America set to welcome its 51st state to the union

[Dodece]

This wasn't overlooked by the community. It came up in another thread, and was discussed in that thread. That said this is as ever in the hands of Congress. Basically their opinion is the only one that matters. If they choose to see this as popular consent then it is so. This is a non-binding vote, because the residents of the island have no right to self determination. Only congress can mandate a binding resolution. None of you should confuse the nicety of letting the people express their opinion with any kind of necessity. Congress can do what it wants with or without their consent.

I know that may sound undemocratic and even a little cold blooded, but the residents of the island have spent a lot of time and effort refusing to choose a path. I have never understood how a tax benefit could possibly be so precious that you would voluntarily give up a right to vote about what happens to you. Hell I can't see how some of them can vote for independence when half the islands population lives inside the continental United States. It comes across as kind of dismissive.

Anyway the vote will probably accomplish what it set out to do in the first place. Namely it is probably going to force the issue once and for all. Congress could end up just accepting the result, and bring the Island into the Union. Congress could mandate a binding resolution, but that would probably just be a vote between statehood, and independence. Since staying put was the real loser, and greater autonomy wasn't likely to be accepted by the Congress in the first place. The US Navy likes to use the islands beaches for target practice.

In either event the result ends up being a new state. Granted it may take some time to move to the top of the agenda, but it is one of those feel good votes that improves public opinion. Don't be fooled in the least. Manifest Destiny is still powerfully symbolic with voters. When the nation gets bigger the vast majority of voters do think the nation is moving in the right direction.