What is the deal with Puerto Rico?

[pritchke]

Very interesting, thay are kind of like second class citizens found in The Vault in Fallout 2. I never knew this about Puerto Rico before, is it a part of the US? or is it its own country? Even the little French islands of St Pierre and Miquelon can vote for there President.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4828116.stm

[ 03-21-2006, 03:37 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

[Timber Loftis]

Puerto Rico is a territory, not a state, and overwhelmingly prefers it that way. Puerto Rico can be a state as soon as it wants to, the only magic is getting the people to support it.

[pritchke]

I still don't see what being a territory has to do with the right to vote. Lots of countries have territories and they still get to vote for government, still pretty much the same rights. Is it the way the constitution defines a territory? What happens if someone from Puerto Rico moves to New York, would he get to vote? or how about vice versa, if someone from New York moves to PR would he than get that right taken away as he is no longer a resident in New York.

[ 03-21-2006, 05:13 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

[Timber Loftis]

It depends on whether or not they change their residency, Pritchke. A terrritory enjoys freedom from the obligations a state has, so it likewise gives up some of the privileges. Ask a Puerto Rican how much they pay in federal income taxes.

[ 03-21-2006, 06:35 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

[True_Moose]

Only states can have electoral colleges, and have voting representatives in either house of Congress. Territories have to apply to the US for statehood. Each state has its own state constitution (which used to involve things like slavery,) which it then submits to the Federal government for ratification. The Federal government has to wait for this application before it can create a state. For example, if you look at a map from before the Civil War (link) you can see that there is a large swath of land in the middle of the country that wasn't states, though was theoretically American. Ignoring the fact that there were a lot of pissed off Native Americans in those regions, territories have their own set of rules. The rules are exactly the same in Puerto Rico as they were elsewhere.

Puerto Rico, to the best of my knowledge, has never applied for statehood.

[Azred]

They are a territory but govern themselves and present themselves as a soverign nation. I don't blame them for not wanting to become the 51st state--it would be a step down in prestige.

[sageridder]

That and they would also become subjuct to federal taxes.And moreso the us companys (mostly drug companys I was told when I was there) would have no incentive to keep production there if they couldn't avoid taxes by operating there.So to vote for the next knucklehead that would have to lose more income to tax, have every product cost much more(for example I paid $15.00 for a carton of marlboro,and $12.00 for a 1.5 liter of tangeray gin there), and have many jobs just up and leave.

[pritchke]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: It depends on whether or not they change their residency, Pritchke.

That is what I was looking for, the residency thing means they do have equal rights.

[ 03-22-2006, 10:43 AM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

[johnny]

Originally posted by Azred: They are a territory but govern themselves and present themselves as a soverign nation. I don't blame them for not wanting to become the 51st state--it would be a step down in prestige.

From who's point of view ?

Btw...isnt England the 51st state ? I think i saw a movie once titled like that, and Hollywood is usually pretty historically correct. [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

[DBear]

Puerto Rico has been a territory long enough. Either become a state or declare independence. A rougher colloquialism... either **** or get off the pot.