On July 25, Puerto Rico observes the anniversary of its local self-government. On that day in 1952, Governor Luis Muñoz Marin formally proclaimed a Constitution for the island,… Read More »The 1952 Puerto Rico Constitution: A New “Commonwealth” in Name Only
Unequal treatment of Puerto Rico under federal law has frequently been justified on the grounds that Puerto Ricans do not pay federal income tax on… Read More »The Federal Income Taxes Puerto Ricans Pay
Trick question. Puerto Rico is already a part of the United States in the sense that it belongs to the United States. The question is… Read More »Should Puerto Rico Be Part of the United States?
Three referenda held in the 20th century to provide Puerto Ricans with self determination were inconclusive due to confusion over “Commonwealth” proposals that are different from the current governing arrangement, different from one another, and were later determined by Federal officials to not be viable choices.Read More »And Yet More Confusion over “Commonwealth”: Puerto Rico’s Plebiscite History
Puerto Rico is often called “a commonwealth” but “Commonwealth” is actually just a part of its formal government title. Four States (Virginia, Massachusetts, Kentucky and… Read More »The Origin of the “Commonwealth” Label
