Puerto Rico upholds statehood demand in contentious vote

Puerto Rico's governor is vowing to turn the U.S. territory into the 51st state after statehood won in a non-binding referendum hit by a boycott and low turnout that raised questions about the vote's legitimacy.

Gov. Ricardo Rossello told a couple hundred supporters waving U.S. flags late Sunday that he will soon create a commission to appoint two senators and five representatives to demand statehood from the U.S. Congress, which has to approve any changes to the island's political status.

Puerto Rico upholds statehood demand in contentious vote

They've been a territory for so long (longer than Hawai'i and Alaska) -- I remember when those became states and wondered why Puerto Rico wasn't included. As it turns out, they are not guaranteed entry because that is under the control of the Republican held Congress. The territory tends to vote Democrat.
Wikipedia has a nice summary of the benefits and drawbacks for Puerto Rico

Right now, you can live there free of US taxes (you pay tax only on work done in the 50 states.) By the way, this is one spot where US corporations hide out to cut their taxes. If statehood is granted, federal individual income taxes from Puerto Rico could total $2.3 billion, with corporate taxes (that the corporations have been dodging) hitting up to a possible $3.4 billion.

I'll be visiting there soon. I am planning on a day trip to the telescope in Aricebo... one of my "bucket list" activities.

And yes, people speak English. And Spanish. I speak terrible Spanish, but passable English. I'm proficient in Texan, however.

a reply to: Byrd

Doesn't look like they will be allowed to join the USA.

With a population of 3.6 million, Puerto Rico would send two US senators and four or five congresspersons to Washington, D.C. All of them would be Democrats.
Do you think the Republican Party will allow that?
So the only time a “Statehood for Puerto Rico” bill would pass is during a perfect alignment of all the following:

a referendum in Puerto Rico which expresses a clear majority for statehood
a Democratic majority in the US congress
a Democratic majority in the US Senate
a Democratic president

In addition to all this fierce lobbying (and money exchanging hands) there will be no “congressional consensus” because congressional seats are a zero-sum game. There are always a fixed number of congressional seats: 435. If five new congressional seats are created for Puerto Rico, five seats will be taken away from five other states. This would be accomplished through congressional re-districting after the next decennial US Census.

If you were a member of the US Congress, would you risk losing your own seat – losing your political career – in order to make room for Puerto Rico?

Link

a reply to: D8Tee

The 2016 gop platform fully supports the statehood of Puerto Rico.

So in 2020, when the next decennial census is. Wouldn't it force Congress men and women to work harder for their constituents votes?

When it comes to election time aren't all Congressmen and elected officials at risk of losing their jobs?

a reply to: Byrd

Puppet state, the puppet guvnor will reap the rewards, his people will get more debt.

Yay.

The reality is two hundred flag wavers hardly represent the people ( the majority of which aren't gringos, by the way), the non binding referendum is just an opinion poll.

They weren't granted statehood after all this time, they won't be. Think of all the flags they would have to add a star to.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Byrd

Puppet state, the puppet guvnor will reap the rewards, his people will get more debt.

Yay.

The reality is two hundred flag wavers hardly represent the people ( the majority of which aren't gringos, by the way), the non binding referendum is just an opinion poll.

They weren't granted statehood after all this time, they won't be. Think of all the flags they would have to add a star to.

Divide up Texas and California and make 55 States.

a reply to: Byrd

Only 23% of the population voted, congress required that 3 thirds of the voting population vote in order to even be considered for statehood.

Most major companies have left the Island because the government in the Island went after them in order to get money for the increasing deficit.

So jobs left along with the companies that moved to Mexico.

If you are going to Arecibo, do not forget to take a tour of the Rain forest, is like nothing you have seen anywhere else in the US.

And the vegetation variety can only be seen in the Rainforest no other parts of the Island.

Arecibo dish is impressive, you will love it, is a winding small road that leads to the mountains observatory and is just quite a trip.

Hopefully it will not be raining, but be warn it rains everyday in the area including the rain forest.

Enjoy the beaches they are beautiful.

Traffic sucks and the Island is very crowded.

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