There’s widespread disagreement on the nature of the relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico and whether it should ever change. As Puerto Rico grows, its desire to become a state increases. However, the Trump administration seems unwilling to consider this possibility. Just this month, a spokesperson for the White House referred to Puerto Rico as “that country” on national television, while President Trump himself is notorious for engaging in impassioned rants against Puerto Rico’s leadership and the amount of goverment money designated to help the island after Hurricane Maria.
As President Trump and his minions continue to whine about the “crazed and incompetent” government of Puerto Rico, they fail in their responsibility to address the ongoing crisis that is occurring in a U.S. territory. Instead of leading, the President’s administration continues to complain about the amount of aid sent to the island to the extent that they have made up “alternative” dollar amounts to cover their pathetic response to a terrible natural disaster. Trump’s strategy is based on the premise that anybody else — from Carmen Yulín Cruz, the mayor of San Juan, to the Democratic Party — is to blame but him. Instead of providing any constructive effort, his empty rhetoric instead fuels the resentment against foreigners that his base seems to thrive on.
Trump accused Congress of being unwilling to help Midwestern states wrecked by other natural disasters and instead offering an exorbitant amount of money to a place that would “only take from USA.” Seemingly unbeknownst to him, Puerto Rico is part of the United States. Those living on the island are United States citizens, just as American as any farmer from the Midwest.
Trump’s gross incompetence disregards almost three thousand Americans who lost their lives after Puerto Rico was hit by Hurricane Maria. He further disrespects this loss of life by claiming that the death toll had been exaggerated by his enemies in order to make him look as bad as possible. Trump’s ignorant response to this tragedy only confirms a negative sentiment towards many Puerto Ricans who feel as if they are “second-class citizens.” It doesn’t help when those defending the President from criticism claim that he has no responsibility because Puerto Rico is not an official state of the U.S., but rather a territory. After all, they say that Puerto Rico has had plenty of opportunities to join the country but they have refused to do so. The fact the people living on the island are in indeed American citizens has been rendered insignificant.
Puerto Rico currently rests uneasily in a jurisdictional limbo. Those born in Puerto Rico are granted U.S. citizenship the moment they are born. They are permitted to participate in primary elections, but they have no electoral college votes — meaning that they have no say when it comes to Presidential elections. The island pays taxes, but not the income tax, which many people claim is reason enough for disqualification from incorporation. Puerto Ricans send representatives to Congress, but unfortunately, they have no ability to vote. In this sense, Puerto Rico is similar to D.C., and it participates in the political circus without having the ability to affect national decisions that will inevitably affect the lives of those who live there.
Some have described the relationship between the US and Puerto Rico as being “colonial” instead of equitable. If Puerto Rico wanted to pursue the path to becoming the 51st state, there is no protocol for them to do so. The most recent referendum to join the U.S. gained a 97% favorable vote. However, less than a quarter of the population showed up to the polls. The alienation between the U.S. and Puerto Rico is evident, and the rhetoric from the Trump administration certainly does not make things easier. Even though there is some truth behind the President’s remarks regarding corruption within the local government, Puerto Rico is not a foreign developing country far away in the middle of the sea. While it is an occupied territory rather than an official state, the lawful United States citizens who live on the island should be entitled to the same rights and obligations as those who inhabit the rest of the country.
Since its financial crisis, it seems as if many politicians have worked to create more public distance between themselves and the island. At best, Puerto Rico is viewed as a foreign territory that has little to do with the mainland. At worst, it’s coded as a parasite by national leaders. The United States seems to be concerned with maintaining its looming presence around the globe, even if that means clinging onto Puerto Rico without offering it proper representation.
Ash • Jun 10, 2019 at 11:30 pm
Paying income tax is also a benefit of United States citizenships. Oh yeah that’s right, PR doesn’t pay any. PR is a territory not a state. There is a reason for the distinction. The two are not the same, citizens or not. Don’t expect the same benefits as State citizens when you are not a state. There is a difference and as a territory PR gets partial benefits which dollar for dollar out way its contribution to the US. Aside from PR people living in the US, PR statehood is not very attractive to most citizens in the continental US. The last thing we need is another Alabama. It’s sickening seeing how much of our earned income is taken each pay period and it’s disgusting to think what I work for is supporting people who don’t live within the actual states.
Luis Arroyo • May 1, 2019 at 7:16 am
Puerto Rico’s territory party, the popular Democrats ,are out of options. They are really a nationalist separatist party whose only goal is to land bank Puerto Rico for as many decades as possible unto the US finally decides it’s had enough, and legislates independence by Congressional Fiat.
The current independence party or partido independentista broke away from the popular Democratic party decades ago because they were not willing to wait decades, but wanted Independence immediately and were willing to commit violence to achieve that end.
These two aforementioned political parties are one and the same and often lend each other votes or come toghether to defeat statehood in past referendums.
This is exactly what happened in 2017. During the governorship of Alejandro Garcia Padilla and his ruling popular Democratic Party, the popular Democrats flirted with both statehood versus Independence and a statehood yes / no referendum. But refused to move forward because their own internal polls showed statehood would win.
What do you do when you are a nationalist political party whose only interest is to land bank Puerto Rico and the defeat statehood as often as possible while you wait for the US cut Puerto Rico lose?
You boycott every referendum you know you won’t win.
In 2017 the popular Democratic Party complain to Jeff sessions that the proposed referendum was not Democratic because the Commonwealth option was not included as an option between statehood and Independence. Never mind the fact this referendum was designed to choose a permanent non-territorial status. This is because the popular Democratic party has live for decades and claim Puerto Rico is not a territory, that Commonwealth is not a US Territory but rather a valid Sovereign option. The US Constitution and the US Supreme Court has said otherwise. The popular Democratic party does not care what the Supreme Court says, since they can lie all they want in the Spanish language and that’s exactly what they do!
Jeff sessions agreed to include Commonwealth as one of the options and ordered the statehood party and Governor Ricardo rosello to include Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth party / popular Democrats celebrated and mock the statehood party bassoon that sheers would turn to tears and frustration when it became apparent Jeff sessions made clear Commonwealth could only be described as the current territory.
Jeff sessions and the US justice department also made clear options such as enhanced Commonwealth, Sovereign Commonwealth, or improve Commonwealth, could not be included because they were all unconstitutional. The only three valid options were statehood Independence or continuation of the current territory nicknamed Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth party was outraged and decided to boycott referendum.
This left the independence party as the only other party participating in the referendum alongside the statehood party.
But like I said before, the independence party is really an extension of the popular Democratic Party. The independence PIP party for decades has advocated for a statehood versus Independence referendum under the theory Puerto Ricans were rally for Independence after the US (the PIP claims) firmly rejects the statehood application.
But the independence party knows they are talking trash and do not believe their own words.
As soon as the Commonwealth / popular Democratic party announced they are boycotting the 2017 referendum in protest of the definition of Commonwealth as territory, the independence party join the Commonwealth party boycott claiming they were angry over Commonwealth being included as an option. Yes, makes no sense, does it? Why would you join the boycott of the party that angered you into boycotting?
Obviously, but independence party was not boycotting the Commonwealth option….. THEY BOYCOTTED THEIR INEVITABLE DEFEAT TO STATEHOOD 80%-20%.
By boycotting, they artificially inflated statehood Victory to 97%
German Melendez • Apr 17, 2019 at 11:22 am
Well said Elvin Mendez, This is a matter of representation. Gregory, you wouldn’t let an outsider tell you what to do in your own house. Same goes with Puerto Rico. Many of us defend the US. In the arm forces. In my opinion it’s a slap in the face to every veteran that has served and or pay the ultimate sacrifice, when someone with your mentality make comments that are not aligned with the reality we live everyday. The reality is we are American citizens, we need representation and the right to vote in Presidential elections. Equal rights and federal funding is not hand outs. Those are benefits of being a citizen. Or do you think that any of the states doesn’t receive federal funding. Or do you call those hand outs as well. Stop drinking that Kool-Aid….It’s clouding your mind.
Gregory Flores Hertzog • Apr 13, 2019 at 8:56 am
Andrea Alvarado: whether Puerto Rico deserves Statehood or no one’s business except for those who live on the islad. That decision is up to them and they have repudiated Statehood five times. Why don’t you educate yourself about why they deserve to get their 1952 Compact with the United States revised and upgraded, as they have consistently demanded in all five plebiscites, so they can develop their own economy, rather than have to depend on federal handouts?
Elvin Mendez • Apr 13, 2019 at 1:13 pm
Where do you come that we haved repudiated statehood???. If there is a voting day and you decide not to vote your voice becomes fhe one of those who vote. 2017 we voted for statehood. In 2012 we voted for statehood. If you put blank ballots in the voting pole it doesnt count only the ones that are correct count. What are we talking about I Live Here In P.R and we deseve to be a state. Lets stop misinforming others that we didint vote for statehood because that statement is a lie!!
Sofía Lopèz • Jun 5, 2019 at 8:44 am
Lol no bro nobody wants it t to be 51 states, they want 50 states. We would have to change OUR FLAG just because you became a state. We would have to change OUR U.S. SONGS just because you became a state!!
Luis Arroyo • May 1, 2019 at 6:56 am
There IS NO COMPACT.
You won’t find this compact either in San Juan nor the Smithsonian in DC. If doesn’t exist.
Public Law 600 of 1952 ORGANIZED the TERRITORY OF PUERTO RICO with a Government similar to a state with a STATE-LIKE Constitution, ELECTED GOVERNOR & TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE.
Nowhere in that law is Puerto Rico’s 1898 annexation to the US reversed & the island granted separate sovereignty to enter a “BILATERAL PACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION”.