If most Puerto Ricans want statehood should it be granted?

[FerrelGeek]

There are exceptions in the law regarding Posse Comitatus if a state is unwilling or unable to protect it's citizens. The Insurrection Act could easily be applied to most of northern Mexico.

That's a reeeeaaallllyy slippery slope that I hope we never have to tread.

 

[Fern]

"Most"?!

If most is 0% federal income tax.

Technically your are correct, in a way.

PR has a personal income tax. It is based upon the US income tax code as of 1939 (we are now on the 1986 code).

However, PR pays the US Treas something like $3 billion per year.

So, effectively, they do pay federal income tax, in a way.

Fern

 

[Fern]

This is false.

Their infrastructure is not a issue whatsoever. The Feds already cover their infrastructure where appropriate and the only thing that separates them from being "inline with other states" is that they have no representation in our government because they are a territory of the US.

No, representation is not the only thing different.

I'm pretty sure if they became a state the US govt would to pay them quite a bit to subsidize their Medicaid program.

I tend to think that there would be more changes than most of us realize. E.g., applications of federal regulations, changes in their tax law etc.

Fern

 

[Fern]

If most Puerto Ricans want statehood should it be granted?

I suppose so.

But if it was me voting, I'd vote "no".

For one thing I'm a big proponent of "don't fix it if ain't broke". I'm not aware of any substantial problems they have now that could be fixed by becoming a state.

For another, they have a long rich history of their own. They've essentially been a Spanish culture for about 500 yrs. And they've been pretty much independent from what I can tell. Statehood might change that.

From what I see in Washington DC these days I'm not sure getting to add a few PR's to Congress is all that great. Certainly, not enough to give up any independence they may enjoy.

But that's just me, they're free to choose as they wish.

Fern