With the war, personnel changes in President Trump’s Cabinet, high costs of energy, and various primary elections of national interest filling the headlines, there are other topics pushed off of the front page. These topics are still nevertheless quite important to the Coulee Region, the State of Wisconsin, and the United States of America. Three critical “page two” topics are the next Census, Redistricting, and the 51st State.

Remember before the 2020 Census there was so much discussion about whether the Census should count residents or citizens? Given President Biden’s enormous influx of illegal immigrants, the outpouring of citizen concern should be longer and louder! Since the Constitution directs the counting “the whole Number of free Persons” it seems all residents to include illegal immigrants must be counted. However, can’t the number of legal citizens be determined as well? After all, a major reason for the Census is to determine the Representation to Congress fairly for each state based on population. It has been claimed for years that the Democrats are packing some cities and some states with illegal immigrants to inflate the numbers determining the total of Representatives. Hypothetically, states like Illinois, California and Massachusetts should not be unfairly over-represented due to illegal immigrants. If this takes a Constitutional Amendment, the time is extremely short!

Redistricting is another critical topic of the day and while it has been in the news concerning other states, the story about Wisconsin has been incomplete. This is also where the census is important, as I have seen a couple of predictions that Wisconsin will lose a Congressional District after the next census. How will those maps be drawn especially with our new liberal-dominant Supreme Court? Will they represent the people or just the political party in power in Madison?

Redistricting also impacts the state legislative districts as La Crosse County residents should well know. Previous to Governor Evers last redrawing the maps a couple of years ago, La Crosse County was the perfect map with the City being one Assembly District and the rest of the County being another. Now, after Governor Evers first wrote guidelines about “block shaped” and “similar population interests” legislative districts the current map (his) has both La Crosse County and the City of La Crosse all sliced and diced with neither rhyme nor reason except for a Democratic advantage. With the maps being a legislative responsibility I have questions why the Governor did the drawing and why didn’t he follow his own directive?

“The 51st State” has been talked about for years. I recently received a piece of mail detailing how the Democrats wanted to make both Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico into states thereby gaining two Democratic U.S. Senators in each and tipping the balance of power in the U.S. Senate for the foreseeable future. Two things have just recently happened that impact “the 51st State”.

First Rep Rick McCormick (R-GA) just recently introduced the “Make D.C. Square Again Act”. This would undo the unconstitutional 1846 retrocession of Arlington County and the City of Alexandrea from the District of Columbia to Virginia. This would restore DC’s original boundaries established by the Residence Act of 1790. It would also take a large chunk of Democratic voters out of Virginia and put them in the DC probably causing Virginia to become a deep red state! There are too many factors to think this might happen anytime soon. If it does then DC will remain a District and certainly not become the 51st State.

Then “Alberta separatists say they have enough signatures to trigger independence referendum”. Alberta, a Canadian prairie province that borders the western part of Montana, is quite unhappy with the Canadian government and wants out! The group behind the citizen-led petition has surpassed the number of signatures needed to trigger the referendum and the process is now in motion. The referendum vote could be as early as October. If it is successful, then what? Would the citizens of a free Alberta want to become an independent state or maybe join the United States?

Alberta has a land mass of 255,541 square miles and a population of 4,262,635. It would become the United States’ third largest state right between Texas (268,596 sq. mi.) and California (163.695 sq. mi.). Its population would make it our 27th most populated state right between Oregon (4,237,256) and Kentucky (4,606,864). Wisconsin, in comparison, has 65,496 square miles and a population of 5,972,787. Alberta’s biggest export is oil & gas (70% of the exports) followed by food products (13%). English is the official language and it is considered a “conservative province”.

Of the many possibilities, I don’t expect a 51st State in the near future or in the next few years. But, if and when it happens Alberta might be the best chance. And. keep your eye on the census and redistricting too.

Get informed as there is much “front page news” but there are many other noteworthy considerations too. These are all important issues when considering candidates in the upcoming election. Get involved as “we the people” must determine the best candidates and then work hard to make the best candidate the winners!