(08-13-2018 11:17 PM)Stugray2 Wrote: (08-13-2018 12:17 PM)BePcr07 Wrote: Their social and economic infrastructures need major work before they should be considered. At least a reasonable plan with short- and long-term goals that they can reach.
Regarding athletics for PR universities, NAIA may be the route. Should they get to a point where NCAA D-I is a possibility then a more regionalized conference like the Atlantic Sun would be a good option.
Well then, we should set some standards and bars for them to reach in order to gain statehood. Why keep it a secret? Let them know what they have to do. And when they do it, admit them.
The Constitution doesn't set any criteria for admission other than a new state cannot be created incorporating land of an existing state without that state's consent (see Kentucky, Maine and West Virginia).
The general criteria that has been applied is that territory be inclined to a representative democracy, the population desire admission and have adequate population and resources to function as a state.
The reality has always been political. Before the Civil War you would see a state admitted followed by a subsequent admission to keep the slavery balance. For example Arkansas followed less than a year later by Michigan.
Alaska and Hawaii were admitted 49th and 50th respectively. Alaska was thought to be a safe Democratic state and was admitted by the Democratically controlled 85th Congress with support of President Eisenhower (after concessions about land reserved for military purposes) who felt Alaska was vital to US defense in the Cold War to intercept bombers and monitor missiles. The 86th Congress admitted Hawaii because enough northern Democrats were elected to offset the southern Democrats who felt that Hawaii lacking a white majority would elect people who would support civil rights legislation.
In the end Alaska veered hard Republican and Hawaii hard Democrat.
Puerto Rico won't be admitted until the party in control of Congress believes they are gaining allies in controlling Congress. While being heavily Catholic so aligned with Republicans on many social issues, the military presence is much smaller than in the past so the economy is less tied to how much the Federal government spends on the military than was once the case.
Puerto Rico in 2014 passed New Mexico's record of 62 years as local governing territory without attaining statehood, Hawaii spent 61 years as a territory. Next longest was Arizona at 49 years. Alabama was fastest at just over 2 years.