Puerto Rico. They overwhelmingly want become a state and they are already US citizens. Washington DC could make a case for statehood as well.

Puerto Rico

Which of the territories do you think would best benefit the US by becoming a state?

What do any of them benefit the US by becoming states? Won't they all take much more than they contribute?

Which of the territories do you think would best benefit the US by becoming a state?

What do any of them benefit the US by becoming states? Won't they all take much more than they contribute?

Puerto Rico gets $21 billion a year in Federal aid, Mississippi gets $22.7 billion. Wanna talk swapping them in and out? I hear that PR has some pretty kickass beaches.

Just did some quick research and there's some pretty nifty beaches in The Magnolia State. Hmmmmm.

We are gonna have to get deep into the intangibles to make this work.

Hold the phone. Guam is fascinating from a taxation point of view, they accept no direct aid, but do receive fund transfers from the Treasury since Guamanians pay into FICA. No income or excise tax!

Wait, wait, wait. The Government of Guam is the largest employer. Libertarians would never agree to a trade.

Guam is out. Was kinda rooting for them for a minute.

Don't be discouraged, though! Leave your props for Guam here!

WHOA! Check out American Samoa! These folks bring bullet points, yo.

- Only $35.6 million in Federal Aid allocated to American Samoa for FY19. This is 1.6% of the annual outlay to Mississippi
- Highest percentage of United States Military enlistment as compared to all other US territories
- OK, 26% unemployment, but have you seen pictures of the place? There's worse places to to not have a job. And the weather, too? Get the eff outta here!

Clearly American Samoa is in the lead.

EDIT: THEY'VE GOT OIL

EDIT EDIT: THEY DON'T HAVE OIL <-I just switched to Sanka, so, have a heart

[Edited on 9/21/2019 by Bhawk]

[Edited on 9/21/2019 by Bhawk]

Northern Mariana Islands...they only get $2.3 million annually in Federal Aid, but no one knows where those islands are (who in the hell has ever even heard of this place, anyway?), there's only 55k people there and you can't really take the name seriously. Not tough enough.

Next.

The Virgin Islands. OK. S--t just got real.

We're now talkin' St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas. Tourist business! Wonderful beaches and hella rum drinks!

UGH. It's a party palace run by the entertainment and hospitality business, so the finances are all jacked up. They've got some pretty serious debt issues, the debt load is significant.

Then you've got hurricane risk, but, hey. No one really wants to help those islands financially when they get destroyed anyway. Lesser quality of folk seem to live there.

BZZT.

I'm thinking American Samoa...

I'm thinking Saudi Arabia....After all we treat them like they're practically a state. Although I suspect the royal family wouldn't really dig the whole democracy thing....
😛

Which of the territories do you think would best benefit the US by becoming a state?

What do any of them benefit the US by becoming states? Won't they all take much more than they contribute?

Puerto Rico gets $21 billion a year in Federal aid, Mississippi gets $22.7 billion. Wanna talk swapping them in and out? I hear that PR has some pretty kickass beaches.

Just did some quick research and there's some pretty nifty beaches in The Magnolia State.

Pass Christian has a really nice fishing harbor where you buy direct from the boat. Filled a 45 gallon ice chest from a shrimp boat for $50. Had shrimp, crabs, and a few fish.
When coming from out west, we get off I-10 and take US 90 all the way to Biloxi. Great white, powdery sand all through there.

Northern Mariana Islands...they only get $2.3 million annually in Federal Aid, but no one knows where those islands are (who in the hell has ever even heard of this place, anyway?), there's only 55k people there and you can't really take the name seriously. Not tough enough.

Next.

UHHH, Tinian island, Enola Gay, Atomic bomb, WWII. Or do they still teach history in school?

Northern Mariana Islands...they only get $2.3 million annually in Federal Aid, but no one knows where those islands are (who in the hell has ever even heard of this place, anyway?), there's only 55k people there and you can't really take the name seriously. Not tough enough.

Next.

UHHH, Tinian island, Enola Gay, Atomic bomb, WWII. Or do they still teach history in school?

Trying to have some fun, you take a shot at my intelligence. Up yours, pal.

Northern Mariana Islands...they only get $2.3 million annually in Federal Aid, but no one knows where those islands are (who in the hell has ever even heard of this place, anyway?), there's only 55k people there and you can't really take the name seriously. Not tough enough.

Next.

UHHH, Tinian island, Enola Gay, Atomic bomb, WWII. Or do they still teach history in school?

Trying to have some fun, you take a shot at my intelligence. Up yours, pal.

Not at your intelligence, just at what is not being taught in schools. A teacher was recently on the news talking about how 9/11 wasn't being taught to students. My great-great nephews aren't taught much about WWII.