Thaindian News

May 1, 2010 (Pen Men at Work): The American House on Thursday accepted a legislation that could activate transformations in Puerto Rico’s 112-year association with America. These transformations could be a changeover to statehood or even freedom from America. The House bill would bestow the 4 million inhabitants of the island commonwealth a two-step path to articulate how they envisage their political future. The bill was ratified in the House by 223-169. Now, it is the turn of the American Senate to ballot on the bill.

To begin with, qualified electors, including those born in Puerto Rico but living in the American mainland, would ballot on whether they desire to maintain their existing political standing or go on a dissimilar direction.

If a majority is in support of altering the present state of affairs, the Puerto Rican government would be sanctioned to accomplish a second vote, where the ordinary people would select among four alternatives: statehood, full liberty, the present commonwealth rank or self-government in alliance with the United States. The American Congress would have to ballot on whether Puerto Rico becomes a state.

Puerto Rico Governor, Luis Fortuno, expounded that the American manner is to permit people to ballot, to communicate themselves and to converse with their chosen officials about how they feel about their political pacts.

Puerto Rico became an American territory towards the end of the Spanish-American War. Those born on the island were bequeathed U.S. citizenship in 1917 and Puerto Rico achieved commonwealth status in 1952.

Today, Puerto Ricans function in the American military but can’t cast their votes in presidential elections. They do not pay federal excise on earnings acquired on the island.

A lawmaker born in Puerto Rico, Democrat Jose Serrano, endorsed the bill since he deemed that, for the first time in 112 years, the populace of Puerto Rico will have a chance to articulate itself.

Opposition to the House bill included Republican anxiousness about the repercussions of Puerto Rico becoming a state. Some Republicans declared that Puerto Rico would obtain some six seats in the House, probably to the detriment of the other states, and that statehood for Puerto Rico would inflict further load on the federal Treasury.