Puerto Rico Essay

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With the building pressure of Puerto Ricans vote for statehood last year resulted in majority voting to become a state (Alessandra Potenza, P21) , brings up the question should Puerto Rico become an US state? Puerto Rico's lack of jobs, citizens, government , and conflicts with United states of America are reasons to why becoming a state would only harm the US. The territory's economy is getting worse and more of a mess. Peurto Rico's unemployment has been steadily decreasing during the year of 2013, but started to increase a bit during June through October. Then it started to drastically decreased. In November and December 2013, the unemployment rate increased by five percent. (Robert Slavin, Unemployment Jump) In the past ten years the unemployment rate has overall increaed from 11. 9 to 15. 5 percent. Every non-farming employment in Puerto Rico has decreased in the past ten years. (Bureau of Labor Statics) Among all the problems in Puerto Rico is has the third most debt of any American territory, only behind the states, California and New York. Even though it is no where close to the same size of either state. Puerto Rico is owing between 52 million and 70 million. (Puerto Rico's debt, The Economist) Puerto Ricans have many freedoms as an American Citizen is. They are easily compared to an American Citizen. The only thing they are missing out on being in Puerto Rico compared to United States of America is the right to vote for the president and the need to pay any federal taxes. They have their own government with a governor in charge. They share the same president as the United States of America citizens. In 2003, the census reported that an estimate of 48. 9 percent of all Puerto Ricans are living in United States of Amer... ... middle of paper ... ...that giving Puerto Rico 2 billions dollars will stabilize their economy, though there are no results of the publication. (Puerto Rico Bailout, Reuters) Even if someone had an idea to bailout or save Puerto Rico, in 2013 the US Congress has an all time low agreement rating of 14 percent. With the declining approval from the American congress, even if the bill that will get Puerto Rico getting state hood, gets to the congress, there is a small chance of being passed with the low 14 percent. (Edwards-Levy, Poll:Congress) With the all the flaws of Puerto Rico's citzens, government, and economy, the territory has no chance becoming a state. With a huge debt as Puerto Rico, it will cause a trouble trying to bail them out. It is much better allowing the local government to try to fix. United States of America will only be harmed by the territory worse than it currently is.

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