Puerto Rico statehood plebiscites
Since the United States gained possession of Puerto Rico after the defeat of the Spanish in the Spanish-American War, Puerto Ricans have had different movements for statehood or independence. Those movements have resulted in three plebiscites on the political status of the island.
Puerto Rico is a self-governing and incorporated commonwealth state of the United States. In 1917, Puerto Ricans were given U.S. citizenship but were not allowed to participate in government. In 1922, the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was established to support independence and to that end, instigated uprisings in 1930 and 1950. In 1947, international anti-colonial pressure helped gain Puerto Ricans the right to elect their own governor. In 1950, Congress passed an act to make Puerto Rico a commonwealth, and in 1952, Puerto Rico adopted its own constitution. Puerto Rico then formally became the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico with the status of a free associate state.
During the 1960s, agitation for independence in Puerto Rico increased, and the first status plebiscite was held in 1967. Commonwealth status received 60.4% of the vote, statehood received 39%, and independence received 0.6%. During the 1970s and 1980s, support for statehood grew, and another plebiscite was held. On November 14, 1993, Puerto Ricans voted for the retention of commonwealth status as a free associate state with 48.6% of the vote; statehood received 46.3%, and independence received 4.4%. On December 14, 1994 and again on January 23, 1997, the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico petitioned Congress to sponsor a referendum on the future political status of Puerto Rico under the U.S. Constitution (1787). In February 1998, President Bill Clinton openly supported another plebiscite for Puerto Rico.
On March 4, 1998, the House of Representatives approved the United States-Puerto Rico Political Status Act, which sponsored a referendum on Puerto Rico's political status. The legislation was approved by a one-vote margin, and a requirement to make English the official language of Puerto Rico was defeated by Republicans. On September 17, 1998, the Senate passed a resolution that supported self-determination for Puerto Rico and confirmed congressional authority to decide Puerto Rico's status. Both President Clinton and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich supported the referendum.
On December 13, 1998, Puerto Rico was able to hold a status vote under local election laws. However, the 1998 plebiscite was different from the votes of 1967 and 1993. The Popular Democratic Party, which traditionally supported commonwealth status, disagreed with the definition of commonwealth on the ballot and supported an alternative definition that was rejected by the House Committee on Resources. The Popular Democratic Party then called for its members to vote for "none of the above," which was added to the ballot; it received 50.3% of the vote, while statehood received 46.5%, independence received 2.5%, free association received 0.3%, and "territorial" commonwealth received 0.1% of the votes cast.
The results were more confusing than helpful, and it was agreed that future plebiscites were needed to ascertain the meaning of the 1998 vote. Puerto Rico will hold a status plebiscite every 10 years until independence or statehood wins a majority.
Today, Puerto Rico retains its commonwealth status, which gives the local government authority to maintain order under its own constitution. However, U.S. laws prevail, and Congress has the ultimate authority over Puerto Rico. That status defers foreign policy, defense, and financial matters to the U.S. government. Puerto Ricans have U.S. citizenship, use U.S. currency, and are free to travel in and out of the United States.
"Puerto Rico statehood plebiscites." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 19 Sept.
2010.
Check out the following sites and answer this question, Should Puerto Rico become a state? Yes or no? (no maybes) Refer to at least one document and agree/disagree with your classmates. Post for full credit by Saturday 9-25.
Check out:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,591683,00.html
http://www.essortment.com/all/puertoricansta_rdla.htm
http://www.prstatehood.com/home/index.asp
71 comments:
I think that Puerto Rico should become a state because they already have almost all of the rights of any person living in any state. In the artical it said "Today, Puerto Rico retains its commonwealth status, which gives the local government authority to maintain order under its own constitution. However, U.S. laws prevail, and Congress has the ultimate authority over Puerto Rico. That status defers foreign policy, defense, and financial matters to the U.S. government. Puerto Ricans have U.S. citizenship, use U.S. currency, and are free to travel in and out of the United States"("Puerto Rico statehood plebiscites). So basically Puerto Rico has the same rights as any state in the U.S. The local government has the authority to maintain order, as do all govenments in all states, but the federal government has the ultimate authority.
-Eni M.
As the first to comment on the topic, I believe that Puerto Rico should not become the 51st state of the United States. Instead, I feel it would be beneficial for both sides to internationally recognize Puerto Rico as a independent nation. Though saying all this, I feel like there will need to be a US-Puerto Rico Joint Government there...this is because the citizens of Puerto Rico have US citizenship and have their monetary value set to US currency. Saying all this I feel that the citizens of Puerto Rico should basically enter an agreement which would give the US the power to gain a certain amount of relief whether economic or relief in terms of outreach for domestic disasters etc...Puerto Rico should be recognized as its own nation, but should have restrictions that would still involve a US entity. Another example of what is going on now would be..the commonwealth star which was great britain's extended union basically comprised of Australia, New Zealand etc.. I'm sure there is still british influence....The article of FOX news speaks of the fact that puerto ricans don't currently pay federal taxes..This should be part of the sovereign agreement....Puerto rico becomes independent nation & keeps US citizenship, while America collects federal taxes & maintains a stronghold in a partial self-government with US advisors...
-Mason W.
I believe Puerto Rico should not become a state. I believe this mainly because of the income. In the 2nd link, it talks about how Puerto Rico's average income is 300
dollars. It is fine there because their prices are much lower than ours. But if they became a state, their prices for utilities like water and waste would go up to prices they would not be able to handle with a 300 dollar monthly income which would cause numerous economic problems. The social reasons that the article stated weren't very relevant besides the Olympics one where they wouldn't be able to represent Puerto Rico at the Olympics. I'm sure the Puertoricans wouldn't be too happy about that because all of a sudden they have to try to make the USA teams and also give up Puerto Rico being a country at the Olympics.
Puerto Rico should definitely become an independent nation. I very much agree with the economic hardships it would bring to the country as Andy said. Most people, would probably just leave the territory to the actual U.S. or into a neighboring country like Spain or France. To add on to that, the U.S. congress is almost forcing this on the Puerto Ricans to join in statehood because of all the abilities the citizens of the territory have similar to those of any American. It should also be the choice of those in Puerto Rico, not of Congress because that isn't representing the U.S. citizens, meaning it's taking away from our Democracy. I'm also very sure many Americans would dislike the fact if a Puerto Rican was in senate or some power because there still is racism today as well. As Mason said, a joint government may be best for Puerto Rico because it may be hard for it to stand alone. And even then, essortment.com stated that a few smaller countries "receive revenue from sources such as customs, parks, excise taxes, user-paid tolls, and service fess (*fees)". So it may be very easy for them to sustain themselves, and they could if we let them deal with issues rather than interfere and push towards what we would rather have.
I agree with Andy. The cost of living for the Puerto Ricans would be to high if they were to become a state. In the article entitled Puerto Rican Statehood it talks about a couple Jose and Noami Mendoza. Their averedge income was about $300. which works right now because their expenses for water electricity and their home is about $272. but if puerto rico was to become a state their monthly expenses would be around $511. so many Puerto Ricans would lose their homes because they would be unable to pay their mortgage. i feel like the system we have right now is the best thing to have for the common bennofit to both the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
I believe that Puerto Rico should not become a state. The fact that the cost of living would increase so significantly is a good enough reason why. What Puerto Ricans have is great, they are content and so is the United States. But, I believe that if Puerto Rico wants to hold the benefits of this country, then they should pay taxes along with everyone else. For this reason, I believe Puerto Rico should gain independence. Mason made a great point of discussing the idea of the United States helping Puerto Rico. I think that Puerto Rico should become an independent nation only after getting their bearings for a few years. In a sense, the United States should continue to help Puerto Rico, especially for the first five years of independence and provide "training wheels". Once the nation is stable enough after a few years, the United States should release its hold and allow Puerto Rico to handle its own affairs. This does not mean the great relationship between the two countries has to end and they can still give each other assistance.
I believe Puerto Rico should should not become the 51st state of the United States and instead become an independent nation. I feel this way because of, like Troy said, the cost of living, and how hard it would be for the Puerto Ricans to adjust to having to live in the 51st state. It is very true, that a $300 average monthly income would not support someone in America, along with an increased interest rate by 3-6%, according to the 2nd link. Rob also brought up a good point in the fact that racism still exists and that people may dislike a Puerto Rican in a high position of power. I also feel that our ultimate authority over Puerto Rico, and how we have the final say in anything regarding "foreign policy, defense, and financial matters" only contributes to our status and reputation as an imperialist country, and I feel that if Puerto Rico is granted independence, it may, in the long run, strengthen our relationship with them and other countries.
Like most of the previous comments I also believe that Puerto Rico should not become a state. The fist two sites 404'd for me, but the third article says "It is inconceivable that the U.S. would set Puerto Rico adrift without a large "transition package" and continued foreign aid of a large magnitude" and I believe this is exactly we should do instead of letting them become a state. I particularly agree with Troy's statement about the U.S. helping the nation at first and gradually withdrawing our influence. I don't think that we should completely leave them alone as I'm sure that they can benefit our country and would be great allies. And it may not be as strong of an argument but I would like to point out that when people think of Puerto Rico, they think of Central America, not the United States, and besides, 50 is a nice number of states, 51 is just weird.
I feel as though Puerto Rico Should not be the 51st state, because of many reasons. First off, Puerto Rico would not be able to support istelf financially, and the LAST thing it needs are economy issues. Also, Ishaar made a great point in saying that that a $300 average monthly income would not support someone in America, along with an increased interest rate by 3-6%. I believe that Puerto Rico would be much more successful if it became an independent nation. I agree with Troys comment about how the US should give Puerto Rico "Training Wheels" for a while, and then let them be. But i feel like if Puerto Rico becomes a state, it will encourage people to believe that the United States is an imperialist country. I feel like by making Puerto Rico an independent nation, the United States will be much more respected.
After reading this artical and the previous statements above, I disagree with Eni and agree with the others above. I believe that Puerto Rico should not become a state of the united states. Similar to what we are learning in class, the u.s. is using imperialism and we are not considering what will occur in this "new state". As stated by one of the articles the pertectorite country their economy will not be ballanced well with the high prices in the U.S. Puerto Rico should have its own government in order to develope in trade and economy.
I believe Puerto Rico should be a state. This is because while many believe it should not become a state certain factors show that it is in the position where it very well could become a state. Glenn Beck states its, “a self governing commonwealth, but is subject to U.S jurisdiction and sovereignty.” In this case, the US essentially has a lot of power and is strongly connected to Puerto Rico. Jurisdiction means “the right, power, or authority to administer justice by hearing and determining controversies” (Dictionary reference). Ultimately, the ideas of Puerto Rico becoming independent are not supported by their previous or current status. While I see Masons argument as strong I must say I disagree. While entering an agreement that would give the US power to gain economic relief seems ideal, it is not looking out for Puerto Rico’s best interest, or of the interest of the people. I say this because in the original post it is said that in 1967 statehood received a vote of 39%, which was opposed to independence, which received 0.6%. Even after this the vote for statehood grew, and in 1993 statehood received 46.3% of votes and independence 4.4%. These numbers show that independence is not as highly supported as statehood. Andy and Brendan bring up a good point about income and how Puerto Rico becoming a state would not work because of there very low income. In this case, with Puerto Rico becoming a state, Masons idea of an agreement would be beneficial here in terms of an agreement regarding salary and economy. I agree with Eni that the rights that Puerto Rico has already, shows the idea that they are on the right track to statehood. I can see however all the other people’s arguments very clearly on why Puerto Rico is not fit to become a state. I however believe that Puerto Rico can get into the position to be ready for statehood and should become a state.
-Katie S. P.4
As many of my other classmates believe, I agree that Puerto Rico should not become the 51st state. Personally, I think they should become an independent nation. While under a commonwealth status, they are gaining US benefits like protection and US citizenship, while not having to pay any taxes. I find this to be unfair to the citizens who do live in America and have to pay for these advantages. To fix this inequality, they need to chose to become either an independent nation or enter statehood. However, if they chose to become a state, they would lose universal representation in events such as the Olympics, but instead be grouped with America. In addition, as multiple people before me mentioned, their incomes would not be sufficient to sustain their homes after becoming a state. Next, there is also currently a proposed bill that English become the official language of the US, as stated in the essortment article. Currently, only about 54% of the Puerto Rican population would prefer to speak English before Spanish. A benefit of becoming an independent nation would be their ability to trade with other independent nations which could potentially boost their economy. Overall, I believe becoming independent would be a smarter choice for them as a country.
-Jessa M.
I believe that Puerto Rico should not stay an independent nation and become the 51st state of the United States because the relationship between the US and Puerto Rico has been working since 1917. I agree with Eni because the US basically treats Puerto Rico like a state already and there is positives for both countries.
For one, “The citizens of Puerto Rico do pay Social Security and do have the benefits of Medicare” however they do not have to pay taxes. I think this is unfair to the people of the US because our tax money can then help to fund government programs that are being used by the Puerto Rican people. For example according to the second link, “Puerto Rico receives the protection of the United States in time of war”. To me this seams unfair that our army is willing to protect Puerto Rico without them having to pay taxes.
Not only will this be beneficial to the US but it will also have a positive impact on Puerto Rico. Source 2 says that Puerto Rico “will have an open market to trade with all nations that are in alliance with the U.S. With becoming a state, Puerto Rico will enjoy the benefits of America's high per capita income and low unemployment rates”.
With or without realizing it Puerto Rico has become used to the advantages of the US. This is why I think it would be beneficial to expand its economy to the US's status by becoming a state, rather then hope that they can run off what other independent nations are doing. As source 2 says, “Puerto Rico will operate under a combined budget of six billion dollars. Puerto Rico would receive revenue from sources such as customs, parks, excise taxes, user-paid tolls, and service fess”. Because of the unsure ability to have a stable economy I think their best bet is to become the 51st state.
I disagree with Troy about helping a nation that we, as a country, have been providing for and then letting them withdraw. The whole purpose of Puerto Rico, and even other U.S island properties like Hawaii, Guam, and American Samoa was to help out with trading and other industries like fishing. Such assistance would ultimately lead to a better economy for the U.S. Having Puerto Rico as a state would also lead to changes in government as well. If it becomes a state, then more buildings would be created and infrastructure leading to more jobs and improving the economy. Also the amount of Puerto Ricans that live in the continental U.S is roughly 4 million people, and they deserve a voice just like everyone else does. People keep forgetting that America is used to nativism and colonialism, but making Puerto Rico a state would help lift those assumptions and show other countries signs of peace towards immigration. Obviously taxes would be an issue, but the U.S is a land of opportunity and there is much hope for a better life; adjusting to a new lifestyle will be tough and may take time but, in the long run, using Puerto Rico would be very beneficial. Overall adding Puerto Rico as a state instead of a Commonwealth would lead to a good trading port, an improved government, and could lead to an enhanced economy. We have to remember that Puerto Rico isn't viewed as a big economic booster, but all of that can change once it is truly under U.S government control.
-Stefan H
Class 6
I agree with many of the previous people to comment that Puerto Rico should not become a state. In the article, Puerto Rican Statehood from essortment.com, it talked about how it will effect our economy. Our economy is already in a lot of trouble and if we add Puerto Rico to our states, then it will only hurt us more. The cost of living will rise tremendously and many people are already having trouble with the cost of living.
Danielle Ford
Period: 4
Like other classmates I also do not believe that Puerto Rico should become a state. Although Eni mentioned that in the article it swaid that Puerto Ricans have their own constitution,but practically follow ours ins't enough of a reason to just make Puerto Rico a state. If Puerto Rico were to become a state it would only get America into more debt, if that's even possible. In the second link the article says that an average Puerto Rican has a monthly income of $300 and a $12 electirc bill. With such a measely income and small bills how would Puerto Ricans possibly help America. Futhermore in the same article there is a section labeld "Pros of Statehood". IN this section the article says how Puerto Rico would have better trading like America, recieve voting in Congress, and would be wealthier. But nowhere in this section of the article or anywhere else in it does it mention how it is benifitting Americans. Puerto Rican's would prosper encomically with our tax money which could be going in a zillion other places than that. Also how does a Puerto Rican vote in Congress benefit America? Overall, there really is no benefit for America to make Puerto Rico a state, it would only cause Americans more debt, and would only be good for Puerto Ricans, not Americans.
Hunter F. Class 1
I agree with Andy. Peurto Rico should not becaome a state. living costs would go up and the people would not be able to afford it. Making Puerto Rico a state would change the rights the people have. The article also states that a bill that would make Puerto Rico a state would also make English the official language. "we must encourage everyone to speak English, but we must not discriminate against those that speak other languages. " this was posted on the second article. if the bill is passed, there will be contoversy over Puerto Rico being force to speek english even though they have the right to speek spanish. Puerto Rican's would also not be happy because they would no longer have entries in the Olympics. They would have to try out for the American Team. Puerto Rico would be best left as an independ country instead of becoming a state.
Cory Fisher
Class 1
I agree with Stefan in that Puerto Rico becoming the 51st state would only help America's economy. With the full attention of our government and the establishment of theirs, would mean more job opportunities and the increase in business. Right now Puerto Rico is basically apart of the U.S without the "title" and paying taxes. Being apart of the United States would ensure that "Puerto Rico receives taxes from their citizens to build the infrastructure of the state"(Puerto Rican Statehood). With this they will be able to enjoy the trade with all U.S alliances and will benefit from the"high per capita income and low unemployment rates"(Puerto Rican Statehood). This will then give the American citizens of Puerto Rico the same standards of living as we have living here. Moreover, having Puerto Rico apart of America would benefit elements of integration and immigration. If citizens of Puerto Rico have basically the same rights as citizens in the States, they deserve to have a say in our country. Also the fact that anyone opposing the statehood of Puerto Rico is "racist" is a huge factor. In the world we live in race is something that unfortunately takes a huge role in society. I feel that if Puerto Rico becomes a state, it would decrease other nations tensions towards America dealing with race.
-Nicole R
Class 6
I believe that Puerto Rico should not become an independent state. As many people have said before me in response to the articles, Puerto Rico has about a monthly average of $300 income. This goes to show that if given independence as a state, they would fall into a deep economic rut, even further then the recession we are in today. I also thought that Lisa made a good point. When she stated that the US is using imperialism and we as a nation are not considering what will happen in this "new state".
Madeline K.
I agree with Andy on how Puerto Rico should not become an official state of the United States because there is no way that they could adjust to our countries laws, especially on taxes. Even if Obama's tax plan may benefit their low salaries in a way, I still don't believe that they are going to want to pay taxes and participate in all of the requirements that we have in the states when they are essentially living their own life, completely segregated from us. I do believe that the Puerto Ricans, their people and their government should decide wether they would like to remain a U.S. territory, their own independent nation, or the 51st state of the United Sates. If I were a Puerto Rican I would be perfectly fine with the situation that they are in now where they have almost all the rights as a typical american, like Eni said, but still don't have to pay taxes and are their own little nation in a way. Completely separating into a new nation would come with many difficulties for their government and people considering they don't have the help or benefits of our nation and out government. Or their last choice, joining the States would definitely have its positives, but many morals and traditions of their government or country may be lost as all of their ways will be adjusted to the American government and lifestyle. I believe it is up to them and their people to what they decide to do, but if I were in their position, I would stay right where I am as a territory, not a state.
-Will Fletcher
I agree with Stefan in that Puerto Rico should become a state because I think that in the long run, it would be beneficial to our economy and also theirs. I think that the Puerto Rican statehood website made a good point that taxing would help build the infrastructure of the state and that trade could take place with otehr countries. I think that overall, if Puerto Rico became a U.S. state that it would support them and also the U.S. economically. The U.S. has been part of the U.S. for a long time but never an actual state and I think that this should change.
I also agree with the majority of the above posts. I believe that Puerto Rico should not become the 51st state of our country, especially because of the economic consequences that would occur from this action. I strong believe that if Puerto Ricans want to enjoy the help and benefits from our country, then they should pay taxes like the rest of the American society. However, independence is the best option for Puerto Rico. Agreeing with Mason and Troy, I think that there has to be a joint agreement between Puerto Rico and the United States. The United States should help Puerto Rico for a couple of years, as Troy said, and then allow Puerto Rico to stand on its own. The article from www.essortment.com described that one benefit of independence is "that Puerto Rico will be able to enter into trade
agreements with other free nations as it so chooses" ("Puerto Rican Statehood"). This would give Puerto Rico the freedom to deal with its own affairs without having to go through the United States first. However, even if Puerto Rico was to become an independent nation, the United States and Puerto Rico could still remain allies for the future.
-Amanda S. Class 6
Like what Rob said I really feel that Puerto Rico should become an independent nation. Rob is sayiny that if they became a state our economic problems would become their's and I think that would be increadibly wrong of us as a nation to dump our problems onto Puerto rico. also Andy mentioned that the average Puerto Rican only makes 300 dollars a month. And I feel that would be the last nail in the coffen if they started paying for our dept, because the poverety rate would sky rocket. and that is why I believe Puerto Rico should become independent.
I agree with what Rob said. I also believe that Puerto Rico should become an independent nation. What rob is saying is that it would be wrong to dump our economic problems on a weeker country. Also piggie-packing on what andy said the average Puerto Rican only makes about 300 dollars per month, so dumping our economic problems onto Puerto Rico would thrust them even more into poverty. the wealth of Puerto Rico plummet. And that is why I think Puerto Rico should become an independent nation because it's wrong to force our problems onto others.
Disagreeing with the majority of my classmates, I believe Puerto Rico should become a state. As the quote that Eni used in her comment said, Puerto Ricans have U.S. citizenship and currency. By being citizens, they are given the rights of America's Constitution. Also, although Puerto Rico has its own constitution, in the end the Puerto Ricans have to follow America's laws. They are a part of America, so why not call them a state? Additionally, Jessa made a comment about it being unfair that Puerto Rico does not have to pay taxes when they are given so many benefits of the U.S. By becoming a state, Puerto Rico would have to pay taxes which would eliminate the unfairness. I also agree with Nicole and Hunter that adding Puerto Rico as a state would help the economy. It would create more jobs and give other Americans outside of Puerto Rico the opportunity to expand their businesses there or create new ones, therefore increasing jobs.
I'm surprised Puerto Rico isn't already a state with all of the plebiscites. As stated in the fox news story, "full independence and modified commonwealth historically get less than 3 percent of the vote" in the plebiscites, so statehood has gotten a majority of the votes, but just hasn't won yet.
Nicole D. Class 1
I agree with my classmates that say that Puerto Rico shounldn't become a state. Andy had a very good point about how this would effect the economic cituation in Puerto Rico. I feel that if they do become a state their whole lifestyle will change and we will be going back to the ways of imperialism and forcing our way of life and vaules on them.
Another reason on why they shouldn't become a state is that then they would have voting rights and in the article it talked about the vote problems that woudl go along with it and ,"The results were more confusing than helpful" so it was,"agreed that future plebiscites were needed to ascertain the meaning of the 1998 vote. Puerto Rico will hold a status plebiscite every 10 years until independence or statehood wins a majority".
I feel that Puerto Rico ,if it became a state, wouldn't really be looked apon in a good way. What I mean is that it may seem like they aren't really part of the United States but technically they are. I feel that it will just cause a lot of problems and it could lead to how we, as well as other super powers in the past, used imperialism to take over other countries and territories.
Grace McKinley
Class 1
As many of the others above have said, I also believe that Puerto Rico should not become the 51st state.First off, I feel that if this were to happen, it would put a greater financial burden on our country; having to provide for another state when we are already having troubles with poverty and the ever growing costs needed for the states that are already part of our country. I feel that it would be better for both countries if Puerto Rico were to gain it's freedom because then Puerto Rico would have more control over the decisions made in their country, and the U.S. wouldn't have to continue the "status plebiscites" that have occurred and been denied three times since 1967, according to the article "Puerto Rican Statehood Ahead?" by Glen Beck. I feel like this would take some pressure off of our country, not having to continue waiting time and time again to see if Puerto Rico would eventually become a state. With believing this, I also strongly agree with Troy's "training wheels" idea. I believe it would benefit both countries because if the U.S. were to guide Puerto Rico into its new system of freedom, they could help to mold it into a country that is based around ideals similar to those of the U.S. Also, without this help to independence from the U.S., I feel that Puerto Rico might end up struggling financially, resulting in many problems in the future. In the end, it seems that Puerto Rico becoming it's own nation would benefit both sides more than if it were to become the 51st state.
-Erin T
Contrast to what most believe, I think that Puerto Rico should become the 51st state of our country. This is mainly because Puerto Rico has remained “a self-governing and incorporated commonwealth state of the United States” since the Spanish-American war, which means that it acquires everything we have as part of this country except for tax (FOX News). This doesn’t seem right. If we have ultimate authority over Puerto Ricans and give them our citizenship, currency, protection, Medicare, and freedom of travel in and out of the States, why aren’t they being taxed and why aren’t they official part of this country as a state? I agree with Eni, Allison, and Stefan.
Stefan states, “Adding Puerto Rico as a state…would lead to a good trading port, an improved government, and could lead to an enhanced economy” in the United States. I strongly agree with this. Sure, maybe when Puerto Rico becomes a state there may be some economic hardships, as many have mentioned. However, over time these hardships will balance out as they “will have an open market to trade with all nations that are in alliance with the U.S. [and] enjoy the benefits of America's high per capita income and low unemployment rates,” etc. (Source 2). Their statehood will be unstable at first because they need to adjust- but they need to start somewhere. When the original colonies first became states, they weren’t perfect- just as Puerto Rico won’t be at first. Puerto Rico has an advantage, though, because they will already know what to expect as truly being part of our country. For these reasons I believe that Puerto Rico should be a state.
-Maria Dutsar (Class 6)
I strongly believe that Puerto Rico should become an independent nation with close relations to the United States.
After the results of three ballots on this issue were revealed as unanimous (as reported from Fox News), the main reason for this opinion is that the people of Puerto Rico simply do not wish to become the 51st state of America. Currently a new bill, HR 2499, is being presented to the citizens of this territory. Instead of asking if Puerto Rico should be a new state, the ballot asks if the government should maintain the status quo. Assuming that the voter chose yes, a common answer that these politicians are relying on, the citizen must choose from statehood or two less popular options. The progressive politicians of this region are utilizing deception to sway the public’s opinions. Politicians that use such techniques should not be welcome to utilize these methods in the United States government. Another tactic being utilized by this party is discrimination. The progressive politicians are calling all who oppose their so called “vote for freedom” racist.
I agree with Rob on the fact that our current situation with this country is unhealthy. This territory currently has very little power over the control that the United States has over their country. Much like the problems colonial Americans faced, Puerto Rico needs a local government that can quickly and accurately meet the needs of its people. Conversely, it is not fair to the American people that we provide structure and protection for this land and, as Will said, we do not receive any taxes in return.
After granting Puerto Rico independence, America should work with these citizens to create a constitution and system that truly reflect the public’s opinions and help remove these dishonest politicians from their government. A close relationship with Puerto Rico, as suggested by Mason, will create both a healthy alliance and a strong new country.
-John C. Class 4
While I agree that Puerto Rico should be independent from issues that exist in America, being rather far away, it must be asserted that the transition from commonwealth to an independent nation should be very gradual. While we don't want our own economic troubles dragging down the Puerto Rican economy, we also don't want to simply abandon them to problems that that may occur, like the budget crisis in 2006.
Once the transition has been completed, however, Puerto Rica should be capable of sustaining its economy, since 79% of the labor force consists of service workers (according to the CIA Factbook), and therefore should not diminish due to U.S. withdrawal. As soon as stability is evident, Puerto Rico may continue to operate and grow its economy independently.
As what was said in most in the above posts, I believe Puerto Rico should not become a US state. Once reason is that Puerto Rico's income is only 300 dollars a year. I agree with Mady K that if Puerto Rico became a US state, they would greatly impact our nations economy in a negative way. Another reason that they should not become the 51st state is that they have all the benefits of our nation, yet they do not have to pay taxes. I believe Puerto Rico would be better if they had there own independent government and rule.
Pat S.
Period 4
I think that Puerto Rico should not become a state and just stay where they are as a commonwealth. I think this for the same reasons as Troy and Andy. Right now the cost of living is low and works for many people at $253. With the average income at around $300 the cost of living is pricey but liveable. If Puerto Rico became a state then the cost of living would increase to around $411 a month, as was stated in the second link. Also I think Puerto Rico should not become a state because right now they do not have to pay any taxes to the United States. That pretty awesome. In the U.S. taxes are expensive and with average monthly income so low, Puerto Ricans would have a tough time paying them. Lastly, I think Puerto Rico should not become a state because as a man in San Juan stated in the second link, "It's worked for about 50 years already. We get the best of both worlds. " They do not have pay taxes but they have Social Security and Medicare. Also they are free to visit the U.S. without a passport and why cause such a dramatic change if it has worked for 50 years already.
I definitely believe that Puerto Rico should not become a state of the U.S. After reading the articles "Puerto Rico Statehood Plebiscites" and "Puerto Rican Statehood," there are a few clear reasons why becoming a state would not be ultimately beneficial to either side. For one thing, about half the population of Puerto Rico is currently satisfied with being a commonwealth of the U.S ("Puerto Rican Statehood"). This does mean that the other half is not content with Puerto Rico's status, however I really liked the idea that Mason and Troy proposed, which is somewhat of a solution. Both of them said that over time Puerto Rico should become an independent nation with plentiful amounts of help from the U.S. to guide them through the hardships that may arise during the process. This really solves many of the current discrepancies because those in favor of becoming an independent nation will eventually get that, and since only over time will Puerto Rico become a nation, also with lots of aid from the U.S., those in favor of staying a commonwealth will not get the commonwealth status taken away immediately, Puerto Rico will be eased into becoming a nation. So, no extreme changes will take place all of a sudden. Another reason why Puerto Rico should not become a state is purely because of their economic status. In Puerto Rico, an average house takes about $253 to maintain per week, whereas that is almost doubled in the U.S., costing $411 per week ("Puerto Rican Statehood"). Becoming a state would involve Puerto Rico's interest rates and the cost of living in general to rise greatly for the citizens. Agreeing with Amanda, if Puerto Rico does in fact become a state, they would have to pay taxes, something they cannot afford right now. Finally, the last reason why I believe Puerto Rico should not become the 51st state is because Puerto Rico already has its own Constitution that the citizens live by everyday ("Puerto Rico Statehood Plebiscites"). Although U.S. laws do outweigh Puerto Rican laws in certain situations, Puerto Ricans have been living by their own laws for a long time. Following their own Constitution already makes it so much easier for them to become an independent nation rather than joining a country that already has many new specific laws that they would have to abide by. Basically, Puerto Rico is in a good relationship with the U.S. as of now. The citizens could potentially be more content with their home if they became an actual nation, however becoming a state would create various problems for them and the U.S. Right now, it's better that Puerto Rico does not ultimately become a state.
-Joanna Wollman
Class 1
I believe that Puerto Rico should become a state because its status as a commonwealth in many ways already tightly ties it to U.S. jurisdiction. Statehood seems to be the most logical next step to confirming this relationship. As Eni pointed out, Puerto Ricans currently assume the freedoms associated with U.S. citizenship. As Glenn Beck described in the Fox News article, "they get to enjoy many of the benefits of America- like protection- and they don't have to pay any taxes". In order to justify these benefits, it seems only fair that Puerto Ricans should be obligated to contribute taxes as all other U.S. citizens do. Additionally, Puerto Ricans would gain benefits from U.S. economic opportunity and political representation, as it would "have a voice in the Congress with at least seven represenatives and two senators" (essortment).
Although, as Andy desrcibed, the financial transition would not be smooth based on difference in income, Puerto Rico would struggle similarly should it seek independence because it would not be cradled by the security of U.S. economic success. Furthermore, I do not think Puerto Rico should become an independent nation because, as Mason suggested, Puerto Ricans would still expect and rely on some sort of support from the U.S. government. This would ultimately prove to predominately favor Puerto Ricans in the sense that the U.S. would lose power and influence while still investing money and time into Puerto Rico's future.
Hannah M.
Class 6
Overall, establishing Puerto Rico as a U.S. state represents the best option because it provides Puerto Rico with necessary support, while still yielding appropriate credit to u.S. contribution.
I agree with Andy that Puerto Rico shouldnt b ecome a state for the reason that they would not be able to adjust to our economy. Also if Puerto Rico becomes a state our government would change. There would be more senator and representatives in congress and that would impact the way congress functions. The election process wouyld also be affected because Puerto Rico would add their own electoral votes. Lastly according to the second article, English would have to become Puerto Ricos primary language and that might cause problems to arrise.
Alex Kelly
Class 4
I agree completely with Troy saying that the United States should not annex Puerto Rico as the 51st state. Although they have citizenship in our country and we offer them protection, they are not accustomed to living in our society. I think the relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico is great how it is, so why "rock the boat" and jeopardize that by forcing them to live by our rules? The cost of living in the United States is far higher than that of Puerto Rico. Ishaar stated this point well. "a $300 average monthly income would not support someone in America, along with an increased interest rate by 3-6%, according to the 2nd link." According to the article 46.5% of Puerto Ricans voted for statehood, however more than half the population were undecided. I think they should work up to becoming an idependent nation but remain allies and good friends with the United States.
- Maddie D.
Class 1
I believe that Puerto Rico should become its own independent nation and not a state that is part of the US. I think this because the living rates would increase very much for the Puerto Ricans to cope with. Like Troy said, they are happy where they stand and if they became a part of the United States, they would have to adjust to more costly pricing with bills and taxes. As it says in the second article, Puerto Rico's income is 300 dollars a month. Electric bills and water and waste collection totals up to about 24 dollars a month. It would be a very drastic change to have very high rates in the United States. Also, in the past Puerto Rico has been used to representing themselves as their "own nation." But, becoming a part of the United States would mean that they would all of the sudden not have the same nationalism for their commonwealth state as before.
-Jess S.
Period 6.
As Stefan had said earlier, the addition of Puerto Rico as the fifty-first state would lead to changes in both government and economy. However, while some may feel as though these changes might be more harmful than beneficial, I feel as though in many ways the United States could use PuertoRico among its other states.
While Andy Kelley makes a point that the cost of living will potentially increase in Puerto rico from it achieving statehood, that would probably be a short-term problem. As stated in essortment.com, the economy of Puerto Rico will develop significantly as it will gain the same trading access as the rest of the United States is open to. Also, by contributing its taxes to the United Sates, it will not only benefit the other states, but also be utilized to construct new buildings in Puerto Rico, potentially leading to new jobs, and therefore, more income for individuals.
As for politics, the addition of Puerto Rico will give it a much greater voice in Congress than it already does now. Also, there is concern over the loss of culture at the pressure of the English language. As a rebuttal, a good percentage of the Puerto Rican population can in fact speak English, while the majority of the rest of the population speaks Spanish, a language which is having much greater influence on the U.S. today. Finally, just because the U.S. may pressure the English language a little more, it does not fully mean that it will be entirely erased.
While Glenn Beck did make a point that Puerto Rico already has decent benefits from being a commonwealth, it will gain even more benefits from becoming a state.
Charlie Pryor, Class 6.
I agree with Katie S. that Puerto Rico should become a state. Currently, Puerto Ricans "have U.S. citizenship, use U.S. currency, and are free to travel in and out of the United States" (Puerto Rico statehood plebiscites). Puerto Rico contains similar if not the same qualities of any state in the U.S., the main difference being that they are under their own constitution and they don't pay taxes to our federal government. Therefore, by Puerto Rico having to pay taxes, it will help America's economy as a whole. Likiewise, becoming a state would help Puerto Rico's economy by giving them access to trade with all alliances of the U.S. (Puerto Rican Statehood). In conclusion, I believe Puerto Rico should become a state because it would be advantageous for both the U.S. and Puerto Rico. It would be in America's best interest to fully emit them into our country.
-Lauren B. P. 4
I agree with many of classmates that Puerto Rico should become an independent nation. I agree with Jessa in the sense that it wouldn't be fair to Americans for Puerto Rico to stay at their current status. Jessa said, "Under a commonwealth status, they are gaining US benefits like protection and US citizenship, while not having to pay any taxes." I think its unfair that Puerto Rico gets these benefits with out any consequences. This leaves two options to what Puerto Rico should do: Become a state or become an independent nation. As others have said before me, becoming an independent nation would only hurt puerto rico in the long run. My classmates have pointed out that Puerto Ricans make a mere $300 a month, this would not be enough to pay the taxes that the American Government enforces on the residents of the 50 states. If Puerto Rico joined the states, poverty would raise significantly. This leaves being an independent nation as the best option. As an independent nation, Puerto Rico would not have to worry about taxes being too high and they wouldn't mooch off of the United States by getting free citizenship. Also, they would still be represented in the Olympics, which gives all countries a strong feeling of nationalism.
-Ben Stoller
Period 1
I agree with most of the class that Puerto Rico should not become a state. The second link mentions how Puerto Rico recieves protection from the United States in times of war, and they don't have to pay American taxes. If they become the 51st state, then they would have to pay these taxes; this would present a problem because the average income of a Puerto Rican is very low. Also, the cost of living would rise tremendously for Puerto Ricans. The second link mentions that if Puerto Rico became a state, they wouldn't be able to have their own Olympic team. I agree with Andy that this would become a major problem when Puerto Ricans are forced to try out for the U.S. team. They would lose lots of pride if they were not represented as their own country in the Olympics. Also, I agree with Cory when he talked about how it would be a problem if Puerto Rico became a state, because they would be forced to speak English. I believe this is not fair, because Spanish is a part of their culture and heritage. Because of these reasons, Puerto Rico should not become a state.
Jess Haitz Class 1
I feel that Puerto Rico should become a state, because the situation that Puerto Rico is in is very similar to the situation the colonies were in 300 years ago. They were governed by the mainland but were not given representation in the main government. In my opinion, Puerto Rico should be able to have full representation in the United States government. Polls also show that Puerto Ricans in favor for statehood are on the rise and show no evidence of slowing. In the first poll around 39% of people voted for statehood. However nearly 50% of the nation voted for statehood, and this number could increase once the ballots are made clearer to the voters. In comparison only 2.5% of people voted for independence. Independence is clearly not what the people of Puerto Rico want.Also as Katie said, along with statehood comes a more American like economy and income figures. With statehood, they will gain access to free trade and the minimum wage, and that will allow a higher income per person and a boosted economy for the new state. Those incomes shown to us are based upon current income figures and not the projected higher income that will come along with statehood. This intern makes the fight against statehood bias and misinformed. I disagree with what Amanda said because; free trade will also come with statehood, and there will be many other economical reason that will benefit both the USA and Puerto Rico.
Stephen M.
Class 4
I will disagree with many of the previous comments, and say that when Puerto Rico decides that it would like to become a state, it should be allowed to do so.
Troy and many other people agree with the article from FOX written by Glenn Beck, which says that “they get to enjoy many of the benefits of America — like protection — and they don't have to pay any taxes.” He then goes on to say that it’s unsurprising that becoming a state was not a popular choice when it was voted upon, invoking Godwin’s Law several times in the process. However, this argument is flawed, or at least presented in a purposefully distorted way. In a 1993 advisory vote, becoming a state was a favored outcome, with 46.3% of the vote, according to essortment.com.
Many others, starting with Andy, cite the economy of Puerto Rico as a reason that that the territory should not become a state. The $300 monthly income would certainly be a problem to start off with, but it is highly unlikely that Puerto Ricans would suddenly be expected to pay much, if any, more than they already do for services. The general cost of living probably would not increase for several years, and by this point it would be a nonissue. Paying US taxes, a requirement of being a state, would have the benefit of qualifying Puerto Rico for government funding for infrastructure development. This, of course, would create job opportunities, and increase the average income.
In light of all this, I believe that, when Puerto Rico is given the opportunity to vote on whether or not they’ll become a state, they should choose to become one, and most importantly, be allowed to become on.
Like a great majority of the comments above I believe that Puerto Rico should not be come a state. They have been living as a common wealth for 60 years now and it has been working. Like the Essortment article said Puerto Rico has been living the best of both worlds. They receives the protection of the United States in time of war and they also receive the benefits of being U.S. citizens without having to pay taxes to the U.S. government. If they were to become a state now the cost of living would increase drastically, they would have to learn English as their primary language. They would no longer get to represent themselves as a individual nation in the Olympics or other international events.
-Peter K.
Class 4
I believe that Puerto Rico should not become a state, but remain a Commonwealth, as it is now. As many people have mentioned before me, if Puerto Rico were to become a state, the cost of taxes and expenses would be too high for them to afford on their current $300 income.
If they become an independent nation, they lose all the benefits they have already and would probably find it hard to survive on their own. As a commonwealth, they recieve protection from the United States and continue to recieve the trade of goods that is so valuable to their economy; however, becoming an independent nation would require them to provide all of these for themselves, which as the United State's funding can show us, is extremely costly.
Remaining a commonwealth is in the best intrest of Puerto Rico. Not only do they continue to "'get the best of both worlds'" says San Juan citizen mentioned in the second link; the citizens of Puerto Rico will continue to recieve protection in time of war as well as medicare, but the majority of citizens don't wish to become a state or an independent nation. According to the 2nd link, only 3.5% of people vote towards becoming an Indpendent nation, 46.3% desire to become a state and 48.6% want to remain a commonwealth. The United States should continue to keep Puerto Rico as a commonwealth, though should charge a small tax, as Amanda said, on the people to Puerto Rico in order to help pay off our debt and make it fair for the tax-paying people of the United States.
Colleen C.
Period 6
Unlike most of the post ahead of me, I believe that Puerto Rico should become the 51st state. They can not continue to be a commonwealth. There is no point in commonwealths in this day in age. Puerto Rico needs to become a state or independent nation. Gaining statehood is the best option. As the fox news article states the reason why Puerto Ricans will not vote for statehood is because they enjoy many benefits like protection but don't pay any taxes. Also,they do not have a vote in our government but still receive protection. If Puerto Rico were to become the 51st state it would solve all of these problems. Puerto Ricans would be paying taxes, have a voice in government, and receive protection. Andy likes to point out the point that their economy would not be able to support statehood because things like utilities would suddenly raise. This would only be a problem at first. The second link, says that with statehood the Puerto Rican economy will flourish from taxes to build infrastructure, and they would also be able to trade easier with countries that the USA is in alliance with. This would help their economy and raise income so they would be able to have a higher income to pay for higher utilities. I also disagree with Cory's comment about the language. This would not be a major conflict. The English language would not be forced upon them. Many people are already bilingual. Also there are many countries that are successful with multiple languages including our northern neighbors, Canada. Also, Stefan makes a valid point. Adding Puerto Rico would be good for our economy as it would give our economy another trading port. In the grand scheme of things Puerto Rico must become a state or independent nation, and statehood is the way to go.
Rich S. Class 6
I feel that Puerto Rico should not become a state, but instead should become an independent nation. I agree with what Mason and Troy said about the U.S. helping Puerto Rico set up their own government. I think it would be unfair to just leave Puerto Rico to find their own way and fend for themselves. It would leave them at too great a disadvantage. The reason that I feel Puerto Rico should be its own nation is because I feel that they have never really been a part of the U.S. Although they have been considered U.S. citizens for a long time, they have never truely seemed to be associated with the U.S. to the average person. I think that it would be pointless to make them a state, especially since their culture is so different than ours. I know that some people might think I'm racist because of that statement, like the Fox News article said, but I'm not. It is like the article titled "Puerto Rican statehood" says, Puerto Rico has its own culture and an interesting group of people that form this culture. If they became a state, they might lose that individuality. Overall, I feel that it would be unfair to force the Puerto Ricans to assimilate to U.S. customs and become an official part of the U.S. Things should not stay the way they are either. I feel that it is unfair for the Puerto Ricans to get the protection of the U.S. and to call themselves citizens when they don't even pay taxes. I feel that Peurto Rico is completely capable of becoming its own nation and would be able to be successful.
-Jessica Lynch pd. 1
I agree with Adam in that Puerto Rico should become an independent nation. This option provides many advantages over commonwealth and especially statehood status. As the article "Puerto Rican statehood" states, "Puerto Rico will be able to enter into trade agreements with other free nations as it so chooses." which is essential to sustain the economy of the country, as opposed to being a commonwealth where it has little to no control over affairs with other countries or even the U.S.. Also, being a commonwealth entails the many of the downsides of statehood without any of the benefits such as much governmental influence. However, I disagree that independence would immediately improve the country's financial and social stability and sudden. Complete severance from the United States would most likely result in struggle as the new nation establishes itself. Therefore I would advocate that Puerto Rico should receive financial and military support from the U.S. for approximately 20 years after independence or until the majority of the population votes to end this support.
I believe that Puerto Rico should not become the 51th state; I think that Puerto Rico should become an independent nation. The United States partially fought the Spanish-American War because the Americans supported the Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Filipinos in fighting for independence from Spain, so I believe that when the United States won the war and they took control of Puerto Rico and Cuba that it was best that the United States made the territories they won a free nation. Afterall Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Philippians were fighting for their freedom from Spain not another owner. If the United States truly wanted to help the territories out the U.S. would have made them independent when the war ended. Like Andy said the average salary that Puerto Ricans make is only $300, in Puerto Rico the necessities may not be too expensive but over here, in the middle of an economical crisis, people may not be able to get by and if Puerto Rico was to become a state the prices of everything over there would rise. If Puerto Rico was to become an independent nation, like times before the United States should intervene if it was ever necessary. Puerto Rico should be allowed to change their government or any other aspect of the country if that would make it life there better without running it by Congress first.
Edith C. Per. 4
I think that Puerto Rico should become a state because of the reasons that currently it doesn't pay any taxes and yet it still gains most of the benefits that all Americans get. These benefits include US citizenship and the ability to travel to America and back to Puerto RIco, as referenced by Glenn Beck in the article. If they are getting these benefits, they should become a state so that they do pay taxes and give the America a reason to continuously offer them our protection. Currently America has the bad side of the deal, and we most likely lose money for it. This isn't fair to us because we're doing a lot for them, and they could still enjoy the benefits just they would pay taxes and wouldn't have an independent government. If they become independent from us the people would be happy and it's not fair to us to have them as freeloaders.
Nicholas Crudo
Class 1
I agree with Dylan that the pros outweigh the cons when discussing the statehood of Puerto Rico, especially from the Puerto Rican perspective. The issues at hand are iconic issues for Americans, in fact, they are a variation on the causes of our own independence from Britain; representation and taxation. Currently, Puerto Ricans are citizens of the U.S. without representation in Congress, and for them, representation is an obvious advantage. From the point of view of those opposed to statehood, adding the six representatives that Puerto Rico would gain could deprive populous states of representatives because of the 435 representatives cap. In terms of taxes, Puerto Ricans would be responsible for federal income taxes, which they currently are not. While this may at first seem like a con of statehood, taxation would not only benefit the United States' government, but also Puerto Rico simply because they could repair and improve their infrastructure. On the other hand, the cons don't seem as substantial as the pros. Witness the following research: "There are several arguments against statehood on the social structure of Puerto Rico. The first is that Puerto will no longer have a representative in their Miss Universe Pageant, which they have won on three occasions. Also, they would not be recognized as an individual nation in the Olympic games." (Puerto Rican Statehood) As the population of the United States becomes increasingly Latino, Puerto Rico would be the first state that would be completely Spanish-speaking. This is an emotional issue on both sides.
- Sage Musk, Period 6
According to the present information, I believe that Puerto Rico should not enter the United States. Not only does it deserve to be an independent nation, but it would do America no good as becoming a 51st state. In the second link, it mentioned how the average income of Puerto Rico is a mere 300 dollars. How could that not benefit the USA? Puerto Rico should become stable as a nation before it makes any decision to become part of any nation. Another factor that influences my opionion is the fact that American is pressuring Puerto Rico to become the 51st state. It is not our decision, it it the people and rulers of Puerto Ricos decision. America has this idea that we can force anyone into doing anything we want. As my friend Ishaar puts it, independence for Puerto Rico might, in the long run, strengthen their international relations, and the country in general.
~Nora M
Like many, I am siding with Puerto Rico not becoming a state. But this doesn't entirely mean I am not for it. There are some contributing factors that cause me to swing in the direction of no. These are due to the econimics, the votes and the social issues. For one, Puerto Rico becoming a state would greatly rise the cost of living at a rate that I believe would be to fast to handle resulting in the same situation as the big banks going into bankruptcy a few years ago. With the voting issue, the Puerto Ricans decide when they want to become a state...the votes as of 1998 are very close but not there yet. The statistics are showing the later generations don't want Puerto Rico to become a state. I really agree with Brendan and his statement of, " i feel like the system we have right now is the best thing to have for the common bennofit to both the U.S. and Puerto Rico." I can't express how much I agree with this. When Puerto Rico's economy grows and the majority of votes are for statehood both the U.S. and Puerto Rico will be ready. As a final factor, I believe that losing their own Olympic Team and such other perks of being a country should be taken into account and balanced out for our country and theirs.
Tyler Hough p.6
I agree with Troy that Puerto Rico should gain independence but we should help them out because if we just gave them there independence right away it would break them because they wouldn't know what to do since we've controlled most of their economy being an American territory. I don't think America should make Puerto Rico a state because I feel that we would try to "Americanize" it and that wouldn't work because they have their own ways and they have their own culture.
Josh Branchflower
Period 4
I also believe that Puerto Rico should not become the 51st state of America. This is mainly for ecomomic reasons, such as many before me have stated. (The low income's impact on our economy.) But what I am also interested in is what would happen socially and culturally to this territory. If they become a state, would Puerto Ricans be forced to assimilate into American culture? As a strong believer in the beauty of preserving culture, I feel this would not be a benifical move. On the other hand, if they were to become an independant nation, how would the situation of citizen ship be worked out between P.R. and The U.S.. For example, one of my closest friend's grandmothers was born in Puerto Rico, but she has spent as much time in her life there as she has in the United States. She recently has moved back to her place of birth, but what would happen once independance would be gained? Would she have to work to gain a green card if she wanted to move back to America, where she raised her family and led a very profitable life. There are many questions still left unanswered to me about this debate.
Dana G., Class 1
I think that Puerto Rico should not become the United States 51st state. I feel this way because just like Troy and Ishaar said the cost of living and adjusting into becoming a state would be too hard. In the essortment article it speaks of the cons of becoming a state such as statistical numbers where the cost of living as a state would greatly increase over what the numbers are right now. Puerto Ricans have no problem with not being a state and either does the U.S. so why change that. If both sides are fine with how things are right now there is no reason to go change things around that in the end would most likely fail. Off of what Mason said making Puerto Rico a independent nation is a much smarter idea. In the Fox News article it speaks of Puerto Ricans not paying taxes right now to me thats a little unfair. They have a lot of rights with the U.S. and that is why i feel they are getting a pretty good deal if you ask me. I think by making them an independent nation where they pay federal taxes like Mason said is a great idea for both sides. In this case they keep there U.S. citzenship the U.S. collects federal taxes while helping them out and they do not have to make the very tough adjustment of becoming the 51st state. I disagree with Eni because yeah they do have many of the same rights but, currently aren't paying taxes could they survive paying taxes and the cost of being a state i really do not believe so. This is why i believe that Puerto Rico should not become the 51st state.
Brendan D Class 6
Though I respect the opinions of my fellow classmates, I must disagree with all of them. I do not believe that Puerto Rico should become the 51st state of the United States of America or an independent nation. Being a self-governing commonwealth seems to be working out for it just fine. Puerto Rico has “’the best of both worlds’” as a man from the article on http://www.essortment.com/all/puertoricansta_rdla.htm said it. Though it does not have a vote in congress, Puerto Rico has a representative that has a say. Also people living in Puerto Rico have full American citizenship, as well as no taxes to pay. It represents itself in the miss universe pageant and also the Olympics. Since its status has worked for many years already, I just do not think that Puerto Rico’s status is worth changing.
Three votes. Three oppurtunities. There's a reason that Puerto Rico has hitherto decided not to become a state. As the third link discusses, America already provides Puerto Ricco with many of the benifiets to being a part of the United States. We provide them with protection, free travel, their currency, and the management of their financial affairs. And we provide all of this without any of the benifiets an American state offers (for example, taxes). The most benificial move for the United States would be to annex Puerto Rico all together, as Rob said. But unfortunately, with the degree of involvement the US has in foreign affairs, there is a very real and probably possibility that we would be compelled to preserve Puerto Rico wether or not it was an independent nation. Yes, Puerto Rico would go through some initial financial and cultural harships as Andy discussed. But promblems come inevitably with change, and Puerto Rico would only be better off if the US were there to assist the local government in finding solutions to these problems. Officially making Puerto Rico the fifty-first state would provide the US with the taxes and benifiets needed from Puerto Rico, while helping Puerto Rico find adjust to a position in the changing world.
-Mikaela Kemlsey
History, Class 1
It is my opinion that Puerto Rico should not become the 51st state of the United States. Puerto Rico should in fact become an independent nation. Similar to Ishaar, I feel that the two main issues are that of the adjustments and the financial situation. As of right now, according to the article “Puerto Rican Statehood”, the prices of everyday living necessities with increase exponentially. For example the average electric bill will go up $62 a month, and with an average monthly salary of a mere $300 they cannot afford this among many other pricing increases. But equally as important as the economics of the situation is the social aspect. We forced ourselves upon this country and now we want them to assimilate with us. We are asking them to give up their language, and independence as a country. Now, this may not seem like much to us but that’s going to take a rough toll on a country’s morale. For instance, the United States was so proud of all our gold medals in the Olympics and all our athletes in general. I would say that it really promoted nationalism in our country. Taking that away from Puerto Rico I feel would do the exact opposite. Finally, to piggyback off of Chad, 51 is a weird number and we can’t write any catchy songs because nothing rhymes with 51.
I do not think that Puerto Rico should become the 51st state of America, nor do I think it should become its own nation. Puerto Rico has functioned well as a commonwealth of the U.S. "for about 50 years already" (essortment.com). Right now, Puerto Ricans have many of the benefits of a state, without having to pay taxes. They have the ability to make many of their own decisions but still have the protection and backup of our government in time of need. On their own, Puerto Rico would struggle, especially with factors like finances. Why take the trouble to become independent? They would lose more than they would gain. They are already citizens and are accustomed to using our currency. They are already represented as their own nation in events like the Olympics and the Miss Universe Pageant, yet they still have say in the American government. They are able to vote and even have a voice in Congress (essortment.com). Why would they want to change any of this? Would they go through all the trouble just to call themselves an independent country?
Becoming a state would not be the ideal option either. Puerto Rican taxpaying may boost our economy, but it will only cause theirs to suffer tremendously. As many like Ishaar and Brendan have noted, the incomes of the majority of Puerto Ricans will not be enough to even support the costs for things like electricity, water, and waste collection. Three hundred dollar incomes paying for four hundred dollars worth of bills and taxes? That would only put people on the streets. And like Will mentioned, becoming a state would take away from their culture; they would be forced to assimilate into American society.
Erin B.
Class 6
I, as well as many others who have commented do not believe Puerto Rico should become a state. The negative possible results far outweigh the positive. Puerto Ricans are poor, as mentioned in the second source, the make only $300 a month. This would only set our country further back. I believe Puerto Rico should become its own independent nation. I agree with Troy and Mason when they said that the United States should help Puerto Rico with the process of becoming independent.
I believe the people of Puerto Rico have it too easy as of right now. They have US sovereignty, use our currency, our laws, and our protection, yet they don't have to pay taxes. Like the source from fox news says "that's a pretty sweet deal." In my opinion, it's too "sweet" and frankly, not fair.
Puerto Ricans still need US aid throughout this process, so we should be there to provide it. I believe that the US should give Puerto Rico limited self rule, so they can still be independent, but this also ensures that the United States would not lose any strategic foreign power. In addition to this, Puerto Ricans should pay United States taxes since they are depending on us so much for guaranteed protection and help with issues such as natural disasters.
All in all, I do not believe that Puerto Rico should become another state because economically, it is a risky and ominous decision. The safe choice is to give them more of the limited self rule, and continue to guarantee them protection and other American benefits, but require them to pay taxes.
-Justina P
I feel that Puerto Rico should not become the 51st State, but instead become its own independent country. As the Essortment article mentions, Puerto Rico is still well below the living of normal US citizens. However, the article also mentions that if Puerto Rico achieves statehood, then the costs of living would be enormously expensive, driving some people into poverty. So if Puerto Rico gains independence, with help from the US it could improve living without raising the costs.
The article also mentions that Puerto Rico do not have the same rights for trade agreements if it stays as a commonwealth. If changed into an independent nation, Puerto Rico would be able to freely trade with other free nations. This would mean that Puerto Rico would bolster its economy and improve their living conditions. And with the close relationship the US has had with Puerto Rico in the past, that would mean the US will have close trades with Puerto Rico. Therefore, Puerto Rico would also improves the US’s economy as well
Puerto Rico should not become the 51st state. There are too many consequences for both the United States and Puerto Rico that would be harmful in the long-run. Troy is absolutely right, the fact that the cost of living would so drastically go up for Puerto Ricans should they be granted statehood is reason enough to support becoming an independent nation rather than a state. As the second article states, "At last count...the average monthly income is around $300 dollars. The average electric bill is around $12 a month and water and waste collection is around $5 to $7 dollars a month. When Puerto Rico becomes a state the prices will greatly rise. The electric bill will go to $80 and the water and waste will go to $16 to 20 dollars. The average interest rate in Puerto Rico is only 5 to 6%, whereas the U.S. interest rate is somewhere between 8.5 to 12%. Currently a $40,000 house would cost about $253 a month, whereas with the U.S. rates it would cost around $411 a month." This leap in prices for the citizens of Puerto Rico would definitely become a burden for them and make it very difficult for many to keep up with their living prices. This wouldn't be beneficial to Puerto Ricans, because many wouldn't be able to keep up with the unusually high prices for them. As Will said, Puerto Rico wouldn't be able to adjust to our country's taxes, prices, and laws. Mason's idea of a US-Puerto Rico agreement that allows Puerto Rico to be independent with help and guidance from the US would be ideal. I think that the US and Puerto Rico can withold their relationship with eachother, and that both countries can benefit from the other's aid, but that Puerto Rico should begin the road to become their own, independent nation with the help of the US.
-Alex K. p.4
I think that Puerto Rico should not become a state and instead become an independent nation. Madeline had written that if given independence Puerto Rico would "fall into a deep economic rut". I have to disagree with part of this statement. As amanda had said, the article from essortment.com explained that the average income rate in Puerto Rico is around $300 dollars. The average electric bill is about $12 dollars a month and the average water and waste collection is between $5 and $7 dollars. If Puerto Rico became the 51st state those prices would increase to about $80 dollars a month for the electric bill and $16 to $20 dollars a month for water and waste collection. This is just one example of how the cost of living wouyld greatly increase if statehood was granted. I am not saying that if Puerto Rico became an independent nation they would not have economic problems, but i do believe that they would be better off than if they became a state. One benefit for Puerto Rico if they became an independent nation, as Amanda has said, they could enter trade agreements with other free nations as they wish. This would would give them the ability to deal with their own affairs without the interference of the United States.
Katie P. Class 1
I agree with Troy in that I do not believe Puerto Rico should become a state. If you weight the pros and cons, it becomes obvious that there are many problems with Puerto Rico entering statehood. Their price of living would increase significantly and with such a limited budget, becoming a state would only put them in an even more haste. As stated in the first website, there has been three votes with the latest in 1998, and none of these votes have returned a substantial answer. It is obvious that there is no significant group of people who want statehood or becoming independent. This leads me to the question, what is wrong with maintaining the status quo? The website states "They get to enjoy many of the benefits of America — like protection — and they don't have to pay any taxes". So, for people who already have trouble earning good money, maintaining the status quo will simply aid them.
I feel that Puerto Rico should be independent, and not a state. I agree with Mason West on the fact that both country’s should create an agreement that helps both sides and allows Puerto Rico to stand with there own government and yet seek help from each other. Furthermore, I agree with Andy Kelley on the facts that if they do become apart of the U.S. their cost on the main resources would dramatically go up and effect everyone living there, hurting the economy more. In addition, Jake points out how Puerto Rico would become much more successful alone rather then apart of the U.S. with all our economy issues and higher prices on things. Overall, in the article titled Puerto Rican Statehood, it clearly states that the congress bill states that the main spoken language is English and therefore, it’d create even more problems and hardships for Puerto Ricans to speak English mostly and learn it as well as to not discriminate against those who speak a different language.
- Cassandra Fallon, class 1
Like most of my peeers, i beleive that Puerto Rico should not become the 51st state of the U.S. It is unfair for Puerto Rico to get benefits from the U.S. such as having U.S. protection,and not have to pay taxes. Puerto Rico should become an independent nation because if they became a state, they would not be able to handle the price changes. As it says in the article with pros and cons of puerto rican statehood, "the average monthly income is around $300 dollars. The average electric bill is around $12 a month and water and waste collection is
around $5 to $7 dollars a month. When Puerto Rico becomes a state the prices will greatly rise."From a citizen's point of view, Puerto Rico becoming a state may also threaten their "international presence and image" (Puerto Rican statehood). Instead of becoming a state in the
U.S.,i think Puerto Rico should become an Independent Nation. This way, the Puerto Rican culture will not be diminished by the U.S.,and Puerto Rico will also beable to independently trade with other nations.
Emily Kopcik class per.1
After reading this article I think Puerto Rico should become a part of the United States as our 51st state. As the reading mentioned they already have a working constitution of their own, along with U.S. citizenship. They use our money and they are able to go to and from the United States at will. Therefore, its obvious that they ultimately have working for them what American citezens have working for them. In addition, Puerto Rico maintains a working government like the states incorporated in the U.S. do now. In conclusion, Puerto Rico should become a state based on this article because of the rights and things they already have established that are so similar to those of the the current 50 states.
kyle wilcox
I do not believe that Puerto Rico should become the 51st state of the United States. I agree with Ishaar that is should become its own nation. For Puerto Rico to adapt to being a part of the United States would be very hard. Money would be a huge problem. If they were to become a part of the United States the average salary of a citzen of Puerto Rico would not support them in America. I feel that is Puerto Rico was its own nation it would be much more sucessful.
-Taylor Smith P.4
I believe that Puerto Rico should become the 51st state because they already have many of the same rights that the original 50 states hve now. Rich S. from class 6 brought up a very good point and I feel that he has hit the nail on the head. He mentioned in his post that the main reason for why the Puerto Ricans were avoiding becoming a state was beause they were enjoying all of the same rights as us Americans, yet evading the taxes that we have to pay. Mason West aso brought up a very good point against Puerto Rico becoming a state. He said that they should be their own nation however they should still continue to have the support of the United States and we should help them with their economic and other problems; to act as a guide, or a "shoulder to lean on" if you would. I strongly disagree with this, for why should the United States support and pay for another nation that we have nothing to do with, therefore a deicision should be made soon about their independance or statehood, hence the debate now. I feel that for this reason Puerto Rico should definetly become a state. The fox news source supplied Rich S. and myself with the information of Puerto Rico avoiding the taxes. Three times they have voted to remain a commonwealth state, obtain most of the benefits that us Americans have including protection yet again, as Ive stated many tmes before, avoid the taxes. This reminds me of town near us that continuously tried to avoid taxes. Dodgingtown too, tried to avoid the taxes that Americans must pay. Dodgintown is located right on the line of Newtown and Bethel, and when taxes came for Newtown, they would say they were a part of Bethel, and vise versa when the taxes came for Bethel. They were sucessful in avoiding the taxes for a couple years before they were caught "dodging" their taxes, hence the name Dodgingtown. Puerto Rico and Dodgingtown are very similar as they both tried to obtain the benefits of being in America yet avoid the costly cons of it aswell. And as Dodgintown was caught and forced to pay their taxes, so should Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico has many of our rights and benefits already, and they are protected by a world power. It is only right that they are forced to be recognized as a state in the U.S. and get all the good and the bad with their statehood.
Erin Cunningham class 4
I believe that Puerto Rico should become the 51st state because they already have many of the same rights that the original 50 states hve now. Rich S. from class 6 brought up a very good point and I feel that he has hit the nail on the head. He mentioned in his post that the main reason for why the Puerto Ricans were avoiding becoming a state was beause they were enjoying all of the same rights as us Americans, yet evading the taxes that we have to pay. Mason West aso brought up a very good point against Puerto Rico becoming a state. He said that they should be their own nation however they should still continue to have the support of the United States and we should help them with their economic and other problems; to act as a guide, or a "shoulder to lean on" if you would. I strongly disagree with this, for why should the United States support and pay for another nation that we have nothing to do with, therefore a deicision should be made soon about their independance or statehood, hence the debate now. I feel that for this reason Puerto Rico should definetly become a state. The fox news source supplied Rich S. and myself with the information of Puerto Rico avoiding the taxes. Three times they have voted to remain a commonwealth state, obtain most of the benefits that us Americans have including protection yet again, as Ive stated many tmes before, avoid the taxes. This reminds me of town near us that continuously tried to avoid taxes. Dodgingtown too, tried to avoid the taxes that Americans must pay. Dodgintown is located right on the line of Newtown and Bethel, and when taxes came for Newtown, they would say they were a part of Bethel, and vise versa when the taxes came for Bethel. They were sucessful in avoiding the taxes for a couple years before they were caught "dodging" their taxes, hence the name Dodgingtown. Puerto Rico and Dodgingtown are very similar as they both tried to obtain the benefits of being in America yet avoid the costly cons of it aswell. And as Dodgintown was caught and forced to pay their taxes, so should Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico has many of our rights and benefits already, and they are protected by a world power. It is only right that they are forced to be recognized as a state in the U.S. and get all the good and the bad with their statehood.
Erin Cunningham class 4
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