Get the heck outta here. The white were better warriors. They were smarter. The white man had better vision for the land as you are witnessing today. The white man have flaws, too numerous. The white man has better know how. The native, brown, and black man should take note and fall in line. Stop crying. 😢😢😢😢
@@yassontheroad4038 there was no social media back then, most Americans were just trying to survive...yes some were ticked off that the USS Maine battleship exploded killing more than 250 U.S Sailors....so this comment is boring fake news.
Simple answer. The 2 party system would never allow it. That's the flaw of the 2 party system. One party would be inherently against a 51st state depending on what the political demographic of the territory is. The only way we get a 51st state in the US is if we get a 52nd state that gives electorals to the opposing party and new senators. As long as the 2 party system exists, we probably will never see a 51st state.
Puerto Rico has had 3 state votes all ending in majority wanting statehood it never gets to the floor of congress or senate because both parties think Puerto Rico will vote for the other side only
Don't forget although PR is not a state, they still have to pay taxes to the U.S. Government. E.g., customs taxes, Federal commodity taxes, and all payroll taxes (also known as FICA taxes, which include (a) Social Security, (b) Medicare, and Unemployment taxes).
Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 🇺🇸as a territory buys everything from the USA. It uses the US merchant navy 🚢 for its trade, one of the most expensive in the world. The elderly citizen does not receive full social security as in the USA. It does not collect complementary social security nor does it receive full Medicare like the USA. That old no taxation no representation comment is really unfortunate. Because any aid does not arrive in the same quantities as any of the states. Our soldiers have participated in all the US 🇺🇸wars since World War I. They have died for the American flag.
@@franciscopagan3255 wrong U.S merchant navy is the safest surest way of getting goods to Puerto rico, the are regulated by federal government laws not like rat infested ships from other countries with no regulations or insurance coverage, I recieve full social security benifits, yes some people don't recieve full supplemental security benifits but thats a small portion of people that are not getting $40 more....lol, we don't pay federal taxes on our income, that means i keep $17,000 a year in my pocket.....dude thus topic fits you 3 sizes too large.
In 1898, Puerto Rico was a Spanish Province, had 16 representatives in the Spanish Government, had its own currency, Postal System, language and history. It was a literate society with a long tradition. The people were never democratically consulted and the Oligarchs made all the decisions. A false promise of Independence was what made the 50 thousand militia to lower their weapons as 3 thousand U.S.soldiers marched to San Juan.
let's be real the U.S didn't want to give "freedom to Puerto" so much as they just wanted to acquire more territory, the sinking of main was likely not due to the Spanish but they U.S blatantly took advantage of the situation to take Spain's holdings. If they really wanted to free Spain's colonies then they would of granted it to the Philippines immediately not with hold it for decades only after Philippine American War and various revolts, protests by the Filipino people was this granted. Unfortunately Puerto Rico being in the U.S backyard was not granted this opportunity and if the U.S really didn't want Europe in the america's it could of attacked British, French and Dutch territories that they still hold to this day, but nope Spain was weaker, catholic and spoke the same language of the other Nations it took land from or sent Coup't to destabilize.
That's correct. The Spaniards had nothing to do with the explosion of the USS Maine. They just used that as an excuse to attack Spain and steal their territories.
@@zombiekilldemonif our people go on their own they become another hati or Cuba , pr has no resources left the Spanish drained it all , it would be complete kaos half the island ( or more) is already infested with gangs who basically run the areas ,best case is for PR to become a state
@@bravocarlos1752 that is American propaganda. Trust me as having lived on the mainland as much as I have, that is a talking point used to justify the status quo. We can be independent and have good trade with the US and not end up with sanctions and embargoes on us like Cuba or Haiti. The Republic of Palau just got their freedom from imperialist America in 1994 and is in free association with the US so they still have the US postal service, they still use the US dollar, US vets from there still get pensions, they have visa free movement to US and like Nato they have a treaty of mutual defense. Still this is all while being able to have a full seat in the UN, can control and use resources in territorial waters without the approval of the US government, can form their own trade relationships with other countries, and at any time Palau can freely end it's free association agreement with the USA. That is what an independent Puerto Rico can and will look like. Stop believing the propaganda that we will become poorer and somehow more dysfunctional than Haiti the day after independence. That propaganda is based in the racist belief that we can not govern ourselves and need the paternalistic white man to guide us. And when we say we dont want that they respond with "If not well you don't wanna become like those barbaric Haitian people don't you?" It's brainwashing talking points fed to Puerto Ricans for generations and it's bullshit! Also most of the major crime in Puerto Rico like drug smuggling or corruption are from these white American colonizers not Puerto Ricans.
phillippines is part of the treaty of paris Spain also agreed to sell the Philippines to the United States for the sum of $20 million. The U.S. Senate ratified the treaty on February 6, 1899, by a margin of only one vote. The McKinley Administration also used the war as a pretext to annex the independent state of Hawaii.
Puerto Rican here. The majority supports statehood, but local parties gain more by keeping us in this limbo-like state where it never gets resolved. Certain political parties ask people not to vote because the moment the status question gets resolved, the majority of political parties here will have no reason to exist. there will be another plebiscite this year and they already telling people not to vite
Puerto Rican here too and you are regurgitating white American propaganda for imperial annexation in Statehood. You want to status quo to end and help our people then fight for INDEPENDENCE FROM IMPERIAL AMERICA!
the majority does not support statehood. the past plebiscites had being rigged by the statehood party. Since the bombardment of Utuado by the United States Air Force, in which 70% of the town was destroyed, the fear of speaking of independence became part of the boricua DNA
That is not true, most of the plebiscites have been rigged by the statehood party. Since the bombardment of Utuado by the US Air Force, the fear towards independence have been printed into the puertorican DNA
@@CW0123for real. An Independent Puerto Rico would less beneficial for the average Puerto Rican and more beneficial for those in charge politically and in commerce.
You shouldn't take the Referendums into account. It has become almost a policy for The New Progressive Party to hold a referendum every time they're in power and make it so that it looks like most Puerto Ricans support statehood. They do not. Aside from every Referendum always being "non-binding" (which the PNP always makes it seem like they are), turnout is typically low. In the 2020 Referendum was 52% when turnout for election is typically around 70%, with the exception of the last two elections.
You are absolutely right!! We are having another one this year too, it's so stupid what they are doing. The referendums are just ploys to get PNPs more ignorant supporters out to vote for their candidates in the gubernatorial elections.
@@patrickledonne5547 So clearly you're not Puerto Rican, so you wouldnt understand. But not only do they have low turnout, they are Non-binding meaning they were never approved by the US government to happen in the first place, so they are huge wastes of tax pays dollars. And the reason they keep holding referendums, is because the very Pro-statehood party PNP just uses them as political ploys to get their more ignorant voters to come out and vote for them in the gubernatorial elections which is held on the same day as the referendums. And this is a fact that everyone knows on the island, many Pro-statehood politicians even denounce this and openly admit that the referendums are just for show and to just get more votes. And it's happening again, this November.
@@jbenvenut The Statehood option has won on multiple occasions. Votes don’t lie. People that don’t like the outcome lie. Don’t change the narrative that the plebiscite Statehood wins don’t count or that people in PR didn’t want Statehood. If you want something vote for it and if you don’t vote then don’t complain if your choice doesn’t win. That’s how democracy works. It doesn’t matter if the US Government approved the votes before or after. Some US States became States without an approved US Government plebiscite. It was an official vote approved by the Puerto Rico Government. And that is where it counts. Not what the US Government wants but what the US Citizens of Puerto Rico want in the end.
Let's go another banger sending love from Chicago & can you please do a video on the Eastland ship the Titanic of Chicago it would be so much appreciated God bless you
6:58 “a colonial possession.” Sure, and Japan and Germany which we defeated in WWII are our colonial possessions, too. What? No? What do you mean no? We defeated them. Just like we defeated Spain. So why aren’t they our possessions? Come now, you must fairly apply the same logic.
The main reason is Puerto Rico is an hispanic country with a rich hispanic heritage, culture, language and its people very proud for being Puerto Ricans !
The relationship is not complicated. The US invaded Puerto Rico and turned it into a colony.. Puerto Rico was independent as it was an autonomos province of Spain. The US calls Puerto Rico a territory that is not. Puerto Rico is a colony!!
@@MrDudulex It's not surprising that the majority of puertorricans have been brainwashed by false US propaganda that was put into their minds that they couldn't survive without the US, which it is totally false.
Puerto Rico used to have a refinery there and they could not buy gas, all petroleum products had to be shipped to the US and then brough back with a lot of taxes attached to it. that's why life is so expensive there.
This is just silly. Hawaii and Puerto Rico were treated far better than most of the other peoples that got stepped on, and the natives actually enjoy economic and cultural benefits from being united with us. You're effectively making the argument that our ancestors should have been MORE barbaric.
@dylangtech Native Hawaiians are being expelled from their homes in Hawaii because there got so expensive to live, and their religious sites are being disrespected. Learn history.
Having lived in Puerto Rico my entire life, except for a few years abroad, I believe the issue of territorial status should be decided by the Puerto Rican people. For decades, Puerto Ricans have rejected both Statehood and Independence. The 2020 Plebiscite did not demonstrate strong democratic support, as the majority of Puerto Ricans abstained from voting. Only the Statehood party, the PNP, participated significantly, attracting just a third of eligible voters. Although Statehood received over 90% of the votes cast, this represented only a fraction of the electorate, with nearly two-thirds of citizens boycotting the plebiscite, not favoring Statehood or Independence.
Your not mencioning the main problem, due to the cabotage law witch has existed for more than 100 years since the US took over PR. That talks about no exportation with nobody but the US and every import and product that goes to sell in PR needs to have US inspection. Makes it more conveniet to have it as a teritory not a state.
The Truman deal allowing income made in Puerto Rico to be tax-free, but giving Puerto Ricans US citizenship, is real reason Puerto Rico has not become a state. This is why public opinion in Puerto Rico is closely divided. ⚖️👍
Cool side trivia...the reason Mexico never launched a Naval offensive when Texas was breaking away was because of....I'll wait but the hint is a people that have a proud sea based tradition
The reason Pto., Rico is not a State is because it's very lucrative to the USA under the Jones Act, the USA get more yearly from Pto., Rico than what it gets from the U.S.A.
In case you don't know, in Democracies the majority wins, because it's better not to ask yourself because 52% of the population, the majority, wants to be a State.
@@rambopimientayceniza3958 It's worth knowing why almost half the population doesn't want something that gets sold as purely positive. Besides, for major decisions, many countries require more than just a 2-3% majority.
@@reyson01 You're telling me that if Trump beats Biden by 52%, it's not valid because you need to know why 47% don't want Biden. Pathetic way of thinking, for some things the majority rules and for others it doesn't🤣😂
@@reyson01And the US isn't one of those countries. Also, 47% don't want statehood either because they want out of a western power or they don't want to pay our sky-high income taxes.
@@rambopimientayceniza3958 I employ you to read more about your facts because your numbers are missing many variables, and it’s just right-wing propaganda. To my main point, these referendums without historical context continue an imperialist tradition. The United States government suppressed the Puerto Rican independence movement. Study PUERTO RICAN history and you’ll understand how our colonial relationship with the United States created the conditions for dependence and colonialist thought of self.
As a puertorrican I know why we are not state, every import or export has to be done by US naval fleets by law, that means that all those cargos have to be taxed double or even triple in the case of cars thats why we are poor compared to others.
My understanding is that under the Jones Act Puerto Rico can engage in international commerce but foreign ships may not cross from port to port within US territories or the mainland. That is different from what you said.
Gracias para los Puertorriqeños que han estado en las militares de USA. Estados son Americanos tambien... y Puerto Rico merece ser tratado mejor. Es una bella cultura y ellos son buen personas. Te amo PR.
Years ago I read that the majority of Puerto Ricans did not want to become "Americanized" and, thus, lose their heritage and traditions by becoming a state.
It isn't a state mainly because it would be 2 more automatic Democrat U.S. Senators. Republicans don't want that - and rightfully so. The other reason is that they have it made - they are U.S. citizens, can come and go to the mainland as they please, and pay no federal tax.
Wrong actually. Washington DC's statehood is blocked by Republicans because they have always been Democrats. Puerto Rico's politics are more aligned with pro-statehood vs. pro-independence parties, with members of either parties having BOTH Republican and Democrat members. Some Republicans even support statehood for PR because their people are more conservative in social issues.
a lot of the voting population of Puerto Rico are actually more Republicans and conservative due to their religious views. this is a common mistake of thinking just because they are brown they are going to align with the Democrats
I lived there for a while and while I'm sure historical theories have their relevance, understanding the complexity of PR politics is....not an easy task. I'm surprised by the claim that it would instantly be a democrat state because where I was in the SE, they would all equate to mainland US Republicans that are tired of poor infrastructure and see who has been messing it up for the past few decades. If you want to get to a real hot button issue for PR, you have to look at the Jones Act. Whatever party kills that will effectively be the family party in PR no matter what they do that is crappy otherwise.
It seems that's the same view even in democrat controlled areas. In CA, I've noticed that many people will believe in/support republican ideals. For example, taxes, regulations, lack of criminal accountability. Yet they absolutely refuse to vote differently or not vote at all.
. . . . Where was the time you had for this video? There is a lot of public information available between Puerto Rico and The United States that you could’ve applied. Like- the time when the United States Navy used Puerto Rico as a firing and mining range, the time Puerto Ricans tried to assassinate a U.S. President, the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917, including the shipping of shipping cargo that must directly come from the United States before arriving to the island. This could’ve expanded the reasonings why Puerto Ricans are divided when the opportunity of statehood becomes an option. I understand this YT channel is to just pump content, but what is the point of being subscribed to an overly broad channel compared to the others that do the same or ones that do it better. Improve and I’ll consider subscribing again, but as of right now- this channel is just another pump and dump.
Electoral College. Any new State is going to give one party 2 more votes for President and 2 more Senators to pass bills. This means that both parties will oppose any new States that don't favor them.
@@HypatiaMuse No. If we did that, the Nation would be controlled by basically the five biggest cities. (Which is why it was adopted in the first place.)
@@HypatiaMuse absolutely not minority rule is essential for the continuing functioning of our Republic. That works in Europe because its proportional parliamentary system allows for a diverse break down in demographics and representation they do not have a winner takes all system. Madison clarified as much in the federalist papers that in our system minority rule is necessary because continued domination of a system of lets say 52 to 47 percent would cause the minority party to be come disenfranchised and lead to continual civil war and unrest. imagine if a 100 million people lost all rights to govern less then 1% of them would be able if formed into a collective fighting force could cripple the United States.
@@OrdinaryDude I think you overstate how big the cities are in comparison to the rest of the country. The population of the 5 biggest cities combine is only 5.5% of the total population
It’ll be a third world poor country if independent. Plus, about half of the entire territory lives under poverty compared to Mississippi which is about 15%. They are far better off as a territory.
@@Labyrinth6000 They would be far better off independent and having their own country which they should of have from the beginning. Puerto Rico is a third world country as it is under that "so called" territory. Can't say the same thing about Singapore, which is a lot smaller than PR, with less land to cultivate and has a higher population then PR, and yet it is its own independent sovereign nation and it's one of the wealthiest and progressive countries in Asia.
And because we don't f***ing want too! That referendum was bullshit with low voter turn out and alot of dark campaign money coming in from Democrats to spread their imperial propagandist messaging.
Republicans fear that Democrats will benefit politically from PR statehood as it would mean 2 Dem Senators and a number of House seats similar to the amount in Connecticut but they’ll say that they don’t want them in the union because the US would have to take on the financial debt the island has thus really increasing the federal budget deficit.
@@michaelthomas5433 It doesn’t work like that but obviously the US Congress approves a US territories request to become a US State. Puerto Rico is US soil and as a territory, the US Citizens that live there have a right to apply and become a US State.
Puerto Rico has requested to become a state like 3 times in the last decade... it never goes forward both parties think Puerto Rico would tip the balance in one or another's favor...
@@thefrozongamer5071 The status quo swamp in the island doesn’t want to change. I guess they love colonialism without representation. I was reading about when Tennessee became a state and the same worries in the US congress then. The problem with Puerto Rico is that you have a pro statehood party that is formed by Republicans and Democrats! You heard it. They call it the “New Progressive Party”. Puerto Ricans are by culture and customs very conservative. The PR representative in the US Congress is a registered Republican and now she is running for governor. They have had Republican governors and in their government. The Republicans in PR want statehood and most Democrats in PR want Puerto Rico to stay as a US colony. This is where the problem lies…lobbyists are working for big companies that want PR to stay the same. Every product that is imported to PR has to be shipped to a US State before it goes to Puerto Rico. If Puerto Rico becomes a state. Some of these US States and affiliated shipping companies would lose a lot of money….
5:12 and following “why Puerto Rico did not become” a state early on. Whoa, pardner, not so fast. At that time new states were not just accepted, presto! They had the status of a “territory” first. ALL territories had to meet certain requirements just to *apply* , not just to be accepted into the Union. Your description makes it sound like we were imposing something unique on lonesome little Puerto Rico. Mais non, mon amie. We treated Puerto Rico the same as all our territories. Still do.
I heard somewhere that a year or two after the 2020 referendum, the US congress passed a bill saying that it would abide by the next referendum. Thou I have not heard anything about a new referendum. Puerto Rico does have a non-voting representative in the US House of Representatives.
@@internetapocalypse4885 what about the Spanish atrocities done at that time because that’s not Saxon propaganda that’s our history too , seriously why are you saying they did it when it’s literally in the history of most Latin American countries
6:30 Well, bully for the good professor. You miss that though some American capitalists flat out wanted to annex Cuba, they chose independence. And so they became. And you know how many times in American history we have opposed and crushed the independence of other nations, don’t you? Didn’t we crush Romania’s independence? Oh wait. You’re independent, aren’t you? The crushing was from the east, not the west, as you recall.
USA was so foolish regarding Cuba. It is the most strategic Island in the Americas. Racism kept Cuba from being a state too. PR + VI should be a state, but racism is still a foolish problem.
Not racism, culture... Puerto Ricans are Hispanic... They are mainly Spanish speakers and Catholics. The US was created by thirteen British colonies populated by British citizens, they set the cultural backbone of what came to be the United States. Taking over former Spanish colonies in the Southwest wasn't difficult because they were sparsely populated, it didn't take much to shift the local culture. That is one of the main reasons the US didn't took over the whole of Mexico in 1848...Hawaii was another experiment, the US was able to reduce the native population and replace it with Americanized Asians. They failed to do it in the Philippines and that's why they granted their Independence. Puerto Rico is a weird case, they remain in a limbo, because most of the 3 million Puerto Ricans remain Spanish Speakers, their culture has more in common with Cuba and RD than the mainland US. I guess the Cuban revolution was a key factor in stopping the US from granting independence for the Island. Recently the economical dependency on the US I guess stop many Puerto Ricans from demanding their independence. They are like the middle age guy that live in their parents basement... unable to cut loose... Their parents don't want him there but they don't believe he would survive on his own.
"In the sinister theater of geopolitics, nations are but expendable pawns in a relentless struggle for dominance. The true power resides in the shadows, where hidden hands orchestrate chaos and manipulation, and the pursuit of power leaves behind a trail of suffering and desolation that echoes through history."
@@WilliamSanderson86bullshit! My fellow Puerto Ricans have wanted independence before just for the US to literally bomb us in the 50s, made the Puerto Rican flag illegal from 1948-1956, beat college protesters and arrested them, had FBI use the island as experiments in mass surveillance and psy-ops, poison our water, the targeted destruction of independence groups labeling them terrorists, and only gave us citizenship to then be able to legally draft us for America's imperialist wars abroad.
It’s a good thing the US is democracy because people like me should never be elected. The reason is the day after militant Puerto Rican’s opened fire on the US Congress (and later became national heroes) as an elected official I would have declared them independent nation.
Statehood would be the best option for Puerto Rico. I say this as a Caribbean, because ever since many of the islands gained independence from Great Britain, many of them became overwhelmingly corrupted with crime and poverty. My home island is Trinidad, and I love my country don't get me wrong, but I can't possibly live there because of how horrible things have gotten there. ... Maybe I'd settle for Tobago, but definitely not Trinidad, lol.
Many Puerto Ricans fought hard for decades to become an independent nation. They even attempted to assassinate the US President as well as US Congressmen. To say that most Puerto Ricans hated the US is an understatement. However, people easily forget.
How would being a state change things? You would still have the same politicians in office. The economy would still be the same. You won't attract factories or industries just by being a state. Taxes and laws are still being passed at the local level, are they not?
I'm Puerto Rican. Puerto Rico is already a US possession and it's already overwhelmed with corruption and crime. Just adding Puerto Rico as a state would replace Mississippi as the poorest state. And with Puerto Rico already struggling, then with the added taxes that it would have to pay by becoming a state, Puerto Rico will become even more third world, a third world US state.
Because 1. Puerto Rico can apply for aid that can help them get back on their feed and before most of the factories where moved to China a lot of them were in Puerto Rico for a very long time. We actually had a strong pharmaceutical business which we still have remnants of it but it’s difficult to branch out because we have to go through the US to do that but we have no presentation so it mostly gets ignored. As a state we could apply for bankruptcy that could help us slowly get back up on our feed and we would have more representation to try to pass deals that will allow us to expand our trade.
Every US President that has had eight years in office has given the people of Puerto Rico the opportunity to become a state. They have made it clear to date that they do not want their Puerto Rico to be a state.
And even that will be on the congressional shelf collecting dust as US lawmakers would be saying that there are topics of greater importance that need to be dealt with and that PR statehood isn’t one of them.
7:45 “reluctance of Congress” and the rest, mostly repetition. So the facts are: Puerto Ricans have voted six times on statehood, no statehood, stay as a territory. When those three choices are on the ballot, staying as is wins. In 2020 one choice was given and so 52% said yes to statehood, half of eligible voters not voting. But if you recall in 2020 and 2021 we were all, the whole world, a bit busy so there may have been good reason voting turnout was low. The decision is not in the US or in our Congress. The issue is in Puerto Rico which seesaws back and forth yes, no, be a state, don’t be a state. One key factor that keeps many from wanting statehood you did not even mention. Once they are a state they must pay federal income tax like all the rest of us. As they are now, they have the benefits of being American but not the cost. They pay their own local tax but not the US national, federal tax. But your “Congress is keeping them out” theory is blown away by what happened with Samoa. After WWII the UN established protectorates for small Pacific nations so no big Asian power could swallow them whole. We, some European, and other nations received island nation protectorates from the UN. Part of Samoa went to New Zealand, part to the US. Samoa became independent in 1962. But one of the Samoan islands did not want to be independent with the rest of Samoa. So they became American Samoa. Congress had nothing to do with their decision. If one day they reconsider and want to be part of Samoa, off they go. If they vote to be a state, they have every chance of becoming a state. Like Puerto Rico-which again next year will vote to stay as is, be a state, or become independent. Colonial Spain never gave any of its American colonies such a choice. Bolivar had to fight for their independence. If Puerto Rico does not strongly and clearly vote for statehood next year, personally I’d like Congress to tell them not to vote again for ten or so years. They’re just about averaging a vote a decade as it is. Next year is their seventh vote. That, my dear Romanians, is *not* colonialism. Write about what you know.
@@javiermoretti1825 You are wrong. We jave a proportionately higher gpd than the whole South Florida Metro Area, despite the fact th that our economic development is destroyed by the Cabotage Laws and the Interstate Commerce Clause in its dormant state, effectively inhibiting both cheaper imports and direct trade with other countries while being unable to discriminat ein favor of our own products. Despite that, look at our GDP proportionate to our population. We are being dragged by the colonial relationship with the US. The US gains from our consumer market 54 billion a year while we only get 7 billion in donated funds while we pay for all other funds, including FEMA funds through encumbrances in our mortgages. To add insult to injury, we have no parity regarding those payed funds even when we pay more than six states. Since when are colonies a cost to the colonizer society?
@@javiermoretti1825 Also, despite the huge brain drain towards the US, Puerto Ricans have a really high HDI, higher than many European countries. If we had sovereignty and could develop an economy out of the constraints of the ICC of the US Constitution, the Cabotage laws and the territorial clause of the US Constitution, we would actually get that human capital back and even have a greater gdp proportionately to our population, which would be higher indeed than most populations of its size, including greater gdp than entire US metro areas. Moretti ...
@@Dbbrainer No, I'm not. 42.7% of Puerto Rico's population lives below the poverty line. I studied at UPR, so I know the island very well. Compare that to the next poorest state, Mississippi, which has a 18.70% poverty rate. I love PR, but I cannot ignore its problems.
@@javiermoretti1825 I'm not saying I disagree with you, but do understand that the 42.7% figure is the mainland poverty level, and the cost of living on most of the island is substantially lower than the mainland.
3:53 “Spain was forced to” . . . well, no, you see the way it works, dear Romanian, is when you lose a war, you lose. In this case Spain lost its territories. If Spain had won, would you say “the US was forced to?” Forced to do what I do not know.
@@dbix11 everything to ĵust said is no better than saying "oh the slaves had it pretty good compared to Africa and would just be screwed and barbaric without us slave masters" American chauvinism knows no bounds.
@@zombiekilldemonAgain here you are saying shit when you've never been to PR. PR people want statehood and voted on it several times but the US federal government doesn't want that since it's more focused on the political divide between the parties rn, so it's inconvenient for them to add another state that can vote for the other party. All you do on here is make comments that gaslight others like a child, it's not intelligence but ignorance thinking you know better and "I have to feel better about my self cause the world is shit so I mah pretend to be a social warrior on the internet today." Just grow up and touch grass. The world isn't the 1800s anymore.
@@zombiekilldemon Respectfully that is a huge exaggeration. Many Puerto Ricans are proud to be Americans, they just don't like being second-hand citizens. If they gained full statehood that would go a long way to fixing their problems, most notably the financial crisis affecting the government. If they go fully independent, they run the risk of ending up like the many Caribbean islands mired in corruption and poverty, and forced to rely on (mostly American) tourism for income.
@@adrianpadin1840 everything you just stated is American Chauvinism and untrue. I advocate for Independence and Free Association like the Republic of Palau. They achieved independence in 1994. They have free movement between there and the US, they still use the US dollar, everyone there that had US citizenship still have it, US vets from Palau still get their pensions, they still have the US postal service, they have free trade with the US but they are independent. They have a full voting seat in the UN, they can form trade relationships with other nations, the US doesn't control its immigration like Puerto Rico. Palau has control of its own resources on its land and territorial waters, Puerto Rico needs approval from the US congress to do anything big with its resources. Also the best part is Palau can exit free association with the US whenever it wants and go do whatever they want with who ever they want just as an independent nation state should. That is what I want for Puerto Rico. It's worked for Palau for 30 years so far it can work for us.
@@zombiekilldemon I respect your opinion and I think we agree that whatever happens, the status quo is the worst possible option and either statehood or independence would be far better.
Usually colonies were designed to bring profit or resources into the controlling country although this is not what occurs in Puerto rico. Puerto rico does not pay federal tax but does receive federal benefits.
Mostly politics. They’re never going to admit a singular state as it would throw off the political balance. You would need the admission of two states of opposing values. I think more of the reality is that Puerto Rico doesn’t want to. No need. They’re essentially a US State without being a US State. They get US support, funding, and protection, but without really having to do anything. They’re better off than most countries. Why? Because it’s just one more thing the US can claim to extend their borders.
This is a very good video. Needs a few corrections, but overall it was good. This is politics and human beings never agree on everything. Difference of opinion makes the world beautiful. I do agree on most of it. It's very hard to to compile every detail in 11 minutes. Thank you for this video.
To the idiots who keep saying "no taxation without representation," Puerto Rico DOES NOT pay federal taxes. They had a vote to become independent, keep the status quo, or become a state. They voted to keep the status quo because they don't pay federal taxes but reap all the benefits. Recently, they voted to become a state.
yes we do not pay the federal income tax, but we paid for the rest of taxes, like federal medicare, social security, self-employment, unemployment, customs, and merchandise taxes
Menurut gue, hubungan Puerto Riko sama Amerika Serikat itu rumit banget. Dulu mereka jadi bagian Spanyol, terus Amerika Serikat "beli" mereka setelah perang 1898. Tapi lucunya, mereka bukan jadi negara bagian AS, tapi jadi wilayah yang diatur sama Kongres AS. Gue pikir keputusan ini pasti dipengaruhi sama banyak faktor, kayak politik, ekonomi, dan juga strategi militer Amerika Serikat di Karibia. Tapi yang penting juga, pendapat orang Puerto Riko sendiri soal masa depan politik mereka. Referendum tahun 2020 nunjukin bingungnya mereka antara mau jadi negara bagian atau enggak. Jadi, ini masalah yang kompleks banget dan perlu dilihat dari berbagai sisi, sambil tetap dengerin juga pendapat langsung dari masyarakat Puerto Riko.
If a power is stagnant for too long, it will fall into decline and fail. We need to expand our borders.We should take Canada and integrate it in to the USA! After all Canada is weak , has a tiny population , and has vast resources we need!!! Let’s be honest…. Canada is just a giant hat for the USA.🤷♂️
@@blazer9547after you American colonizers pay us the reparations you owe us after bombing our beaches, poison our water, and labeling distant family members of mine as terrorists for being part of independence groups like the Young Lords.
Roads and bridges have gotten much needed repairs and resurfacing lately but there are still small towns and communities that still haven’t seen much improvements in terms of road quality and lighting. Very difficult and dangerous driving on those Puerto Rican mountain roads.
For those ignorant of how history and politics work ,do not hold your breath waiting for Puerto Rico to become a "state". That will never happen and eventually we will become a free Nation able to decide our own destiny .
Maybe you shoulda actually do some research before boldly asserting a completely baseless explanation. Many Puerto Ricans speak English - over 50% by recent studies. And many Puerto Ricans are proud Americans and support statehood. There are a lot of reasons why it may not happen, but the biggest one is that it would disrupt the balance of power in Congress - Puerto Rico leans more Democrat and Republicans in Congress do not want an influx of liberal Congressmen and two additional Democrat senators. There is also a big issue of taxes, because currently Puerto Ricans do not pay federal income tax, and since many on the island are already in poverty they are hesitant to pay more taxes when they may not see the benefit of that tax revenue for several years. There are many other reasons, but to conclude most of the reasons are political in nature, not cultural.
@@adrianpadin1840 Everything you said was correct except that they lean democratic. Their political system isn't easily comparable to the mainlands, but it's been shown that they're more Republican than Democratic
"Americans were outraged by acts committed by Spain". But they were not outraged by their own acts towards
Indians and blacks.
@@fjp3305 you sound boring.....lol
Get the heck outta here. The white were better warriors. They were smarter. The white man had better vision for the land as you are witnessing today. The white man have flaws, too numerous. The white man has better know how. The native, brown, and black man should take note and fall in line. Stop crying. 😢😢😢😢
@carlitosortiz2870 yeah the truth hurts
@@yassontheroad4038 there was no social media back then, most
Americans were just trying to survive...yes some were ticked off that the USS Maine battleship exploded killing more than 250 U.S Sailors....so this comment is boring fake news.
Who cares they both did bad things,black and indians were both trated badly
Supreme Court justice Byron White was not even born in 1901. So the info at 4:20 minutes is wrong.
They had a little too much weed at that time
Correct, this line should be credited to Supreme Court Justice Henry Brown (1836-1913) from the Downes v. Bidwell decision (which was in 1901).
this is written by chat gpt
Simple answer. The 2 party system would never allow it. That's the flaw of the 2 party system. One party would be inherently against a 51st state depending on what the political demographic of the territory is. The only way we get a 51st state in the US is if we get a 52nd state that gives electorals to the opposing party and new senators. As long as the 2 party system exists, we probably will never see a 51st state.
Yes and no many puerto ricans don't want to be a state
Exactly right
Puerto Rico has had 3 state votes all ending in majority wanting statehood it never gets to the floor of congress or senate because both parties think Puerto Rico will vote for the other side only
@@simoncohen9323that's statistically false the last few referendums have been in majority wanting statehood
Ask RJK Fr.
Spain don't sell PR for 20 M dollars, Phillipines instead
PR and Guam are included in that 20M dollars
@@medeiapsyche Nope, that islands are included finally for free
@@miguelgutierrez223I can buy you
And besides this money was never payed. Same case with Florida. Always stealing
True, but the contract was signed under the threat that if Spain did not sign, the USA would invade the Canary Islands as well.
Don't forget although PR is not a state, they still have to pay taxes to the U.S. Government. E.g., customs taxes, Federal commodity taxes, and all payroll taxes (also known as FICA taxes, which include (a) Social Security, (b) Medicare, and Unemployment taxes).
They do not pay Income tax to the USA.
@@daviejz6698yes we do
@@daviejz6698and too much including are kids to fight they dirty wars
@@daviejz6698 Yes. We do.
True
I feel like this video was mistakenly edited to include the part about Puerto Rico being a secondary consideration like 3-4 times.
AI sometimes forgets what it already said
Jesus loves you ❤️
@@scottcarter6623 yeah, what the hell. This video was bad.
I thought I was going nuts. I had to scroll back in the video to make sure.
True. If you want to know the history of Puerto Rico and the relationship with the United States skip this video.
Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 🇺🇸as a territory buys everything from the USA. It uses the US merchant navy 🚢 for its trade, one of the most expensive in the world. The elderly citizen does not receive full social security as in the USA. It does not collect complementary social security nor does it receive full Medicare like the USA. That old no taxation no representation comment is really unfortunate. Because any aid does not arrive in the same quantities as any of the states. Our soldiers have participated in all the US 🇺🇸wars since World War I. They have died for the American flag.
It's really sad that your soldiers participated and died for a country and its flag that is not theirs.
@@franciscopagan3255 wrong U.S merchant navy is the safest surest way of getting goods to Puerto rico, the are regulated by federal government laws not like rat infested ships from other countries with no regulations or insurance coverage, I recieve full social security benifits, yes some people don't recieve full supplemental security benifits but thats a small portion of people that are not getting $40 more....lol, we don't pay federal taxes on our income, that means i keep $17,000 a year in my pocket.....dude thus topic fits you 3 sizes too large.
@@franciscopagan3255 you want to take credit for what some random puerto rican you don't know did in the wars...youz a clown.
@@franciscopagan3255 puerto rico has consumed more FEMA funds then 49 states combined
We have fought for Americas Freedom to be denied Our Freedoms
In 1898, Puerto Rico was a Spanish Province, had 16 representatives in the Spanish Government, had its own currency, Postal System, language and history. It was a literate society with a long tradition. The people were never democratically consulted and the Oligarchs made all the decisions. A false promise of Independence was what made the 50 thousand militia to lower their weapons as 3 thousand U.S.soldiers marched to San Juan.
let's be real the U.S didn't want to give "freedom to Puerto" so much as they just wanted to acquire more territory, the sinking of main was likely not due to the Spanish but they U.S blatantly took advantage of the situation to take Spain's holdings. If they really wanted to free Spain's colonies then they would of granted it to the Philippines immediately not with hold it for decades only after Philippine American War and various revolts, protests by the Filipino people was this granted. Unfortunately Puerto Rico being in the U.S backyard was not granted this opportunity and if the U.S really didn't want Europe in the america's it could of attacked British, French and Dutch territories that they still hold to this day, but nope Spain was weaker, catholic and spoke the same language of the other Nations it took land from or sent Coup't to destabilize.
would of - LMAO!
@@MysticDojo Yes Spain was weaker then
USS Maine not main. Sigh...
Filipinos are Chinese people.
That's correct. The Spaniards had nothing to do with the explosion of the USS Maine. They just used that as an excuse to attack Spain and steal their territories.
If the US doesn't want to make them a state, then grant them their independence.
They do not want independence. It is either statehood or the present status.
😂😂😂😂😂 No
They so heavily rely on usa trade that it would be more problemstic
No taxation, no draft, without representation
Jesus loves you ❤️
Not true about the draft.
Freedom from America is the true path for my fellow Puerto Ricans
@@zombiekilldemonif our people go on their own they become another hati or Cuba , pr has no resources left the Spanish drained it all , it would be complete kaos half the island ( or more) is already infested with gangs who basically run the areas ,best case is for PR to become a state
@@bravocarlos1752 that is American propaganda. Trust me as having lived on the mainland as much as I have, that is a talking point used to justify the status quo. We can be independent and have good trade with the US and not end up with sanctions and embargoes on us like Cuba or Haiti. The Republic of Palau just got their freedom from imperialist America in 1994 and is in free association with the US so they still have the US postal service, they still use the US dollar, US vets from there still get pensions, they have visa free movement to US and like Nato they have a treaty of mutual defense. Still this is all while being able to have a full seat in the UN, can control and use resources in territorial waters without the approval of the US government, can form their own trade relationships with other countries, and at any time Palau can freely end it's free association agreement with the USA. That is what an independent Puerto Rico can and will look like. Stop believing the propaganda that we will become poorer and somehow more dysfunctional than Haiti the day after independence. That propaganda is based in the racist belief that we can not govern ourselves and need the paternalistic white man to guide us. And when we say we dont want that they respond with "If not well you don't wanna become like those barbaric Haitian people don't you?" It's brainwashing talking points fed to Puerto Ricans for generations and it's bullshit! Also most of the major crime in Puerto Rico like drug smuggling or corruption are from these white American colonizers not Puerto Ricans.
Taino is prounced taa-ee-noe
Thank you
phillippines is part of the treaty of paris Spain also agreed to sell the Philippines to the United States for the sum of $20 million. The U.S. Senate ratified the treaty on February 6, 1899, by a margin of only one vote. The McKinley Administration also used the war as a pretext to annex the independent state of Hawaii.
Puerto Rican here. The majority supports statehood, but local parties gain more by keeping us in this limbo-like state where it never gets resolved. Certain political parties ask people not to vote because the moment the status question gets resolved, the majority of political parties here will have no reason to exist. there will be another plebiscite this year and they already telling people not to vite
Puerto Rican here too and you are regurgitating white American propaganda for imperial annexation in Statehood. You want to status quo to end and help our people then fight for INDEPENDENCE FROM IMPERIAL AMERICA!
the majority does not support statehood. the past plebiscites had being rigged by the statehood party. Since the bombardment of Utuado by the United States Air Force, in which 70% of the town was destroyed, the fear of speaking of independence became part of the boricua DNA
Dang all the more reason for statehood since if PR became independent those same parties people would just make it another banana republic.
That is not true, most of the plebiscites have been rigged by the statehood party. Since the bombardment of Utuado by the US Air Force, the fear towards independence have been printed into the puertorican DNA
@@CW0123for real. An Independent Puerto Rico would less beneficial for the average Puerto Rican and more beneficial for those in charge politically and in commerce.
US paid $20M for Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines as a whole.
ai generated gаrbаgе,wrong facts,wrong dates,very sad that yt became a platform wtih "content" like this
🥱
@maribellemontero6119 🏳🌈аІІаh 🏳🌈 free plastic
@maribellemontero6119 🏳🌈аІІаh 🏳🌈 frее pІаstic
@maribellemontero6119 🏳🌈allah 🏳🌈 free plastic
So many wrong facts!
Shhhhh, let him be for the kids
And a very biased point of view.
@@fjp3305 aw mam, just let the kids watch
well its clearly a script written and voiced by ai
@@dai6419 chat, is this real?
You shouldn't take the Referendums into account. It has become almost a policy for The New Progressive Party to hold a referendum every time they're in power and make it so that it looks like most Puerto Ricans support statehood. They do not. Aside from every Referendum always being "non-binding" (which the PNP always makes it seem like they are), turnout is typically low. In the 2020 Referendum was 52% when turnout for election is typically around 70%, with the exception of the last two elections.
Are there any referendums that say the opposite?
You are absolutely right!! We are having another one this year too, it's so stupid what they are doing. The referendums are just ploys to get PNPs more ignorant supporters out to vote for their candidates in the gubernatorial elections.
So we should ignore referendums because of low turnout and conflict with your personal beliefs. Got it
@@patrickledonne5547 So clearly you're not Puerto Rican, so you wouldnt understand. But not only do they have low turnout, they are Non-binding meaning they were never approved by the US government to happen in the first place, so they are huge wastes of tax pays dollars. And the reason they keep holding referendums, is because the very Pro-statehood party PNP just uses them as political ploys to get their more ignorant voters to come out and vote for them in the gubernatorial elections which is held on the same day as the referendums. And this is a fact that everyone knows on the island, many Pro-statehood politicians even denounce this and openly admit that the referendums are just for show and to just get more votes. And it's happening again, this November.
@@jbenvenut The Statehood option has won on multiple occasions. Votes don’t lie. People that don’t like the outcome lie. Don’t change the narrative that the plebiscite Statehood wins don’t count or that people in PR didn’t want Statehood. If you want something vote for it and if you don’t vote then don’t complain if your choice doesn’t win. That’s how democracy works. It doesn’t matter if the US Government approved the votes before or after. Some US States became States without an approved US Government plebiscite. It was an official vote approved by the Puerto Rico Government. And that is where it counts. Not what the US Government wants but what the US Citizens of Puerto Rico want in the end.
Let's go another banger sending love from Chicago & can you please do a video on the Eastland ship the Titanic of Chicago it would be so much appreciated God bless you
6:58 “a colonial possession.” Sure, and Japan and Germany which we defeated in WWII are our colonial possessions, too. What? No? What do you mean no? We defeated them. Just like we defeated Spain. So why aren’t they our possessions? Come now, you must fairly apply the same logic.
The main reason is Puerto Rico is an hispanic country with a rich hispanic heritage, culture, language and its people very proud for being Puerto Ricans !
The relationship is not complicated. The US invaded Puerto Rico and turned it into a colony.. Puerto Rico was independent as it was an autonomos province of Spain. The US calls Puerto Rico a territory that is not. Puerto Rico is a colony!!
Yes, it is a colony, there's no denying this! But there's also no denying that the majority of puertorricans are happy with the status quo.
@@MrDudulex It's not surprising that the majority of puertorricans have been brainwashed by false US propaganda that was put into their minds that they couldn't survive without the US, which it is totally false.
Puerto Rico used to have a refinery there and they could not buy gas, all petroleum products had to be shipped to the US and then brough back with a lot of taxes attached to it. that's why life is so expensive there.
Neither should Hawaii, never forget that Hawaii was an independent country that was forcefully annexed by American Imperialists
This is just silly.
Hawaii and Puerto Rico were treated far better than most of the other peoples that got stepped on, and the natives actually enjoy economic and cultural benefits from being united with us.
You're effectively making the argument that our ancestors should have been MORE barbaric.
i always think that if they were to leave US would probably give them the cuba treatment :(
@dylangtech Native Hawaiians are being expelled from their homes in Hawaii because there got so expensive to live, and their religious sites are being disrespected. Learn history.
You’re saying Hawaii shouldn’t have been made an American state and thus should’ve remained a territory? Good to know.
@@somegu6Stay mad about China🇨🇳 and Russia🇷🇺
Having lived in Puerto Rico my entire life, except for a few years abroad, I believe the issue of territorial status should be decided by the Puerto Rican people. For decades, Puerto Ricans have rejected both Statehood and Independence. The 2020 Plebiscite did not demonstrate strong democratic support, as the majority of Puerto Ricans abstained from voting. Only the Statehood party, the PNP, participated significantly, attracting just a third of eligible voters. Although Statehood received over 90% of the votes cast, this represented only a fraction of the electorate, with nearly two-thirds of citizens boycotting the plebiscite, not favoring Statehood or Independence.
Your not mencioning the main problem, due to the cabotage law witch has existed for more than 100 years since the US took over PR. That talks about no exportation with nobody but the US and every import and product that goes to sell in PR needs to have US inspection. Makes it more conveniet to have it as a teritory not a state.
That is a big time abuse by the US. PR needs to break free from the US imperialists and become its own independent sovereign nation period.
The Truman deal allowing income made in Puerto Rico to be tax-free, but giving Puerto Ricans US citizenship, is real reason Puerto Rico has not become a state. This is why public opinion in Puerto Rico is closely divided. ⚖️👍
Early as fuck but first thing its TAI-eeno interms of pronunciation 0:45
Cool side trivia...the reason Mexico never launched a Naval offensive when Texas was breaking away was because of....I'll wait but the hint is a people that have a proud sea based tradition
The reason Pto., Rico is not a State is because it's very lucrative to the USA under the Jones Act, the USA get more yearly from Pto., Rico than what it gets from the U.S.A.
So not even an explanation on why 47% of Puerto Ricans don't want statehood? That seems like a pretty important thing to gloss over.
In case you don't know, in Democracies the majority wins, because it's better not to ask yourself because 52% of the population, the majority, wants to be a State.
@@rambopimientayceniza3958 It's worth knowing why almost half the population doesn't want something that gets sold as purely positive. Besides, for major decisions, many countries require more than just a 2-3% majority.
@@reyson01 You're telling me that if Trump beats Biden by 52%, it's not valid because you need to know why 47% don't want Biden. Pathetic way of thinking, for some things the majority rules and for others it doesn't🤣😂
@@reyson01And the US isn't one of those countries.
Also, 47% don't want statehood either because they want out of a western power or they don't want to pay our sky-high income taxes.
@@rambopimientayceniza3958 I employ you to read more about your facts because your numbers are missing many variables, and it’s just right-wing propaganda.
To my main point, these referendums without historical context continue an imperialist tradition. The United States government suppressed the Puerto Rican independence movement. Study PUERTO RICAN history and you’ll understand how our colonial relationship with the United States created the conditions for dependence and colonialist thought of self.
Most of people in Puerto Rico (Borikén) vote in favor of the statehood for the island of Puerto Rico more than 3 times already.
WE BORIQUAS DO NOT HAVE ALLEGIANCE TO THE EMPIRE AND NEVER EVER WILL !!!!
As a puertorrican I know why we are not state, every import or export has to be done by US naval fleets by law, that means that all those cargos have to be taxed double or even triple in the case of cars thats why we are poor compared to others.
None of that is true.
The ports' unions live from all the goods they transport to Puerto Rico. Cabotage laws
My understanding is that under the Jones Act Puerto Rico can engage in international commerce but foreign ships may not cross from port to port within US territories or the mainland. That is different from what you said.
@@CedarHunt : Liar.
@@Android_Warrior Nah
The most simple answer is neither Puerto Ricans nor the U.S. wants it to be a “State” of the United States.
Gracias para los Puertorriqeños que han estado en las militares de USA. Estados son Americanos tambien... y Puerto Rico merece ser tratado mejor. Es una bella cultura y ellos son buen personas. Te amo PR.
Independencia y libertad para PR!!!!
@@coolbreeze2873 Possible esta mejor para las gentes en PR.
@@TheBcvg2002 Exactamente.
Years ago I read that the majority of Puerto Ricans did not want to become "Americanized" and, thus, lose their heritage and traditions by becoming a state.
It isn't a state mainly because it would be 2 more automatic Democrat U.S. Senators. Republicans don't want that - and rightfully so. The other reason is that they have it made - they are U.S. citizens, can come and go to the mainland as they please, and pay no federal tax.
Wrong actually. Washington DC's statehood is blocked by Republicans because they have always been Democrats. Puerto Rico's politics are more aligned with pro-statehood vs. pro-independence parties, with members of either parties having BOTH Republican and Democrat members. Some Republicans even support statehood for PR because their people are more conservative in social issues.
@@tudung348I didn’t know there’s a statehood movement for DC
a lot of the voting population of Puerto Rico are actually more Republicans and conservative due to their religious views. this is a common mistake of thinking just because they are brown they are going to align with the Democrats
Puertoricans do pay federal taxes, differently but they do
There is a Republican representative in congress right now and she got elected in the primaries by a shared party with Democrats to run for Governor
Byron "Wizzer"White served from1962 to 1993,,,,you must mean Morrison White
Independent puerto rico would be fine.
Pfft 😂
@@MarloSoBalJr There's an entire book explaining Why it will be fine. It's called Puerto Rico the economic case for sovereignty
hell yeah
🇵🇷 Break-up, already.
Born in Atlanta but raised in Puerto Rico. I would love that Puerto Rico join the Union as a State ❤️🇺🇸🇵🇷😎
I lived there for a while and while I'm sure historical theories have their relevance, understanding the complexity of PR politics is....not an easy task. I'm surprised by the claim that it would instantly be a democrat state because where I was in the SE, they would all equate to mainland US Republicans that are tired of poor infrastructure and see who has been messing it up for the past few decades. If you want to get to a real hot button issue for PR, you have to look at the Jones Act. Whatever party kills that will effectively be the family party in PR no matter what they do that is crappy otherwise.
It seems that's the same view even in democrat controlled areas.
In CA, I've noticed that many people will believe in/support republican ideals. For example, taxes, regulations, lack of criminal accountability. Yet they absolutely refuse to vote differently or not vote at all.
. . . . Where was the time you had for this video? There is a lot of public information available between Puerto Rico and The United States that you could’ve applied. Like- the time when the United States Navy used Puerto Rico as a firing and mining range, the time Puerto Ricans tried to assassinate a U.S. President, the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917, including the shipping of shipping cargo that must directly come from the United States before arriving to the island. This could’ve expanded the reasonings why Puerto Ricans are divided when the opportunity of statehood becomes an option.
I understand this YT channel is to just pump content, but what is the point of being subscribed to an overly broad channel compared to the others that do the same or ones that do it better. Improve and I’ll consider subscribing again, but as of right now- this channel is just another pump and dump.
very good topic
Knowledgia
Electoral College. Any new State is going to give one party 2 more votes for President and 2 more Senators to pass bills. This means that both parties will oppose any new States that don't favor them.
We need to ditch the electoral college and adopt actual democracy.
@@HypatiaMuse No. If we did that, the Nation would be controlled by basically the five biggest cities. (Which is why it was adopted in the first place.)
@@HypatiaMuse absolutely not minority rule is essential for the continuing functioning of our Republic. That works in Europe because its proportional parliamentary system allows for a diverse break down in demographics and representation they do not have a winner takes all system. Madison clarified as much in the federalist papers that in our system minority rule is necessary because continued domination of a system of lets say 52 to 47 percent would cause the minority party to be come disenfranchised and lead to continual civil war and unrest. imagine if a 100 million people lost all rights to govern less then 1% of them would be able if formed into a collective fighting force could cripple the United States.
@@jerrydickerson1111 Minority rule, no matter what!!! Unless, you know, some - minorities - show up ....
@@OrdinaryDude I think you overstate how big the cities are in comparison to the rest of the country. The population of the 5 biggest cities combine is only 5.5% of the total population
I'd say let, Puerto Rico be its own country.
Would quickly get bullied by other superpowers and creates a naval security risk if they were to align with BRICS
Please free us from Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans
I'd say Puerto Rico should be a state.
It’ll be a third world poor country if independent. Plus, about half of the entire territory lives under poverty compared to Mississippi which is about 15%. They are far better off as a territory.
@@Labyrinth6000 They would be far better off independent and having their own country which they should of have from the beginning. Puerto Rico is a third world country as it is under that "so called" territory. Can't say the same thing about Singapore, which is a lot smaller than PR, with less land to cultivate and has a higher population then PR, and yet it is its own independent sovereign nation and it's one of the wealthiest and progressive countries in Asia.
Short answer, because they are currently solidly in support of one political party, and the other side won't accept them.
And because we don't f***ing want too! That referendum was bullshit with low voter turn out and alot of dark campaign money coming in from Democrats to spread their imperial propagandist messaging.
Based Republicans 🗿🤣
It’s their fault for overwhelmingly voting democrat
Republicans fear that Democrats will benefit politically from PR statehood as it would mean 2 Dem Senators and a number of House seats similar to the amount in Connecticut but they’ll say that they don’t want them in the union because the US would have to take on the financial debt the island has thus really increasing the federal budget deficit.
Freedom to be a Rebel for a Republic Island nation The Republic of Puerto Rico
Independence for Puerto rico! 🇵🇷
I agree.
@@RGF19651 they wouldn’t survive on their own
@@littleice9731 wye
@@littleice9731- That’s the propaganda narrative.
They wouldn't survive if that are being sanctioned 😂
Maybe the USA as a whole should hold a referendum on whether or not Puerto Rico should become a State. I feel it wouldn't pass.
I would vote for Puerto Rico becoming an independent country.
A binding referendum should include Statehood, Independence or returning the Island back to Spain. The Commonwealth option is now obsolete.
@@michaelthomas5433 It doesn’t work like that but obviously the US Congress approves a US territories request to become a US State. Puerto Rico is US soil and as a territory, the US Citizens that live there have a right to apply and become a US State.
Puerto Rico has requested to become a state like 3 times in the last decade... it never goes forward both parties think Puerto Rico would tip the balance in one or another's favor...
@@thefrozongamer5071 The status quo swamp in the island doesn’t want to change. I guess they love colonialism without representation. I was reading about when Tennessee became a state and the same worries in the US congress then. The problem with Puerto Rico is that you have a pro statehood party that is formed by Republicans and Democrats! You heard it. They call it the “New Progressive Party”. Puerto Ricans are by culture and customs very conservative. The PR representative in the US Congress is a registered Republican and now she is running for governor. They have had Republican governors and in their government. The Republicans in PR want statehood and most Democrats in PR want Puerto Rico to stay as a US colony. This is where the problem lies…lobbyists are working for big companies that want PR to stay the same. Every product that is imported to PR has to be shipped to a US State before it goes to Puerto Rico. If Puerto Rico becomes a state. Some of these US States and affiliated shipping companies would lose a lot of money….
5:12 and following “why Puerto Rico did not become” a state early on. Whoa, pardner, not so fast. At that time new states were not just accepted, presto! They had the status of a “territory” first. ALL territories had to meet certain requirements just to *apply* , not just to be accepted into the Union. Your description makes it sound like we were imposing something unique on lonesome little Puerto Rico. Mais non, mon amie. We treated Puerto Rico the same as all our territories. Still do.
I heard somewhere that a year or two after the 2020 referendum, the US congress passed a bill saying that it would abide by the next referendum. Thou I have not heard anything about a new referendum.
Puerto Rico does have a non-voting representative in the US House of Representatives.
The Black Legend is strong with this one.
What black legend ?
@@jonathanviera1589 Everything in this video
@@internetapocalypse4885 that’s not very informative because I’m from Puerto Rico and this is more or less what happened where’s the black legend.
@@jonathanviera1589 See: you said it: "More or less" is the black legend- manipulated to anglo saxons favour.
@@internetapocalypse4885 what about the Spanish atrocities done at that time because that’s not Saxon propaganda that’s our history too , seriously why are you saying they did it when it’s literally in the history of most Latin American countries
6:30 Well, bully for the good professor. You miss that though some American capitalists flat out wanted to annex Cuba, they chose independence. And so they became. And you know how many times in American history we have opposed and crushed the independence of other nations, don’t you? Didn’t we crush Romania’s independence? Oh wait. You’re independent, aren’t you? The crushing was from the east, not the west, as you recall.
USA was so foolish regarding Cuba. It is the most strategic Island in the Americas. Racism kept Cuba from being a state too. PR + VI should be a state, but racism is still a foolish problem.
Not racism, culture... Puerto Ricans are Hispanic... They are mainly Spanish speakers and Catholics. The US was created by thirteen British colonies populated by British citizens, they set the cultural backbone of what came to be the United States. Taking over former Spanish colonies in the Southwest wasn't difficult because they were sparsely populated, it didn't take much to shift the local culture. That is one of the main reasons the US didn't took over the whole of Mexico in 1848...Hawaii was another experiment, the US was able to reduce the native population and replace it with Americanized Asians. They failed to do it in the Philippines and that's why they granted their Independence. Puerto Rico is a weird case, they remain in a limbo, because most of the 3 million Puerto Ricans remain Spanish Speakers, their culture has more in common with Cuba and RD than the mainland US. I guess the Cuban revolution was a key factor in stopping the US from granting independence for the Island. Recently the economical dependency on the US I guess stop many Puerto Ricans from demanding their independence. They are like the middle age guy that live in their parents basement... unable to cut loose... Their parents don't want him there but they don't believe he would survive on his own.
@@juanpablosaenz9037 WOW, not that is a spin. I guess calling it culture helps to justify actions. Weird case?...So is Puerto Rico floating.
"In the sinister theater of geopolitics, nations are but expendable pawns in a relentless struggle for dominance. The true power resides in the shadows, where hidden hands orchestrate chaos and manipulation, and the pursuit of power leaves behind a trail of suffering and desolation that echoes through history."
The bigger question is why don't they become a separate nation?
Hawaii should be also
I don’t think they want to
Because of the benefit they receive for being a colony of the US. Once the benefit is gone, then their brains will start working.
@@WilliamSanderson86bullshit! My fellow Puerto Ricans have wanted independence before just for the US to literally bomb us in the 50s, made the Puerto Rican flag illegal from 1948-1956, beat college protesters and arrested them, had FBI use the island as experiments in mass surveillance and psy-ops, poison our water, the targeted destruction of independence groups labeling them terrorists, and only gave us citizenship to then be able to legally draft us for America's imperialist wars abroad.
@@emikomina😂
It’s a good thing the US is democracy because people like me should never be elected. The reason is the day after militant Puerto Rican’s opened fire on the US Congress (and later became national heroes) as an elected official I would have declared them independent nation.
stop the damn drugs
I think Puerto Rico should become an independent country
No !!
@Knowledgia could you create a video about Why isn’t American Samoa a US State?
You forgot to mention that the IRS is headquartered in Puerto Rico. I believe the IRS is "Puerto Rico Trust Fund Number 62"
They shouldn't be in Puerto Rico period.
@Knowledgia could you create a video about Why isn’t Guam a US State?
Statehood would be the best option for Puerto Rico. I say this as a Caribbean, because ever since many of the islands gained independence from Great Britain, many of them became overwhelmingly corrupted with crime and poverty. My home island is Trinidad, and I love my country don't get me wrong, but I can't possibly live there because of how horrible things have gotten there. ... Maybe I'd settle for Tobago, but definitely not Trinidad, lol.
Well at least you aren’t Haitian 😅
Many Puerto Ricans fought hard for decades to become an independent nation. They even attempted to assassinate the US President as well as US Congressmen. To say that most Puerto Ricans hated the US is an understatement. However, people easily forget.
How would being a state change things?
You would still have the same politicians in office.
The economy would still be the same. You won't attract factories or industries just by being a state.
Taxes and laws are still being passed at the local level, are they not?
I'm Puerto Rican. Puerto Rico is already a US possession and it's already overwhelmed with corruption and crime. Just adding Puerto Rico as a state would replace Mississippi as the poorest state. And with Puerto Rico already struggling, then with the added taxes that it would have to pay by becoming a state, Puerto Rico will become even more third world, a third world US state.
Because 1. Puerto Rico can apply for aid that can help them get back on their feed and before most of the factories where moved to China a lot of them were in Puerto Rico for a very long time.
We actually had a strong pharmaceutical business which we still have remnants of it but it’s difficult to branch out because we have to go through the US to do that but we have no presentation so it mostly gets ignored.
As a state we could apply for bankruptcy that could help us slowly get back up on our feed and we would have more representation to try to pass deals that will allow us to expand our trade.
Only 40% have jobs and majority live off the US taxpayer.
Okay COLONIZER!
@@zombiekilldemonsays the non Puerto Rican.
That is true...sad but true
@@theoc007 F*** you I am Puerto Rican
Basically because American corporate pay PRicans peanuts and work them like slaves
Every US President that has had eight years in office has given the people of Puerto Rico the opportunity to become a state.
They have made it clear to date that they do not want their Puerto Rico to be a state.
It's not that complicated. The island can join if they want. Last I heard, they will be voting on the topic in November.
And even that will be on the congressional shelf collecting dust as US lawmakers would be saying that there are topics of greater importance that need to be dealt with and that PR statehood isn’t one of them.
@@Cerby1979 There are so many more important things on the congressional list of priorities than the status of PR.
7:45 “reluctance of Congress” and the rest, mostly repetition. So the facts are: Puerto Ricans have voted six times on statehood, no statehood, stay as a territory. When those three choices are on the ballot, staying as is wins. In 2020 one choice was given and so 52% said yes to statehood, half of eligible voters not voting. But if you recall in 2020 and 2021 we were all, the whole world, a bit busy so there may have been good reason voting turnout was low. The decision is not in the US or in our Congress. The issue is in Puerto Rico which seesaws back and forth yes, no, be a state, don’t be a state. One key factor that keeps many from wanting statehood you did not even mention. Once they are a state they must pay federal income tax like all the rest of us. As they are now, they have the benefits of being American but not the cost. They pay their own local tax but not the US national, federal tax. But your “Congress is keeping them out” theory is blown away by what happened with Samoa. After WWII the UN established protectorates for small Pacific nations so no big Asian power could swallow them whole. We, some European, and other nations received island nation protectorates from the UN. Part of Samoa went to New Zealand, part to the US. Samoa became independent in 1962. But one of the Samoan islands did not want to be independent with the rest of Samoa. So they became American Samoa. Congress had nothing to do with their decision. If one day they reconsider and want to be part of Samoa, off they go. If they vote to be a state, they have every chance of becoming a state. Like Puerto Rico-which again next year will vote to stay as is, be a state, or become independent. Colonial Spain never gave any of its American colonies such a choice. Bolivar had to fight for their independence. If Puerto Rico does not strongly and clearly vote for statehood next year, personally I’d like Congress to tell them not to vote again for ten or so years. They’re just about averaging a vote a decade as it is. Next year is their seventh vote. That, my dear Romanians, is *not* colonialism. Write about what you know.
It should be its own nation
And it would be gut-wrenching poor. I've been the Puerto Rico five times and studied there twice.
@@javiermoretti1825 You are wrong. We jave a proportionately higher gpd than the whole South Florida Metro Area, despite the fact th that our economic development is destroyed by the Cabotage Laws and the Interstate Commerce Clause in its dormant state, effectively inhibiting both cheaper imports and direct trade with other countries while being unable to discriminat ein favor of our own products. Despite that, look at our GDP proportionate to our population. We are being dragged by the colonial relationship with the US. The US gains from our consumer market 54 billion a year while we only get 7 billion in donated funds while we pay for all other funds, including FEMA funds through encumbrances in our mortgages. To add insult to injury, we have no parity regarding those payed funds even when we pay more than six states. Since when are colonies a cost to the colonizer society?
@@javiermoretti1825 Also, despite the huge brain drain towards the US, Puerto Ricans have a really high HDI, higher than many European countries. If we had sovereignty and could develop an economy out of the constraints of the ICC of the US Constitution, the Cabotage laws and the territorial clause of the US Constitution, we would actually get that human capital back and even have a greater gdp proportionately to our population, which would be higher indeed than most populations of its size, including greater gdp than entire US metro areas. Moretti ...
@@Dbbrainer No, I'm not. 42.7% of Puerto Rico's population lives below the poverty line. I studied at UPR, so I know the island very well. Compare that to the next poorest state, Mississippi, which has a 18.70% poverty rate. I love PR, but I cannot ignore its problems.
@@javiermoretti1825 I'm not saying I disagree with you, but do understand that the 42.7% figure is the mainland poverty level, and the cost of living on most of the island is substantially lower than the mainland.
@Knowledgia could you create a video about Why isn’t Northern Mariana Islands a US State?
Per the comments on this video, there were quite a few errors in this video.
3:53 “Spain was forced to” . . . well, no, you see the way it works, dear Romanian, is when you lose a war, you lose. In this case Spain lost its territories. If Spain had won, would you say “the US was forced to?” Forced to do what I do not know.
US still doing colonialism while whining about it is amusing
What colonialism? 😂
Jesus loves you ❤️
Cope 🇺🇸🦅
This video has some messed up editing. Also did you mean to put up Cross of Burgundy instead of the flag of Alabama?
PR would be screwed if it was independent. They have it pretty good. Under US protection without the other BS that goes along with statehood.
@@dbix11 everything to ĵust said is no better than saying "oh the slaves had it pretty good compared to Africa and would just be screwed and barbaric without us slave masters" American chauvinism knows no bounds.
@@zombiekilldemonAgain here you are saying shit when you've never been to PR. PR people want statehood and voted on it several times but the US federal government doesn't want that since it's more focused on the political divide between the parties rn, so it's inconvenient for them to add another state that can vote for the other party. All you do on here is make comments that gaslight others like a child, it's not intelligence but ignorance thinking you know better and "I have to feel better about my self cause the world is shit so I mah pretend to be a social warrior on the internet today." Just grow up and touch grass. The world isn't the 1800s anymore.
@@zombiekilldemon Respectfully that is a huge exaggeration. Many Puerto Ricans are proud to be Americans, they just don't like being second-hand citizens. If they gained full statehood that would go a long way to fixing their problems, most notably the financial crisis affecting the government. If they go fully independent, they run the risk of ending up like the many Caribbean islands mired in corruption and poverty, and forced to rely on (mostly American) tourism for income.
@@adrianpadin1840 everything you just stated is American Chauvinism and untrue. I advocate for Independence and Free Association like the Republic of Palau. They achieved independence in 1994. They have free movement between there and the US, they still use the US dollar, everyone there that had US citizenship still have it, US vets from Palau still get their pensions, they still have the US postal service, they have free trade with the US but they are independent. They have a full voting seat in the UN, they can form trade relationships with other nations, the US doesn't control its immigration like Puerto Rico. Palau has control of its own resources on its land and territorial waters, Puerto Rico needs approval from the US congress to do anything big with its resources. Also the best part is Palau can exit free association with the US whenever it wants and go do whatever they want with who ever they want just as an independent nation state should. That is what I want for Puerto Rico. It's worked for Palau for 30 years so far it can work for us.
@@zombiekilldemon I respect your opinion and I think we agree that whatever happens, the status quo is the worst possible option and either statehood or independence would be far better.
I'm certain that the Puertoricans that want statehood are a minority. I live there.
Puerto Rico is basically a modern colony.
I want them to leave the union
Usually colonies were designed to bring profit or resources into the controlling country although this is not what occurs in Puerto rico. Puerto rico does not pay federal tax but does receive federal benefits.
Puerto Rico does pay federal taxes, look it up.
Showing the edge of that cloud effect is pretty 4th-wall breaking 😂
Because if they became a state they would have the IRS on their Azzzz!
IRS headquarters are in P.R. that's why it will never be a state. The IRS is constitutionally illegal henceforth hq has to be off US land.
Mostly politics. They’re never going to admit a singular state as it would throw off the political balance. You would need the admission of two states of opposing values.
I think more of the reality is that Puerto Rico doesn’t want to. No need. They’re essentially a US State without being a US State. They get US support, funding, and protection, but without really having to do anything. They’re better off than most countries. Why? Because it’s just one more thing the US can claim to extend their borders.
Did not have enough political power for the decision... 🙁
This is a very good video. Needs a few corrections, but overall it was good. This is politics and human beings never agree on everything. Difference of opinion makes the world beautiful. I do agree on most of it. It's very hard to to compile every detail in 11 minutes. Thank you for this video.
To the idiots who keep saying "no taxation without representation," Puerto Rico DOES NOT pay federal taxes. They had a vote to become independent, keep the status quo, or become a state. They voted to keep the status quo because they don't pay federal taxes but reap all the benefits. Recently, they voted to become a state.
yes we do not pay the federal income tax, but we paid for the rest of taxes, like federal medicare, social security, self-employment, unemployment, customs, and merchandise taxes
Puerto Rico does pay Federal Tax, wtf ur talking about
Man make it a state and close that chapter in history
Menurut gue, hubungan Puerto Riko sama Amerika Serikat itu rumit banget. Dulu mereka jadi bagian Spanyol, terus Amerika Serikat "beli" mereka setelah perang 1898. Tapi lucunya, mereka bukan jadi negara bagian AS, tapi jadi wilayah yang diatur sama Kongres AS.
Gue pikir keputusan ini pasti dipengaruhi sama banyak faktor, kayak politik, ekonomi, dan juga strategi militer Amerika Serikat di Karibia. Tapi yang penting juga, pendapat orang Puerto Riko sendiri soal masa depan politik mereka. Referendum tahun 2020 nunjukin bingungnya mereka antara mau jadi negara bagian atau enggak.
Jadi, ini masalah yang kompleks banget dan perlu dilihat dari berbagai sisi, sambil tetap dengerin juga pendapat langsung dari masyarakat Puerto Riko.
I wasn't puertoricans who revolt against the Spanish crowns,it was the same Spaniards who revolted against it's own government.
Honestly? Because we don't want to change the flag.
If admitted (that’s a Big If), the Puerto Rican flag would most likely be the state flag so it won’t be going away anytime soon if ever.
@@Cerby1979 I meant the 50 stars on the American flag.
The 51 Star flag is already made 😂. Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands should be one state
@benitolopez9969 hate to break it to you but there are 50 stars on the US flag.
@@PoliticusRex632oh yeah, having to spend money adding another star to the US flag
To allow slavery on people stuck in an island with no way out...
The monsato capital of the world
Make Puerto Rico a state. Make the US Virgin Islands a state, make Guam a state . Make every US territory a state!!!!! It’s time to expand our empire
If a power is stagnant for too long, it will fall into decline and fail. We need to expand our borders.We should take Canada and integrate it in to the USA! After all Canada is weak , has a tiny population , and has vast resources we need!!! Let’s be honest…. Canada is just a giant hat for the USA.🤷♂️
I feel like the U.S sees P.R as the red headed step child lol
Make them independant , U.S taxpayers need a break
The infrastructure of the island is so bad that we could become the next Hamaica. This is thanks to the US not doing at it should. But fuck us, right?
Why don't you pay rent for the naval bases you have there?
The question should be why isn’t it independent? After five hundred years as a colony of one superpower after another. 🤨
We don't need statehood,what we need is that Puerto Rico be returned to Spain ❤ because we are Spaniards.
The way you pronounce taíno gave me space aids..
Because no one wants to hear another Daddy Yankee song #PuertoRicanIndependence
I agree that Puerto Rico should become an independent country.
They used to light explosives to gain independence but then realized they can’t function without European-Americans. Lol
Lithuanians will understand the struggle with Puerto Rico...
womp womp won
Because 50, that’s why
Also Puerto Rico is in shambles 😅
Because of America! INDEPENDENCE IS TRUE FREEDOM!
@@zombiekilldemon honestly I want Puerto ricans to leave the union.
Less whining
@@blazer9547after you American colonizers pay us the reparations you owe us after bombing our beaches, poison our water, and labeling distant family members of mine as terrorists for being part of independence groups like the Young Lords.
Roads and bridges have gotten much needed repairs and resurfacing lately but there are still small towns and communities that still haven’t seen much improvements in terms of road quality and lighting. Very difficult and dangerous driving on those Puerto Rican mountain roads.
For those ignorant of how history and politics work ,do not hold your breath waiting for Puerto Rico to become a "state". That will never happen and eventually we will become a free Nation able to decide our own destiny .
bc it's entirely latino and spanish speaking, end of video
No?
Maybe you shoulda actually do some research before boldly asserting a completely baseless explanation. Many Puerto Ricans speak English - over 50% by recent studies. And many Puerto Ricans are proud Americans and support statehood. There are a lot of reasons why it may not happen, but the biggest one is that it would disrupt the balance of power in Congress - Puerto Rico leans more Democrat and Republicans in Congress do not want an influx of liberal Congressmen and two additional Democrat senators. There is also a big issue of taxes, because currently Puerto Ricans do not pay federal income tax, and since many on the island are already in poverty they are hesitant to pay more taxes when they may not see the benefit of that tax revenue for several years. There are many other reasons, but to conclude most of the reasons are political in nature, not cultural.
Clueless!
New Mexico, California, Nevada we’re primarily populated by Latinos before becoming states since they use to belong to Mexico
@@adrianpadin1840 Everything you said was correct except that they lean democratic. Their political system isn't easily comparable to the mainlands, but it's been shown that they're more Republican than Democratic
Because of the way The USA is now divided politically, new states will only be admitted two at a time, one per party.
Puerto Rican Statehood NOW
Congress of the United States have to stop the discrimination against the Puerto Rican citizen of the United States and Islands citizens