Can Puerto Rico be the 51st state of the United States?

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Should Puerto Rico be the 51st state of U.S.A.?
Yes 71%  71%  [ 12 ]
No 29%  29%  [ 5 ]
Total votes : 17

ConfusedDude
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30 May 2011, 4:29 pm

I recently heard that President Barack Obama is going to our Island on June 14 of 2011, to discuss some political stuff about us. And the first thing he's gonna talk about is about the future of our Political Status (which it has been a question since the 1960's). We don't know if we're gonna stay been a Commonwealth of the U.S., the 51st state of the U.S., an Independent Island (WHICH I HATE IT!) or a Free Association Island (which I don't know what it is).

Which I gonna leave you with a question: Can Puerto Rico be the next state(i.e. The 51st State) of the United States of America?

If you don't know what (or where) Puerto Rico is, here is a link on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico



Last edited by ConfusedDude on 30 May 2011, 5:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Orwell
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30 May 2011, 4:47 pm

I doubt that independence from the US would be in Puerto Rico's interest, and I doubt the political consensus can be built in the mainland to grant Puerto Rico statehood, so it will likely remain a commonwealth as it is now.

50 really is a nice round number for states. I know it sounds idiotic and arbitrary, but a lot of people will oppose expanding beyond 50 states. We would also have to design a new national flag. I would favor granting statehood, though- PR certainly is big enough to be its own state. It has a larger population than Hawaii, and they got statehood. Why should PR be any different?


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ConfusedDude
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30 May 2011, 4:52 pm

Orwell wrote:
I doubt that independence from the US would be in Puerto Rico's interest, and I doubt the political consensus can be built in the mainland to grant Puerto Rico statehood, so it will likely remain a commonwealth as it is now.

50 really is a nice round number for states. I know it sounds idiotic and arbitrary, but a lot of people will oppose expanding beyond 50 states. We would also have to design a new national flag. I would favor granting statehood, though- PR certainly is big enough to be its own state. It has a larger population than Hawaii, and they got statehood. Why should PR be any different?
You forgot to make your vote on the poll up there.



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30 May 2011, 4:53 pm

horse nuggets I thought the question said could not should.

I had a buddy back in AZ (folks are crazy there) who thought we should annex mexico.
I asked him why he would want 62 more democrat senators.


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ruveyn
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30 May 2011, 5:06 pm

Orwell wrote:
I doubt that independence from the US would be in Puerto Rico's interest, and I doubt the political consensus can be built in the mainland to grant Puerto Rico statehood, so it will likely remain a commonwealth as it is now.

50 really is a nice round number for states. I know it sounds idiotic and arbitrary, but a lot of people will oppose expanding beyond 50 states. We would also have to design a new national flag. I would favor granting statehood, though- PR certainly is big enough to be its own state. It has a larger population than Hawaii, and they got statehood. Why should PR be any different?


The people in P.R. have turned down independence again and again by referendum. Right now they have the best of all possible worlds. There are a U.S. territory, the people in P.R. can come and go freely to the continental U.S. They have full citizenship.

ruveyn



ConfusedDude
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30 May 2011, 5:13 pm

Not to be rude or anything, but may I need to remind you that there is a poll question in this topic here.



Thandurin
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30 May 2011, 5:16 pm

I see no reason to deny them statehood if the people vote in favor of it.



Orwell
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30 May 2011, 5:21 pm

ConfusedDude wrote:
You forgot to make your vote on the poll up there.

No I didn't.


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ConfusedDude
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30 May 2011, 5:25 pm

Orwell wrote:
ConfusedDude wrote:
You forgot to make your vote on the poll up there.

No I didn't.
Oh! Sorry about that. Is just that I couldn't see the results. Very well. Carry on.



Last edited by ConfusedDude on 30 May 2011, 5:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

DeaconBlues
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30 May 2011, 5:26 pm

The topic for the thread is whether Puerto Rico CAN become the 51st state. The poll question is whether they SHOULD, a matter on which I have no opinion whatsoever. They certainly can if they choose to - they meet the minimum criteria. So far, however, the people of Puerto Rico have been content with their protectorate status, by and large.

Of course, if the Parti Quebecois ever makes a comeback, the point may become moot - one of the party's major planks is secession from the Dominion of Canada, and the leaders of Alberta and Saskatchewan have already announced that if Quebec secedes, they will too, and apply for statehood.


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Orwell
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30 May 2011, 5:28 pm

DeaconBlues wrote:
Of course, if the Parti Quebecois ever makes a comeback, the point may become moot - one of the party's major planks is secession from the Dominion of Canada, and the leaders of Alberta and Saskatchewan have already announced that if Quebec secedes, they will too, and apply for statehood.

Really? That certainly would be interesting.


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naturalplastic
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30 May 2011, 5:42 pm

dont you guys have some kind of strange deal with washington: you dont pay taxes but you do get government services- something like that?

When I learned about peurto rico in jr high geography class I seemed to remember that you had what seemed like a sweet deal because of your fence-straddling status as a commonwealth that no place else gets. You would loose it going either way- joining the USA or leaving it.

Im probably wrong.
Havent even thought about puerto rico in years so youll have to fill me in on that.

Lol!



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30 May 2011, 5:59 pm

Puerto Rico had been voting on referendums on statehood for decades and it never passes, I think they also have referendums on independence but those never pass either.


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ConfusedDude
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30 May 2011, 6:00 pm

John_Browning wrote:
Puerto Rico had been voting on referendums on statehood for decades and it never passes, I think they also have referendums on independence but those never pass either.
You forgot to make your vote on the poll up there.



Jacoby
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30 May 2011, 7:33 pm

Well, they certainly can but I don't know if they ever will tho. I think the people of Puerto Rico should have to choose between statehood and independence without the option of the status quo.



leejosepho
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30 May 2011, 8:14 pm

ConfusedDude wrote:
John_Browning wrote:
Puerto Rico had been voting on referendums on statehood for decades and it never passes, I think they also have referendums on independence but those never pass either.
You forgot to make your vote on the poll up there.

Some people vote on polls and some do not, and a third option like "No opinion" or "Just show the results" is something many people appreciate.


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