>I've often wondered what was the difference between a state and a territory like Puerto Rico. From NationalGeographic.
>- Puerto Ricans are citizens, but they do not vote for president
>- no federal taxes
>- non-voting rep in congress

It is an old pet peeve of many, myself included.

< rant >

They pay no Federal taxes but they do have enough local taxes. They have a US Passport and they serve in the military if they want. They pay federal taxes if they live and work in the USA. Not if they live in PR.

They are not a territory but a colony. Commonwealth or not, any place that is not full part of the country (not a state, no vote) is a colony. Unfortunately the US is still one of the very few colonial powers left (PR just being one of the possesions).

They can remedy this if they wanted. They have had referendums every so often. They have three main choices, espoused by their different politial parties in different degrees:

- Statehood: would bring them fully into the Union. Would be full citizens with a vote. And they would pay federal taxes. But after their vote, they would have to be accepted by Congress. Not easily done when many US States would vote against it. Specifically low population states, (like North Dakota) would immediately lose power as PR would have more Congressmen than they do (due to population size). They would have two Senators like every other State.

- Independence: they would be their own independent, fully recognized country. An expensive proposition as they would have to take care of their needs.

- Maintain status-quo: This is what they have been voting for all along. Why? It is more convenient and cheaper to be lazy and stay a colony.

I have had lengthy discussions with many Puerto Ricans. There are many in Miami, and I work with several of them. I tell them they sin of hypocrisy when they say they are very nationalistic (pure BS), they wave the flag and enter separately in the Olympics and beauty pageants. Yet they don't have the guts to put their money where their mouth is and stop being a colony. Either vote for independence or statehood. Nah. Lazier and cheaper to stay a colony but deny it.

< /rant >