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Comment by nerdix | Hacker News Reader

Canada and Greenland

Russian joke:

>Trump, in the afterlife, gets permission to go back and visit Earth for one hour. He goes into a bar in NYC and asks the bartender how things are going for America. The amazed man says, "Wow, sir, we have the most incredible empire thanks to you! Greenland, Panama, and Canada!" "That's great," says Trump, "What about Europe?" "Oh yes," says the bartender, "They also couldn't resist us!" "That's so beautiful," says Trump. "Well, I have to go back now, how much do I owe you?" "One ruble and fifty kopeks," replies the bartender.

One cent beer? Sign me up!

Then, they would vote democrats. This might actually help democrats win presidency.

Just like Puerto Rico and DC?

Puerto Rico and DC don't get to vote in Congressional elections. Well, not for seats that get votes, anyway. But yes, if PR and DC were granted statehood, we'd have 3 or 4 more Democrats in the Senate, and some number of new House districts, the majority of which likely sending Democrats to the House.

Once they get to experience the freedom of the US health system they will vote republican.

Once they get to experience the US health system, they will riot.

That's why Canada would be the 51st state. Only 2 senators for all of Canada, so not much increase in Democratic representation. Representatives would of course lean Democratic, but if Trump engineers a collapse in Canada's economy, some voters may be willing to vote Republican if they're promised a bailout, given the fait accompli of annexation. Plus, if the NDP sticks around, that's fewer Democratic representatives. Sure NDP would probably vote with Democrats in most situations, but it might be easier to peel their representatives away for crucial votes.

Greenland could probably be induced to vote Republican fairly easily, and so send 2 Republican senators to Congress.

I've just spitballing, of course - in the current situation the GOP is not in the position to throw away any advantage in the House.

They would never get voting rights.

Only if granted statehood. There's little downside to designating them US territories. Territories don't get voting representation in Congress.

Trump's "51st state rhetoric" doesn't actually have to be what happens, were he to do something drastic.

I'm surprised they aren't talking about trying to take over Mexico too.

The reason behind wanting to annex us Canadians and not Mexico is because we speak English and they don’t. C’est logique.

I'd say someone has convinced him that Canada and Greenland will increase in value as the planet continues to warm, and this makes them 'at any cost' targets.

Why would they want to do that? Their base doesn't like Mexico or Mexicans. Keeping "Mexicans" (scare quotes because of course it's not just Mexicans who enter the US through the southern border) out of the US was a big part of Trump's platform.

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