Puerto Rico to hold statehood referendum amid disillusion

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


DÁnica Coto, Associated Press
Updated 4:34 pm CDT, Saturday, May 16, 2020

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Gov. Wanda Vázquez announced on Saturday that she will hold a nonbinding referendum in November to decide whether Puerto Rico should become a U.S. state, a move that comes amid growing disillusion with the island’s U.S. territorial status.

For the first time in the island’s history, the referendum will ask a single, simple question: Should Puerto Rico be immediately admitted as a U.S. state?

It’s an answer that requires approval from U.S. Congress and a question that outraged the island’s small group of independence supporters and members of the main opposition Popular Democratic Party, which supports the status quo. But it’s a gamble that members of the governor’s pro-statehood party are confident will pay off given that Puerto Rico has struggled to obtain federal funds for hurricanes Irma and Maria, a string of recent strong earthquakes and the coronavirus pandemic amid growing complaints that the island does not receive fair and equal treatment.

“Everything important in life carries some risk,” said former Puerto Rico governor Carlos Romero Barceló, a member of the Progressive New Party.

Previous referendums have presented voters with more than one question or various options, including independence or upholding the current territorial status, but none have been so direct as the one scheduled to be held during the Nov. 3 general elections.





Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/article/Puerto-Rico-to-hold-statehood-referendum-amid-15275107.php

[Igel]

1. Ask it often enough, eventually you'll get the right answer.

And maybe even with sufficient turnout, but I've seldom seen turnout or quorum requirements stand in the way.

[MichMan]

8. Just like school millage elections

Doesn't matter if they get turned down, just keep scheduling them hoping people lose interest

[DavidDvorkin]

2. Approval by Congress only requires a simple majority in both houses

So if PR votes for statehood and the Dems take the Senate in November, statehood could follow next year.

[Sgent]

3. Its got pluses and minuses for PR

the biggest one being the Jones Act (ask Hawaii and Alaska how that's working out).

[quakerboy]

6. Its got pluses and minuses for everyone

But its a decision that needs to get made rather than deferred over and over.

On edit.. It would appear that PR already operates under the Jones act. So.. How does becoming a state change anything?

[The Magistrate]

4. They Should Be a State, Ma'am

For that matter so should the District. It is flat wrong that there are citizens who have no Federal representation, because of where they live.

[Salviati]

5. Absolutely.

If the 580,000 residents of Wyoming deserve a Representative and two Senators, then the 700,000+ residents of Washington DC do as well.

(The 3.2 million in Puerto Rico go without saying. I hope they go for it)

[rickyhall]

7. Go for it. DC, too.

[oldsoftie]

9. What about independence? Many want that as well.

Vote on all 3 options.

[regnaD kciN]

10. That's what they've done in the past...

...and "keep the status quo" won, because statehood and independence split the vote.

[Jake Stern]

11. Sick of these "nonbinding" votes

Either become a state or transition to independence, no more of this hybrid territory/quasi-independent nation bullshit.

[JCMach1]

12. DC, VI and American Samoa if they want it as well...

We need to push and push hard to erase some of the Senate BS as it relates to population... I would enjoy watching McConnell melt into a puddle...