Donald Trump is President Elect of the United States, and Ricardo Rossello will be Governor of Puerto Rico. The Republican party kept control of Congress.
Statehood for Puerto Rico is a realistic goal. In 2014, the U.S. federal government set aside funds to pay for the first federally-sponsored referendum. Puerto Rico has had four plebiscites, but the results have so far had no effect on the status of Puerto Rico.
When residents of Puerto Rico voted for enhanced commonwealth, the U.S. government reminded us that Puerto Rico is a territory under the power of the U.S. Congress. The kind of special relationship voters chose would be unconstitutional, so Congress ignored those votes. When in the last plebiscite Puerto Ricans voted for statehood, the “commonwealth” leadership cast doubts on the results.
They also failed to hold the final plebiscite, the first federally-sponsored referendum in Puerto Rico’s history, though Governor Garcia Padilla pledged he would do so in 2016.
Rossello says he will hold that referendum in 2017. The Department of Justice will ensure that all the options on the ballot are viable under the U.S. constitution, so the vote should not be ignored.
Ricardo Rossello has also announced that he will proceed with the Tennessee Plan. When the territory of Tennessee had trouble getting action on their demand for statehood, they elected representatives and sent them to Washington. Rossello plans to do the same.
With a supporter of statehood in position and the federal government under the control of a single party, the time is ripe for statehood for Puerto Rico. Sign the petition and let Congress know that you support equality for Puerto Rico through statehood.
4 Responses
Puerto Rico has earned being a state. It gave alot of tax free money to many pharmaceutical cos.& many Puerto rican men have served in the military. Colonial status is no longer fair!
Puerto Rico should seek independence and statehood; set an example for other states and stay away from Federal Government influences beyond the Constitution. Take no subsidies and establish your own economic and security policies that secures a surplus greater than needed for emergencies.
In hindsight independence sounds adequate but because its broad corruption and inadequate leadership puertorico would become another narco state hence colombia
Puertorico pays the highest taxes in the U.S. its time the island gets its full recognition. As the 51st state Puertorico can renegotiate the stipulations on the jones act plus have its voice recognized in congress