Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2010 and its political status

The Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2010 (H.R.2499) is a bill that would provide a federally authorized referendum giving Puerto Ricans the choice between the options of retaining their present political status, or choosing a new status. The referendum would be split in two votes, the first vote would ask whether Puerto Rico (PR) should keep its current political commonwealth status or if it should be change. If the majority of the voters chose to keep the present status, then PR would be authorized the cast an identical vote every eight years. In the other hand, if the majority of the voters request to change PR current political state, another ballot will be require to select between independence, sovereignty in association with the United States (US), or statehood. Whichever the results is, the President and the Congress will be notified, but there is no requirement of them to take any action in response to the vote. Under the H.R2499 act, the ballot would be open to all voters in Puerto Rico who are currently eligible to vote, as well as all U.S. citizens born in Puerto Rico who comply with guidelines determined by the Puerto Rico State Elections Commission, whether they live in Puerto Rico or not. During the referendum, all ballots will be required to be available in English and a certification of the voting results must be given to US. Also Puerto Rico would have to run with all expenses associated with any voting process. I have read many comments of people relating to Puerto Rico as a financial burden, since according with them PR median household income of approximately $18K per year would not be able to share the “dreaded federal income tax and assuming a segment of the national debt.” It surprised me people can be this ignorant and publicly comment without knowing the truth. But here is my “two cents”, Puerto Rico is been United States territory since the Organic Act of 1900 (Foraker Law). Puerto Rico had fought in all wars involving US since it became United States territory. The US President can call for military duty any Puerto Rican to participate in a war if a draft is implemented. Puerto Ricans already paid federal taxes in the form of Social Security as well as other federal taxes. In other words Puerto Rico already share and support any issues related to United States, but in addition they have “taxation with no representation”. As of now, Puerto Rico has no vote in the US presidential elections, because they don’t have any representation in the Congress, so they have 0 Electoral College votes. So, think about it, if you live in US and move to PR you will not be able to vote in the US presidential elections because PR have 0 Electoral College votes, but if you move to China, you will NOT lose your US Presidential voting rights because you can vote absentee in the US embassy. In my opinion, Puerto Rico should be given the opportunity, as many times need it, to become a state of the United States of America. Puerto Rico already pays the price to be an American, so they should be heard as well during presidential elections and other decisions of this country. As a Puerto Rican, born and raised in the island, I think Puerto Rico should be a state, but one thing I must disagree with the H.R.2499 is that the Puerto Ricans NOT LIVING in the island would be able to vote for Puerto Rico’s political status. I think that only Puerto Ricans RESIDING in the island should be the ones deciding the future of PR, because they are the ones that will be getting directly affected by the voting outcome. Nevertheless, since according with the bill, I will be able to vote even though I no longer live in Puerto Rico, you can bet that I’ll be there in the front line casting my vote.