I'm from Puerto Rico. I don't know how much you guys know about this island, but if you know a bit maybe we can share opinions and info. PR is considered common wealth. We use american money, most stores and bussineses come from the US, english is considered a second language but many things are in english, we are us citizens, our nature reserves and parks are owend by US, all the military bases are US territory, college students get money from US government, families that qualify also get money, our laws are imposed by the US and so on... so in other words it's like a US state but it not. We don't vote for president of US, we don't pay taxes but prices make up for it, jobs don't pay very well, big corporations and bussineses are finishing with the local markets, our beaches are being destroyed by big hotels, military operations take place on our land destroying the environment, and it goes on... since this is considered US territory there's not much to be done... our elections have three political parties, Independence, something called Free Associated State, and the Statehood party. the free asociated state is sort of what we have now, and its a mess. like I said it's like being but not being a state, US gets to do whatever they want with us and we have no say what so ever about the their governmentthey use us and we use them. aparently US is tired of this not a state but not independent crap and Bush has said that we have to decide what we want by May. so whats the point of this post? well I would like to know what people think of all this. here this is a big issue, but what about over there in US. how do people see us, what do they think will happen, and how do you think we will end up. I don't know much about politics and stuff like that, I really dont know what will happen if we become independent. puertoricans have many different views, some think that if we become independent that we will all be poor helpless and hungry, wich is stupid, others carry their american flag with pride, some believe that we will be better off without US. I honestly don't know...I would like it if we were not involved with the US anymore, but I know it has its consequences... I believe in our people, I think we could make it on our own... but like I said I don't know much about politics... I'll just have to see what happens.
Simple, tired of the gringos vote to become independent. The final decision rests with the PR population.
Hmmm...I'm not too informed on this topic, but the way I see it, becoming a part of America will just make you another moneymaker to the corporate evilminds that run our country. Yes, we have many luxuries here that many people in other countries don't, but as a society we are pathetic. I think PR should become indepenant, at least that way you can preserve your culture and your land....
