good post, lots of good points. I've wondered about that myself (the nondecisiveness of the statehood movement). Maybe the brain drain migration from the island to the upper 48 has something to do with that; I'd bet a solid majority of those who took the guagua aerea would be pro-statehood.
Another factor has got to be the strong statist/democrat influence in local politics there. The same things that we freepers stand against - big government, high taxes, restricted business environment, large union presence feeding from relatively larger underclass - have strong presence on the island.
Obviously, the modern democratic politician is no Truman, Scoop Jackson or Zell Miller - we'll have to wait a generation for men such as these to save that party. Unfortunately, just like here in the upper 48, there don't seem to be any persons of strength on the Puerto Rican dem side of the political house.
The remaining slagheap no-names probably expend half their energy/influence in supporting the kinds of programs that need the poor to exist (the program, that is...). It wouldn't be such a stretch to see that a Puerto Rico becoming a state would mean the death of el Partido Popular. The Hernandez Colon & Sila Calderon's of the island need the present limbo status more than they want what's best for Puerto Rico.
Self-Preservation is the strongest prime-motivator. And I don't care whether it's Old San Juan or the Oval Office, a dhimmicrat is a dhimmicrat where-ever they are.
Well, If that's true, you might just have found a nail the national Dems could be using to boost their number by 2 in the Senate, and some in the house... Not that I'm advocating it, but in the manner of self serving... if PR is a solid Democratic bastion, and Dems keep losing territory and representation in the continenantal US... perhaps adding more states will be something they will advocate.....
Honestly though, PR wants statehood, or independence PR has to take action. To argue Congress give it to us, when they haven't made locally any vocal move is a bit over the top. Squeaky wheel gets the grease...
Of course, we could always just give it back to Spain... after all that was their last benefactor... undoing the peace accords of the Spanish American War, when they ceded PR and Guam to the US.
I don't think most american's have a hard position one way or the other, if 4 Million folks in the carribean want to be a state, I'm sure it would work itself out.. but until folks see they really want it, its hard to make a case for it.