Should Puerto Rico be granted statehood?

[Libertarian California]

How is becoming a ethnic nonmajority state a crisis? The ability of American culture to withstand such changes is actually a huge advantage in my books, we need more young workers in this country to support our aging population.

The crisis is one of identity, not one of commerce. Whether American culture and self-confidence has withstood the present demographic transformation has yet to be seen.

How on Earth does youth participation in the workforce relate to internal linguistic schism?

Take a guess about who these youths are.

[Mallorea and Riva]

How is becoming a ethnic nonmajority state a crisis? The ability of American culture to withstand such changes is actually a huge advantage in my books, we need more young workers in this country to support our aging population.

The crisis is one of identity, not one of commerce. Whether American culture and self-confidence has withstood the present demographic transformation has yet to be seen.

How on Earth does youth participation in the workforce relate to internal linguistic schism?

Identity is multiple and fluid, the idea that granting statehood will somehow have a new major impact upon the current situation is absurd.

[Goeiehoopland]

The reason that Puerto Ricans want in is that independence would result in a drastic loss of funding and their current situation has them pay taxation for a relatively low amount of support and a lack of representation.

Do Puerto Ricans really want "in," though?

[Shofercia]

I mentioned the Dutch, and the French. The Cajuns, Creoles, Mennonite, and Amish are extensions of the Africans, Germans, and French. The Native Americans did not contribution much on the account nearly all of them died. However, their music and fashion is popular amongst hipsters. I forgot about the Spaniards, but outside of 37,000 Isleños, architecture and city names in the Southwest, and establishing the northern borders of California and Texas, their influence was minute, especially when compared to the English and Germans.

As for the Mexican-"Americans"?

...





A culture that is nothing but abstract ideals is not really a culture, but a way of thinking and perception, which can be adopted by anybody around the world.

If the Native nations had so little influence on American culture, then why do more than half the states have names derived from Native languages? If Mexican-AMerican culture isn't an American Culture, then why is Cinco De Mayo an American holiday and not a Mexican holiday? Do you even know what it celebrates?

WHat about the Spanish influence in the American SouthEAST? Seven states have Spanish-derived state names. Including Florida. And the oldest European-founded city in the United States is Saint Augustine, Florida(A spanish named state).

My idea of American Culture may seem a little broad to you. But that's because American Culture is just that broad. It's certainly not as narrow as your perception of it.

Cinco De Mayo? Wait, isn't that on the same day as Cinco De Drinko? LG, can you tell us a bit about this holiday, because I don't think the Corona Version is the full version

[Frisivisia]

The reason that Puerto Ricans want in is that independence would result in a drastic loss of funding and their current situation has them pay taxation for a relatively low amount of support and a lack of representation.

But we can't have odd numbers or Spanish speakers because that's hard.

So in other words, Puerto Rico wants to become part of the United States, or at the very least wants to avoid independence....

Is so they can leech off the other 50 states?

Doesn't sound like a good deal to me. Puerto Rico can try again when they are prepared to contribute money to the treasury. We've got a big enough debt anyway.

By that logic, we should kick out the entire South because they take more than they give.

[Frisivisia]

The reason that Puerto Ricans want in is that independence would result in a drastic loss of funding and their current situation has them pay taxation for a relatively low amount of support and a lack of representation.

Do Puerto Ricans really want "in," though?

Sure looks like it.

It can look even more like it, though. Give the old people a few more years to die...

[Lunatic Goofballs]

If the Native nations had so little influence on American culture, then why do more than half the states have names derived from Native languages? If Mexican-AMerican culture isn't an American Culture, then why is Cinco De Mayo an American holiday and not a Mexican holiday? Do you even know what it celebrates?

WHat about the Spanish influence in the American SouthEAST? Seven states have Spanish-derived state names. Including Florida. And the oldest European-founded city in the United States is Saint Augustine, Florida(A spanish named state).

My idea of American Culture may seem a little broad to you. But that's because American Culture is just that broad. It's certainly not as narrow as your perception of it.

Cinco De Mayo? Wait, isn't that on the same day as Cinco De Drinko? LG, can you tell us a bit about this holiday, because I don't think the Corona Version is the full version

Cinco De Mayo marks a major victory in a war to keep the French out of northern Mexico. The French intended to annex parts of Mexico and the American Southwest so they could aid the Confederacy. Cinco De Mayo celebrates the Mexican contribution to the Union victory in the Civil War. That's why it's celebrated in the United States and not in Mexico.

[Grossdeutsches Kaiserreich]

So in other words, Puerto Rico wants to become part of the United States, or at the very least wants to avoid independence....

Is so they can leech off the other 50 states?

Doesn't sound like a good deal to me. Puerto Rico can try again when they are prepared to contribute money to the treasury. We've got a big enough debt anyway.

By that logic, we should kick out the entire South because they take more than they give.

Please do. but they're already states and the federal government would murder millions to keep it that way.

Also Texas and Arkansas give more than they take. We're talking about adding a new state, not the status of states that are already part of the Union, correct? Why add another leech when our Union is already struggling to stay afloat?

[Mike the Progressive]

You can't annex territory that's already part of your country.

Oh yeah?

*does it anyway*

[Tekania]

I vote yes, but as I am not Puerto Rican, I only do so as indicated that most of the people vote for status change, and most of them voting for status change want that change to be US Statehood.

[Frisivisia]

By that logic, we should kick out the entire South because they take more than they give.

Please do. but they're already states and the federal government would murder millions to keep it that way.

Also Texas and Arkansas give more than they take. We're talking about adding a new state, not the status of states that are already part of the Union, correct? Why add another leech when our Union is already struggling to stay afloat?

Because these are people, not numbers on a ledger and the Union is not struggling to stay afloat.

[Goeiehoopland]

Identity is multiple and fluid, the idea that granting statehood will somehow have a new major impact upon the current situation is absurd.

It would yield the unprecedented admission of a majority (nearly unanimous) non-English speaking state, which would serve as a catalyst for a much discussed but seldom formally addressed conversation on the status of English in American culture.

Immigrant populations have historically brought their languages with them, only to be displaced by the de facto lingua franca of English within two generations; a minority of the past two decades' Spanish-speaking arrivals have followed this trend. A question stands as to the spread and degree of significance Spanish will retain as a permanent component of American culture; to suggest that no cultural friction will result from the admission of a non-English state is idealistically absurd.

[Tekania]

No, most definitely not. I favor granting them independence more than anything else. Besides they are way too culturally different from America. Besides it'll be the beginning of the end of using English as our primary language.

I disagree on both counts. First, language evolves and chances are that America will develop it's own distinct language that blends English, Spanish and possibly other languages. That's the these things go. Second, Puerto Rico isn't that culturally different. I should know. I'm half Puerto Rican.

I served with many Puerto Ricans while in the navy.... and they were an odd bunch (and by "odd", I mean exactly like the rest of us).

[Libertarian California]

Cinco De Mayo? Wait, isn't that on the same day as Cinco De Drinko? LG, can you tell us a bit about this holiday, because I don't think the Corona Version is the full version

Cinco De Mayo marks a major victory in a war to keep the French out of northern Mexico. The French intended to annex parts of Mexico and the American Southwest so they could aid the Confederacy. Cinco De Mayo celebrates the Mexican contribution to the Union victory in the Civil War. That's why it's celebrated in the United States and not in Mexico.

Or because many of the people who celebrate are ignorant fools who think it's Mexican Independence Day?

[Grossdeutsches Kaiserreich]

Please do. but they're already states and the federal government would murder millions to keep it that way.

Also Texas and Arkansas give more than they take. We're talking about adding a new state, not the status of states that are already part of the Union, correct? Why add another leech when our Union is already struggling to stay afloat?

Because these are people, not numbers on a ledger and the Union is not struggling to stay afloat.

We're a country not a charitable organization. We're having a hard time taking care of our own people and can't even properly provide healthcare for them. It's like having 4 kids, working minimum wage on food stamps and trying to adopt another kid. Doesn't make sense, to me atleast.

I believe the Union is struggling, we've been going through some tough times over the last few years. It's subjective, i believe.

[Lemanrussland]

How is becoming a ethnic nonmajority state a crisis? The ability of American culture to withstand such changes is actually a huge advantage in my books, we need more young workers in this country to support our aging population.

The crisis is one of identity, not one of commerce. Whether American culture and self-confidence has withstood the present demographic transformation has yet to be seen.

How on Earth does youth participation in the workforce relate to internal linguistic schism?

Countries like Russia which have tried to use immigration to counter demographic problems have had significant issues (cultural friction, ethnic clashes, whatever you want to call it). Most of the Western world (as well as countries like Japan) will probably have to resort to similar measures in the future as their population ages and medical/pension costs balloon. Within twenty years many countries in these regions will face a situation where the largest population cohort will be those over 65 and average age will approach 50 years old.

The United States and other colonial cultures (Canada, Australia, and so on) which have had extensive experience with large numbers of immigrants are going to have a much easier time attracting and assimilating workers in the future. This is important because immigration (along with other measures) will be needed to ensure the sustainability of social security systems and to avoid labor shortages.

[Wisconsin9]

Because these are people, not numbers on a ledger and the Union is not struggling to stay afloat.

We're a country not a charitable organization. We're having a hard time taking care of our own people and can't even properly provide healthcare for them. It's like having 4 kids, working minimum wage on food stamps and trying to adopt another kid. Doesn't make sense, to me atleast.

I believe the Union is struggling, we've been going through some tough times over the last few years. It's subjective, i believe.

Puerto Ricans are our people. They're American citizens, they pay taxes to the United States government.

[Goeiehoopland]

That's why it's celebrated in the United States and not in Mexico.

Don't forget that it's a punishable offense to don American flag memorabilia in southwestern American high schools on Cino De Mayo, though.

[Tekania]

I disagree on both counts. First, language evolves and chances are that America will develop it's own distinct language that blends English, Spanish and possibly other languages. That's the these things go. Second, Puerto Rico isn't that culturally different. I should know. I'm half Puerto Rican.

Puerto Rico is pretty culturally different and that's ignoring the language barrier, besides being part Puerto Rico doesn't give you much credibility. If anything your using it as anecdotal evidence which isn't all to popular on NSG. On the language evolution thing, I guess we just have different preferences on how American English should evolve. I recognize that it evolved but I definitely do not want it evolving with Spanish in the mix.

If you don't want American English evolving with Spanish in the mix I might suggest a time machine and going back to the 18th century, because you're more than a century too late on that.

[Lunatic Goofballs]

Cinco De Mayo marks a major victory in a war to keep the French out of northern Mexico. The French intended to annex parts of Mexico and the American Southwest so they could aid the Confederacy. Cinco De Mayo celebrates the Mexican contribution to the Union victory in the Civil War. That's why it's celebrated in the United States and not in Mexico.

Or because many of the people who celebrate are ignorant fools who think it's Mexican Independence Day?

I suspect that most of the 'ignorant fools' who think Cinco De Mayo is Mexican Independence Day aren't celebrating it.

[Frisivisia]

Because these are people, not numbers on a ledger and the Union is not struggling to stay afloat.

We're a country not a charitable organization. We're having a hard time taking care of our own people and can't even properly provide healthcare for them. It's like having 4 kids, working minimum wage on food stamps and trying to adopt another kid. Doesn't make sense, to me atleast.

I believe the Union is struggling, we've been going through some tough times over the last few years. It's subjective, i believe.

A government is at its core an organization meant to promote the best interests of its citizens, Puerto Ricans are our citizens and are best served by statehood. We're not having a difficult time caring for our people and we can and do provide good care for them, though we could and should do much better. No, it's like being a country with infinite money and people we can care for better. Makes perfect sense to me.

No, we're not, we're pulling out of recession though we at no point were at risk of collapse during said recession. It's not subjective, it's entirely objective, and the objective truth is that you're wrong.

[Lunatic Goofballs]

I disagree on both counts. First, language evolves and chances are that America will develop it's own distinct language that blends English, Spanish and possibly other languages. That's the these things go. Second, Puerto Rico isn't that culturally different. I should know. I'm half Puerto Rican.

I served with many Puerto Ricans while in the navy.... and they were an odd bunch (and by "odd", I mean exactly like the rest of us).

Yay!

[Frisivisia]

You can't annex territory that's already part of your country.

Oh yeah?

*does it anyway*

Let's buy the Louisiana Territory again! That little patch above North Dakota is fucking ours!

[Lunatic Goofballs]

That's why it's celebrated in the United States and not in Mexico.

Don't forget that it's a punishable offense to don American flag memorabilia in southwestern American high schools on Cino De Mayo, though.

If by 'punishable' you mean 'turn the shirt inside-out' and by 'offense' you mean real-life trolling to cause a disruption in a public school.

[Goeiehoopland]

This is important because immigration (along with other measures) will be needed to ensure the sustainability of social security systems and to avoid labor shortages.

Way to back up your point's validity, but even still I get the impression that the past half-century's trend of streamlining the production process by outsourcing jobs to China and robots put federal social safety nets in an irreconcilable pickle anyway. The service industry just simply won't yield enough taxable income to support our parents' quadruple bypasses no matter whom or how many people it employs.