Hi Mike,
Michael S. Lorrey wrote:
> "Ross A. Finlayson" wrote:
> >
> > Hello,
> >
> > Will the United States have more than 50 states? There are procedures
> > to admit states into the union.
> >
> > The flag does not have to change.
>
> Traditionally it does, since the flag laws say that the stars represent
> the number of states. I personally would bet on there being fewer states
> in the future (there are secessionist movements in Hawaii and Alaska).
I don't think many Alaskans or Hawaiins are secessionists.
Consider the Louisiana Purchase or Alaska. If the United States can
purchase and maintain land outside of its current boundaries, it might be
economically feasible to do so on terms perhaps less comparable to those
purchases.
I could understand the mindset to keep the flag at 50 stars for the fifty
original states, if there were more than fifty states.
So, maybe there are more islands in the various seas of the world that are
actually American territory. Current U.S. areas, for example, Puerto Rico,
maintain about equal population opinion on the opposite sides of federal
statehood. There are U.S. possessions in the Pacific besides Hawaii. The
District of Columbia is a Federal District and might as well remain that
way, although perhaps broader voting rights should apply.
Ross
-- Ross Andrew Finlayson Finlayson Consulting Ross at Tiki-Lounge: http://www.tiki-lounge.com/~raf/
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