List of Pros of Puerto Rico Becoming a State
- It allows for an improved quality of life. Nearly half of all people in Puerto Rico are living under the poverty line, and its integration as a full state ...
- It helps the US greatly in terms of economics. According to records, Puerto Rico is costing the US over USD22 billion a year, but as a state, it can ...
- It offers more opportunities for Puerto Ricans. As previously mentioned, a high percentage of Puerto Ricans are living below the poverty level, but this would not be the case ...
- It engenders a political sway. With over 4 million people, Puerto Rico can have an impressive 9 electoral votes in elections and would have 7 house representatives and 2 ...
- It can improve Puerto Rico’s government system. Currently, Puerto Ricans do not exercise sovereignty over their own affairs. ...
- It allows Puerto Ricans to have a say in the government and laws that affect them. ...
- It implements the right to vote. Statutes and laws that are passed in the US would be applied to the people in Puerto Rico, but they are not given ...
- It boosts tax revenue for the US. Adding the country to the state roster of the US would bring in a huge amount of extra revenue each year for ...
- It improves health care for Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico’s current health care system is sub-par to say the least, where citizens do not have the same laws and regulations ...
- It allows for open trade.
What are the pros and cons of Puerto Rico becoming a state?
Pros and Cons of Puerto Rico Becoming a State
- PROS
- Increased Economy. Statehood being rendered to Puerto Rico would offer it a better economic position. ...
- More Opportunities. ...
- End of the Financial Crisis. ...
- Better Government System. ...
- Right to Vote. ...
- More Tax Revenues. ...
- Better Healthcare Facilities. ...
- Entry into the Global Trade Market. ...
- CONS
What is stopping Puerto Rico from becoming a state?
The Political Implications of D.C./Puerto Rico Statehood
- Introduction. On Sept. ...
- Background. For years, the motto of the District of Columbia has been “Taxation without Representation.” The residents of Washington, D.C. ...
- Implications. What are the implications of D.C. ...
What are the chances of Puerto Rico becoming a state?
Puerto Ricans voted on a referendum on Election Day 2020 that supports Puerto Rico’s becoming the 51st state. The 2020 ballot question passed — just as it did in 2012 and 2017 — this time by a margin of 52% to 48%. On November 3, a majority of voters in Puerto Rico voted for statehood. Puerto Rico should be a state.
Do you think that Puerto Rico should become a state?
Amongst Americans who support Puerto Rico becoming a state, nearly a quarter (24%) say it’s because Puerto Ricans are already American citizens, followed by a belief that the island deserves better representation (13%) in the United States.
Why is Puerto Rico so important to the United States?
The strategic value of Puerto Rico for the United States at the end of the nineteenth century centered in economic and military interests. The island's value to US policy makers was as an outlet for excess manufactured goods, as well as a key naval station in the Caribbean.
Does Puerto Rico want to be its own country?
In 2012, 61.2 percent of Puerto Rican voters favored statehood over remaining a commonwealth; in 2017, 97 percent (of a small voter turnout) chose statehood over independence or commonwealth status; and in 2020 about 53 percent voted for statehood. Independence: Puerto Rico would become an independent country.
Does Puerto Rico pay US taxes?
Puerto Ricans do pay federal taxes, but the majority of them do not contribute to income taxes which are only paid by Puerto Rico residents who work for the federal government, those who are in the U.S. military, others who earn money from outside the country and those who work with the federal government.
Can a Puerto Rican run for president?
In addition, an April 2000 report by the Congressional Research Service, asserts that citizens born in Puerto Rico are legally defined as natural-born citizens and are therefore eligible to be elected President, provided they meet qualifications of age and 14 years residence within the United States.
Why is PR not a state?
As a territory of the United States, Puerto Rico's 3.2 million residents are U.S. citizens. However, while subject to U.S. federal laws, island-based Puerto Ricans can't vote in presidential elections and lack voting representation in Congress. As a U.S. territory, it is neither a state nor an independent country.
Do Puerto Ricans get Social Security?
He noted that residents of Puerto Rico are typically exempt from most federal income, gift, estate and excise taxes, but that they are eligible for Social Security and Medicare.
Does Puerto Rico have free healthcare?
The public healthcare sector in Puerto Rico is generally well managed and is handled via a government-run program. No, healthcare is not free. However, the government provides insurance for those who qualify for the “la Reforma”, a government-funded program.
Can I collect Social Security if I move to Puerto Rico?
No matter where in the United States you live, your Social Security retirement, disability, family or survivor benefits do not change. Along with the 50 states, that includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Why is Puerto Rico a good state?
Nearly half of all people in Puerto Rico are living under the poverty line, and its integration as a full state would bring job opportunities and a wealth of benefits to a country that desperately needs it. 2. It helps the US greatly in terms of economics.
What would happen if Puerto Rico became a state?
6. It makes Puerto Rico obliged to pay federal income tax. If Puerto Rico were to become a state, it citizens would no longer be exempt from the federal income tax, forcing more people into the public dole due to the effects of increased taxes on a struggling economy. 7.
How much does Puerto Rico contribute to the US economy?
According to records, Puerto Rico is costing the US over USD22 billion a year, but as a state, it can contribute nearly USD2 billion to the US Treasury every year. 3. It offers more opportunities for Puerto Ricans.
How many electoral votes does Puerto Rico have?
With over 4 million people, Puerto Rico can have an impressive 9 electoral votes in elections and would have 7 house representatives and 2 senators representing them on current issues, causing a large shift in political control. 5. It can improve Puerto Rico’s government system.
Is Puerto Rico a US territory?
Being under the US territory for many years, Puerto Rico is fully protected and supported by the US government, but this does not mean that Puerto Ricans have all of the same rights as stateside residents of the US. Things, such as the right to vote and other benefits, are not given to Puerto Ricans, but they are allowed to fight in ...
Can Puerto Rico vote in the US?
Though the US Congress has the final say of everything that would go on in Puerto Rico, it is not possible for its citizens to vote in US elections, which means that statutes and laws that apply to them are not things they can vote on.
Is Puerto Rico an independent country?
It can hurt other Puerto Ricans’ feeling of remaining an independent country. Time and time again, people in Puerto Rico have continuously vote for remaining a separate territory from the US, but does not stop those people who are calling for statehood. Many questions involve issues on citizen’s rights and independence.
What would happen if Puerto Rico was granted statehood?
Statehood would change the shape of U.S. politics nationally. If Puerto Rico were to be granted statehood, then it would change the overall structure of Congress. Each state is constitutionally required to receive two seats in the Senate, regardless of how many people live within its borders.
Why is Puerto Rico a commonwealth?
Because Puerto Rico is currently a commonwealth, its status as a territory does not allow citizens to vote in the same number of elections when compared to households in the 50 states.
Why is Puerto Rico against statehood?
Cynics and critics agree that one of the primary reasons why statehood might be opposed by the United States is that Puerto Rico would immediately have the highest levels of poverty and crime in the country if it became the 51st state.
How many people voted for Puerto Rico in 2017?
Even though the 2017 referendum on statehood for Puerto Rico produced a massive majority, less than 25% of the registered voters on the island actually came out to vote. Part of the identity of this territory is deeply rooted in the question as to whether or not they should become a state.
What was Puerto Rico's main agricultural resource?
During the first decades of settlement, Puerto Rico would become a significant agricultural resource for Spain, producing sugar cane, tobacco, coffee, and livestock.
What is the tax rate in Puerto Rico?
The sales and use tax rate in the territory is 10.5%, but Puerto Rico’s income tax is only 4%.
When was the last referendum in Puerto Rico?
The vast majority of the results have been positive. The last significant vote occurred in 2017 , with 97% of voters saying that they wanted to join the United States.
What are the advantages of Puerto Rico?
List of Advantages of Puerto Rico Becoming a State. 1. Quality of life will be improved. A lot of the citizens of Puerto Rico are living under the poverty line. When the country becomes part of the US, a lot of job opportunities would present itself for the residents. Even though the island nation is a territory of the United States, ...
Why did Puerto Rico become a US citizen?
In 1917, Puerto Ricans became attained US citizenship so they could participate in the war. Although Puerto Rico has experienced good times with US support, it is still unfair for a country to have US laws imposed on them but have no say in Congress. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
What are the problems with Puerto Rico?
1. Loss of culture . Puerto Rico has a very rich culture, and many fear that this might be lost should the island colony become a state of the US. For one, Spanish might be replaced with English.
Why did the US go to war with Spain?
The United States went into war with Spain just to get Puerto Rico. But rather than treat it as one of its own, America mainly didn’t do much for the island nation. They imposed US laws on the country but ignored calls for independence.
Can Puerto Rico pay in full?
Puerto Rico has suffered since the financial crisis of 2008, and they have been struggling since then. The governor, Alejandro Padilla, admitted straight out that the country cannot pay in full. Ryan Cooper, in a 2015 opinion piece in The Week, wrote “By proposing a referendum on statehood and assisting with an orderly debt ...
Is Puerto Rico a state?
There have been discussions about making Puerto Rico the 51st state of the United States of America. A 2012 status referendum found that 61% supported statehood and in December 11 of that year, the legislature in Puerto Rico requested that action be taken on the results, end their current form of territorial status and start ...
What contributed to the recent majority vote for Puerto Rico?
According to Puerto Rico’s Secretary of State, Kenneth McClintock, the commonwealth’s economic, social and political turmoil greatly contributed to the recent majority vote for statehood.
When did Puerto Rico become a US citizen?
In 1917, the island’s residents became American citizens, capable of joining the military, but not vote in presidential elections. Puerto Rico’s current status is simply a remnant of the colonial world, and in the post-colonial era, it seems that status should change.
What percentage of voters opposed Puerto Rico?
On the first issue, 54 percent of voters opposed the status of Puerto Rico as a United States Commonwealth. And on a second issue, 61 percent voted for statehood as the best alternative, 33 percent voted for a sovereign free association, and 6 percent voted for independence, according to CNN Politics.
What percentage of Puerto Rico residents live on the mainland?
Moreover, because of the increasing exodus, 58 percent of Puerto Rico residents live on the mainland of the United States, according to McClintock.
Is Puerto Rico an unincorporated territory?
According to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Insular Cases, an unincorporated territory is “a territory…belonging to the United States, but not a part of the United State.”. Puerto Rico voters were asked to vote on two issues.
Is Puerto Rico a part of the United States?
Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States. According to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Insular Cases, a commonwealth is “a territory … belonging to the United States, but not a part of the United States.”. Puerto Rico voters were asked to vote on two issues.
Does Puerto Rico have a representative in Congress?
Also, Puerto Rico has a nonvoting representative in the United States Congress. If Puerto Rico became a state, an extra $20 billion in federal funds could help the with the country’s 13 percent unemployment rate, according to The Washington Post.
Constitutional Guidelines for Statehood
Just like many other big issues that get a lot of talk from activists, the Constitution does not say all that much about statehood. While it does place some limits on creating new states within existing ones (such as breaking up California) or combining two states, when it comes to solely adding new states, Article IV, Section 3 says:
Puerto Ricans Will Vote Again
President Trump, along with former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, stated support for Puerto Rican statehood if that's what island residents wanted.
What Statehood Would Mean
Should the island territory become the United States' 51st state (or 52nd - don't forget all the hand-wringing about D.C.!), it would mean Puerto Ricans would:
List of The Pros of Puerto Rico Statehood
List of The Cons of Puerto Rico Statehood
A Final Thought About Puerto Rico’s Statehood