A month out and I haven’t seen much in the media about election tampering in '18. Assuming Trump isn’t going to do anything about it, I wonder are any steps being taken by intelligence agencies, some kind of independent actors at the FEC, or various secretaries of state, to secure the ballots?
If this election ends up a close win for Republicans and then it comes out that Russia fucked with everything again, that might be about all she wrote for faith in our votes meaning a goddamn thing.
Apologies that I haven’t read that article yet, but the concept of Democrats not holding them responsible for their actions is something I’ve been very frustrated with for over a decade now. When President Obama took office and basically hand-waved away acts of torture by the previous administration, it showed everyone in the previous administration that they were right to not fear any consequences from their illegal and immoral actions. So given the opportunity, they would do it again.
Nesrie
4940
Dear God, if they split CA, other states would try it too. They’d probably try and split OR, a small state, and I’d wind up stuck in a red state. I’ve have to move. Also when they talk about splitting CA, i’ve never heard of it as a benefit to Democrats.
Menzo
4941
Republicans speak of splitting CA in the same tone as Democrats do of Texas turning blue. They’re both pipe dreams.
Nesrie
4942
Except that article is indicating he thinks it’s a benefit to Democrats to do it. Instead of messed up voting disticts, we’ll wind up with a ton of states trying to pack the Senate.
JoshL
4943
FYI, the ballot proposition to split CA into three states was removed by the CA supreme court.
Thank $Deity/the stars/the FSM.
Now we definitely need to give PR and Washington DC statehood.
Timex
4945
Democrats need to stop thinking about crazy shit like packing the court or splitting states or any of that.
Vote. Use the system. That’s the only thing you can do. Stop being children, and start doing the work.
The system is broken because rural America is an unfortunately very well-divided shit hole. We should do whatever is necessary to drown it out forever.
Timex
4947
Deal with it. It’s how the country is. Use the system, none of these crazy schemes are going to work.
I don’t see why PR shouldn’t get statehood if its people want it (and Hurricane Maria should have convinced a lot of people that statehood was the better option).
Also, next time the Dems take the Senate they should at least blow up the legislative filibuster (if Mitch “Turtle Man” McConnell hasn’t done it first, but who am I kidding).
Timex
4949
Eh, PR getting statehood is actually fine, but that’s not happening any time soon. That’s a long term thing.
I largely agree with this. States splitting (or states merging) isn’t allowed. Democrats are pilloried for standing up for doing the right thing; just imagine the MSM’s glee if D’s tried to pack the court. Both sides but Democrats are worse!
However, granting statehood is within the system. PR, the Pacific islands, and DC (it’s not supposed to be a state but they have no representation, which is like a lot of other things in this country, not Democratic.) Increasing the number of representatives in the House is also a good idea. They’re good ideas on the merits alone, but the side benefit is they will probably benefit Democrats (it’s not a even a given that PR will send two D’s to the Senate.) Much of what is wrong with this country is a direct outgrowth of the this country’s accomodation to its original sin (slavery), and it’s well beyond time to correct that where possible.
Not really; they request it, the Senate grants it, the President signs it. Done. (This assumes PR wants to be a state.)
Timex
4952
In general, it requires the territory to vote to jo8n, then have a constitutional convention, then have a joint resolution by Congress, then signed by the president.
That’s not a short process. It would take years.
I googled it a while ago, but the short answer wasn’t sufficient. The more detailed answer agrees with you.
The short answer:
- The proposed state votes on the matter.
- The proposed state officially petitions Congress for Statehood.
- The proposed state must make sure it is following the constitution for its government.
- Both the Senate and the House vote with a majority to accept the state .
- The president signs the bill.
Official admission to the Union requires Congress to draft – and the president to sign – a bill called an “enabling act.” For Puerto Rico to become a state, it would need to convince Congress and the president that statehood is not only in the best interest of the Puerto Rican people, but in the best interest of the United States as a whole. The U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives would need to approve the statehood admission by a two-thirds majority vote
So much for that idea.
(Weird it’s called an enabling act.)
Nesrie
4954
It wasn’t the Democrats who started this idea. It’s been floating around for decades by the Republicans, and yet no one tells them to stop. Why? Because only one party is supposed to follow the rules. The other does whatever the hell it wants and the same people who openly criticize the Democrats for just talking, stay silent when the GOP has actually put these ideas on the table. it’s a double standard. And it’s bullshit.
Not sure where to put this, but I’m a fan:
magnet
4956
This is a myth. You only need a simple majority in Congress, just like any other law.
Definitely not necessary for statehood.
