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They get all of the rights you enjoy, except they don't get voting rights in the Senate or the house. For instance, Puerto Rico has people who represent them in the Senate, but they don't vote.
I know Puerto Rico wants to be a state, at least they did. However, their yearly population isn't high enough to be considered a state. There are some other hurdles they've got to jump to become a state, but I don't remember what they all are. Also, there is a UN rule that doesn't allow certain territories to become states, that may have part to do with it as well.
lets get some facts:
1) Puerto Rico residents are evenly divided around 48% to 48% to remain a territory or become a state. only 3% wants full independence from the U.S.
2) You need at least 2/3 just to be taken seriously for statehood because once you join the Union, you can't get out, just ask the south about that.
3) Puerto Rico has a population of under 4 million U.S. Citizens, that's a lot more than 25 states including Hawaii, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Montana......and so on....
4) The only hurdle is that Puerto Rico doesn't have a solid majority for statehood and pass the statehood act by at least 2/3 of the popular vote. Right now if the votes comes as referendum the Commonwealth voters (remain a U.S. territory) and independence voters will join forces and get 50% of the vote and that's not a solid majority for statehood.
and by the way, The UN never ruled that certain territories can't become states. Where did you get that from? Under the U.S. constitution, congress can make any U.S. territory into a state as long as the majority of the residents in that territory accept it in a democratic referendum because with a new state comes a new state constitution which has to be amended by the PEOPLE of the territory. American Civics 101.
Last edited by Hellion1999; 03-11-2015 at 01:37 PM..
Its a bunch of BS is what it is... they enjoy protection and tax dollars from the Federal government... they get to vote in the primaries... they get to collect social security, medicare, etc... and they pay ZERO federal income taxes to the US... what a load of crap... they are "automatically" citizens of the US if they move over to the states... WTF is going on sometimes with our government...
They collect social security and medicare because they pay those taxes...that is a legal contract.
They pay other local and territory taxes on goods and services which the federal government collects.
They don't pay federal income tax unless they work for the federal government in the territory but they also don't qualify for the EARNED INCOME CREDIT or Child tax credit and other federal income tax credit that millions of Americans get in the states.......50% of Americans in the states don't pay federal income taxes or very little.
if they can't vote for President or have direct representation in congress, they shouldn't pay federal income tax in my opinion.
I think everyone needs to take a look at this video and see the true racism and marginalization of these groups... It's total BS to say that they don't affiliate themselves with the rest of the USA, or that they don't understand our culture.
I don't think the British comedian understands American Civics.
The right to vote for President and have representatives in congress is given by the constitution to sovereign states not individual citizenship. That's how the 13 colonies were formed, 13 sovereign nations under a FEDERAL UNION.....that's the difference between a state and a territory, one is sovereign under the U.S. constitution and the other is not.
if you give a territory sovereignty without becoming a state then we would have 13 original states and 37 territories under the U.S. FLAG. and any territory or occupation would be automatic a state even without the approval of the majority of the residents in that territory....that's unconstitutional and against international laws.
Right now if the votes comes as referendum the Commonwealth voters (remain a U.S. territory) and independence voters will join forces and get 50% of the vote and that's not a solid majority for statehood.
Im not so sure about that, polling has indicated that about half of Popular Democratic Party voters - "commonwealth" supporters - would vote yes in a hypothetical Act of Admission vote. Remember, the institutional position of the party (the soberanistas aside) has always been to support an "improved commonwealth" that would basically be statehood-lite. Things like irrevocable US citizenship by birth, parity in Federal funding, representation in the US Senate, the presidential vote, etc are all features of statehood ... yet are supported by many PDP figures like Rafael Hernandez Colon.
At any rate we will simply wait them out. Sooner or later, the "commonwealth" supporters will be forced to vote for statehood or possibly risk losing their US citizenship and definitely lose it for the unborn.
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