Democracy and the Territories
The United States of America has nine territories with an aggregate large population, and some individual territories with populations larger than some, if not several, of the 50 states. Yet, these citizens have no voting representatives in Congress, only non-voting delegates. The citizens of the District of Columbia, believe it or not, also do not have voting rights representation in Congress. It's time that changed. The territories and D.C. should have full voting rights representation in the House of Representatives, according to their population as is the case with the present 435 congressional districts, and each of these territories and D.C. should have at least one senator in the United States Senate. A compromise of one senator, instead of two senators like the states, will probably be necessary in order to get a new constitutional amendment ratified.
The House of Representatives will have to be enlargened to accommodate this proposal, which would establish at least a nominal democracy all across the lands of the United States. Too many times, officials from our nation go across the world trumpeting democracy when we don't even allow the territories and D.C. to have a vote in the national governing arenas. This is brazen hypocrisy which undercuts our nationalistic principles and values.
Furthermore, even while establishing the right of territorial voting in the Congress, there should be an ongoing process in which these territories can become full-fledged states or independent nations. Our nation has no right to stop any territory from independence if that is what they choose. If we are to be true to democratic values and ideas and not continue down the road of imperialistic rule, voting rights or independence for territories should be front and center in the political framework.
While we're at, we should return Guantanamo Bay back to Cuba, it's the right thing to do.
Territories of the United States
Midway Islands
Puerto Rico
American Samoa
Virgin Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
Marshall Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
Palua
Guam
Copyright 2008, Party of Commons TM
The House of Representatives will have to be enlargened to accommodate this proposal, which would establish at least a nominal democracy all across the lands of the United States. Too many times, officials from our nation go across the world trumpeting democracy when we don't even allow the territories and D.C. to have a vote in the national governing arenas. This is brazen hypocrisy which undercuts our nationalistic principles and values.
Furthermore, even while establishing the right of territorial voting in the Congress, there should be an ongoing process in which these territories can become full-fledged states or independent nations. Our nation has no right to stop any territory from independence if that is what they choose. If we are to be true to democratic values and ideas and not continue down the road of imperialistic rule, voting rights or independence for territories should be front and center in the political framework.
While we're at, we should return Guantanamo Bay back to Cuba, it's the right thing to do.
Territories of the United States
Midway Islands
Puerto Rico
American Samoa
Virgin Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
Marshall Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
Palua
Guam
Copyright 2008, Party of Commons TM
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