Independence would be very bad for Puerto Rico since it would mean the end of free movement to the rest of the U.S.
Statehood seems like a better option. Unfortunately, it's a political football. If Puerto Rico would be a "blue" state, it would need to be offset by a corresponding "red" state. Maybe eastern California could become its own state.
Long term, statehood seems more likely. Hispanics are generally more socially conservative than the average voter. Within a decade or two, I wouldn't be surprised if most Hispanics vote Republican. Which means there could be a time when Puerto Rico is a purple state, at which time admission becomes much more likely.
I thought Puerto Rico was likely going to be a swing state - though the population is majorly hispanic, a significant portion of the people are staunchly conservative as you said about hispanics.
Therefore, at the moment in Puerto Rico, Democrat-alligned PPD has 13 seats in the senate and 26 seats in the house while GOP-alligned PNP has 9 seats in the senate and 21 seats in the house.
Give DC and PR statehood, balance out the aesthetically pleasing number of 50 as the number of states the US has by merging the Dakotas and either the Carolinas or the Virginias.
carrow - merging the Dakotas or the Carolinas would mean that Republicans would lose seats in the Senate as well as electoral votes. It's unlikely to pass and would probably be unpopular with some people in DC and PR.
Yeah, I think Puerto Rico already would be considered a "swing" state. Also, statehood seems pretty popular among Puerto Ricans. Even though Republicans are opposed to it right now, I hope there's serious discussion of admitting Puerto Rico as a state in the coming decades.
There is one more issue that I didn't mention which is that Puerto Ricans pay no federal income tax. The savings can be substantial, and there are many wealthy people who choose to reside in Puerto Rico (for at least 153 days a year) to avoid tax. So there is a powerful constituency who wants to maintain the status quo.
Independence would be very bad for Puerto Rico since it would mean the end of free movement to the rest of the U.S.
Statehood seems like a better option. Unfortunately, it's a political football. If Puerto Rico would be a "blue" state, it would need to be offset by a corresponding "red" state. Maybe eastern California could become its own state.
Long term, statehood seems more likely. Hispanics are generally more socially conservative than the average voter. Within a decade or two, I wouldn't be surprised if most Hispanics vote Republican. Which means there could be a time when Puerto Rico is a purple state, at which time admission becomes much more likely.
Therefore, at the moment in Puerto Rico, Democrat-alligned PPD has 13 seats in the senate and 26 seats in the house while GOP-alligned PNP has 9 seats in the senate and 21 seats in the house.
The fact that mainlanders hold these real, personal, immediate considerations hostage to stupid partisan politics is horrible.