If I got a dollar every time Puerto Rico wanted to become part of the United States, I would be able to pay the Debt created by Corrupt Politicians and Bankers.

Is Puerto Rico part of the United States

Yes, Puerto Rico is part of the United States.

Now that I answered your question let me answer a few more that you might have in mind.

• Can Puerto Rican's residing on the Island elect the U.S. President?
  • No. But the decisions of the President affect each Puerto Rican.
• Do we pay taxes?
  • Yes, we pay our fair share of taxes. Some we don't even receive benefits from; just one example, Medicare.
• How much money does Puerto Rico receive from the U.S.?
  • Well, the question should be how are the U.S. and bigger interests benefiting from Puerto Rico. I wrote this post years ago, and it's a clear that more is taken from Puerto Rico than what the U.S. invests.

Is Puerto Rico Part of the United States as a State or a Colony?

Supposedly the government of Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth. That term is confusing since four other U.S. States (Kentucky, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Pennsylvania) also use the term.  Wikipedia also explains the following:

"The term "Commonwealth" does not describe or provide for any specific political status or legal relationship when used by a state. Those that do use it are equal to those that do not. A traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good, it is used symbolically to emphasize that these states have a "government based on the common consent of the people​" - Wikipedia 

When you look at the terminology and definition of Commonwealth, it is misleading. Instead, we have been a Colony since Spain came in and started the Genocide of our native Tainos and colonized those left on the island.

In 1898 the United States of America, after bombing and forcing themselves onto the Island, got Puerto Rico as a trophy from Spain at the end of the Spanish-American War.

We fast forward to 2017, and here we are sitting on a pile of debt created by Bankers from the US, Spain, Sweden (UBS) and a bunch of corrupt politicians.

A fiscal oversight board was imposed made up of 7 individuals, many with conflicts of interest and ties to the same folks who put us in the Massive Debt Puerto Rico declared bankruptcy on this past May.

Distracting everyone with the Puerto Rican Status Referendum

So instead of auditing the debt on the Island and looking at what caused it, our current government decided they wanted to entertain the masses by creating a Puerto Rican Status Referendum.

The objective was to have Puerto Rican's confirm their loyalty to the U.S. But how can you affirm your loyalty to a Country who took you as war booty and has taken more than they have given. Well, that is a bit of the Story of our Island as a Colony.

But getting back to the Puerto Rican Status Referendum. This specific one was tailored by the Pro-Statehood Party to create an option where the Statehood option would win. They have used tactics to instill fear and show others how the relationship with the U.S. would be so much better if we became a state.

In simple terms, it's like telling someone who is in an abusive relationship, that by staying in that relationship, things will get better. But for some reason, the Pro-statehood party has used this tactic in an attempt to brainwash the most marginalized people into voting for Statehood.

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How to win a Contest when you're the only one competing?

Ask the PNP Puerto Rico's Pro-Statehood party. They have tailored and orchestrated a plebiscite to make sure the Statehood option is the only one to win. They initially excluded the current status on the ballot making it a Statehood vs. Independence question. There wasn't the third option which is staying as it current Territorial Status. The third option was included on the ballot before Sunday's vote.

What is the Probability of Puerto Rico becoming a State?

My friends ask me the question,"Is Puerto Rico part of the United States?" and they still don't understand the whole political status of the Island, don't feel lonely. Sometimes I feel that many of us on the Island don't have all the details into what the current relationship entails and how that would be different if it becomes a state.

Currently, we are a Colony and will continue to be Colony because it's beneficial to U.S. interests. Major Corporations like Wal-mart, Walgreens, Big Pharma, and many others benefit from Tax Incentives and Tax Havens that are used between the US tax code and Puerto Rico's tax code.

Will Puerto Rico become a State in my Opinion?

Short answer, No. Because no matter what the outcome I will be reading this status in my Facebook memories to see that many of us predicted the future. We will not get close to statehood.

I can only imagine a few good Ole Boys from the South, those who I served with in the U.S. Army (yes we can serve in the U.S. Military but can't vote for the Commander in Chief), not wanting their confederate flag, I mean their U.S. flag to have another star.

With so many movements against immigration, I'm not sure how many who voted for the current U.S. president would like bringing in a bunch of Latinos, Hispanics, Mexicans (yes I have been called this many times), Infidels and any other name you can imagine, becoming part of Making America Great Again.