BTW: If I stepped on some toes with those comments, talk to me. You may have some good reasons for supporting it, if you do, and I’d like to here another side of it so that I can understand where folks are coming from who support it.
You did not step on my toes. I support the right of PR to petition for statehood as I support the same for the citizens of Washington, DC to petition for statehood. The difference is that over 70% of DC voters last election voted for statehood. In PR, the bulk of voters boycotted the spring 2017 vote, but most of the 23% who did vote favored statehood. Significant difference is that DC pays full federal tax but can only vote for President and VP. PR pays NO federal tax and can’t vote for POTUS, VP or Congresspeople. Also DC pays a lot more to the feds than it gets back in fed grants. PR has serious debt. In DC, now that the population is approaching 50% white, the situation may change. Also in DC the likelihood of a Socialist Workers Paradise is low as only 20% supported Bernie Sanders last primary. Most significant and shameful is the fact that DC is the only capital of a major country that does not grant full citizenship rights to it’s citizens. I have no opinion as to the status PR should vote for. However, their stated fear of fed taxes does not affect the majority of their people who are low income with children, at least under the current tax structure.