Lynn A. Westmoreland: “legislation to allow Delegate voting should have appeared on the 100-hour agenda because it would fit snugly under the…”

“legislation to allow Delegate voting should have appeared on the 100-hour agenda because it would fit snugly under the agenda's general theme of symbolism over substance. In fact, to bolster their case, the bill's advocates insist that Delegates' votes will be meaningless. But it is not meaningless. We have a written Constitution that clearly outlines who receives a vote in Congress. The principle is as clear as it is simple. The Members will be chosen every second year by the people of the several States. The Constitution doesn't provide exemptions to those rules in cases where it feels good, it is seemingly irrelevant or is politically expedient. Residents of U.S. territories reap the benefits of the world's biggest economy; they are protected by the greatest military in the world, and they have coveted access to the 50 States. Yet territories, by definition, are not States. This status comes with pros and cons. On the one hand, they maintain a greater deal of autonomy, independent identity and self-determination. On the other hand, territories don't get the same representation in Congress as States do. This is a prime example having your cake and eating it, too. There are many reasons to oppose this legislation. For one, it makes no sense in the people's House where representation is determined by population for Puerto Rico's 4 million to get the same vote as American Samoa of 57,000.”