In the salad days of Saturday Night Live, the late Gilda Radner, appearing as hard-of hearing Emily Litella, wondered why people wanted to make Puerto Rico a steak.

She was corrected by stern anchor, Jane Curtin, that people wanted to make Puerto Rico a "state."

A bipartisan bill filed Thursday would make Puerto Rico a "state" within 90 days of passage.It takes a calf, 18 months to a couple years, for a calf to become a "steak"  Maybe it's time  for a new... state.

Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959 and we haven't added a new star to the flag since. In a 2017 referendum, most Puerto Ricans were for statehood. Puerto Rico is an American territory and we have 4 others: American Samoa, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands. I had took that last one up. Don't forget we have a District too!

Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens by birth, but U.S. citizens who live in Puerto Rico — whether they were born there or not — cannot vote for president except in local party primaries and receive lesser Social Security benefits and tax credits compared to residents of U.S. states.

I don't remember Alaska and Hawaii becoming states as I was a year old, but I'll bet the celebrations were a good time. Think of the civics lessons, people born after 1959 would have! Do we still teach civics?

We're not anywhere admitting Puerto Rico to the United States. A bill was filed, but that happens almost everyday in congress. There are committees ahead. Lots of voting. But should it happen, we could see mofongo and 40 types of pina coladas, on menus everywhere. We've had a taste of Puerto Rican culture already.. Ricky Martin  is from Puerto Rico, So is Joaquin Phoenix, Jon Tapper, and Roberto Clemente.

Will this become the next "thing" or it will it fall, again, on deaf American ears?

At the end of Emily Litella's steak rant and Jane Curtin's curt response that Puerto Rico wants to be a "state", Radner's Litella always responded..."Nevermind."

 

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