Thread: Puerto Rican statehood bill

What is your objection to Puerto Rico being a state? It's not clear to me, mostly because you go off on a few random rants and tangents about halfway through. I'm not sure what immigration has to do with Puerto Rican statehood...

All these racial/political reasons are a bullshit argument....the same argument was probably made about adding Alaska or Hawaii back in the day.....

I say, if their budget is in the black, let them in.

Not against statehood for them at all. I am questioning the timing of the non-binding bill in the House and the underlying reason. A bill that is not needed for them to become a state if they want. They have voted against statehood many times.

If they want to become our 51st state then I welcome them but they don't need Pelosi to tell them it is time to join the Union.

Originally Posted by Boggernose

Not against statehood for them at all. I am questioning the timing of the non-binding bill in the House and the underlying reason. A bill that is not needed for them to become a state if they want. They have voted against statehood many times.

If they want to become our 51st state then I welcome them but they don't need Pelosi to tell them it is time to join the Union.

No one needs Pelosi. I think that goes without saying.....

Isn't Puerto Rico currently run by Republicans?

Originally Posted by Boggernose

Why is the Congress doing this. All Puerto Rico has to do is vote to become a state and apply. Why is this happening now? Could it be with the immigration stuff?

Or is it an attempt for the democrats to make sure they keep power? You see if Puerto Rico becomes a state they get 2 senators and at least 1 representatives which would probably go democrat.

Now look at the illegal aliens. Why is it so important for democrats to legalized the illegals? Because they know that they will vote democrat because the dems give all the Obama money out along with the other benefits. Make those illegals citizens and get new votes for democrats.

Yeah, that's it. Just like that famous, radical lefty Ronald Reagan wanted to to and then actually did!

Racism is really the reason. Racism against non-hispanics. You see the Europeans and Asians go through the process legally no matter how long it takes. Yet hispanics get a free pass under the guise it is racism to require people to actually abide by our immigration laws.

Why would anyone rational think that? Stupidism seems to be the only answer.

Puerto Rico's economy has been on a pretty steep decline for 40 years now.
Without U.S. tourism and money sent home from PR's living in the U.S....they would sink...no pun intended.
The only thing up in Puerto Rico is the number of citizens leaving to come to America.

Originally Posted by iamwhatiseem

Puerto Rico's economy has been on a pretty steep decline for 40 years now.
Without U.S. tourism and money sent home from PR's living in the U.S....they would sink...no pun intended.
The only thing up in Puerto Rico is the number of citizens leaving to come to America.

Puerto Rico is America.

Originally Posted by Donkey_Left

Puerto Rico is America.

No they aren't.
They have all the benefits of being a state, but none of the detriments.
If I was a Rican - I would vote no too.

Originally Posted by iamwhatiseem

No they aren't.
They have all the benefits of being a state, but none of the detriments.
If I was a Rican - I would vote no too.

They pay federal taxes. What other "detriments" would you have them obligated to?

Originally Posted by iamwhatiseem

No they aren't.
They have all the benefits of being a state, but none of the detriments.
If I was a Rican - I would vote no too.

That's whats so sinister about this. Pr has voted among various stati several times. This time they are getting the choice to crap or get off the pot, requiring a change in status vote every 8 years, and once the vote for "change" passes, they get either statehood or independence.

The ruling party calls itself the New Progressive Party, and calls itself conservative, and the island is heavily Catholic.

This has to be an immigration gamble, or some other cynical class warfare move, betting that statehood will invite boat people from all over the Caribbean to flood the island, and mean incomes of roughly half the lowest of the Continental US will invite welfare dollars to flood the island, resulting in a political flip. Otherwise I can't see a leftist President and Congress doing something that on the surface would result in an additional 2 GOP senators and 6 Reps joining congress.

I don't agree with Republicans' view on this, but it is understandable. they believe the way the referendum is structured, it is stacked towards statehood.

However, Puerto Rico is not a blue state. they are VERY socially conservative, moreso than even Oklahoma(85% are pro-life, for example, and you won't see gay rights marched there). They are also very economically liberal.

What that tells me is that on both the social and economic scales, they aren't ready for statehood.

Originally Posted by adaher

They are also very economically liberal.

How so?