Why did we take over Puerto Rico?

Question

why wont we either offer them statehood or allow them to govern themselves as a country?
should we be there dominating them so?

Answer 1

We took them when we defeated Spain in the Spanish-American war. We won't let them have statehood because they will send two democratic senators to the Congress.

Of course we should not be dominating them. But,the colonial/imperial mentality is far from cured in America.

Answer 2

Puerto Rico has had a number of votes (sanctioned by the US), to determine if they want independence or statehood. This has been done at least three or four times. Each time they have voted for the present status.

Answer 3

There are more PR's here than in Puerto rico. Reagan began clearing the way for them to move over here, because the U.S credit line is based on the average income tax paid over the average lifespan of the average American. Take that, multiply it by how mant PR's have registered S.S's, and that's how much he just increased our credit limit. Make PR a State, and we can no longer deport, or turn away the ones we don't want. Let them govern themselves, and we can't monitor the country so closely anymore.

Answer 4

It was territory grab back in 1898 in the Spanish American War.

Now some in PR like the advantage of not being a state so folk don't have to pay as much taxes and also have some more autonomy. For instance, cock fighting is legal in PR, and many want to keep it that way.

Go to PR and ask around. Sure there are many who want statehood or independence, but many who like it the way it is now.

Answer 5

The US took over Peurto Rico during the Spanish American war. As far as independence, Peurto Rico enjoys the security of American forces! They also recieve TONS of money from the states w/o any/many obligations! Ok, ok! This is a ridiculously simple explenation but Peurto Rico kinda has the best of both worlds.

Answer 6

Puerto Rico, officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Spanish: "Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico", is a self governing unincorporated territory of the United States with Commonwealth status.

Puerto Rico's head of state is the President of the United States. The government of Puerto Rico is based on the formal republican system composed of three branches: the Executive branch headed by the Governor, currently Anibal Acevedo Vila, the Legislative branch consisting of a bicameral Legislative Assembly (a Senate and a House of Representatives), headed by the President of the Senate, currently Kenneth McClintock and the House Speaker, currently Jóse Aponte Hernandez, and the Judicial branch, headed by the Chief Justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court, currently Federico Hernandez Denton, that form the formal government. The legal system is based on a mix of the civil law and the common law systems. The governor as well as legislators are elected by popular vote every four years. Members of the Judicial branch are appointed by the governor with the "advice and consent" of the Senate.

Puerto Rico has limited representation in the U.S. Congress in the form of a Resident Commissioner, currently Luis Fortuño, a nonvoting delegate, and the current Congress had returned the Commissioner's power to vote in the Committee of the Whole, but not on matters where the vote would represent a decisive participation.[25] Because no federal elections are held in any of the unincorporated territories, Puerto Rico does not have electors in the U.S. Electoral College.

Under the 1952 constitution, Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth and enjoys an administrative-autonomy similar to that of a state of the Union. Because it is not a state of the Union, federal elections are not held on the island, but everyone born in Puerto Rico is a US citizen and may vote in federal elections held in any state or incorporated territory as long as the citizen can claim residence in said state or incorporated territory. Puerto Rico does participate in the internal political process of both the Democratic and Republican Parties in the United States, and delegates from the island vote in each party's national convention.

Puerto Rico is classified by the U.S. government as an independent taxation authority by mutual agreement with the U.S. Congress. A common misconception is that residents of Puerto Rico do not have to pay federal taxes. Residents of the island pay federal taxes (import/export taxes, federal commodity taxes, social security taxes, etc.) and some even pay federal income taxes (Puerto Rico residents who are federal employees, or who do business with the federal government, Puerto Rico-based corporations that intend to send funds to the U.S., etc). While most residents of the island do not pay federal income tax, they do pay federal payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare), as well as Puerto Rico income taxes. In addition, because the cutoff point for income taxation is lower than that of the IRS code, and because the per-capita income in Puerto Rico is much lower than the average per-capita income on the mainland, more Puerto Rico residents pay income taxes to the local taxation authority than if the IRS code were applied to the island. Puerto Rico residents are eligible for Social Security benefits upon retirement. Puerto Rico is excluded from Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Puerto Rico receives less than 15% of the Medicaid funding it would be allotted as a state. As statutory U.S. citizens, Puerto Ricans may enlist in the U.S. military. Puerto Ricans have been included in the compulsory draft, when it has been in effect. Puerto Ricans have fully participated in all U.S. wars since 1898, most notably in World War II, in the Korean and Vietnam wars, and the current Middle-Eastern conflicts.

As reagrds to the status of this state as either to align with US or to be an independent soverign state or to be in middle of the two, the debate is still on and the US should make it better for their ( Puerto Ricons) acceptance!

Answer 7

Maybe coz Americans don't want anyone but Americans to be self-dependent, independent. US wants all countries in the world and every part of the world to run on their terms.

What a shame !

Answer 8

They've made it clear through voting that they do not want statehood, and that they are fine with the current situation.

Answer 9

To start Civil War 2.

Answer 10

Why would PR want to be a state!!! They get all the welfare they want without having lying congresspeople to shuffle money there