SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Ricans are getting the chance to tell the U.S. Congress on Sunday which political status they believe best benefits the U.S. territory as it remains mired in a deep economic crisis that has triggered an exodus of islanders to the mainland.
Congress ultimately has to approve the outcome of Sunday’s referendum that offers voters three choices: statehood, free association/independence or the current territorial status.
Many expect statehood supporters to crowd voting centers because three of Puerto Rico’s political parties are boycotting the referendum, including the island’s main opposition party. Among those hoping Puerto Rico will become the 51st state is Pedro Pierluisi, the island’s former congressional representative.
“Let’s send a loud and clear message to the United States and the entire world,” he said in a statement on Saturday. “And that message is that we Puerto Ricans not only want our U.S. citizenship, but we want equal treatment.”
It seems to me that if Puerto Rico wants to be a state, then it should bring something of value to the table. Massive debt, a struggling economy, and a few nice beaches isn’t exactly attractive.
With massive debt, struggling economies, and a few nice beaches Mississippi and Alabama should be thrown out of the union.
Illinois first, NH. That rathole doesn’t even have beaches.
Nholland,
If you are throwing people out of the Union, I’d go for the cesspools in Chicago and LA first.
Wow, apparently you two completely missed the sarcasm. Really interesting how this went from states to people and those people make up cesspools. Do I detect a hint of racism… Not Christian either way.
Sorry, another thought. We invaded Puerto Rico and claimed it as a territory. The people of Puerto Rico are considered U.S. citizens yet they are denied the basics rights we cheris. If we deny them statehood then we should give them independence.
My point with Mississippi and Alabama… we have many states that have massive debt and struggling economies. Should we turn our backs on them. The union is stronger together. Since we forced them into our nation as a territory don’t we have an obligation to support them in hard times. Hell, we spend hundreds of billions supporting other countries yet Owen and others say No Thanks to one of our own territories and our citizens. Besides for a few nice beaches a recent U.S. Geological Survey revealed substantial deposits of oil and natural gas off the coast. That probably wont change any minds because lot of science was used when doing the Geo Survey and we know how you all feel about science.