[Y]es, we want statehood, but that neither our language nor our culture is negotiable (page 95).

Puerto Rico's per capita contribution to the federal treasury, were we a state, would come to less than that of any other state in the Union. At the same time, the per capita benefits we'd reap from federal aid programs would be greater than those of any other state in the Union.

On top of all this, we'd also have seven or eight Puerto Ricans serving as full voting members of Congress, working up in Washington at all times to help draft and pass new and improved social welfare legislation (page 87).

If it were a state, Puerto Rico would be absolutely assured of enormous amounts of federal money--money the island needs in order to come to grips with its many problems. But without statehood, such large quantities of money are going to be increasingly hard to come by (page 79).

All quotes taken from Carlos Romero-Barcelo's 1978 book, Statehood is for the Poor.