Puerto Ricans opt for statehood in referendum

WPEC CBS ^ | 11/07/2012

[cll]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- A slim majority of Puerto Ricans want their island to become the 51st U.S. state in a non-binding referendum that would require final approval from Congress.

The two-part referendum asked whether the island favored its 114-year relationship with the U.S. Nearly 54 percent sought to change it, while 46 percent supported the status quo, with 96 percent of precincts reporting as of early Wednesday. Statehood was the favorite option, garnering 61 percent. Sovereign free association, which would have allowed for more autonomy, received 33 percent, while independence got 5 percent.

[cll]

This is probably the worst possible moment to bring this up, but this is news nonetheless. I am aware of the deluge of "yeah-right-another-democrat-state" comments that will be coming. But we have a major U.S. Territory (the size of Connecticut, 3.7 million American Citizens in residence) that's petitioning to become the 51st State of the Union.

Flame away.

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

I guess it’s better than them demaning independence by blowing up people then being pardoned by Bill Clinton so Hillary can play Senator.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Hey, PR. I don’t want you in the union.

And I want to cut you off as a territory and stop all funding to you.

Shouldn’t this be the stance of the American left, who are so opposed to colonialism?

Seriously, like we need another leftist state in the union.

[cll]

As an FYI, the island's nominal Republicans were narrowly ousted by the nominal democrats in yesterday's election, including, apparently, Governor Luis Fortuño (final results are not in yet). To me this only shows how local politics could swing back and forth between Republicans and Democrats, if Puerto Rico were a state.

Puerto Rico Ping! Please Freepmail me if you want on or off the list.

[freeangel]

Great—More of the something for nothing peoples now want to become a part of the “in crowd”. Who woulda thunk it?

[massgopguy]

70% of PR’s are on Welfare. 100% of PR’s pay no Income Tax.

[livius]

Puerto Rico is a wonderful place, and the current governor is a great conservative who has done a lot to encourage business growth and enterprise in the island.

Of course, with Obama as president, I’m not sure why they’d want to be a state, but I guess that’s another matter.

Puerto Rico is the gateway to the Caribbean and it actually is of strategic importance. We had military installations in the old Spanish fort during WWII and up to fairly recent times.

It’s also a great place to vacation: it has America’s only rainforest, produces much better coffee than Hawaii, and has better dancing (salsa) than just about any place on the mainland!

[cll]

Thank you for your kind words.

[freeangel]

And the 30% that might pay income tax now, certainly won’t be paying any if PR gains statehood.

[JimC214]

There are rainforests in Alaska and Washington. PR wants the US Military out of it. But on the Salsa dancing part, you are right.

[Gay State Conservative]

Independence! Although there are certainly respectable,decent,hard working Puerto Ricans the majority (very possibly the *large* majority) are worthless welfare parasites.Give them their independence.Let them print their own passports...let them print their own welfare checks....let them provide their own ObamaPhones.

[Gay State Conservative]

It’s also a great place to vacation: it has America’s only rainforest, produces much better coffee than Hawaii, and has better dancing (salsa) than just about any place on the mainland!

You've obviously never worked in the ER of a large East Coast hospital.I have.For many years,in fact.I could tell you story..after story...after story...after story that would make the hair on your toes curl.

[Buckeye McFrog]

In the past they have always rejected statehood, figuring why pay taxes when you can help yourself to Federal payments nonetheless. But since nearly half don’t pay taxes anyhow (and they’d be the poorest state by far in per-capita income) I suppose that’s now a non-issue.

[bgill]

That’s more state closer to hussein’s 57.

[catfish1957]

I’d prefer cutting them loose, and letting them being their own country.

[livius]

I grew up in New York City in a neighborhood that was heavily Puerto Rican. They had about the same number of good and bad people as any other economic-refugee immigrant group, and most the children of that generation have in any case moved to nicer places in the outer boroughs or the suburbs and assimilated so thoroughly that they’re undetectable.

I don’t see that they’re any different from Italians, Eastern European Jews (many of the early organized crime figures were from immigrant Eastern European Jewish families), Russians or any other economic-refugee immigrant group.

[goldstategop]

We’d become a bilingual country and the Democrats would be guaranteed another two Senate seats and four electoral votes at a minimum.

America is lost!

[dfwgator]

Sorry, we’re broke....try Cuba.

[Ebenezer]

I read that Governor-elect García already said that he will do nothing about the plebiscite, giving the convenient excuse that the current Commonwealth status was not among the choices.

[Ebenezer]

The last figures I read from the State Elections Commission show that some 61% of voters opted for statehood. That’s about the same percentage supporting the Commonwealth in the 1967 plebiscite.