This issue comes up every decade or so, and here it is again. The Democrats passed a referendum to allow Puerto Ricans to select whether they want to be a state or be cut loose. It seems like the Democrats do this every few years to pander to the Hispanic vote, even though they know that there is no chance this will pass the Senate.
Puerto Rico is a socialist disaster of a state, and if we are being honest, the entire island more closely represents a third world shithole than it does the US. I’m talking politically and visually. The tax rates are high, with a corporate rate of 37.5%, a personal income tax at 33%, and 11.5% sales taxes. On top of all of that, residents also pay US Social Security taxes, but not Federal Income taxes. In exchange, the US pays about $40 billion a year to Puerto Rico. In all, the government of Puerto Rico takes in about $12 billion in taxes, plus the $40 billion in US Federal money for a population of about 3.6 million, or about $14,400 per capita.
There was a time when President Trump speculated on trading Puerto Rico for Greenland because the island is dirty and filled with poor people. Honestly, I don’t know of any country that would take that deal.
I would like to see the place get cut loose. I just don’t see the benefit that the island gives the US.
17 Comments
nones · December 19, 2022 at 5:58 am
Why aren’t there any Puerto Ricans on the Starship Enterprise? Because they don’t work in the future either.
Bigus Macus · December 19, 2022 at 7:13 am
Cut them loose.
exile1981 · December 19, 2022 at 9:43 am
If they went independent China would buy up basing rights in the first week.
Divemedic · December 19, 2022 at 4:25 pm
Nonsense. They could as easily do the same to the DR, Haiti, or the Bahamas.
Joe Blow · December 19, 2022 at 7:24 am
I grew up in NY. We didn’t have migrant workers outside a few weeks in the fall. We lived with Puerto Ricans 24/7. I hear the island is nice, except for all the locals. Honestly, everybody hated the ricans. And for good reason.
Bobo · December 19, 2022 at 7:29 am
It’s being pushed because it would give the D’s two more senators and a couple of representatives.
mike · December 19, 2022 at 8:25 am
No benefit. Dems will play the statehood game as long as there is a chance to dominate an otherwise evenly divided Senate. Most Ricans seem to know better and opt to remain a commonwealth, that way they get all the benefits of citizenship and keep their options open for future independence if something changes. What will change is that the US will be a basket case with a worthless currency and greatly diminished power and influence in the world. With the gravy train dried up, they will move to independence on their on without any prodding from anyone stateside. That will be the case whether or not the Dems manage to make them a state in the mean time.
BobF · December 19, 2022 at 9:43 am
Ds will pour money into anything that will increase their power. We/they are already paying big bucks to/for Puerto Rico and I see no reason to pay even more so the Ds can buy their increased power.
JG · December 19, 2022 at 10:13 am
Having been in Puerto Rico in the past I did not find it a great place. I was not there for a vacation but on business. I have been in almost all of the states of the US and it would rank as one of the lowest if a state.
Vlad · December 19, 2022 at 11:37 pm
Remember when “The Wise Latina” now sitting on the Supreme Court said her parents were “Puerto Rican immigrants”?
No SotaOscarMeyer, they weren’t “immigrants. They just fucking moved.
Just like my parents weren’t “immigrants” when they moved from Illinois to Wisconsin…they just moved!
Chris · December 19, 2022 at 3:44 pm
……..yup.
Aesop · December 20, 2022 at 4:24 am
Like DC statehood, it’s a permanent non-starter.
They do it to jazz up the idiots who think they’ll ever really do it, much like (R)s do when promising to support the 2d Amendment when it counts, repeal Obozocare, or lock down the southern border.
“Boob bait for the Bubbas” in Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s memorably concise phrasing. And he said it as a lifelong Democrat, mocking Clinton’s gaseous promises to their own moonbats.
The timeline remains When Hell Freezes Over, in perpetuity.
JainmeInTexas · December 20, 2022 at 9:23 am
5th generation Prrican.
Left the island for good in 1985.
PR as a State WILL ratify an amendment to do away or modify the current 2nd.
Was in PR visiting family about 4 yrs ago. So sad. It is so much worse than when I grew up there. I left for a reason. If I wanted to live in PR or Mexico, I’d move there.
PR will not contribute anything to the union but the Jones Law extract its pound of flesh from the island.
The question is not what PR wants but whether the States in the union want PR as an equal State. If not, cut PR loose and no more Estado Libre Asociado, otherwise called a Colony.
BTW, no Federal taxes are paid because PR is not a State and does not, cannot, paticipate in the Federal Electoral system nor has uSA Senators nor uSA Congressmen. But all Federal laws apply. It really is a screwed up setup. I think it is also unconstitutional.
Slow Joe Crow · December 20, 2022 at 2:44 pm
How about making Puerto Rico the 138th Hawaiian island, they get statehood but no Senator and all kinds of amusing conflict
JaimeInTexas · December 21, 2022 at 8:28 am
Combining PR with uS Virgin Islands makes more sense.
Still, cut them loose.
Aesop · December 22, 2022 at 3:16 am
Don’t be silly.
The winning move is to sell the entire colony to Cuba.
That punishes both islands equally, while absolving the U.S. of any further trouble.
JaimeInTexas · December 22, 2022 at 5:13 pm
Only if Cuba returns Miami..
Comments are closed.