Underinformed young voter that I am, I did not know Puerto Ricans could not vote in the Presidential election. This decision was upheld on Oct 14., with a 3-member panel of the First Circuit Court ruling that "Under First Circuit precedent, a panel such as ourselves is bound in the present circumstances by a prior panel's ruling. Only the en banc court, i.e. all the judges of the First Circuit sitting together, can alter a prior panel precedent."
In retrospect, the basic reasoning is obvious. The people don't elect the President; States do. There is no intrinsic right to vote in the Presidential election as determined in the Constitution. That makes perfect legal sense. Personally, I think it's a load of horse hockey on the level of the 3/5ths compromise creating a legal basis for slavery. The prime argument, however, is that Puerto Ricans pay no federal income tax on island sources. This, of course, somehow denies them basic U.S. rights. A man who pays virtually no income tax by accounting wizardy can still vote. Those entrapped in severe poverty can still vote. I mean, come on.
Conversely, there is a right to representation, and frankly the frontier expansion with its subsequent concerns with statehood and representation are far behind us. Furthermore, Washington D.C. residents which also don't live in a state DO have a say in the Presidential election. Why would US citizensliving in one none-state be able to vote but not ones living in another state? Both have none-voting delagates to Congress, after all. Furthermore, Puerto Rico residents are subject to military draft. In World War II, 62,000 served. In Korea, 43,000 served, 40,000 of whom were volunteers.
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