So, in November Puerto Rico will vote on whether or not to become a state. Historically these referenda have resulted in majorities for the status quo, but I've begun to wonder... if PR were to vote to become a state, what would become of their national team? Would they be allowed to continue ala the UK countries? Would FIFA make an attempt to merge the teams? If so, are there any Puerto Ricans that you think could crack the USMNT?
Probably not. Maybe Josh Saunders as a camp cupcake MLS goalie. They have one other goalie in the MLS, but he is getting old and he is a backup. They probably don't have a player good enough besides those two to play in the MLS.
The moon can also become a state, at least what it says on wikipedia..maybe we can find the next Messi there, it's possible.. Maybe this may be the answer to what people have been wondering about Josh Saunders, technically, he can either play for USA or Puerto Rico, but once he is cap-tied, he's stuck there.
ELA allows PR to retain its sovereignty while still enjoying some benefits from close affiliation with the US. However, I don't think Luis Munoz Marin had soccer in mind when he help carve this ingenious scheme.
It is a good question. I believe it comes down to what their soccer Federation wants to do. If they really care about keeping their National team they would lobby hard to keep it the way it is. If they are apathetic they will just keep quiet and let the USA run things. Another option is not playing in World Cup qualifiers but still keeping the team for the Caribbean Cup /Gold Cup like Guadeloupe and Martinique. No one knows what their Federation wants really. Heck... ... I don't even think they know what they want yet.
If they become a state, you have to imagine they would lose their "independent" FIFA and Olympic status. I don't see how it could be any other way. They would be the same as Florida or Hawaii or New York. As far as soccer goes, most of their national team is made up of American born (not Puerto-Rican-American) players who played for the Islanders and thus were eligible for PR, so this wouldn't really mean much to the USMNT.
Well there is the example of Guadeloupe and Martinique, both departments of France. Their players are eligible for France and could theoretically even play for France after appearing for Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Gold Cup (after a lengthy process). They are not full FIFA members and do not play in WCQ, but they are CONCACAF and CFU members and compete for the Caribbean and Gold Cups.
First of all the referendum is not about voting to become a state or not. Is about asking if the people want to resolve their status. If voters decide on the yes then there will be second referendum so that voters can chose between statehood and independence. Neither of these referendums have the backing of the US congress, executive office or the United Nations decolonization committee. So both are worthless and do nothing in advancing our struggle for decolonization. Lastly PR will never become a state because we dont want it and we wont stand for it. Secondly the US doesnt want it either so the road leads only one way and that's independence. Further more most soccer players in PR from the national team are colombians, hondurans, americans and from other countries that come to play for PR. We dont have a soccer culture or history to produce world class players. So i doubt the US soccer team looks towards PR to find players. Read UN resolution 1514 to learn a lot more from our colony status.
I'm not going to get into a political debate here, but you must be smoking some strong stuff if you believe independence has more support in Puerto Rico than statehood. If PR voted to become a state, congress would be obligated to accept that result and both parties have indicated they would like to see it happen. Meanwhile, the independentistas continue to receive roughly 2% of the vote for every major political office. But you're correct that statehood is not the likely outcome... you're just misrepresenting the will of the people in PR. Most are happy with the status quo and that is what will prevail in November.
Puerto Rico will probably just keep the status quo. I mean they don't get voting represenation in congress, but i don't believe they pay as much tax as citizens that live in the states do either (or at least i heard something like that when i visited puerto rico a few years ago, would not be surprised if it was complete bs)... either way, I'd be okay with puerto rico keeping the status quo, becoming a state or being independent, i honestly believe it should be their decision what they want to do.
As someone who is a bit OCD I am completely opposed to Puerto Rico becoming a state. Unless we also combine the Dakotas into one state, or destroy Delaware.
6 alternating rows of 9s and 8s http://www.slate.com/articles/life/do_the_math/2010/06/13_stripes_and_51_stars.html
Yes, but a state is a state. If PR becomes a state it won't be any different than the other 50, and none of them field a separate team.
Clearly you know nothing of what you are talking about and dont know anything about the situation in PR. Congress is not obligated to accept anything that comes from a local referendum in PR with no backing from the UN or the US congress. Statehood doesnt have the backing you think it has, once the commonwealth is no longer an option must of its supporters will turn into independence rather than statehood. Do some reading educate yourself then try to talk with some knowledge instead of talking out of your ass.
A French "department" is the essential political equivalent of a US "state." Politically, Guadeloupe and Martinique are "France" as opposed to commonwealth territories, just as Hawaii is "USA." FIFA doesn't recognize them, but the CFU does for its own reasons, and Puerto Rico is within the CFU, so there's definitely precedent. Nevertheless, the last player with ties to Puerto Rico that played a significant USMNT role that I can think of was Chris Armas (I might be missing someone, but none that I can think of), thus this issue would be largely academic, even in the hypothetical situation that PR joined the Union as the 51st state.
Yes, Congress will say no to Puerto Rico if they vote for Statehood Get out of your independentista fantasy land. Statehood got 46% of the vote in 1998 and 1993. I imagine it'd be a lot easier to get a swing of 5% for statehood than a swing of 49% for independence, but that's just math. Especially when the PNP dominated the last elections, controlling every major office on the island. How many seats do the PIP have again? And, by the way, if you're going to accuse other people of talking out of their ass you should probably know that the second referendum that would be triggered if the status quo was rejected would have 3 options... and that free association would almost certainly be more popular than independence.
LOL PNP the corrupt bunch that have been getting caught every week stealing something. Statehood will never be an option for PR so get that through your head. The US doenst have to accept anybody into their confederation if they dont want to. The only way we can force the US to act is through international pressures and to force the UN to enforce its resolutions. When the time comes that the US has no option but to decolonize PR they will give PR their independence but will never offer statehood to PR. And the second leg of the referendum will only have two options statehood or independence if there is a second leg.