Jennifer R. Povey: I had actually forgotten about 2016 but we can use that one. The real problem is getting Congress to do anything to reduce their own power

really cannot emphasize enough how plainly all this proves that the first priority of the next Democratic administration needs to be democracy reform --filibuster --electoral college --court reform --dc and pr statehood --new voting rights act --gerrymandering

Referendums for statehood in both. I firmly believe DC would pass handily, PR is a more open question, but BINDING referendums would settle the issue. I don't have a say because I don't live in DC, but living *next* to DC I would be like "GUYS PLEASE BE A STATE" ;)

Puerto Rico is a colony and as such deserves a self determination process that gives them the choice of independence before joining the indivisible union. DC had always been an integral part of the US and there is no clear alternative so an act of Congress is sufficient.

I agree that a referendum is unnecessary for DC but feel it would support the legitimacy of the new state

I guess you could ask if they prefer retrocession but if they vote yes Maryland can always say no anyway

I had actually forgotten about 2016 but we can use that one. The real problem is getting Congress to do anything to reduce their own power

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