If and when Democrats regain control of the federal government

[thucythucy]

I'm hoping they expedite, at last, statehood for both the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. They both are more populated than many red states, yet have NO representation in Congress. DC and PR as states would mean four more Democratic senators, and at least six more electoral votes trending blue.

It's not only the political thing to do, it's the right thing to do. One reason why Puerto Rico's recovery has been so stilted (aside from Trump's racism and general KGOP incompetence) is because its people have no real representation, no real political power on the national stage.

Having them both be "territories" or "districts" is a holdover from the late 19th century (for Puerto Rico) and the late 18th century (for DC).

The revolution began, in part, with the slogan "taxation without representation is tyranny." That applies as much today as it did then.

[Ohiogal]

1. If and when Democrats regain control....

They are going to have a HUUUUGE mess to clean up!

[thucythucy]

2. True. But one of the things the GOP always does

when it has power is to act to make that power permanent. Funneling tax dollars into "faith based initiatives" that are really right wing fronts, funneling tax dollars into charter and religious schools that favor their agenda, redistricting (gerrymandering) etc. etc.

Somehow Democrats never seem willing or able to do this. It's doubly frustrating because, as I say, many of these measures would actually be the right thing to do: statehood for DC and Puerto Rico, same day voter registration, nonpartisan Congressional districting, paper ballots, the Fairness Doctrine--all kinds of things that would help Democrats--who are, after all, the majority of voters (or at least the plurality) retain power as well as empowering ordinary people and making the system more fair (and less tilted in favor of red states and red districts).

We CAN walk and chew gum at the same time--govern well, clean up the messes the GOP always leaves behind, AND change the system to prevent travesties such as Trump's selection (or Bush II, for that matter) from happening again.

Best wishes.