Puerto Rico Research Paper

Running head: STATEHOOD OR INDEPENDENCE 1

Session 4: Academic Paper

Virgilio Estrada

Colorado Christian University

ENG-102A-DT25-FA15: English Composition- Block 2

Professor Elena Bogdan

STATEHOOD OR INDEPENDENCE 2

Introduction:

Why does this particular topic matter? Everything is fine in Puerto Rico rightful the way things are? The reality is that things are not fine the way they are. Puerto Ricans want a new change. They're just not sure what form it should take.

Natives of Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens by birth. Puertoricans

It doesn't make any sense and nearly everyone agrees that it is unfair. There were a few solution for this issue on the ballot for election day. Puerto Rico can sue for statehood, become an independently sovereign nation or redefine their status as a "freely associated state", whatever that is, which seems to be what the situation happens to be at this very moment, but sounds a little more independent. Independence is the choice of those puertoricans who despise the United States and want out. Statehood is the choice of those puertoricans who like being citizens and want to participate fully in the nation's affairs. The third thing is a way for those puertoricans who want something different, but do not care about national pride one way or the other and want to keep some ties to the United States for reasons that seem to hinge on economic advantage. It's those money-grubbing few in the middle who are causing all the trouble. The last popular vote showed that things have not changed much in the last 50 years or so. I remember when I was a child that the most popular choice for the future of Puerto Rico was to remain a commonwealth, like not to become a state or an independent nation. They conduct this vote every few years and that is always the been the top choice. Sentiment goes up and down, toward and away from statehood and independence, but roughly half (45% this time) of Puertoricans always seem to want everything to stay the way the have

Those who want to remain in that strange limbo between independence and statehood like the idea that the federal government pours a lot more into the island in benefits than it pulls out in taxes. They like it that, because they are not a state, they don't get dinged as heavily in many ways. None of the taxing and economic rules for states apply; all such laws that govern the island are custom tailored for it by Congress or by the commonwealth's own legislature. Perhaps the big money people like the idea of influencing laws and regulations more easily. If they were a state, There is no obvious advantage or disadvantage to the people to being the poorest state, though. How does that influence Puerto Rico's view of statehood? Who