Puerto Rico statehood drive would gut territory option

As corruption and authoritarianism grow in the once-great Democratic Party, it's also expanding in Puerto Rico, and that's why the Democrats are pushing harder than ever to make the island territory the 51st state. In fairness, existing states are plagued by tyranny and corruption too, but that doesn't make this effort any better.

The truth is, however, that Puerto Rico had a worse COVID-19 response than almost every existing state. A bad COVID response has practically become an article of faith for Democratic "leaders." COVID totalitarianism is a cult that the Democrats follow. I'm not using that term figuratively, for it has all the characteristics of a cult.

Now a group of Democratic members of Congress are introducing a bill that would authorize a referendum next year in Puerto Rico that would give the territory's voters 3 options: statehood, free association, or complete independence. One of the problems with this referendum is that it does not allow Puerto Rico to continue its current territorial status.

Trying to force Puerto Rico to change its status has angered the territory's leading opposition party.

Removing the island's existing status as an option isn't the only problem with this bill. There is currently no major effort to enact laws in Puerto Rico or nationwide against the government abuses we saw during the pandemic – and which we still see. Last year, Pennsylvania enacted a pair of measures to fight abuses of emergency powers. That would be a good model for the rest of the country.

We will not support the Puerto Rico statehood bill unless both these things happen: The referendum there must allow an option to continue the territory's current status. And there must be a law to limit emergency powers.

From now on, there must be a law against abuse of emergency powers before we can support any new states. It can be a federal law or a law enacted by the new state – just as long as there is such a law.

I say this as a former member of the local Young Democrats: The Democrats are now mired so deeply in COVID cultism that it composes much of their identity. It's a second skin to them. If they're able to do so, they will admit or reject new states on the basis of COVID policy alone.

If new states are admitted as a reward for having a tyrannical COVID response, we have a right to expect new states to also be admitted for having a good response.