Puerto Rican voters back statehood in questioned referendum

Puerto Rican voters back statehood in questioned referendum

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Puerto Rico's governor announced that the U.S. territory overwhelmingly chose statehood on Sunday in a nonbinding referendum held amid a deep economic crisis that has sparked an exodus of islanders to the U.S. mainland.

Nearly half a million votes were cast for statehood, about 7,600 for free association/independence and nearly 6,700 for the current territorial status, according to preliminary results. Voter turnout was just 23 percent, leading opponents to question the validity of a vote that several political parties had urged their supporters to boycott.

And the U.S. Congress has final say in any changes to Puerto Rico's political status.

But that didn't stop Gov. Pedro Rossello from vowing to push ahead with his administration's quest to make the island the 51st U.S. state and declaring that "Puerto Rico voted for statehood." He said he would create a commission to ensure that Congress validate the referendum's results.

Click link for article...

With everything else going on the vote in PR didnt make much headlines. They held their referendum today and at the end of the day they voted to join the US as a state (51). The final decision is up to Congress who will now take up the matter.

It would give PR 2 US Senators and based on their population 5 representatives in the House.

The added benefit of becoming a state is it allows PR access to debt relief, among other perks, that arent available to territories / commonwealths.

With that said there are some legal issues remaining about the referendum and the language used on the ballot itself so there is always a possibility the referendum can be thrown out.

a reply to: Xcathdra

Congress will shoot this down.

Of course they did!

Only individuals were allowed to come here and suck up free money before, the next step would be allowing entire "states" to do the same, eh?

It's a bummer their country is a wreck, but that's what you get for using a Fiat currency. They all inevitably fail.

All of them.
We've got bigger problems to solve than theirs...

Some Info on P.R. Politics.....

The political party strength in Puerto Rico has been held by different political parties in the history of Puerto Rico. Today, only two parties hold a significant political strength, namely:

the Popular Democratic Party which is currently in power and holds about 47% of the popular vote while advocating for maintaining the current political status of Puerto Rico as that of an unincorporated territory of the United States with self-government, and

the New Progressive Party which holds about 47% of the popular vote while advocating for Puerto Rico to become a state of the United States.

Political party strength in Puerto Rico

Its all going hinge on the referendum vote.
If its accepted as a legal representation of the population, then we'll have 51.
If is rejected and I believe it will be, then that's end of it.
23% of the eligible voters is not enough to meet the threshold required.

Buck

a reply to: flatbush71

Doesn't matter if 100 percent of the population votes 100 percent yes. Congress has the final say and they are not about to let them join the union.

originally posted by: D8Tee
a reply to: Xcathdra

Congress will shoot this down.

Because they're inherently [snipped]

Viva la Puerto Rico!

originally posted by: lordcomac
Of course they did!

Only individuals were allowed to come here and suck up free money before, the next step would be allowing entire "states" to do the same, eh?

It's a bummer their country is a wreck, but that's what you get for using a Fiat currency. They all inevitably fail.

All of them.
We've got bigger problems to solve than theirs...

Your ignorance astounds. Why is Puerto Rico a territory? Used and abused like all others. Maybe they should just blow us off and build relations with Russia than, eh?

a reply to: D8Tee

Why not?

Curious as to your thoughts.

a reply to: lordcomac

Puerto Ricans have been US citizens since 1941.

INA: ACT 302 - PERSONS BORN IN PUERTO RICO

All persons born in Puerto Rico on or after January 13, 1941, and subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, are citizens of the United States at birth.

Have you ever known Congress to do the right thing ?
There's a lot dirty politics involved in this deal, that's why its been so quiet.
Those on the left believe it will ensure future victories.
We shall see.

originally posted by: daskakik
a reply to: lordcomac

Puerto Ricans have been US citizens since 1941.

INA: ACT 302 - PERSONS BORN IN PUERTO RICO

All persons born in Puerto Rico on or after January 13, 1941, and subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, are citizens of the United States at birth.

Yet, are not entitled to federal assistance. Life is hard for many of them on a little island you can circle with a vehicle in one day.

Besides, all the best boxers hail from Puerto Rico!

a reply to: Rosinitiate

Sure about that?

Welfare in Puerto Rico

a reply to: eriktheawful

It would give them two senators and five representatives in DC.

This article sums it up better than I can put in my own words so I'll just use it.

Political Reality
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?

source

Why would a territory full of brown people want to join a country led by the biggest racist asshole in all of human history?

I think they're getting their narratives crossed.

The easiest way to shoot this down is to never let it get on the Congressional floor.
If it does, it will be total BS.

His party also has noted that the U.S. Justice Department has not backed the referendum. A department spokesman told the AP that the agency has not reviewed or approved the ballot's language. Federal officials in April rejected an original version, in part because it did not offer the territory's current status as an option. The Rossello administration added it and sent the ballot back for review, but the department said it needed more time and asked that the vote be postponed, which it wasn't. No clear majority emerged in the first three referendums on status, with voters almost evenly divided between statehood and the status quo. During the last referendum in 2012, 54 percent said they wanted a status change. Sixty-one percent who answered a second question said they favored statehood, but nearly half a million voters left that question blank, leading many to claim the results weren't legitimate.

hosted.ap.org...

Buck

originally posted by: daskakik
a reply to: Rosinitiate

Sure about that?

Welfare in Puerto Rico

If you say so.

Translation - Federal Funds to Puerto Rico

The United States → Net Gain - 44.6 Billion

Puerto Rico → Net Loss - 44.6 Billion

As a simple breakdown:

From the United States to Puerto Rico (13.53 Billion)

From the Puerto Rico to United States (58.1 Billion)

raulcolon.net...

Was this vote planned before or after Trump won the election?

a reply to: BlueAjah



This isn't the first vote for this.

a reply to: Rosinitiate

Thanks, I realize they have voted for this often.
I was wondering about THIS particular vote. The one where they finally voted to join.

I wondered if there was some higher power motivating this.
Dems need every vote they can get, and they are desperate.