By: Daniel Nardini
The biggest two issues for Puerto Ricans right now are America’s economy and Puerto Rico’s status. Like most Americans, Puerto Ricans are very worried about jobs and their small and medium-sized businesses. Many Puerto Ricans are unemployed in both the United States and in Puerto Rico. Although Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuno has cut the unemployment rate significantly, it is still 14.1 percent (down from 16.6 percent). This has led to many Puerto Ricans coming to the United States. However, many Puerto Ricans have had not much more luck finding work in the United States than they did in Puerto Rico.
There are large Puerto Rican communities located in just about every urban center on the east coast of the United States. Many Puerto Ricans had moved to both Ohio and Florida—both key swing states in just about any U.S. presidential election. Because of this, their numbers are important for any future president’s efforts at getting the U.S. economy started. There are 94,985 Puerto Ricans now living in Ohio. Many of them have connections with their families in Puerto Rico, and there are direct flights between Ohio and Puerto Rico. This does not include all of the businesses Puerto Ricans have started in Ohio. Up to 2010, 725,000 Puerto Ricans had moved to Florida within the last 20 years. Because of this, the State of Florida will now gain not only two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, but will also increase the number of electoral votes for any presidential candidate. Yes, the presence of the Puerto Rican vote has influenced this change.
Of course, the Puerto Rican presence in Chicago is considerable. There are 182,989 Puerto Ricans living in Illinois—the majority living in the Chicago area. This represents the largest number of Puerto Ricans in the U.S. Midwest, and Puerto Ricans make up the second largest group of Latinos in the U.S. Midwest. There are over 4 million Puerto Ricans living in the United States on top of 3 million Puerto Ricans living in Puerto Rico. Because Puerto Ricans are the second largest Latino group, they will have an influence in presidential and local elections. And taken with the island of Puerto Rico itself, Puerto Ricans will definitely have a great influence on the future of America itself. If Puerto Rico votes for statehood, keeping the status quo, or independence, this will affect all Puerto Ricans in the United States—not to mention the future of this country. It will also affect the economy and society of America as a whole. If any president or the U.S. government ignores the wants and needs of the Puerto Rican community in America, they eventually ignore the wants and needs of all Americans in general.
Different Side of the Latino Issue: The Puerto Ricans Part II
By: Daniel Nardini
There are large Puerto Rican communities located in just about every urban center on the east coast of the United States. Many Puerto Ricans had moved to both Ohio and Florida—both key swing states in just about any U.S. presidential election. Because of this, their numbers are important for any future president’s efforts at getting the U.S. economy started. There are 94,985 Puerto Ricans now living in Ohio. Many of them have connections with their families in Puerto Rico, and there are direct flights between Ohio and Puerto Rico. This does not include all of the businesses Puerto Ricans have started in Ohio. Up to 2010, 725,000 Puerto Ricans had moved to Florida within the last 20 years. Because of this, the State of Florida will now gain not only two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, but will also increase the number of electoral votes for any presidential candidate. Yes, the presence of the Puerto Rican vote has influenced this change.
Of course, the Puerto Rican presence in Chicago is considerable. There are 182,989 Puerto Ricans living in Illinois—the majority living in the Chicago area. This represents the largest number of Puerto Ricans in the U.S. Midwest, and Puerto Ricans make up the second largest group of Latinos in the U.S. Midwest. There are over 4 million Puerto Ricans living in the United States on top of 3 million Puerto Ricans living in Puerto Rico. Because Puerto Ricans are the second largest Latino group, they will have an influence in presidential and local elections. And taken with the island of Puerto Rico itself, Puerto Ricans will definitely have a great influence on the future of America itself. If Puerto Rico votes for statehood, keeping the status quo, or independence, this will affect all Puerto Ricans in the United States—not to mention the future of this country. It will also affect the economy and society of America as a whole. If any president or the U.S. government ignores the wants and needs of the Puerto Rican community in America, they eventually ignore the wants and needs of all Americans in general.