Ok, it’s a territory. What does that mean exactly? We don’t need visas to go/stay? We can’t draft from PR I assume. What are the US’s obligations and what are the PR’s obligations to us?
A territory is a possession of the United States that hasn’t yet been admitted to full or equal status with the Union. 31 of our current states were territories, or parts of territories, before being admitted to the Union. Congress is empowered to control territories under Art. IV Sec. 3 of the constitution.
Puerto Rico is actually a “commonwealth” since 1952, and has more autonomy than a simple territory like, say, Guam. They have a good deal of local political control like a state, and are part of the first federal judicial circuit along with Maine, Massaschusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. They have their own judicial system, but cases can be appealed to the federal system much as with a state. They can have their own constituion, but it can’t contradict the U.S. Constitution. They don’t pay federal income taxes, or vote for president, although they can vote in primaries. They elect a “resident commisioner” instead of a congressman, who has only committee voting priviliges. They have a bicameral legislature and a governor elected every four years. Some political parties are pressing for full statehood, but then again, some are pressing for independance and some like the commonwealth just the way it is.
Is the constitution thing just a way of letting PR think they have more independence that they do or is there some meat to the freedom?
Seems odd that they can vote in the primaries but not the (jeez forgot the term) "finals. " Is there some reason for this?
They don’t get the benefit of federal aid like social security, etc, right?
Is the only real benefit to controlling PR the vacation spot and any potential military strategic options it offers?
People in Puerto Rico do not pay Federal Income taxes but they do contribute to Social Security and FEMA. Puertorricans receive Medicaid (or was it Medicare? I know they receive one but not the other), welfare (WIC), FAFSA, and veteran’s benefits.
No, Puertorricans can travel to and from the United States without a visa or passport. The valid default passport for Puertorricans is the US passport.
Yes, the United States can draft from Puerto Rico. All males over 18 must register with the selective service, just as in the states, and Puertorricans have served in wars since World Wide I, shortly after they got US citizenship in 1917, thanks to the Jones Act.
The Foraker Act allowed Puertorricans to vote for the members of one of the legislature cameras, but the governor was appointed by the US Congress. It was established either in 1900 or 1902, and lasted until 1917, when the Jones Act was passed. Along with US citizenship, the people of Puerto Rico could vote for all the members of the bicameral legislature. The governor was still appointed by the US Congress. It was not until the 1940’s when a Puertorrican governor was selected, and the people was finally able to vote for a Puertorrican governor in 1952. This was thanks to yet another law that was passed in 1950.
While I do not know especifically what are US and PR’s obligations, I know that many of the clauses in the Foraker Law passed on to the Jones, and later current law regulating the relationship between US and Puerto Rico.
:o Since World War I, I mean.
Some people argue that is the case, some don’t.
You have to be a state in order to participate in the general election. Puerto Rico is not a state.
Yes we do, but we pay for social security, FEMA, and veteran benefits (there is no shortage of recruits coming from Puerto Rico).
I think the basic original reason why the US government wanted Puerto Rico was the military strategic options. I do know that for being such a small place compared to other places, it has a lot of military bases. I do not know or remember right now if there is any other reason why the US government is interested in Puerto Rico.
Right. More specifically, the power to designate electors for the electoral college rests in the state legilatures, which then passes it on to the people in some form of popular vote. The popular vote for the president himself, which the electors are then expected to follow, also comes from state law. Purto Rico has no electors since they’re not a state, so having a popular vote wouldn’t do much. Not that it does much here… 
Different FROM, not different than. Different from.
In addition, it should be noted that Puerto Rico does not have any Senators. pravnik already covered the Resident Commissioner part.
The reason Puerto Ricans can vote in primaries is because they are not “real” elections. Since they take place within the parties themselves they are mostly governed by the party’s internal bylaws and local regulations of the state or territory in question.
Because PR is not a state, they cannot appoint electors to the electoral college, so holding an election for President would be rather pointless.
Well, maybe, but states have their own constitutions, as well.