There are three major political parties in Puerto Rico. One that resembles the GOP, one like the Democrats and then there's the Indepententistas. They never poll greater than 20%.Yes but how many Puerto Ricans really want an independent country? I don't see any demonstrations on the street of San Juan or Puerto Rican terrorist groups attacking the US to make a statement, I have met many Puerto Ricans as well and they like being part of the US because they can come and go without a green card, becoming independent would take that away and they would basically become Mexico on an island.
But I disagree that Puerto Rico would turn into a shithole as you say.
Then your clueless, because the island nations have such a great history of thriving! LOL, Haita was the 2nd country, slightly after America, to receive its independence and regardless of the rhetoric that America had the infrastructure to succeed, SO DID HAITA!!! Yet 200+ years later they are still the armpit of the Western Hemisphere, slightly above Communist Venezuela.
Puerto Rico has the best of both worlds. Support (both militarily and economically) and oversite from America, in which all her citizens are American citizens, access to medicare and social security, while still remaining a quasi-independent country.
In fact the Republican (ironically called the New Progressive Party) controls all levels of the Puerto Rican Government at the moment with commanding leads. They caucus with the Republicans.
Political party strength in Puerto Rico - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The New Progressive Party pushes for statehood.
New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Recently its the Democrats that want Puerto Rico to become a state, but the Republicans don't want it. Although the current government with a super majortiy in the House and Senate caucuses with the Republicans, Puerto Rico would rank as a low per capitia income state. A good chunk of Puerto Ricans would immediately be eligible for food stamps and welfare! The fear is Puerto Rico's robust and industrialized economy (yes they have risen to 15% unemployment, but at $17K average income they are by far one of the most successful countries in Latin America) and very stable country, would slip into a nanny state with the Democrats pushing more and more entitlements to keep the people dependent on the government (which the Puerta Rican people are far from being, primary reason they vote in Republicans to all levels of their government) and hence get them voting for Big Gov Democrats! Democrats believe they would then get an automatic 2 new senators, 6 new house members and 1 new state governor!
All very good points, I don't see how Puerto Rico can blossom on its own, its not like their sitting on top of huge oil deposits like Kuwait. Puerto Ricans would be coming over on rafts like the Cubans and Haitians if they were given independence. The only thing I disagree about in your post is I think Venezuela is better than Haiti, at least I would rather live in Venezuela than Haiti anyways.