Posted on 06/11/2017 3:58:08 PM PDT by SkyPilot
Puerto Rico's governor announced that the U.S. territory has overwhelmingly chosen statehood in a nonbinding referendum Sunday held amid a deep economic crisis that has sparked an exodus of islanders to the U.S. mainland.
Nearly half a million votes were cast for statehood, more than 7,600 for free association/independence and nearly 6,700 for the current territorial status, according to preliminary results. The participation rate was just 23 percent with roughly 2.26 million registered voters, leading opponents to question the validity of a vote that several parties had boycotted.
Gov. Ricardo Rossello shows his ballot at the San Jose Academy during the fifth referendum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Puerto Ricans are getting the chance to tell U.S. Congress on Sunday which political status they believe best benefits the U.S. territory as it remains mired in a deep economic crisis that has triggered an exodus of islanders to the U.S mainland. Congress ultimately has to approve the outcome of Sunday's referendum that offers voters three choices: statehood, free association/independence or current territorial status.
"From today going forward, the federal government will no longer be able to ignore the voice of the majority of the American citizens in Puerto Rico," Gov. Ricardo Rossello said, announcing the victory. "It would be highly contradictory for Washington to demand democracy in other parts of the world, and not respond to the legitimate right to self-determination that was exercised today in the American territory of Puerto Rico."
U.S. Congress, however, has final say in any changes to the island's political status.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
exactly. and another 3 or 4 reliable democrat electoral votes in every presidential election
I think it would be seven more Democrat House members.
DONT MATTER, DONT CARE!
no way EVER will I support giving Puerto Rico TWO Senators!
you want to be a state? be a PART of the state of Florida!
PR can just side up with mexico or cuba if the US doesn’t want them. Or they can align themselves with the EU or some muslim caliphate if you prefer.
Trump should renounce the 1898 treaty
with Spain
RINOscum
The United States Congress has NEVER allowed a territory to become a state until that territory proved it was financially viable.
What the United States Congress should do is deed Puerto Rico to Cuba for US ownership of the eastern tip of Cuba including towns around GITMO. Then the Cubans would be able to flee Cuba without having to brave shark infested waters.
NY Upstatehood first!
Let’s have a national referendum for Puerto Rican independence!
How about giving the place back to Spain?
Make all of New England merge! Two Leftard senators for that population is quite enough. I say this as a lifelong Boston sports fan who moved away, heh heh.
Well it’s also non-binding. Basically it’s a formalized opinion poll, which means it had absolutely no validity one way or the other.
Combined population of the 6 states of New England is 14,444,865 in the 2010 census. That would make it one of the more substantially populated states, but still far less than Florida, Texas, and California, which have 2 senators each.
[of course I know there is zero chance of this happening, but it is fun to think about]
Cut them loose, they can join the Cuba coalition.
Puerto Rico ping
Rots of Ruc, buwaaahahaha
They want nothing but free money from the US taxpayer, then they’ll vote for nothing but Democrats and corruption forever. Not just no to statehood, but hell no.
Cut them loose, NOW!
No statehood and end the territorial status. Let them be independent and pay their own way. Farewell, PR, and best wishes. Don’t call us, we’ll call you.
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How does this statehood thing work? Where does it go from here?
Does the president have a say?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.