Someone put a question  about Puerto Rican statheood on the Vermont thread ????(because we are in Puerto Rico) so I thought I would do the logical thing and...

So to that question, YES, I and most of my PR family support statheood.  Puerto Rican are US citizens and have been since 1917, but while living on the island they have no say at all in the federal gov't, no senator, no reps in the house, no electoral votes, yet if they move to ANY state in the union, they can vote.

Every territory "annexed" by the US prior to PR was always put on the road to statheood as soon as it was "taken", even Hawaii, although that took a while.  Not so Puerto Rico.  Why?

Maybe because of the racial composition of its population.  We are. after all, a "dark" people, a combination of different "races", but therefore an example of the universal race.  Something difficult for most gringos to understand.  Its like Pete Seeger  sang, we're all mixed up" and not just genetically, mores the pitty

Someone put a question  about Puerto Rican statheood on the Vermont thread ????(because we are in Puerto Rico) so I thought I would do the logical thing and...

So to that question, YES, I and most of my PR family support statheood.  Puerto Rican are US citizens and have been since 1917, but while living on the island they have no say at all in the federal gov't, no senator, no reps in the house, no electoral votes, yet if they move to ANY state in the union, they can vote.

Every territory "annexed" by the US prior to PR was always put on the road to statheood as soon as it was "taken", even Hawaii, although that took a while.  Not so Puerto Rico.  Why?

Maybe because of the racial composition of its population.  We are. after all, a "dark" people, a combination of different "races", but therefore an example of the universal race.  Something difficult for most gringos to understand.  Its like Pete Seeger  sang, we're all mixed up" and not just genetically, mores the pitty


Is there a sign directing people going to the U.S. to go to Holyoke because they get good welfare benefits there? 
???

Is there a sign directing people going to the U.S. to go to Holyoke because they get good welfare benefits there? 
???




When I lived in West Springfield & Chicopee (in the early '70s), I heard that, too. We have been coming to PR almost every year since Carlos & I have been together and I have yet to see such a sign. In fact, I think it was my first trip here (in 2000), I mentioned the sign to Carlos. Whether it existed at one time, I can't be sure but it certainly doesn't exist now. My guess is that it never existed.



Cat

What % of people in Puerto Rico speak English?  ( I mean, good enough to have a conversation in English)
Do you get many Canadian Visitors there?
Do you travel to the other islands around? (Dominican republic, British Virgin Islands)

Is there a sign directing people going to the U.S. to go to Holyoke because they get good welfare benefits there? 
???


Its an urban legend,  and totally false

Someone put a question  about Puerto Rican statheood on the Vermont thread ????(because we are in Puerto Rico) so I thought I would do the logical thing and...

So to that question, YES, I and most of my PR family support statheood.  Puerto Rican are US citizens and have been since 1917, but while living on the island they have no say at all in the federal gov't, no senator, no reps in the house, no electoral votes, yet if they move to ANY state in the union, they can vote.

Every territory "annexed" by the US prior to PR was always put on the road to statheood as soon as it was "taken", even Hawaii, although that took a while.  Not so Puerto Rico.  Why?

Maybe because of the racial composition of its population.  We are. after all, a "dark" people, a combination of different "races", but therefore an example of the universal race.  Something difficult for most gringos to understand.  Its like Pete Seeger  sang, we're all mixed up" and not just genetically, mores the pitty


That was me who fielded that question to your better half, and the reason I asked her in the Vermont thread was that I just didn't know what other thread to ask in.

Anyway, I have a follow-up question. If I remember correctly, during this last November's election  Puerto Rico had a referendum on their ballot letting the voters decide on whether or not they should pursue statheood and this time around it passed. My question is: Now that it has passed, what next? I imagine it takes some kind of action from Congress before a territory is admitted to the union as a full fledged state, but I don't know for sure. Perhaps you could get us up to speed as to what's going on. :)

What % of people in Puerto Rico speak English?  ( I mean, good enough to have a conversation in English)
Do you get many Canadian Visitors there?
Do you travel to the other islands around? (Dominican republic, British Virgin Islands)


Probably about 80% speak English, some better than Cat, but they don't like to

Have no idea how many Canadians get down here.

I have only traveled to Culebra, which is a small island to the west of PR, but is a county of same.  It was once quite controversial because the navy used part of it for maneuvers

That was me who fielded that question to your better half, and the reason I asked her in the Vermont thread was that I just didn't know what other thread to ask in.

Anyway, I have a follow-up question. If I remember correctly, during this last November's election  Puerto Rico had a referendum on their ballot letting the voters decide on whether or not they should pursue statheood and this time around it passed. My question is: Now that it has passed, what next? I imagine it takes some kind of action from Congress before a territory is admitted to the union as a full fledged state, but I don't know for sure. Perhaps you could get us up to speed as to what's going on. :)


Yeah, I know, thats why I started this one.  No offense intended

The election was interesting because while the vote was fairly strong for statheood, they elected a governor who favors the status quo.  Anyway, as I understand it someone in either the house or senate would have to introduce a bill  to admit PR as a state.  I think it would be a simple law, no super majorities, and then get it signed by potus.  My guess is that it would be a hard sell in the house because PR would be strong on the Dem side, and would have a fairly large delegation, so although I hope we get admitted, I'm not holding my breath

Yeah, I know, thats why I started this one.  No offense intended

My guess is that it would be a hard sell in the house because PR would be strong on the Dem side, and would have a fairly large delegation, so although I hope we get admitted, I'm not holding my breath


Wait untill the house of representatives & senate is heavily weighted with Dems to introduce the bill?
If it passes can a President still veto it?

Wait untill the house of representatives & senate is heavily weighted with Dems to introduce the bill?
If it passes can a President still veto it?


Yes, the pres can veto any bill, that's part of the "checks and balances", and if a bill does pass, like Obama's health care bill, the Supreme court can declare it unconstitutional and void it, which they occasionally do.  The congress can over ride a veto with a 2/3 majority in both houses

Now here's a bit of gratuitous info for ya

This guy dies see, and goes to hell.  He discovers that there are more than 1 hell, each nation has one.  So he goes to the German hell and asks the  gate keeper what happens in there.  "Well" says the gate keeper"  first you spend an hour in the electric chair, then you lie down on a bed of nails for an hour, and for the rest of the day this guy beats you with a whip."

"Think I'll try another place"  the guy says, but at every national hell its the same think.  Until he gets to the USA hell, where he's told he has to go to Texas.  "That's worse than all the other" he says.  Then he notices a long line waiting to get into the Puerto Rican hell, so he gets on line and asks the guy in front of him what happens in there.  "well, you spend an hour in the electric chair..."  "But that's just like all the others (except the USA), so why the line?"  "You see" says the guy "the electricity has been out for years, some one stole all the nails, and the guy with the whip signs in for work and then takes off for the beach"

Thanks for the info, and the humor.
Whether PR becomes a state or not, it would be nice to travel there one day. You can give me a refresher course on sailing ;)

1) Is it as beautiful there as the pictures I have seen? All of the pics I have seen have beautiful beaches.

2)Is it expensive to vacation there?

1) Is it as beautiful there as the pictures I have seen? All of the pics I have seen have beautiful beaches.

2)Is it expensive to vacation there?


1 Yes, it is very beautiful, although like any other places, there are not so nice spots.  The beaches are great, so are the mountains, and there are lots of micro climates to make things interesting

2 Since we have our own place here I can't say, but there are luxury hotels and less expensive "paradors" all over the island

Thanks for the info, and the humor.
Whether PR becomes a state or not, it would be nice to travel there one day. You can give me a refresher course on sailing ;)


Sure, but not in PR, I have no boat here, and not next summer.  My boat will stay on shore while we cruise the land

Let me ask you about Puerto Rico,  How many of you would be willing to see PR become a state?  Why or why not?

I'm happy with P.R. becoming a state. You folks already don't require a passport to go there  ( I think)
The US can't make the argument that it's too far from the mainland (because Hawaii is a state) 
But would the people Puerto Rico give up their commonwealth status to become a state?

Let me ask you about Puerto Rico,  How many of you would be willing to see PR become a state?  Why or why not?


I'd love to see it happen, in part because I say the more the merrier, but also because we've gone through the longest period in US history without a new state being admitted and to be honest, I think it would be a cool historical event to witness.  :)

I'm happy with P.R. becoming a state. You folks already don't require a passport to go there  ( I think)
The US can't make the argument that it's too far from the mainland (because Hawaii is a state) 
But would the people Puerto Rico give up their commonwealth status to become a state?


No passport required.  Puerto Ricans are already citizens, got drafted for every war since WWI, and if they live in the states can vote for SCOTUS, just not in they live on the island.  The last plebiscite vent for statheood, so yes, most would like to give up commonwealth