Should Puerto Rico become a state?

[cynatnite]

:)

[ButterflyBlood]

1. yes, Puerto Ricans are the most Democratic bloc of Hispanics

We'd have a new solidly Dem state.

[KingFlorez]

2. If the people want it, sure

I do think that their non-voting delegate in the House should be allowed to vote outside of committee, sometimes the decisions made here effect them.

[terrya]

4. I agree.

If the people of Puerto Rico want statehood, then they should get it.

It's my understanding that there's a majority of Puerto Ricans who want to keep the status quo.

[oldboy101]

3. Sure, another star on the American flag, 51 would be fine.

President Gerald Ford suggested that Puerto Rico be admitted as a state as he was leaving office, but no one followed up on it. If the people of Puerto Rico desire statehood, by all means let them join us. However at present they are given certain tax exemptions as a commonwealth, and some may prefer to remain as they are.

[longship]

5. That would be up to the Puerto Ricans. n/t

:kick:

[LeftCoast]

8. ...and the rest of the country as well. It's not an automatic process...

[Catherine Vincent]

6. No problemo!

[myrna minx]

7. If the good people of Puerto Rico desired statehood, then by all means,

yes.

[HamdenRice]

9. Definitely NO

Although most non-Latin Americans think of Puerto Ricans, basically, as a kind of exotic New Yorker, within the Puerto Rican community and in Puerto Rico itself, the identity is very different. Puerto Ricans definitely think of their island as a country, separate from the United States. They treasure their nationality and although they also think of themselves as Americans, they don't want to be completely subsumed in the American identity.

In each referendum, the electorate splits pretty evenly three ways: 1/3 for statehood, 1/3 for continued commonwealth and 1/3 for independence. This means that a majority do not want statehood.

The closest parallel nationality I can think of is Israeli-American. There are hundreds of thousands of people who hold dual citizenship in Israel and the US, but I doubt there are many who want Israel to become the 51st state.

On the other hand, Puerto Ricans are citizens of the US. The big anomaly is that a Puerto Rican in New York can vote for president, but Puerto Rican in Puerto Rico cannot. Even more bizarrely, if you maintain a residence in both New York and San Juan, and on election day you are in San Juan, you can vote by absentee ballot in New York. If they can figure out that anomoly, the best alternative seems to be to leave things the way they are.

[sandnsea]

16. Logic alert

No, 1/3 voting for continuing the commonwealth DOES NOT mean that they would vote for independence over statehood. In fact, most Puerto Ricans don't support independence at all. Don't assume that the entire world doesn't appreciate the protections and liberties that being a US citizen offers.

"In the last status plebiscite, in 1993, 48 percent of voters chose commonwealth status, 46 percent said they supported statehood and most of the rest favoured independence."

http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/puertorico/victory.htm

[HamdenRice]

18. Reading alert!

I said that a majority do not favor statehood. Please read the post. That is not the same as saying they want independence. In other words there are three groups: commonwealth, statehood and independence.

Commonwealth + independence = against statehood.

Please try to read and understand a post before responding.

[sandnsea]

19. But that isn't what you said

And it isn't the case. There is no third that supports independence, to begin with. And all of those who support a commonwealth are not against statehood if it's a choice between statehood and independence.

Your premise

Commonwealth + independence = against statehood

is wrong.

Now I copied that right out of your post. I didn't misinterpret it. It's simply not true.

[HamdenRice]

20. Logic alert! Reading alert! Red alert!

First, when I wrote 1/3, I should have said more accurately, there are three main choices and historical positions in the status debate, both on the ballots and in terms of Puerto Rican politics. I did not mean that the electoral numbers were 1/3 each.

But if you want to be picky, you also mistated the results of the last referendum. Commonwealth did not win. There were four choices: independence, commonwealth, statehood and "none of the above." "None of the above" won, with the second place choice, being statehood.

I stand by, however, the equation concerning the cumulative majority constituencies: commonwealth + independence = against statehood.

Clearly the majority of Puerto Ricans are opposed to statehood. But you seem to believe that despite the electoral results, people who repeatedly choose commonwealth or status quo (or as in the last election, none of the above) actually want statehood. Why would they vote for commonwealth or none of the above when statehood is on the ballot, Do you believe that they are secretly in favor of statehood while voting otherwise? That makes no sense and does not conform to the published data.

It is mind-boggling that you are disputing the premise of my first post: that Puerto Rico should not become a state unless a majority of the people of Puerto Rico choose to be a state.

Does that mean you would support George W Bush sending in the Marines and forcing "freedom" on the Puerto Ricans against the will of the majority in the form of statehood?

[BlueJackal]

10. If they so choose

But that should only be decided through the most American of principles: the will of the people.

If the people of Puerto Rico choose to be, then yes of course, however, if they choose otherwise, we should honor their wishes.

[RedStateShame]

11. Isn't Puerto Rico exempt from certain taxation as a commonwealth?

If that's the case, I imagine a lot of native Puerto Ricans would say "thanks, but no thanks."

[maxsolomon]

12. No, they should be an independent country

51 will mess up the flag.

they COULD become a state IF california splits into 3 states, Washington & Oregon split into 2, etc. whatever makes 52, 54, etc.

but it needs to be an even # so the flag looks purty.

[eppur_se_muova]

13. Texas can split into as many as 5 states, according to ...

the treaty by which the independent Republic of Texas joined the Union.

on edit: There are some in TX who think this would be a good idea, as the same population would now have 10 seats in the Senate.

[maxsolomon]

15. hey, if texas leaves, then PR can join up.

considering bush wouldn't be president if texas hadn't made him governor, sounds like a fair punishment.

[mwooldri]

14. Who says it would mess up the flag?

There's already a good design for a 51 state flag anyway:



Now that doesn't look awful.

Mark.

[maxsolomon]

17. hey, that's not bad

ok, PR can join. but texas is OUT, so someone will have to split in 2.

i nominate Washington - i'm sick of E. Washington bitching about all the tax $ we give them.

[originalpckelly]

21. I would love it...

WOOHOO! Let's hope they want US! :-)