Puerto Rico Seeks to Be State by 2025

[DonViejo]

Source: The Daily Beast/ABC

Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Jenniffer Gonzalez, the representative to the U.S. Congress, filed a bill on Wednesday which could make the island the 51st state by 2025. The bill includes a referendum that would allow Puerto Ricans to determine if they want independence or want statehood. It is also intended to assist in an economic crisis on the island, as Puerto Rico would receive around $10 billion in additional federal funds per year if it became a state. "The territorial status has contributed to the economic crisis," Gonzalez said. "We don't get assigned the same resources."

READ IT AT ABC NEWS

###

Read more: http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2017/01/04/puerto-rico-seeks-to-be-state-by-2025.html?via=desktop&source=copyurl

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

1. Trump's deplorables won't like this

They don't speak Mer'can

[DonViejo]

4. I was living in PR in 2012...

Residents cannot vote in the Presidential General Election but, they are allowed to vote in party primaries. Rick Santorum came down for a run, at the request of the PR Senate's President who had endorsed him. In a press conference, Santorum was asked if he would support statehood and responded, "yes, when you learn to speak English." The Senate President withdrew his endorsement of Santorum immediately following the press conference.

[pampango]

7. Indeed. Why spend billions to keep out Hispanics then let 3.7 million in as eligible voters.

They are already American citizens but can't vote in federal elections. Trump's folks ain't going to want even more brown voters.

[brooklynite]

2. How many years have they been talking about this?

[DonViejo]

5. This is the first time it has actually been filed.

[bluedigger]

3. Unless something has changed, about a third of PR wants to be a State.

And a third wants independence, and a third is satisfied with the status quo.

[DonViejo]

8. Sorry, you're mistaken

Independence has never received more than 7% of the vote

Puerto Rican status referendum, 2012
Location Puerto Rico
Date November 6, 2012; 4 years ago
Voting system simple majority for the first question
first-past-the-post for the second question

Should Puerto Rico continue its current territorial status?
Yes 46.00%
No 54.00%

Which non-territorial option do you prefer?

Statehood 61.16%

Free Association 33.34%

Independence 5.49%

There were 515,348 blank and invalidated ballots counted alongside the 1,363,854 ballots which indicated a choice for one of the non-territorial alternatives. Under Puerto Rico Law, these ballots are not considered cast votes and are therefore not reflected in the final tally.[1]

[bluedigger]

12. I stand corrected.

"None of the above" was a big winner when I was there in '98. Blank and invalidated votes remain a strong choice, it seems. No strong consensus for change.

[Adrahil]

16. I think they need to decide where their future lies.

Time for territories to end. Become a state, or an independent nation. Enough of this neither fish nor fowl thing.

[Bacchus4.0]

13. More complicated than that. Almost no-one wants the status quo. What nearly half in the PDP party

want is free association on their terms. US laws don't apply, federal courts have no jurisdiction, PR conducts its own foreign affairs yet puertorricans remain US citizens, the US gov still provides funding to the island, and US provides for common defense and other things like mail service. This is the option the PDP insists be on any status referendum for the island in addition to independence and statehood. Sweet deal if you can get it.

What the PDP definitely do NOT want is a referendum where statehood and independence are the only options on the ballot. Statehood would win at least 80%. That being said, there is not a snowball's chance in San Juan that the US congress would approve statehood for the island.

[7962]

6. Havent they voted "no" on this before? nt

[nycbos]

10. Yup absolutely.

[CanonRay]

9. I wish them well, but

why would anyone want to JOIN this mess? Half of us are looking for the exits.

[Bacchus4.0]

11. Puertoricans are moving to the US at record rates nt

[EX500rider]

14. The last report I read said there were more Puerto Ricans living in Fla then in Puerto Rico.

[NickB79]

15. PR's economy is in the toilet thanks to years of piss-poor management

Crime and unemployment are very high, and taxes have been going up a lot in recent years.

My wife's family lives there, and they're making plans to sell their land and move to either the Twin Cities, MN to be near us, or Chicago to be near other family.

I'm gonna miss the tropical fruit orchard my grandmother-in-law has in her backyard, and the fresh lobsters from the ocean.

[LittleBlue]

17. Uh, no

They can't join while they're going through bankruptcy. That would harm the United States. We don't need a new state begging for bailouts and issuing IOUs to its state officials.

Get their fiscal house in order, then we can start the process.