Why statehood?
Just declare INDEPENDENCE — The Republic of Puerto Rico.
The Philippines was once a Commonwealth of the USA, they have been independent since 1945. Some 70 years later, it si still a thriving Democracy and VERY FRIENDLY to America.
Can you imagine two more liberal Spanish speaking Senators and several Congressmen from Puerto Rico voting for more goodies and pork?
Can you imagine a Puerto Rican Harry Reid as majority leader of the Senate?
Why not just declare your own country and leave the USA... Learn from the Philippines.
Because that's what's been on the table for decades. They've had several votes up or down and managed to keep the vote right at about 50% both ways. So, the situation remains status quo. BTW, I agree with you, I'd just as soon see them be cut loose.
As for the PI, have you ever been there? I have. I love the country and the people and have never traveled anywhere else where I have encountered such depths of poverty. Following the US pullout of the PI after Mt. Pinatubo blew and then-president Aquino decided to raise the rents on the US bases to an amount we refused to pay, life in the PI got VERY hard. That's not to say that it was any sort of picnic for the Filipinos while we were there but, at least, there was a steady source of money coming into the island.
Since we pulled out, they have managed to remain independent, but they are, essentially, limping along. There isn't much of a gross domestic product to export and the lack of strong industrial base coupled with a workforce that lacks a lot of skills necessary for capital investment makes the PI a weak target for outside development.
While I do not wish the same for PR, I do wish they would simply make a decision one way or the other and just move on!!
Because that's what's been on the table for decades. They've had several votes up or down and managed to keep the vote right at about 50% both ways. So, the situation remains status quo. BTW, I agree with you, I'd just as soon see them be cut loose.
As for the PI, have you ever been there? I have. I love the country and the people and have never traveled anywhere else where I have encountered such depths of poverty. Following the US pullout of the PI after Mt. Pinatubo blew and then-president Aquino decided to raise the rents on the US bases to an amount we refused to pay, life in the PI got VERY hard. That's not to say that it was any sort of picnic for the Filipinos while we were there but, at least, there was a steady source of money coming into the island.
Since we pulled out, they have managed to remain independent, but they are, essentially, limping along. There isn't much of a gross domestic product to export and the lack of strong industrial base coupled with a workforce that lacks a lot of skills necessary for capital investment makes the PI a weak target for outside development.
While I do not wish the same for PR, I do wish they would simply make a decision one way or the other and just move on!!