What is more likely for Puerto Rico:Statehood,Independence or Status Quo?

[Mike67]

What do y'all think is more likely for Puerto Rico in the future? Do y'all think that they will be granted Statehood,they're given their Independence or the Status Quo is maintained and they stay as a Territory?  I think the most likely things to happen for Puerto Rico are either maintaining the Status Quo as a Territory or the US gets tired of Puerto Rico's finantial problems and grants them Independence.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Whatever they want, they can probably give Trump a big break on some hotel deals in return for it.

[Virginiá]

I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that if it becomes a state, it will be a highly partisan affair. Democrats would have to be the ones to do it most likely, and Republicans would fight it tooth and nail because of the 2 Senators and House Reps it would introduce that would probably often be Democratic. Same for DC Statehood, but even more partisan as those Senators/Rep would definitely be guaranteed Democrats. Worth noting too is that As I understand it, American tax policy changes actually triggered their economic problems, no? Seems unfair for us to "get tired" of their problems when we caused them.

My personal opinion on them is that they should be made a state or given independence, but no territorial purgatory. I'd prefer the statehood option.

[Mike67]

I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that if it becomes a state, it will be a highly partisan affair. Democrats would have to be the ones to do it most likely, and Republicans would fight it tooth and nail because of the 2 Senators and House Reps it would introduce that would probably often be Democratic. Same for DC Statehood, but even more partisan as those Senators/Rep would definitely be guaranteed Democrats. Worth noting too is that As I understand it, American tax policy changes actually triggered their economic problems, no?

My personal opinion on them is that they should be made a state or given independence, but no territorial purgatory. I'd prefer the statehood option.

I lean toward giving them independence(The same with American Samoa and Federated States of Micronesia). I would at this point make Washington D.C. a State with full representation before Puerto Rico.

[DrScholl]

Independence has always been the least popular choice there and with the financial problems, it's not going to happen. The existing territorial status is the most likely option at this point.

[angus]

What do y'all think is more likely for Puerto Rico in the future? Do y'all think that they will be granted Statehood,they're given their Independence or the Status Quo is maintained and they stay as a Territory?  

I strongly feel that it should be a state.  If they're going to carry US Passports, then they should bear the burden of taxes, social security, and import tariffs like the rest of us, and they should bear the burden of defense, and they should also have full voting representation in the congress.  Also, Mississippi and New Mexico would no longer duke it out every year to see which is the poorest state.  With Puerto Rico in the union, they could fight over being the second-poorest state.  

But "should" is a normative proposition, and it has no place in legitimate debate.  The reality is that they have not traditionally wanted statehood.  In my visits to Puerto Rico, I have asked many puertorriqueños and puertorriqueñas about this, and while some would prefer statehood--and a few want complete independence--the majority cite the advantages they enjoy in the current arrangement.  Puertorriqueños have visited this issue time and time again.  Previous referenda on the political status of Puerto Rico have been held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, and in each case, a majority voted that it should remain a Commonwealth of the United States, which is the status quo.  Typically 40-45% vote for statehood, 50-55% vote for the "semi-autonomous free association" status (Commonwealth of the US), and about 5% choose independence, and this had been fairly consistent for a generation.

However, things are looking up.  The most recent referendum, I believe, was on November 6, 2012.  On that day, for the first time ever, a majority of puertorriqueños voted for statehood.  61% chose full statehood, with 33% for the commonwealth status, and 6% for outright independence.  It was big news.  I posted about it here.  It'll be interesting to see if subsequent referenda show that this is real, and not an extemporaneous measure.  If the majority continue to vote for statehood, then the US government needs to get the wheels turning to make it happen.

Unfortunately our government is too busy looking into more important matters like what bathroom you should be allowed to use, so it might not happen in the near term even if the people of Puerto Rico again vote for statehood. 

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

As Virginia noted, the pubs aren't letting the Senate get 2 more democrats and the house more democrats......just not going to happen.

They're going to be in territory purgatory forever, I believe.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Puerto Rico is a very conservative place -iberals who think PR would be a good vote bank might regret it.

[Dr. Arch]

Puerto Rico is a very conservative place -iberals who think PR would be a good vote bank might regret it.

Republicans are almost universally detested in PR, even the conservative party in PR is mostly composed of Democrats.

[Famous Mortimer]

Puerto Rico is a very conservative place -iberals who think PR would be a good vote bank might regret it.

Hispanics don't vote Democratic based on social issues. If they did, New York City would have competitive elections.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Puerto Rico is a very conservative place -iberals who think PR would be a good vote bank might regret it.

Hispanics don't vote Democratic based on social issues. If they did, New York City would have competitive elections.

Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico are quite different from Puerto Ricans who have moved to the Mainland, from what I understand.  I think it would start off voting Democratic, but I could see it going Republican in the future, especially if the mid-21st Century battle is something like 70% of whites and half of Latinos against the remaining whites, Latinos, and virtually all blacks.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Puerto Rico is a very conservative place -iberals who think PR would be a good vote bank might regret it.

Republicans are almost universally detested in PR, even the conservative party in PR is mostly composed of Democrats.

Yes, but I would wager PR congressmen would function as sort of a turbo-charged Hawaii for a good few decades - i.e. just demanding earmarks and pork at every single juncture. Which is fair enough (they would be reliable fodder for voting for the Speaker etc.) but may get tiresome after a while.

[Dr. Arch]

Puerto Rico is a very conservative place -iberals who think PR would be a good vote bank might regret it.

Republicans are almost universally detested in PR, even the conservative party in PR is mostly composed of Democrats.

Yes, but I would wager PR congressmen would function as sort of a turbo-charged Hawaii for a good few decades - i.e. just demanding earmarks and pork at every single juncture. Which is fair enough (they would be reliable fodder for voting for the Speaker etc.) but may get tiresome after a while.

Trust me; repetitiveness and monotony is the hallmark of Puerto Rican politics. They had a chance to elect a great independent governor for the first time this cycle after being run over by the two-party system there, and they chose not to and just voted for the other party as they always do.