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Sunday, November 25, 2012

Editorial in the Boston Herald, “Puerto Rican Statehood”

Puerto Rican statehood

By Boston Herald Editorial Staff

For the first time a majority of voters in Puerto Rico, 61 percent, have said they prefer statehood over their current status. Unless they change their minds, in due course the island should be admitted to the Union as the 51st state.

Republicans may not like it; 83 percent of Puerto Ricans residing on the mainland voted for President Obama. The 51st state likely would send Democrats to Congress — unless the GOP starts making more in-roads with Hispanic voters. The United States has controlled Puerto Rico since grabbing it from Spain, the loser in the Spanish-American War of 1898; fairness demands that the islanders decide their own future.

Currently the island is said to be a “commonwealth” of the United States, a status affirmed in several previous referenda. This has advantages that Puerto Ricans, who are full U.S. citizens, could (after further deliberation) want to keep.

The main advantage is that they pay no federal income taxes. They are subject to a military draft when there is one. Though they elect their own governor and legislature, they have no vote for president or in Congress. They do send delegates to the national conventions of the Democrats and Republicans.

Some worry-warts might shrink from admitting a state whose residents speak Spanish. We see no reason to worry. English is often used, and bilingualism is to be encouraged, not discouraged. There are 25 percent more people of Puerto Rican origin on the mainland than on the island.

Puerto Rico is about the size of Connecticut, and would be entitled to five seats in the House of Representatives. Statehood would provide an opportunity for a reasonable expansion of the House, whose districts on average contain three times as many people as they did in 1912 when the membership was fixed at 435.

Welcoming Puerto Rico to the union would be a nice start.

 Link to article: 

http://bostonherald.com/news/opinion/editorials/view.bg?articleid=1061177092.