Discussion » Questions » History » There are some people who vehemently disagree with Puerto Ricans not having the right to vote in US presidential elections.
Randy D

There are some people who vehemently disagree with Puerto Ricans not having the right to vote in US presidential elections.



One of their arguments is that the commonwealth "excuse" doesn't extend to the commonwealths of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. While recognizing a historical necessity for the origin of the restriction, they consider it high time for it to be reversed now in the 21st century ( Some people even claim that racism is behind the restriction. This question of presidential elections, while very closely related to the issue of Puerto Rican statehood, is separate and self-standing for the purpose of this post: the right to vote in US presidential elections before and/without statehood. 

Without either siding with them or opposing them, do you believe by law, they are being denied a right that is available to others?

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Posted - May 6, 2017
Tags : None

Responses


  • 34276
    They don't pay income taxes so not they don't get to vote for President. They don't want to be a state... they don't get to vote for President. 
      May 6, 2017 2:02 PM MDT
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  • 19937
    That is not completely true.  Most residents are not required to pay personal federal income taxes, but they must pay into Social Security.  Puerto Rico is required to pay other federal taxes.   

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Puerto_Rico
      May 6, 2017 4:26 PM MDT
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  • 34276
    I said income tax. Not pay roll tax. 
      May 6, 2017 5:10 PM MDT
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  • 19937
    Puerto Rico imposes a separate income tax in lieu of (U.S.) federal income tax.  Do you understand the difference between the income taxes that Puerto Rico collects and the one the U.S. federal government collects? 
      May 6, 2017 5:57 PM MDT
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  • 34276
    Yes, they pay income tax to Puerto Rico....but that money does not go to the USA. So as long as all a persons income is earned in Puerto Rico then that money is not subject to Us Fed income tax and no PR does not collect it and send it or even a % of it to the USA. 

    https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc901.html

    If you're a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico during the     entire tax year, you generally aren't required to file a U.S. federal income tax return if your only income is from sources within Puerto Rico. 
      May 7, 2017 7:08 AM MDT
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  • 19937
    You said they don't pay income taxes.  They do - just not federal income taxes, which is what I said. 
      May 7, 2017 7:29 AM MDT
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  • 53509


    "They don't want to be a state"

    My2Cents, please specify to whom you're referring as 'they'.   I'm sure that 'they' are those who do not want statehood, as opposed to the those who do want it.  It's been an ongoing dispute in Puerto Rico for decades; the question of statehood or no statehood.

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      May 6, 2017 7:16 PM MDT
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  • 34276
    The people of Puerto Rico have voted this 4 separate times. And statehouse has not won ever.
    The 2012, vote was the closest. 

    Puerto Rican voters were asked two questions: (1) whether they agreed to continue with Puerto Rico's territorial status and (2) to indicate the political status they preferred from three possibilities: statehood, independence, or a sovereign nation in free association with the United States.[2] 970,910 (54.00%) voted "No" on the first question, expressing themselves against maintaining the current political status, and 828,077 (46.00%) voted "Yes", to maintain the current political status. Of those who answered on the second question 834,191 (61.11%) chose statehood, 454,768 (33.34%) chose free association, and 74,895 (5.55%) chose independence. 



    1,798,987 votes on stay or change. Change did win. But the chooses of change nearly 500,000 voters did not vote at all. So did the majority want statehood? 
    Congress decided it did not determine that...so ignored the vote. 

    Now they are supposed to vote again in 2017, if they (Puerto Rican people) vote for statehood. Then that would prove they want to be a state. 
      May 7, 2017 7:42 AM MDT
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  • 53509
    Thank you. This clarifies the difference between your original statement and its all-inclusive "they" and a breakdown showing that there are some Boriquas who have opposing opinions about statehood. 
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      May 7, 2017 10:12 AM MDT
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