Puerto Rico and the Case for Statehood

7/30/2019 Puerto Rico and the Case for Statehood

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Puerto Rico and the Case for

StatehoodTS2 R 400


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At heart Im for independence, but in theend Im a statehooder because when I

exercise reason I see that the most logicalform of independence for my country isstatehood. (Morris 78)


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Benefits of Statehood

Cultural Benefits Statehood, in fact, gives more instruments and more legal

power to the Puerto Rican people to guarantee Spanish as anofficial language, than does commonwealth, which is a territoryand doesnt have any such power. (Martinez 1993)

Hawaii has two official languages, English and Hawaiian. As we reaffirm our Spanish language and culture, we also reaffirm

our identity with the United States.

We have a special mixture that we can call the Puerto Rican

culture Its taken a very long time to develop it and its soingrained in our people, theres no way that its going todisappear Politically theres nothing that can be done for us tolose our culture. (Morris 133)


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Cultural Benefits (cont) Statehood constitutes an official national identity

without infringing on their Puertorriquendad. Finally,

the Puerto Rican people will know what they are andbegin to resolve their Schizophrenic Puerto Ricanpersonality.

In response to the question, Do you feel PuertoRican? I feel Puerto Rican. In the same way that someone from

New York feels New Yorker. Hes a New Yorker of the NorthAmerican Nation. I would be Puerto Rican of the NorthAmerican nation. Theres no difference. (Morris 107)


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Economic Benefits The commonwealth federal tax-incentive program has

caused economic stagnation while paradoxically

generating $4 billion in corporate profits annually.Almost none of those profits go towards the PuertoRican people.

The current $130 million in Medicaid annually will beincreased to $1.1 billion upon statehood.

Puerto Ricans will not lose access to SSI paymentswhen moving from the mainland back to Puerto Rico.


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Political Benefits Voting for president

Protection under US military

Two US senators and 6 representatives in Congress Would the residents of Central Florida be comfortable

relying on Montanas representatives and senators tounderstand their needs and pass laws that governed theirlives? (Rodriguez 1997)

Voting representation in congress gives Puerto Rico theability to represent their state in appropriations, ensuring theneeds of the Puerto Rican people will not be ignored.

Permanent irrevocable US citizenship


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Commonwealth

Commonwealth status was given in 1952 as a temporarystatus to form an internal self-government on the way topermanent status.

Under the US constitution, the current unincorporated territorialstatus and statutory citizenship of Puerto Ricans can not bemade permanent.

Commonwealth is neither here nor there and leavespeople in limbo as to what they are.

During the 1993 plebiscite, the PDP party proposed anideal commonwealth with added benefits and moreautonomy and the Puerto Rican people did not give thatoption a clear majority of the vote.


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Independencia de Puerto Rico esmala.

Loss of federal aid; foreign aid would have to be applied for andgranted

Lack of strong independent government causes confusion amongstthe people and bureaucracy.

US companies would lose tax incentives and pull out of Puerto Ricoentirely. US citizenship would be revoked; travel would be curtailed and

diplomatic relations with other nations would have to be established. The economic/social/political setback caused by the transition from

commonwealth to independent nation would be arduous. Some

experts say it could set Puerto Rico back 100 years.


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Statehood

Judging by the millions who have votedwith their feet for statehood by moving to

the mainland, the benefits far outweigh thecosts.

Viva Puerto Rico, numero cinquenta y uno

de Los Estados Unidos!

Puerto Rico and the Case for Statehood

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