Puerto Rico Essay Example

Should the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico become one of the United States Puerto Rico is an island in the West Indies acquired by the United States after the Spanish-America War in 1898. Puerto Rico is considered a commonwealth, a nation or state governed by the people, a republic. The capital of Puerto Rico is San Juan. Puerto Rico currently chooses its local officials and decides its own budget and taxes. On four occasions the option to continue a commonwealth, choose statehood, or independence has been put to a vote, and all times the voters upheld commonwealth. Puerto Rico is culturally distinct enough from the United States to justify separate treatment, and want to continue their long standing political and economic ties with the U.S. The greatest concern to Puerto Ricans is maintaining their language and culture. Puerto Rico is currently bilingual, but between 1990 and 1993 Spanish was the official language. The attitude toward English on the island can be described as hostile. There are many pros and cons to statehood. The first is Puerto Ricans will receive taxes from their citizens to build. They will have an open market to trade with all nations that currently trade with the United States. Puerto Rico would also benefit from America’s high per capita income and low unemployment rates. Also by becoming at state Puerto would have a voice in Congress with representatives and senators. There are also many cons that can be argued in statehood. The cost of living will rise enormously, they will lose their recognition as an individual nation in the Olympics, and they would lose their representative in the Miss Universe Pageant, and English would become the official language. In an article written by Robert DePosada explains the biggest concern of many Puerto Ricans and the culture conflict if it became a state: Establishing English as the official language of this Spanish-speaking nation would generate cultural divisions similar to those challenging the