I was born and raised in PR, but have since moved.

100% of our politics surround this very question. The 3 mayor political parties are one pro statehood, one pro staying with the current status, one pro independence. The first two have always dominated, and only these past elections we had a candidate without a party make a dent in elections.

I'm saying all this to say, that the statehood (or lack of) is a very complex subject for Puerto Rico, both for real logical reasons and also for equally valid emotional ones.

To keep it simple though, statehood is a possibility, in as far as there may be a time where a majority may desire it. However, Puerto Rico doesn't really have much say on, other than voting to say if PR as a whole are in favor of it or not. So far, past votes, the results are no. But even if it's ever a "yes", we don't control it that happens or not. The US does.

> So far, past votes, the results are no.

Technically the 2012 vote was 'yes' but all of the votes so far have been framed poorly. And that includes the upcoming one, which is likely going to make it a waste of time; Puerto Rico needs a simple and clear referedum on 'Statehood Yes or No'.

Which makes sense. Was the 2012 the one with a question in the form of,

"Are you okay with the current status or do you want a change?"

Because we ALL want a change. First, we want to know what the actual current status is. Then we want to know our options.

The GOP will not allow this because it would tip the scales towards the Dems.

US states are in big financial trouble too -- Illinois. Statehood is a distraction, not a solution.

As a non-Puerto Rican, I have my own selfish reasons for wanting statehood: Can we make Spanish an official language already, please? I like the idea of Puerto Rican statehood, because I believe it would force our country (i.e. the US as a whole) to reconsider this issue.

Why would USA want PR as 51? What benefit is there?

PR has more debt that California, and zero industry except for Bacardi rum.

Name one thing made in PR?

We own you but we don't want to give you more rights because we can't figure out how to profit enough of you. Ha! Ha! Ha!

Assuming you were born in the USA, why were you born there rather than in Puerto Rico? Was this a matter of skill and judgment on your part, or just luck? If so, what basis do you have for denying the rights you enjoy to others who live in a territory rather than a state?

Bingo!

Welcome to Earth?

U.S.A was also once owned by another country and it managed to figure something out.

I lived in PR for a few months in 2014, every week I would learn more and more about how much of a disaster that island is.

I wish them luck cause it's going to be hard to get things going again.

So you're suggesting they go to war for independence?

This is the 21st century - any self-respecting democracy should respect the right to self-determination.

> Why would USA want PR as 51? What benefit is there?

Wasn't the USA founded on the principle of no taxation without representation? On a principle of enfranchisement? On a principle of self-determination?

Although Puerto Ricans do pay certain local and federal taxes, they do not pay income taxes like citizens of US States do.

They also pay full medicare and social security tax, but only receive ~15% of the medicare benefits they would be entitled to on the mainland.

The tax/benefits situation is complicated.

Some*

First, not all states pay income tax.

On the other side, you have people with federal jobs that are taxed federally.

Then you have other people with registered companies in the US which pay federal taxes in the US, the state it's registered in, then also pay taxes locally.

-- It's complicated.

> First, not all states pay income tax.

Are you talking about states of Puerto Rico?

In the US, no states pay income tax, but residents of every state pay federal income tax.

Well by that logic, what would the USA want with PR as a colony? Why not let them be free? Because it is the USA. You could say the same about what would you want with $ALL_POOR_STATES_IN_THE_SOUTH, but we want them too!

I think the United States would happily not deal with Puerto Rico and it's tens of billions of dollars of debt, but almost no one in Puerto Rico wants to be 'free' (independent).

Puerto Rican statehood and / or independence is not up to the citizens of PR by themselves, its up to the whole of the US.

The reasons for the civil war demonstrate why state / territory autonomy are subservient to the will of the majority.

Yup, like Lord of the Flies, and in specific:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyranny_of_the_majority

This is also why the Electoral College exists, as annoying as it can be, it makes sense.

Lots of our pharmaceuticals are made there due to favorable tax laws.

There is a lot of pharmaceutical manufacturing in PR. Also, textiles and electronics. Tourism and financial services are also significant. Rum is a tiny sector.

It's my understanding that almost all of it that can has left the island.

Wiki had data up until ~2013 and things haven't exactly improved since then. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Puerto_Rico