Puerto Rico Could Soon be Number 51, Who will be the 52nd State?

       Possible Design for the new flag. 

      Three rows of 9 stars and three rows 

      of 8 stars. Total 51

by Bill Russo

Since the admission of Alaska and Hawaii to the Union some 50 years ago, the American flag has had 50 stars.

Get the sewing needles out because extra stars may be needed by 2016.

There are several candidates for Statehood but Puerto Rico is at the top of the list. It is a commonwealth and its residents are American citizens - but if they actually live in PR, they are not able to vote in Federal Elections. The island nation came close to joining the team a couple of times. In 1940 the Democratic Platform included a push for Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii to join the States.

Presidents Ford, Reagan and Bush 2, all favored Statehood.

If PR does become Number 51, it will be the 29^th biggest in the country.

On the same day Barack Obama was re-elected as President (November 6, 2012), the people of Puerto Rico had a referendum on whether to choose statehood. The voters selected becoming a state by a wide margin of 65 per cent.

In order to be admitted to the Union, The House and Senate must agree and a bill would have to be signed by the President. Barack Obama said before the statehood referendum that he will work with the people of PR in whatever they choose. They selected statehood by a large margin - so at high speed, everything could be completed by the end of 2015.

High speed is very unlikely, but measures were introduced into the House and Senate in 2014, that could  at least set the process in motion.  These measures are calling for a simple yes or no vote on the Statehood question.

There’s another place that could jump into the fold the same time as PR. But it's not a country. It actually already is part of the U.S. There is a large push to get statehood status for the District of Columbia.

Washington D.C. by itself has a comparable population to several existing states. The people of D.C. are citizens but have no senators or congressmen.

A growing number of voters liken this to the Revolutionary War Cry of Taxation Without Representation. D.C. license plates are now printed with that very slogan - although residents can opt out if they wish. George Bush 2 opted out, but not Bill Clinton. Willie’s plates proudly carried the slogan. I am not sure if Barry Obama’s cars have it.

Other areas with a small ‘join the nation’ movement include, Guam, Virgin Islands and American Samoa. There are a handful of other smaller island groupings where there is interest. Even the Philippines has a dedicated contingent working towards Statehood. Philippine soldiers bravely fought alongside the Allied troops in WW II.