Do you think Puerto Rico should become a state?

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JUPITER

I don't think so...As far as I am informed, most Puerto Ricans doesn't want to become PR as an US state. There was a poll a couple of years ago and there's a large majority of Puerto Ricans, who wants an independent Puerto Rico. I am not informed about the actual polls there...but, you can find that out on the Internet.

Lost. at. Sea.

More than 400 years of Spain colony + 109 from the USA.
I believe is time to run our country.
I'm sure we can.

livefreexdiehardY

no, puerto rico should NOT become a state and fall into the trap of becoming so.

playaseca2000

Am not Puerto Rican , but have a lot of friends from there , i think it should stay the way it is now , they will be better off

Student

Do your research on the economic policies of the U.S. government in Puerto Rico and you will find your answer.The shitload of money that you refer to is nothing compared with the shitload of money that the U.S.government has taken and continues to take away from the Island.There is poverty because of the policies in place.What Puerto Rico needs is to become Independent.Do your research.

xaixai06

wow this has definitely got me thinkin and i am stumped. i was born on the island but was raised in the states and when you are raised outside the picture you see things differently than those who live in puerto rico. when i visit, which is often, i see things like homeless on the streets and how low income famlies live and its truly sad. and how people don't seem to even care how the island is maintained.(trash everywhere, potholes,etc) and that makes me want the U.S. to jump in and say welcome to statehood. but then you got people who do care about the island and do a lot to help make the island a better place. puerto rico is like any other state in america. you have bad places and poverty and then you have nice places. Now don't get me wrong Puerto Rico is a beautiful place. The island is my heart. It has loads to see and offer. and i would pack up and move to the island if the opportunity presented itself. But Puerto Rico definitely needs work and the people of puerto rico need to open their eyes and see that and get it together. Now as for statehood, i don't know if its right at the moment. and truthfully i don't think many americans are open to the idea either. but The U.S. and Puerto Rico need to find a way to make it better for everyone.

Matt

As an American, I would like to see them become a state. The place is great and there are so many good people there. I think the economic situation would be an issue for mainland Americans. There are many reports that it would cost xbillions of dollars in transfer payments to the island just to get them equal to mississippi. I am a republican and all about tax cuts. I would love to see something where the first $10k-$15k a person makes is tax-free, not just in PR, but the entire US. I think a situation where Puerto Ricans gradually pay federal income tax would be better too, also with some incentives for businesses that invest there. I think they should be exempt from the federal minimum wage law for a set number of years also. One major case people against statehood makes is that inflation would skyrocket on the island if they become a state, which is true.

Another thing that bothers me, and I hear it a lot, is when people who are against statehood ask a person why they would want to be a state when most Americans do not want them to be. This is true, most Americans would not want PR as a state, but I think this is more because of misinformation. Many believe that PR is really like Latin America. Much of the culture comes from Latin America, but it would be wrong to put it in the same category as El Salvador or Panama. Puerto Ricans have the highest standard of living in the area and are very Americanized. Some people think they live in grass huts and cut down sugar cane with a machette for a living. When people realize that we would be accepted a pretty decent state and not a dump, then you will see more Americans support it. For some reason the media portrays Puerto Rican statehood in a very bad light. I don't know why though.

bsc_student_08

Yes. Puerto Rico will become the 51st state of the U.S. There are always pros and cons to things. Yet, the island will very much benefit being a state with better pay, more federal funding, better healthcare, more representation, etc.

La Flaca

As an American living in Puerto Rico I say NO we should not become a state. Why do that? This is having all the benefits of the States, but without all the strings attached.

Joey

DAMN! That is for a fact one of the most hardest questions to ever be resolved. I AM Puerto Rican & I live in the eastern section of Puerto Rico, the city of Fajardo.I think, "Wow, in some ways we got it made because of the many resources we get from US (WiC, Pell grants, Welfare, etc.), but in other ways I strongly feel that myabe sometimes we don't appreciate what we really got. I also think that the US "should" consider to give us a chance to rise up from the worthless & the disgraceful lives that we have here by helping those Puerto Ricans in need. I'm talking about some people in the middle & low class need to be helped to make our economy to a much more efficient way. But of course, thanks to the diabolical intentions of our previous governors (Dr. Pedro Rossello Gonzalez), & of course that very special event in the island of Viequez, where another politician(Ruben Berrios) has stained our dear name & pride of being called "puertorriqueÃ±o". This event caused MANY people to be annoyed by trying to remove U.S. soldiers from making their military practices on the beaches of Viequez. Of course, this event made alot of controversies because some of the fishermen were reduced to the toxins near this beach and harmed, & others were killed.

To finish this up, its very doubtful that US may offer any other kinds of partnerships due to these & many other things that might be unsignificant to some, but not to the congress of US.
All we can really say is "In God we trust" & except better things to come for us or live in regret for our actions.

P.S.
For anyone reading this who thinks that my opinion may be to harsh or if you live in the island & may have been offended by my words, I am deeply sorry.

loco_tech85

I'm a 2nd generation Puerto Rican and I can tell you that this question has been debated/argued for years.

If the island were to become independent, it would immediately become a 4th World Country (the poverty levels down there are incredible).

If the island were to become a state, there would have to be many matters such as taxes & minimum wage to be discussed. Puerto Ricans already pay federal income tax and yes a great many of them are on welfare. The island is a wonderful place, but it needs work, there are a great many people unemployed.

If the island remains a Commonwealth, then the problems there stay and it becomes the responsibility of the Governor to work out better conditions for the people.

SANDRA Q

yes.

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