of attempting to become a US state, however that movement is now dead.

Yucatan Pennisulla, Mexico: From 1847-1918 there was a major movement for US statehood.

Taiwan: In polls in 2004 15% of Taiwanese indicated a desire to join the US as a state.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/51st_state

Kind of interesting. Would have been cool if the movement worked in Sicily, would be nice to travel to Europe without leaving the US...

[Dayman]

It'll probably be D.C.

I don't know many Puerto Ricans that want statehood either.

[Farnan]

Last referendum had about 47% wanting statehood, 50.1% wanting the status quo and the rest independence.

[El Brujo]

But imagine Albania or Guayana asking for statehood, how would we respond?

Same way you responded to Texas in 1836. A very polite "Thanks, but no thanks".

[Caelius]

It'll probably be D.C.

Over the Constitution's bullet riddled corpse.

There's a reason no one state is allowed to hold the seat of power for the Federal government.

[Dayman]

Over the Constitution's bullet riddled corpse.

There's a reason no one state is allowed to hold the seat of power for the Federal government.

You mean as opposed to the states that held it beforehand?

What part of the constitution says that's not possible?

[Kaznecki]

if we grant statehood to any region other than the areas in North America, the world would cry bloody murder. The worlds crazies would write this action as another one of Americas imperialist moves....

[Dayman]

All the ones I know don't want it, because they would have to start paying income tax.

[Farnan]

But imagine Albania or Guayana asking for statehood, how would we respond?

How about worse: Kosovo or Taiwan?

[Dayman]

It would be political suicide.

[Farnan]

I can see accepting maybe Guayana, the only fall out would be with Venezuala, but no love lost there...

But Albania may require the diplomatic tact of Kissinger when presented with 10,000,000 Chinese women.

[edders]

Some of these are obvious, others are just weird but interesting:

Washington, D.C.: There is a movement for a Constitutional amendment to make DC a state. Not sure of its current support, but not enough to make it happen.

Puerto Rico: Little under half the population seeks statehood.

Albania: Back in 1991 there was talk of a referendum to ask for US statehood. Not sure of how we would answer that one if it went in our favor. But nowadays it is unlikely to happen despite the support of the US in Albania.

Guyana: http://www.guyanausa.org/ Not likely to happen, but interesting.

Phillipines: Until granted independence in 1948 there was movement for US statehood.

Sicily: Shortly after WWII there was talk in Sicily of attempting to become a US state, however that movement is now dead.

Yucatan Pennisulla, Mexico: From 1847-1918 there was a major movement for US statehood.

Taiwan: In polls in 2004 15% of Taiwanese indicated a desire to join the US as a state.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/51st_state

Kind of interesting. Would have been cool if the movement worked in Sicily, would be nice to travel to Europe without leaving the US...

Where's the U.K.?

[Farnan]

There is no real statehood movement in the UK, and only a tiny one in Canada.

[Yorkshireman]

There is no real statehood movement in the UK, and only a tiny one in Canada.

Correction. There is no statehood movement in the UK.

[Farnan]

Correction. There is no statehood movement in the UK.

There may be 3 guys in a bar who want it, so I wouldn't say there is no movement, but there is no revelant movement.

[Mother Yoda]

Correction. There is no statehood movement in the UK.

Because it's already kind of one right now.

[Farnan]

I know Puerto Rico is up for a new referendum soon and if trends continue they may ask for statehood this time.

[Farnan]

We already did grant statehood to a state outside of North America, its call Hawaii. Any new state added would be one that wants to be a state and convinces Congress to let them become a state.

However besides Puerto Rico, DC, and other places currently US territories the chance of anywhere else becoming a state is very low, but interesting.

[Caelius]

You mean as opposed to the states that held it beforehand?

Yep.

What part of the constitution says that's not possible?

Article I, Section 8

"To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings"

There are other parts of the Constitution that re-affirm the fact, but that one is perhaps the most specific of them.

The national capital is a Federal district specifically for the reason so that no state is created that is elevated above the others.

If Pennsylvania or New York had been host to the Federal Govt. (since both Philadelphia and New York were, among other cities, the capital of the US at certain points in time) it would've created huge amounts of bureaucratic and political entanglements which the Founders had the sense to avoid.

[danzig]

Taiwan: In polls in 2004 15% of Taiwanese indicated a desire to join the US as a state.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/51st_state

That would be hilarious because 5 seconds after it happened we'd be knee deep in world war 3. We dont need anymore states anyway hell I dont want them because it would give loonies more ammo to some vast conspiracy.