Both NPR and John Oliver are making headlines on the importance of statehood for DC and Puerto Rico. NPR recently reported: “The cause has gained significant traction among Democratic politicians. The House of Representatives passed H.R. 51 this summer -- the first time a chamber of Congress has ever passed legislation making D.C. the 51st state.” Meanwhile, Oliver is loudly declaring that statehood for Puerto Rico would be a very effective way to offset the Senate’s bias toward white, rural voters.
Republicans currently hold 53 of the Senate’s 100 seats. Even a landslide victory for Joe Biden might not change that in 2021. But by welcoming two new states -- the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico -- Democrats could change the rules of the game and, according to Mitch McConnell, gain “four new Democratic senators in perpetuity.”
Adding these two new states wouldn’t just even the political odds -- it would also give representation to the millions of Americans who live in DC and Puerto Rico, American citizens who pay federal taxes but lack a voice in Congress. Americans are divided, however, on whether or not they support adding two more stars to the flag -- that’s why we’re reaching out to you now. Tell us your view:
