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| Category: | Commentary and Philosophy Non-Fiction |
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Posted: | November 25, 2020 Views: 22 |
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A Matter Of Puerto Rican Statehood
"Jaw Jacks Number Three"
by Brett Matthew West
On Election Day 2020, Puerto Ricans chose statehood. Well, bully for them. And, Pedro Pierluisi, the new Governor-Elect of the island country, has stated he is in the process of speaking to members of Congress and senators "with the purpose of carrying out the referendum and demanding that it be answered."
With 52 percent of Puerto Ricans voting for statehood, this makes the sixth vote since 1967 on Puerto Rico's status as a U.S. territory.
The results of this latest referendum led to Democratic Congressman Darren Soto, the first Senator of Puerto Rican descent from Florida, to proclaim, "The people of Puerto Rico spoke and we should be admitting them as a state in the Union along with the District of Columbia."
Hold the horses a moment. Should they be? Let's look at some pertinent facts before we blindly give Puerto Rico the keys to the million dollar vault. Perhaps a divided Senate has a different opinion than Soto boasts.
For instance, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refers to Puerto Rican statehood as both "radical" and "full-bore socialism." On top of that, a Democratic-controlled Senate is still at least ten Republican votes short of passing the bill to make Puerto Rican statehood occur.
Along with current unresolved major issues, such as an unsettled Presidential election all its very own, the U.S. is dealing with other potential reasons not to make Puerto Rico a state at this time.
Included in this is Puerto Rico's use of Spanish, not English, as their official language. Other reasons are a low per capita income, a high poverty rate, and a labor force that lags in the number employed. Are these really additional problems the U.S. needs to take on at this time?
Ponder this, Puerto Rico is a colony, and statehood likely will not improve the overall quality of life there. The country also has many issues that need to be worked out before favorable consideration should be granted. These involve political leadership on the island that is not corrupt, as it historically has been, and the right to manufacture goods to be distributed outside of the U.S..
While forty Democrats may support Puerto Rican statehood at this time, sixty other Senators see the light and disagree. Until such time as multiple issues are resolved, just because Puerto Rico passed a referendum to become a state does not necessarily mean the honor automatically becomes something they are entitled to.
Let Puerto Rico get its act together, and mend the errors of its ways, then perhaps statehood could be afforded the unincorporated territory in the distant future.
Author Notes
You can agree with me. You can disagree with my viewpoint. However, Jaw Jacks are intended to be opinion pieces.
Flamingo Night, by helvi2, selected to complement my commentary.
So, thanks helvi2, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my commentary.
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