Puerto Rico could become the 51st state -- let's brush up on it!

[truebluefan]

Puerto Rico could become the 51st state -- what do you really know about it?

When outsiders think of Puerto Rico, a couple of things probably come to mind: It's a small island in the Caribbean. People mostly speak Spanish there. It's not a US state but has American ties. They were the Sharks in "West Side Story." (Wait, maybe they were the Jets?) But there's so much more to know.

For starters, the Stars and Stripes might need an upgrade soon: Citizens of Puerto Rico vote Sunday on whether the US commonwealth should become a state.

Some Puerto Ricans are raring to cozy up with America to jump-start a flagging economy; meanwhile, plenty of residents would just as soon maintain the status quo, and others would prefer to break ties all together.

read more http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/09/us/puerto-rico-statehood-vote-2017/index.html

 

[truebluefan]

Puerto Rico Votes for Statehood

Puerto Rican voters overwhelmingly supported the chance to become the 51st state in the U.S. on Sunday’s referendum vote, according to early tallies. It’s a significant gesture from the island, which is a U.S. territory, but low turnout, a boycott by opposition parties, and the likely pushback from Congress, make the decision an unlikely one.

It was the U.S. territory’s fifth referendum vote since 1967, and about 97 percent, or half a million people, voted to become a state. By Sunday evening, only about half of polling centers were finished reporting results, but given the massive margin the end tally will likely be in favor. However, as of 6 p.m. voter turnout was about 23 percent, with some 2.3 million voters in all. This will probably discredit the vote, but Puerto Rico’s Senate president, Thomas Rivera Schatz, said he would continue his push for state hoood anyway.

“Congress never freely gave away statehood,” he told the Associated Press. “U.S. states had to fight for it.”

read more https://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2017/06/puerto-rico-votes-statehood/529941/