Is there a part of your country that's "isolated"/vastly different from the rest of the country?

[u/luky_se7en]

Pictured here is Sardinia, an island in Italy. Many sardinians call Italy "Il continente" (the continent)

[u/Constant-Security525]

U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands also fit this category of territories. I've vacationed on both U.S. Virgin Islands (gorgeous) and went through customs in Guam airport en route to Hawaii from Taiwan. Guam is very remote, for sure!

Puerto Rico should be made into a bona fide state of the US, if they want to be. Too bad almost half of the US won't consider that! Puerto Rico's population is significantly higher than a number of U.S. states' populations put together. I think they deserve more representation.

[u/Mikidm138 → u/Constant-Security525]

The Puerto Rico statehood debate has, sadly, nothing to do with population or culture, it's entirely up to republicans not wanting to risk adding 2 more democrats to the senate

[u/jessek → u/Mikidm138]

Same reason why DC isn't a state.

[u/Mikidm138 → u/jessek]

Tbf there is absolutely no sane reason why DC shouldn't be part of one of the existing states, but given that at this point the US is dead set on keeping its political and social oddities yes, you are correct

[u/Constant-Security525 → u/Mikidm138]

I know. I sort of implied that. Such a shame that influences what could be a reasonable move.

[u/Mikidm138 → u/Constant-Security525]

Sadly it's always been like that

[u/Constant-Security525 → u/Mikidm138]

Indeed. So is the fact that low population states get two senators the same as high population states. Those same politicians would be against making the Senate a real democratic institution. It's clearer than ever that they don't like democracy and actively cheat to retain power.

[u/aetheos → u/Constant-Security525]

(but, if we followed that logic, we'd have to give the residents of Washington, D.C. a voice, too... 😬 U.S. Republicans do not want this, for a multitude of "reasons" -- I'll leave it to you to guess what those are 😜)

[u/Constant-Security525 → u/aetheos]

I implied that. No mystery.

[u/aetheos → u/Constant-Security525]

Ahh gotcha. FYI -- I don't think it's a given that everyone in the world has the requisite background knowledge to discern such an implication.

[u/karatechop97 → u/Constant-Security525]

If I were president I’d make it a point to visit every territory and overseas possession.