Thread by @dcpetterson

1889-1890, SIX states were added:
N Dakota
S Dakota
Montana
Washington
Idaho
Wyoming

Almost no one lived there. North Dakota and Wyoming COMBINED had fewer people than most US congressional districts.

These states were created solely to give Republicans 12 more Senators.

#Fact

How are States added to the Union?

The House and Senate vote on it. That's how. The President doesn't even have to sign the bill (though for politeness, Congress has always allowed POTUS to sign).

There is no other requirement. Congress holds a vote. Done.

There was no particular reason to add these six states--or to have six states instead of one or two really big ones--or to add them right then, in those two years (1889-1890). The only reason it was done was to give the then-ruling Party (Republicans) 12 more Senators.

So don't let anyone complain that adding DC or Puerto Rico is "political". Sure it is. So what? There's far more reason to add them than to add the six Republican states in 1889-1890 (i.e., millions of American citizens who don't have a say in our government).

And sure, it's political. So fvcking what?

Sometimes doing the right thing makes people like you.

If Republicans today want to get elected more often, they might consider doing the right thing now and then.

In the 170 years from 1790 to 1959, 37 States were admitted to the Union, for an average of one State every 4.6 years.

No States have been admitted for the last 62 years, so we're almost 13.5 States short of the average rate.

Go for it.