The Status Of Puerto Rico Essay, Research Paper

What Should the Status of Puerto Rico Be?

Puerto Rico is located in the Caribbean Sea. Puerto Rico has been a

Commonwealth under the United States since July 25, 1952 when Governor

Mu os proclaimed the new fundamental law. In the election of 1968, Governor

Ferr favored statehood for Puerto Rico. After his election there were many

unsuccessful efforts to do Puerto Rico into the 51st province. After more

than 30 old ages the inquiry still stands. What should the position of Puerto

Rico be? There are three options for the position of Puerto Rico ( Puerto

Rico ) .

One option for the position of Puerto Rico is to go the 51st province of

the United States of America. A batch of people disagree with this option.

Since presently Puerto Rico doesn t wage revenue enhancements and 60 per centum of Puerto

Rico s citizens are classified as life at poorness, and so U.S. taxpayers

or employed citizens are disquieted that if Puerto Rico becomes a province that

their revenue enhancements will increase dramatically ( Hamill 26 ) . Already 40 per centum of

the people on the island acquire federal benefits ( Buchanan 35 ) . The

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico already costs mainland U.S. taxpayers over

$ 6 billion dollars each twelvemonth. The province of Puerto Rico could be occupants of

the other 50 provinces far more.

Another option is to stay a Commonwealth. Puerto Rico, after

being in Commonwealth for 32 old ages, still can t do the determination of

go a province or taking attention of its ain ego and going an independent

state. Governor Pedro Rossello pleaded with Puerto Rican citizens to vote

for a concluding determination. Forty eight per centum of the citizens voted to retain the

commonwealth position, forty six per centum chose statehood and four chose

independency ( Puerto Rico, See graph on page 4 ) . The bulk of

Puerto Rican citizens want Puerto Rico to stay in Commonwealth, but

the authorities ignored the peoples voices. One of the grounds why Puerto

Rico has remained a commonwealth for so long is of the linguistic communication barrier

between Puerto Rico and the United States. Puerto Rico has ne’er declared

which official linguistic communication it would utilize for good. The official linguistic communication

was Spanish in the late 1800s. Then it was changed to English in the early

1900s. In 1902 Puerto Rico made both Spanish and English their functionary

linguistic communications. In 1990 a member of Puerto Rico s Popular Democratic Party

introduced a measure which would declare Spanish to be the sole of

ficial

linguistic communication of Puerto Rico. The president of Peoples For the American Way

Action Fund told the Senate Subcommittee on July 14, 1989 that 98 % of the

population speaks Spanish and 20 % are fluent in English ( Puerto Rico & A ;

Statehood & # 8230 ; ) . Puerto Rico has no representation because they don t wage

revenue enhancements, but if they become a province so how are they traveling to acquire their voices

heard if merely 20 % of them speak fluid English. Most Puerto Ricans want

to stay a Commonwealth because they say that if the island is good

plenty the manner it is now, so there is no ground to alter.

The 3rd option is to go an independent state. Other

independent states have done good after the U.S. has given them a fiscal

encouragement. Honduras and Panama are illustrations of states that the United

States has given money to better their position. The most ideal illustration is

the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic is similar to Puerto Rico

in clime, topography, location, what they import and export. In the mid

1800s the United States helped the Dominican Republic by constructing their

position up after a civil war. Now the Dominican Republic is the taking

state in the Caribbean Sea. That s why a batch of experts say that there will

be no major difference if Puerto Rico dropped the commonwealth and

became an independent state except for the money issue. Political leaders

state that if the Dominican Republic could run into its demands how can t Puerto

Rico do it if they make more money than the Dominican Republic

( Gonzalez 17 ) .

In decision there are three options for the position of Puerto Rico.

One of them is for Puerto Rico to go a province. Second, is for Puerto

Rico to stay in Commonwealth under the United States. Last, is for

Puerto Rico to go an independent state since the beginning of the last

century. If Puerto Rico becomes a province so there would likely be a rise

in revenue enhancements because about 60 % of Puerto Ricans are considered

poorness. 1990 nose count informations shows that if Puerto Rico becomes a province it will

outrank 26 other provinces in population size, entitling it to every bit many as seven

Congressman every bit good as two Senators ( Puerto Rico & A ; Statehood & # 8230 ; ) . If

Puerto Rico remains in Commonwealth, the lone job is the taxpayers

would be paying the fiscal jobs of another state. If Puerto Rico

becomes an independent state so they will eventually be known as being

independent since about 100 old ages.

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