Posted on 11/07/2012 10:00:07 AM PST by mojito
A majority of Puerto Ricans voted to change their ties with the United States and become the 51st U.S. state yesterday in a non-binding referendum that would require final approval from Congress.
The two-part referendum asked whether the island wanted to change its 114-year relationship with the United States and nearly 54 percent sought to change it, while 46 percent favored the status quo with ninety-six percent of precincts reporting.
The second question asked voters to choose from three options, with statehood by far the favorite, garnering 61 percent. Sovereign free association, which would have allowed for more autonomy, received 33 percent, while independence got 5 percent.
President Barack Obama earlier expressed clear support for the referendum and pledged to respect the will of the Puerto Rican people in the event of a clear majority.
(Excerpt) Read more at theblaze.com ...
I didn’t mean to topic the “political humor” tag.
Sorry about the mistake. I didn’t sleep very well last night.
Governor, Luis G. Fortuño, caucused with the Republicans when he was in Congress and serves as Puerto Rico’s Republican National Committeeman, while Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi is a Democrat. The top Fortuño administration officials are also split in national politics. His incoming Chief of Staff, Miguel Romero, and his Secretary of State (and first in line of succession), Kenneth McClintock are Democrats, while his Attorney General Guillermo Somoza is a Republican. The current House Speaker Jennifer González and the Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz are Republicans.
Obama said we have 57 states. Claims he visited them.
There goes the flag....
So Puerto Rico chooses dependency over independence.......imagine that.
Hawaii has been on a path toward independence from the US.....we can just replace them with Puerto Rico and never have to change the flags!
54 percent sought to change it, while 46 percent favored the status quo
No way. Not with it divided like that. Donks would love it though as it would mean even more minorities for them to pander to and count on in elections.
Ningunas gracias.
It is political humor, btw...
Why do we have a country which speaks it;s own language, has it;s own flag, takes money,lets them come over here nad get welfare.
I;’ts just not worth it IMHO, they;re proud to be Puerto Rican when over here , fly their flag, speak Spanish but then want to live here
Why don’t the rest of us get to decide if we want them?
We don’t.
“...even more minorities for them to pander to and count on in elections.”
Whites are the minority now, aren’t they?
Congress decides.
Welcome to “republic” government.
They must be dumb. Now they will have to pay federal taxes. Crazy folks in that state.
Trade Hawaii to China for a bulk of our debt...couldn’t happen to a better bunch of persons.
This is not the first time state-hood has won in PR. The issue is congress has not voted to admit it into the Union. The reason is the fix apportionment of 435 congressmen. PR would be entitled to 5 congressmen, thus five states would lose a seats. Given that the congress is fixed at 435, states that have disproportional representation would lose a seat. So a state that should technically get 5.6 seat and is rounded to 6, would be a likely choice to lose a seat.
Puerto Ricans are US citizens.
The only difference between them and the mainland is they can’t vote in federal elections.
But they can run their own affairs. And they pay no federal income tax because the island is not a state.
Congress can increase the size of the House through an Act Of Congress. No other state would lose seats if the size of the House was increased.
Obama’s point man on Puerto Rico is Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-Chicago), who’s closely aligend with the islands’s left. As such, he’s opposed to Puerto Rico statehood and Obama will do what he wants him to do which is nothing.
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