Will there be a 51st U.S. State?

There is a strong possibility that a 51st star could be added to the U.S. flag sometime soon in the future, meaning that a there may be a new state added to the Union. Puerto Rico is currently a United States territory, and it has been since 1898. Being a U.S. territory means that the U.S. government is in control of it and occupies it, but it is not an official state yet. It is almost like being “a state in training,” as many U.S. territories have later become states. According to PR51st, a program which urges for equality through statehood, Puerto Rico also has the credentials needed to become a state. These include things such as a Congress approved constitution, a functional government, and a large enough population. Puerto Ricans are also all American citizens and have been involved with U.S. affairs for quite some time, including war efforts.

There are many positive, but also some negative factors that would come along with this territory officially becoming a state. A positive impact of Puerto Rico becoming a state would be equality for American citizens in Puerto Rico and gaining the rights and benefits which are provided to official U.S. states. On the other hand, Puerto Rico has a large amount of debt and has recently began a messy bankruptcy process. This means that becoming a new state could have a negative impact on the U.S. and/or Puerto Rico. Either way, the United States and Puerto Rico must reach a decision that is in the best interest for each of them.

Congress has neither accepted nor rejected a 51st state, so it is now all a waiting game. Many may ask when Puerto Rico will become a state, but it is hard to say, since there have been many setbacks in the past and recently. As previously stated, there are both beneficial and negative aspects to gaining a new U.S. state, which can likely determine the future of Puerto Rico and those who live on the island. Many people have different opinions on the matter as well, which has likely contributed to why it has taken so long for a decision to be reached. Our flag may change forever, as new rounds of voting have recently begun. How would you feel about gaining a 51st star on the U.S. flag? Do you think it would be a positive or negative decision for the United States to make?

For further information, I encourage you to visit this website that I gathered my information from and take a look around: http://www.pr51st.com/