Like the Scots!

And then if you keep giving him a fish everyday, lo and behold you have an entitlement syndrome.

Withhold the fish, and maybe someone teaches them self how to fish.

Unless someone deems the fish is an endangered species and there are too many individuals learning how to fish......

Haha!

This is the apathy before the totalitarianism, like the calm before the storm. It is not an institutional control.

Good point!

Public will never be given the option to vote on it, so we will never know how it would turn out.

When you have economies based on fiat currency which is nothing but debt it will always reach a fiscal point where selling bonds to cover previous bonds will finally be realized as the Ponzi Scheme it always was. If they were a state it would be easier to hide the scheme longer with other debt options but eventually it all runs out.

I doubt it, but thanks. I believe US people would be swayed by the woes of the PR people, and throw in the cost to the unimaginable US debt, where anything can be paid by evil corporations.

Exactly right, and shipping totally protected by a naval base. Not good at all. Embargoes relatively impossible for anyone in the Caribbean or perhaps even South America.

Most efficient at almost any distance. Next is rail. Next is truck. Last is air. Factor of 3-10x between each.

Well, not to mince words, I would describe a Chinese naval base in the Caribbean as a mess for the US. Nothing like a port managed by Chinese companies. Not subtle. Separate an more ominous than the ability to drop ICBMs on US soil. Totally different, and totally bad, unless one prefers totalitarianism.
What do you mean?

If the public voted, I think they would vote to cut them loose. Especially with the debt woes.

Those that have an opinion any way. The no opinion/do not know crowd is always regrettably large.

Ok, I'm thick. Does that equal statehood, protectorate (status quo) or "freedom" as a country?

yes, but having a safe place for cargo until ready to be deployed by air is essential. PR is very near.

By far the most efficient way to move tonnage across oceans.

More complicated than any of us are describing.

I am implying that given the public mood right now, they would be voted off to their island.

Not sure what you are implying. I think the media would be all in on taking PR as a state and going socialist in vote.

I guess it is none

Supply chain is all about ships.

War, yes. Day to day is more complicated than you describe.

All their referenda have been non-binding. Either this one counts or none of them counts.

True, but rapid deployment of manpower and establishing a supply chain is all about location.

At a strategic level, the world is small enough that the major powers can hit anywhere they want without needing PR as a base. May be of use to minor powers in that sense.

Overall more of an in your face benefit.

Didn't have too much trouble controlling wayward students in the 90s. Don't think China would have an issue straightening out Puerto Ricans.

Depends on how direct and heavy handed one is. It is a nice price of property. The rest is variable.