US Territories

The American flag - it stands for freedom and equality. Unless you live in Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, Northern Marianas, the US Virgin Islands or Washington DC. Then you don't get to vote for president, have no representation in the Senate and your single House representative can't vote.

Folks born in Guam have it the worst, as they aren't even full citizens, yet a much higher than the US average percentage of them serve in our military.

Is this practice unfair? If so how do we get this corrected?

One way I can think of would be a compromise. Strict voting ID laws to make the right happy and let the territories have full representation to make the left happy. The problem with that is, one of these is controlled at the national level and the other is primarily controlled by the states so I guess that doesn't really work either.

 

Set them free.

 

Someone watched John Oliver last week.

 

How many times as Puerto Rico voted against independence? Must be a real tough situation to stay in

As to DC it is a city with a government and was excluded on purpose which is easy to understand if you look into the history. Of course it is so horrible that who leaves? And it's budget is supplemented to what extent by the federal government that it houses?

Personally I think every territory should be given independence then treated as very special allies unless they change in ways to preclude it.

 

People in the territories do not pay Federal Income tax.

 

You're such a dick lol

I love it

 

Why yes I did. Sometimes he makes a good point. Sometimes he misses the point by a mile. But it is almost always funny.

 

People residing in DC get to vote for President and VP since around 1960.

 

All these territories are so small that they'd be irrelevant even with representation. Their voice wouldn't matter anyway. Why give tax money to Uncle Sam then? These places are all suckling on the Federal tear anyway and wouldn't prosper without the United States. They get a damned good deal. They offer nothing much of value to the U.S. other than strategic location but get the benefit of American infrastructure and money and the protection of the greatest military machine on the planet.

Look at the living standards of other similar places that decided to be independent nations. They'd be fools to dissociate themselves with us. I don't cry for them one bit.

 

Check Puerto Rico before you make that claim

 

I was actually agreeing with you, your post just happened to be a convenient one to reply to because it was the last comment.

Puerto Rico is big enough to be a state, but they're smart enough not to. They also have a lower per capita GDP than every actual state. I'd wager good money that their Federal suckling money that they already take is already higher than what they'd generate in Federal tax revenue. The point of representation is to get more benefits for yourself. They already happily take our money without paying taxes, what more could some Senators and Representatives get for them? Seems to me they already have a fantastic deal going for themselves. What are they missing? Voting for 1 of the 2 clowns we elect to be our Great Leader every 4 years? Who gives a shit about that.

 

my wife's family is from Puerto Rico. No reason to become a state.

from Wikipedia

Federal aid[edit]

Puerto Rico received more than $6.5 billion annually in federal aid from the United States.[1] A substantial portion of this amount is earmarked for public welfare, including funding educational programs (such as Head Start), subsidized housing programs (such as (Section 8 and public housing projects), and a food stamp system called the Nutrition Assistance for Puerto Rico program

 

Only reason I like Puerto Rico is because I can go on vacation there and not need a passport!

 

My dog is Puerto Rican. It's why she's named Chica.

 

Education dollars out the ass to be made there. It, like the Lower Rio Grande Valley, is chock a block full of federal money.

 

It's an all volunteer military, so should we not allow them in? It's a rather small island and if they all return it could tip over....

 

That was my first thought

 

REAL information from 1st hand experience. I lived in the U.S Virgin Islands for 3 years From 2005-2008. I have spent 4 more years living and working in the Bahamas, Puerto Rica, Culebra, Vieques, Dominican Republic, St. Maarten, the B.V.I's and Trinidad. I am currenly living on Saipan which is a U.S. commonwealth next to Guam in the Pacific. The U.S. obtained these islands for different reasons, mostly due to wars and decided it would be in there best interest to keep them. Nothing wrong with that. The people,culture, ancestors, and history are is completely different on each island. Locals are not patriotic because there is no real tie to the U.S.A. except that the states sends lots of money to each island and they are better off for it. You also have a U.S. post office each place and some American companies. In St. Thomas the locals are West Indians, thats there history. Here in the Northern Marianas the locals are Chomorro or Carolinian decedents and thats where there loyality is. Most people here have never been to the U.S. The bonus is they have a US passport which is pretty much the easiest passport to get around the world with. In all my years living in US territories I have never heard one person complain about not getting to Vote for the president. Local elections for Governer are all that really effects the island. I'm 8000 miles away from Miami now so what ever is happening in Washington right now I could pretty much care less. Thats 1/2 the reason that I live here. Life is simple. But about not paying taxes. The minimum wages laws are way different in the territories. Minimum wage here is 6.05 an hour and about 80% of the island makes that. I am making about a 1/3 of what I would be making in the states for doing the same exact job. I'm not complaining it's my choice to be here. In the end most of these islands would be in serious trouble if the US wasnt giving them lots of money and programs. The U.S.V.I. would turn into a mini Haiti real quick with out the USA's money. Basically most territories claim they don't want anything to do with the US and they don't but as soon as the money stopped coming they would be crawling back begging for their allowance like a spoiled teenager!