# (Poll) Should Puerto Rico become a state of the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 23, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698 "2012-04-23T16:00:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/21 "2012-04-23T21:26:23Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I voted yes because then I’d stop having to argue with people who insist Puerto Rico isn’t part of the United States. Doesn’t work with New Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/22 "2012-04-23T22:17:42Z")
I have no strong feelings on this one way or another, but I kind of agree with **Dr. Drake** : the US needs a state with a non-English-speaking majority, so that it can break down the barriers of fear, learn a little flexibility, and have more in common with the experience of other multilingual/multicultural countries. Like, say, Canada. Also, I suspect this would help the spread of metric. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/23 "2012-04-23T22:39:40Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The population of the latter three is far below a reasonable threshhold for the assignment of a Representative in the House. It would seem especially bizarre to assign them Senators, when even combined they’d have far fewer people than any other state. Well, okay, we’ll make Samoa County, Guam County, and Mariana County part of Hawai’i, and South Virginia County a part of Puerto Rico or Florida, your choice. The senator issue seems sort of silly given the differences between the population represented by senators from California and Texas and those from Alaska and Wyoming, and of course a lot of the tiny eastern states only get so many senators because of unique historical circumstances. I think assigning senators to the far-flung territories based on the same criteria is fine, and of course for those three areas we’re only talking about a total of three representatives out of 435, so I doubt they’d be able to use their might to push through some sort of pan-Islander agenda, but if you’re really worried about it, see the first paragraph above. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/24 "2012-04-23T22:54:20Z")
Certainly if they want to. And if they want to remain a territory, or go independent if they like as well. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/25 "2012-04-23T23:28:07Z")
Puerto Rican Nationalist here-I vote for independence. They should join a Caribbean “Super Sate” (PR, DR/Haiti/Jamiaca, Lesser Antilles. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/26 "2012-04-24T03:00:45Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Puerto Rican Nationalist here-I vote for independence. > They should join a Caribbean “Super Sate” (PR, DR/Haiti/Jamiaca, Lesser Antilles. The Dominican would no more join with Haiti than they would vote to blow themselves up with nuclear weapons. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/27 "2012-04-24T04:04:03Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I have no strong feelings on this one way or another, but I kind of agree with **Dr. Drake** : the US needs a state with a non-English-speaking majority, so that it can break down the barriers of fear, learn a little flexibility, and have more in common with the experience of other multilingual/multicultural countries. Like, say, Canada. You _want_ to import Canada’s language wars…? :dubious: Anyway, I’m happy with whatever the Puerto Ricans vote for - though if independence is an option and they went with that, I’d be kinda sad. The status quo seems pretty good to me (and, evidently, to most Puerto Ricans in past referendums), though if it did become a state, that would at least have the benefit of shaking things up a bit. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/28 "2012-04-24T05:34:05Z")
I accidentally said that I was not an american, but I do think PR should become a state (if they vote that way). Constitutionally, I don’t think it can happen in our political climate though. Doesn’t the Senate and House have to approve it by majority or 2/3’s vote or something like that? I don’t see the republicans ever voting for them to become a state, even if 100% of the population of PR wants to become a state. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/29 "2012-04-24T06:09:53Z")
The last reports I’ve read indicated that most people in Puerto Rico want their own independent country. Unless an over whelming majority want statehood (like 90%) why should we drag them into a country they don’t want to join? ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/30 "2012-04-24T06:18:14Z")
Will the US benefit in any way from Puerto Rico becoming a state? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/31 "2012-04-24T07:03:11Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > No. The number Fifty is just too pretty and nice and round. Fifty one is just ugly. It looks like you aimed for fifty and missed. I say let Puerto Rico in if they can get 75% in a referendum. Should that happen, I propose keeping **Hermitian** happy by ceding Arizona to Mexico. (Would anyone really miss it? And think what fun Sheriff Arpaio would have down there) ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/32 "2012-04-24T07:21:43Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The last reports I’ve read indicated that most people in Puerto Rico want their own independent country. > > Unless an over whelming majority want statehood (like 90%) why should we drag them into a country they don’t want to join? Huh? What reports are you reading? The independence movement has in recent decades had very little support. In the '98 referendum, it got about 2.5% of the votes. Heck, in 2008 the independence party had less than [5% of the vote](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rican_independence_movement#Current_approaches). Where are you getting that “most people” want independence? ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/33 "2012-04-24T07:33:19Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > If PR did become a state, I expect it would really wind up my backyard neighbor. A few years ago, he stopped while I was working in the yard to tell me that someone was sneaking thru my yard at night, someone like the foreigners that lived next door to me - the Puerto Ricans. :rolleyes: We haven’t spoken since that day, but I’m sure he’s relieved that the “foreign” Puerto Rican lady sold her house to a nice young white family a couple of years ago. :rolleyes: I’m not quite sure why “foreign” gets the rolly-eye treatment…Puerto Ricans may be US citizens, but the island has a very different culture, history and identity from anything in the mainland US. It also has some trappings of a “nation” (e.g., the Puerto Rican Olympic team). Your neighbor may have _problems_ with Puerto Ricans, but that’s a different matter than whether or not the island and its inhabitants can justifiably be called “foreign”. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/34 "2012-04-24T07:36:44Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > Huh? What reports are you reading? The independence movement has in recent decades had very little support. In the '98 referendum, it got about 2.5% of the votes. Heck, in 2008 the independence party had less than [5% of the vote](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rican_independence_movement#Current_approaches). Where are you getting that “most people” want independence? My head is being scratched too. [Random link](http://www.proenglish.org/news/mainstream-media/571-puerto-riconew-political-status-poll.html) 2011. Summary: 4% want independence. 35% want Commonwealth (the status quo). 41% want to be a state. The current vote has two steps: 1. a) should it remain a Commonwealth? or b) should it not, and we should have a vote to find out what it becomes 2. should it be a) a state b) a Commonwealth c) independent or maybe 2b) is not an option, I am honestly fuzzy there ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/35 "2012-04-24T08:44:47Z")
Not American. If they want to, yes; if they don’t want to, no. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698/36 "2012-04-24T14:08:06Z")
I’m American and voted no. My primary concern is that, like it or not, there is a strong nationalist streak in most Puerto Ricans. As Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis found out the hard way, joining the Union is not reversible! Even if Puerto Ricans voted for statehood in a futre election, and were admitted as the 51st state, Puerto Rican nationalism wouldn’t disappear. A secessionist movement would arise almost as soon as the statehood celebrations ended. Even if that secessionist movement were only supported by a minority (say, 10%) or Puerto Ricans, that’s too many. Past referenda indicate Puerto Ricans are unsure of what they want. Until such time as an overwhelming majority of Puerto Ricans is enthusiastically pro-statehood, I think it’s a bad idea. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-puerto-rico-become-a-state-of-the-us/619698.md?page=1)