3 ms·
Only simple majority is needed for admission, not 60 [0]. Admitting DC as state would also only require simple majority since constitution does not explicitly m
by ivalm 6y ago
Only simple majority is needed for admission, not 60 [0]. Admitting DC as state would also only require simple majority since constitution does not explicitly mention DC only “federal district.” DC was made a federal district by an act of Congress and a simple majority can reverse that [1]
[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admission_to_the_Union https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admission_to_the_Union
[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statehood_movement_in_the_District_of_Columbia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statehood_movement_in_the_Di...
- maximente 6y agothe person you're replying to is implying 60 votes needed for filibuster defeat, i believe
- ivalm 6y agoBut filibuster procedure can be removed by a simple majority.
- dragonwriter 6y agoThe biggest Constitutional issue with D.C. Statehood (given that the plan includes reservation of a reduced federal district) is the prohibition on forming states from parts of other states without the consent of the original states’ legislatures’, since the territory originally came from MD. It's, IIRC, disputed how it would apply, but it would seem to be rendered non-problematic if consent was sought from MD.
- ivalm 6y agoMD has democrats controlling state legislature, so should be OK.
- arp242 6y agoAlso, politically it's not that simple; in the recent November 2020 referendum 52.5% voted in favour of statehood, a fairly narrow majority. In 2012 only about 30% voted in favour of statehood (ignoring the boycotted and unrepresentative 2017 referendum). So an actual (slim) majority in favour of statehood is a very recent thing, and not even Puerto Rico itself lacks the 60% required for a senate vote. People seem to forget this. Imagine asking the people who actually live there what they want...
- ivalm 6y agoAgain, there is no 60% requirement in the constitution, or elsewhere in law. Simple majority is enough. Filibuster is the thing that takes 60 senators but that also can be eliminated with simple majority. Also, Puerto Ricans were asked and did consent. Their opinion really changed after the non-response to Maria. In recent global politics entire brexit happened due to similarly slim margins.
- arp242 6y ago> In recent global politics entire brexit happened due to similarly slim margins. Which was not a good idea, intensely controversial, and will have negative effects for years or decades to come. And people have been talking for years about this without seemingly caring what the actual Puerto Ricans think. But of course, middle-class liberals who never even been there know what's best for poor brown people, right? Those poor uneducated people need saving by smart white people!
- apple4ever 6y agoBut is IS part of the rules for the Senate, so it still matters.