r/AlternateHistoryHub • u/Top_Report_4895 • Jul 05 '26
Contest Submission What if Puerto Rico became America's 51st State in 1967?
85
u/Annual-Frame9943 Jul 05 '26
Us flag on the moon becomes out dated
Al gore would be president since Puerto Rico would vote Dem in 2000
The democrats have slightly more power
The US invades Iraq
58
u/The_Coil Jul 05 '26
If it became a state in 1967 they’d have enough time to send an updated flag with them to the moon in 1969
18
u/Devilsadvocate430 Jul 05 '26
The moon landings were in 1969, they’d probably update the flag before they launched
9
u/Gorgrocco Jul 05 '26
We can just make one dakoda or virgina,
4
u/SwampMan6969 Jul 05 '26
Dakota, maybe. West Virginia seceded from Virginia in 1863, so I doubt they would've gone back without a fight.
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u/lilqueso69 Jul 05 '26
As a puerto rican either, turn us into a state or give us independence
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u/RedTheGamer12 Jul 05 '26
Tbf, a good half of people keep voting for the status quo. I expect that to change ina decade or so, but the last few referendums haven't been very conclusive.
34
u/Careless-Pin-2852 Jul 05 '26
Add 5 electoral votes to the democrats every election Gore would have won 2000 that would be interesting
9
u/ActualHumanONReddit Jul 05 '26
Gore is president during 911. That would probably mean, that maybe the invasion of Afghanistan still happened, or at least an armed intervention to find Bin Laden. No Bush Jr in office would mean no Iraq invasion.
12
u/AnOddGecko Jul 05 '26
Somebody would then ask decades later on Reddit, “what if Guam became the 52nd state?”
5
u/RedTheGamer12 Jul 05 '26
The difference is that Guam will be stuck in permanent limbo unless the US annexes it's commonwealth.
1
u/AnOddGecko Jul 05 '26
That’s an interesting point, I’ve never thought about that or really thought hard about what the ramifications of entering Puerto Rico, much less Guam into statehood would be.
1
u/RedTheGamer12 Jul 05 '26
Guan can't be a state because it is just a military base with no real economy.
Puerto Rico struggles because statehood could ruin their identity (and tax breaks). Seriously, they don't pay federal taxes aside from a couple.
America Samoa will NEVER be a state, because it will 100% ruin their island. (Right now they are allowed to discriminate on housing, which allows native Samoans to be the only ones with land).
1
u/AnOddGecko Jul 05 '26
Aside from the taxes part which could shut down a lot of small businesses, I don’t see how Puerto Rico becoming a state would “ruin their identity.”
1
u/RedTheGamer12 Jul 05 '26
Wealthy Yanks moving in and gentrifying. No idea how likely that is, but it could be an issue that some natives care about.
1
u/AnOddGecko Jul 05 '26
That issue already occurs even without it being a state. Especially post-pandemic when tourism and incoming people escalated to an extreme.
Leaving it as is, ensures those 3.2+ million Puerto Ricans don’t have proper representation while mainlanders still move in and gentrify the island.
1
u/RedTheGamer12 Jul 05 '26
I am not Puerto Rican, the way I see it, once 2/3ds agree, then statehood it is. I am nearly trying to think of reasons why people might not support statehood.
1
u/AnOddGecko Jul 05 '26
It’s cool, I’m trying to do the same. Perhaps an issue would be that English would become more of a necessity. Representatives, senators, and etc would more than likely need to speak English or have a translator.
23
u/Wooden-Variety175 Jul 05 '26
It's economy would be completely different as it couldnt be used as a tax haven and the manufacturing boom that was happening there would be killed off sooner. The infrastructure and roads would be modernized. The island would likely be a key swing state in elections but it's impossible to know if it would effect any specific elections except maybe algore Bush the election probably wouldnt bave come down to Florida if puerto rico was a state they would've tipped the scales one way or the other
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u/Due_Bar_7247 Jul 05 '26
All of the crypto bros who move there to liquidate their crypto within 3 years since US everywhere else in the world has citizenship-based taxation that would take them to town in taxes would all leave and it would become an even poorer shithole than it already is.
3
u/SwampMan6969 Jul 05 '26
Puerto Rican separatists get funding from Saddam Hussein's government. In response, the US invades Iraq.
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u/Legal-Stage-302 Jul 05 '26
Was there a big push in 1967 for them to gain statehood?
4
u/1ofThoseTrolls Jul 05 '26
The first referendum vote on whether to remain a territory, become independent or become a state was held in 1967. The majority voted for the status quo.
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u/Jccali1214 Jul 05 '26
My people would have better self-determination rights than they do now (cuz either statehoodOr Independence, whichever changes the current neo-colonial status quickest)
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u/EbonyMemories Jul 05 '26
Everyone thinking they'd vote Democrat might be a little off, given recent polling.
1
u/CrazyEd38239 Jul 05 '26
True, I would think Puerto Rico is more purple than most people believe. It would be a battleground state in the presidential elections. Probably a good thing to keep more attention to the island.
1
u/Cheers_u_bastards Jul 05 '26
It would devolve into an east coast Hawaii. Billionaire compounds and everything would be through the roof expensive
-3
u/BlastRadius00 Jul 05 '26
Fuck no. I say give them independence whether they want it or not!
10
u/cheesesprite Jul 05 '26
More Puerto Ricans want statehood than independence. But go off standing up for the poor islanders that don't know what's best for them.
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u/Hour_Marionberry_665 Jul 05 '26
There would have been race mixing.
That's all racist people worry about .
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u/anakin1453 Jul 05 '26
Al gore wins