# Puerto Rico, the 51st state; some questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2012, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184 "2012-11-07T06:39:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/81 "2012-11-08T18:53:18Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > How many non-US citizens go through the hassle to get an immigrant visa for the US and decide to settle in PR? Are there a lot of Mexican and Salvadorian immigrants in PR? Puerto Rico has large immigrant populations of Dominican Republic and Cuba, a noticeable presence of people with Mexican ancestry (even dating back to Spanish colonial times, the patron saint of Ponce, the south’s main city, is Virgen de la Guadalupe), and also noticeable populations of various Middle Eastern, and even far east (China, Japan) countries. We also have a Jewish community (split into two groups, Conservative and Reform). I am biased, but the best foreign Mexican and Middle Eastern restaurants I’ve gone to are in Puerto Rico (I have not been able to go to the real countries). English is a required second language taught in all schools starting in first or third grade. Some private schools are even all-English except the Spanish class. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/82 "2012-11-08T19:00:45Z")
> [@Donnerwetter](#): > > Which would be really remarkable: Somebody could be elected to the office of President of the United States, but wouldn’t actually be able to cast a vote for himself(?). They would be eligible to vote the second they move to one of the 50 states and register. It’s not really discriminatory, if a Californian moves to PR they lose the right. But AFAIK, if someone from CA and someone from PR moves to the UK, they can both vote from there (or does the Puero Rican need to have a home state?). Someone from American Samoa can’t do either because they are US nationals but not citizens. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/83 "2012-11-08T19:07:44Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > What kinda money does Puerto Rico use? Been there, got lost in old San Juan, but don’t remember. They use US currency, same as the mainland. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/84 "2012-11-08T19:09:56Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I still like the idea of consolidating the territories and making them one state. Yeah, I know. It needs work. But I like the basic concept. All the territories combined besides Puerto Rico would still have a population of only 380,000, or only two thirds of Wyoming. And of course, Virgin Islanders probably don’t have a lot in common with Samoans. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/85 "2012-11-08T19:11:55Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > (or does the Puero Rican need to have a home state?). I believe the Puerto Rican would need to be registered in a state to vote. I’m an expatriate but I vote in DC, my last US residence. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/86 "2012-11-08T19:12:51Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > It’s not going to happen. PR would probably align with the Democracts, and the current house wouldn’t let five more Democrats in. See? I keep telling you guys, “If voting could actually _change_ something, they wouldn’t let us do it.” I stand vindicated. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/87 "2012-11-08T19:16:17Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I still like the idea of consolidating the territories and making them one state. Yeah, I know. It needs work. But I like the basic concept. I like this idea but there’s one problem. Some of these territories have a national identity and integrating them could be seen as taking away their right to self-government, but then there are plenty of “ethnic” areas on the US mainland that don’t have self government - imagine if Pennsylvania Dutch Country was a separately administered territory or if there was a Jewish American Government that ruled over several neighborhoods in Brooklyn and didn’t answer to anyone but the Feds. If I recall correctly, Guam and Saipan were on opposite sides in WW2 (Guam was a US territory and Saipan was Japanese territory), so there may be some “issues” with merging them politically now. While Saipan and Guam are pretty close, American Samoa is really far away. I heard somewhere that there are migration restrictions for American Samoa - is it true that US citizens can’t just up and move there like they can to PR? ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/88 "2012-11-08T19:16:29Z")
^^I believe the Puerto Rican would have had to at least lived on the mainland long enough to have an established address to reference for the absentee ballot. Yes, there is the difference in PR that Spanish is the main language that is taught in schools, but they do teach English as well. Does the language barrier cause that much trouble in Canada, where there are plenty of Francophones that in all likelihood speak English as well? Practically half the countries in Europe have multiple languages in use. WTF difference does it really make, in the grand scheme of things? Maybe it would make the rest of us monoglot Americans more likely to learn Spanish and expand our horizons a bit. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/89 "2012-11-08T19:22:52Z")
… And of course, Virgin Islanders probably don’t have a lot in common with Samoans. [/QUOTE] But most states on the Mainland are multicultural. Pennsylvania has Appalachian hillbillies, urban African-Americans, and the Amish. Do they have a lot in common? They all live in PA… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/90 "2012-11-08T19:25:07Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > The Constitution states: > > So, it appears to me that a resident of the territories is eligible. I’m wondering how much howling would be done by the usual suspects around the country if one such territorial resident were to attempt a presidential run. Barry Goldwater was born in Arizona when it was still a territory. In general this sounds like a sign that a new generation of Puerto Ricans doesn’t care as much as the previous generation about independence. I still wonder if the results would be the same with a more clearly worded referendum. Congress could act without their approval, but it would be a nightmare to respark the old independence issues. ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/91 "2012-11-08T20:41:08Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > No, they really couldn’t. It would require a change to the Constitution. I can’t find anything relevant in the constitution, other than Article 1, Section 2: > [@](#): > > The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative Since we have far fewer than 11,000 Representatives, we’re nowhere near the Constitutional limit. Was there another reference that I missed? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/92 "2012-11-08T21:18:05Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > It’s also a ridiculous snit. There is no official language in the US. Several states have historically had a high proportion of Spanish speakers due to being formerly part of Mexico or a Spanish colony. The world will not end if there’s a majority-Spanish state. For example, the US admitted Louisiana in 1812, when the majority of people in that state spoke either French or Spanish. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/93 "2012-11-08T21:40:48Z")
I found this interesting, googling about Arkansas statehood. > [@Wikipedia](#): > > Both states applied for statehood, and both were initially denied by congressional Whigs because they were Democratic strongholds.[55] Arkansas and Michigan both began to draw up state constitutions despite the ruling. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/94 "2012-11-08T22:09:59Z")
Concerning snits about Spanish: you might also observe that the Spanish spoken by much of the US Hispanic population is actually “Spanglish”, which causes as much consternation to Spanish language purists as English language snit-throwers. What could very well happen with a growing Hispanic population is that the two languages merge, similar to the way in which Anglo Saxon merged with Norman French to produce modern English. Resulting in something with even less phonetic relationship to its spelling, and even more grammatical idiosyncrasies. ---
**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:** [November 8, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/95 "2012-11-08T22:47:14Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > Concerning snits about Spanish: you might also observe that the Spanish spoken by much of the US Hispanic population is actually “Spanglish”, which causes as much consternation to Spanish language purists as English language snit-throwers. What could very well happen with a growing Hispanic population is that the two languages merge, similar to the way in which Anglo Saxon merged with Norman French to produce modern English. Resulting in something with even less phonetic relationship to its spelling, and even more grammatical idiosyncrasies. French had a huge influence on English because it was the prestige language of the minority in England over a long period of time. It is more likely that English would have an impact on Spanish (as is, indeed, happening). Spanish influence on English is there but more limited. I think it would be kind of cool to have the two creolize, but it’s just not going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/96 "2012-11-08T22:53:04Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Barry Goldwater was born in Arizona when it was still a territory. And John McCain was born in the U.S. Panama Canal Zone. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/97 "2012-11-08T23:31:32Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > So, it appears to me that a resident of the territories is eligible. I think it would depend on where else they’ve lived. Someone who has always been a resident of Puerto Rico hasn’t been a resident within the United States for fourteen years. (“The United States” is the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Palmyra Atoll. I suppose there are still viable politicians who could have lived in the Hawaii and Alaska territories at the time, too.) ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/98 "2012-11-08T23:37:51Z")
> [@Learjeff](#): > > I can’t find anything relevant in the constitution, other than Article 1, Section 2: > > Since we have far fewer than 11,000 Representatives, we’re nowhere near the Constitutional limit. Was there another reference that I missed? Nope, I was wrong. It was simply a law passed, not a constitutional amendment as I was thinking. Which is really odd to me. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/99 "2012-11-09T01:20:13Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > They would be eligible to vote the second they move to one of the 50 states and register. It’s not really discriminatory, if a Californian moves to PR they lose the right. But AFAIK, if someone from CA and someone from PR moves to the UK, they can both vote from there (or does the Puero Rican need to have a home state?). The Presidential Electors are elected per state (plus DC by constitutional amendment), so the US expat whose legal “home domicile” is Puerto Rico would not get to vote for Electors. There are no Electors assigned to “Americans Abroad”, only Convention delegates. KG has been running well with this but let’s just do this quick recap: Except for that which has to do with (A) election of US Federal officials and (B) Federal Taxes other than Social Security, Puerto Rico already mostly operates like a US State (albeit one of the lower-income, less efficiently managed ones), except with Spanish as the working language. On all other subjects the relative role of Federal and local laws and agencies in everyday activity is indistinguishable to the average man on the street. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184/100 "2012-11-09T02:54:37Z")
Going back to the original vote: even if the current Puerto Rican government pushed hard for statehood, wouldn’t Congress be resistant to granting statehood based on a bare majority vote? Every other time a prospective state has voted on statehood, the “yes” voices win by massive margins (over 80%). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puerto-rico-the-51st-state-some-questions/640184.md?page=6)