Puerto Rico, the 51st State?

[SV Fan]

like 6-7 more electoral votes for the Democrats. lol

 

[wiegeabo]

Here's something else to think about.

With nearly 4 million people, Puerto Rico could get at least 6 or 7 electoral votes. And the magic Presidential number goes up to 273(ish).

 

[wiegeabo]

Blast, you beat me to it!

 

[Marvolo]

My only concern is terrorist using puerto rico to gain entry into the states. If tou dont need a visa to travel from puerto rico a terrorist could get into their state and travel here. But idk maybe that wont be a problem if their borders and security is good. I really dont know a thing about puerto rico. Time to get informed i suppose.

 

[wiegeabo]

It would probably have the same security as Hawaii.

 

[Marvolo]

It would probably have the same security as Hawaii.

I know america has no official on the books language at the federal level, but i dont want congress to have translators for the puerto rican representatives. If they are going to congress they need to be fluent in english or command an understanding of the language. Enough problems in congress. We dont need translation problems as well.

 

[Kelly]

I figured Washington D.C. would become a state first....

 

[Kelly]

I know america has no official on the books language at the federal level, but i dont want congress to have translators for the puerto rican representatives. If they are going to congress they need to be fluent in english or command an understanding of the language. Enough problems in congress. We dont need translation problems as well.

Oh come on Marvolo, Nigeria has over 200 different languages spoken in their government, look how awesome they are doing?

I think we could probably look to Canada for some advice on this if this in fact does happen.

 

[wiegeabo]

English is an official language there.

 

[Kelly]

English is an official language there.

So is French, which was kinda my point.... : )

 

[Dr. Evil]

I know america has no official on the books language at the federal level, but i dont want congress to have translators for the puerto rican representatives. If they are going to congress they need to be fluent in english or command an understanding of the language. Enough problems in congress. We dont need translation problems as well.

They are usually bilingual

 

[wiegeabo]

Only Spanish and English are the official languages.

My point is, since they've had their Federal judges serve in the states, and get a delegate in Congress, their representatives would probably speak English just because they probably use it in whatever jobs they have that qualify them to be elected.

But they also have the right to elect whoever they want, even if they speak no English. I won't begrudge them that.

 

[Mikelus]

Firstly, casted isn't a word.

but more importantly, how can blank votes be counted to any of the options?

The new governor, García Padilla, defended voting blank during the campaign. Is a very complex issue, the pro-statehood party in power did everything to manipulate the results, like excluding a none of the above option (that won the 1998 referendum), etc, etc.

And last but not least:

The verb cast is conventionally uninflected in the past tense and as a past participle. Casted is an old form—examples are easily found in texts from every century from the 14th to the present—but it has given way to cast in modern English. In current usage, however, casted is gaining ground, especially where cast means either (1) to assemble actors for a performance, or (2) to throw out bait and/or a lure on a fishing line. (Both these senses have extended metaphorical uses where casted is likewise used at least some of the time). Many people object to casted, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is catching on and not likely to go away soon.

http://grammarist.com/usage/casted/

 

[Marvolo]

Oh come on Marvolo, Nigeria has over 200 different languages spoken in their government, look how awesome they are doing?

I think we could probably look to Canada for some advice on this if this in fact does happen.

Lol nigeria the pinnacle of civilization and government.

I should have assumed puerto ricans spoke english unlike america most countries like to encourage bilingualism.

 

[wiegeabo]

The new governor, García Padilla, defended voting blank during the campaign. Is a very complex issue, the pro-statehood party in power did everything to manipulate the results, like excluding a none of the above option (that won the 1998 referendum), etc, etc.

And last but not least:

It's wrong, I tells ya! WROOOOONG!!!

 

[Figs]

As long as they pay taxes and contribute I don't mind them becoming the 51st state really.

Voted the wrong option on the poll though.

 

[Mikelus]

I should have assumed puerto ricans spoke english unlike america most countries like to encourage bilingualism.

Many Puerto Ricans do, but many don't:

According to a study by the University of Puerto Rico, nine of every ten Puerto Ricans residing in Puerto Rico do not speak English at an advanced level. More recently, according to the 2005–2009 Population and Housing Narrative Profile for Puerto Rico, among people at least five years old living in Puerto Rico in 2005–2009, 95 percent spoke a language other than English at home. Of those speaking a language other than English at home, 100 percent spoke Spanish and less than 0.5 percent spoke some other language; 85 percent reported that they did not speak English "very well."

http://forums.superherohype.com/showpost.php?p=23612233&postcount=1

Puerto Rico could become the Quebec of the United States because of the language and cultural differences, plus the Caribbean country has the right to compete in the Olympics and international events, I don't think most Americans will accept that. Puerto Ricans love their national teams, they want to keep them. This could work if the United States became a Federation of nations like the European Union, where every state is sovereign, but shares part of its sovereignty with other states, but I don't think is going to happen anytime soon, if ever. This is why I think the best solution for Puerto Rico and the United States is a Free Association pact: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associated_state

 

[Marvolo]

Yeah if they want to be a state they are going need to be all in. Follow the same guidelines of every other state. I dont want them competing against us.

 

[Kelly]

Many Puerto Ricans do, but many don't:

According to a study by the University of Puerto Rico, nine of every ten Puerto Ricans residing in Puerto Rico do not speak English at an advanced level. More recently, according to the 2005–2009 Population and Housing Narrative Profile for Puerto Rico, among people at least five years old living in Puerto Rico in 2005–2009, 95 percent spoke a language other than English at home. Of those speaking a language other than English at home, 100 percent spoke Spanish and less than 0.5 percent spoke some other language; 85 percent reported that they did not speak English "very well."

http://forums.superherohype.com/showpost.php?p=23612233&postcount=1

Puerto Rico could become the Quebec of the United States because of the language and cultural differences, plus the Caribbean country has the right to compete in the Olympics and international events, I don't think most Americans will accept that. Puerto Ricans love their national teams, they want to keep them. This could work if the United States became a Federation of nations like the European Union, where every state is sovereign, but shares part of its sovereignty with other states, but I don't think is going to happen anytime soon, if ever. This is why I think the best solution for Puerto Rico and the United States is a Free Association pact: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associated_state

Possibly, but the make up of our Federal System is far different than that of Canada, so I don't think it could be as big of an obstacle....

 

[Kelly]

I don't necessarily like the wording of the poll.....yes if Puerto Rico has a good majority that want to become a state, more power to them, necessarily the 51st state? who knows....

 

[Dr. Evil]

Puerto Rico becomes a state, none of these athletes will make it to the next Olympics in Rio de Janeiro:

http://www.london2012.com/country/puerto-rico/athletes/index.html

 

[Baramos]

I'd be fine with it. I could care less if they speak Spanish, so do many people here on the mainland. It doesn't affect my daily life that people I haven't even met and probably won't meet speak Spanish as their first language. Who cares? It's like when people complain about teachers speaking Spanish to kids who only know Spanish: who cares? They aren't going to understand English and why in the world do you care if they're speaking in Spanish? Big whoop. It'd only ever be to their disadvantage to never learn English, it's not going to affect YOUR life.

I think what they're really afraid of is a bunch of people walking around happily speaking Spanish for the rest of their life with no real consequences. So they try to manufacture consequences by making English the official language or refusing to fund ESL programs in schools.

Anyway, I heard they don't even want to become a state, so the question is somewhat moot, but who in the world would care if they did?

 

[Marvolo]

I'd be fine with it. I could care less if they speak Spanish, so do many people here on the mainland. It doesn't affect my daily life that people I haven't even met and probably won't meet speak Spanish as their first language. Who cares? It's like when people complain about teachers speaking Spanish to kids who only know Spanish: who cares? They aren't going to understand English and why in the world do you care if they're speaking in Spanish? Big whoop. It'd only ever be to their disadvantage to never learn English, it's not going to affect YOUR life.

I think what they're really afraid of is a bunch of people walking around happily speaking Spanish for the rest of their life with no real consequences. So they try to manufacture consequences by making English the official language or refusing to fund ESL programs in schools.

Anyway, I heard they don't even want to become a state, so the question is somewhat moot, but who in the world would care if they did?

Actually the majority just voted to become a state. Hence why this thread was created.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Ah man, Milhouse is no longer going to be governor of Puerto Rico.

 

[Soapy]

Kelly, why do you use so many elipses?