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I was thinking about this issue, and let me give you an advice, Im not Puerto Rican, Im Cuban, We all Know that we share some similarities, in fact, we both gave up Spain the same year(1898). Since that moment Cuba had its good or bad moment, although we won our independence, our country could make a good profit and get along very well with USA, until the Castro came in talking about the "bad americans" ,the really independence, the enemy(USA), and more BS, Guest what?, we belived in him, in all that fary tale story, And a lot of you, know the history, we have had our truelly independence but now we dont have anything to eat, to shop,even our dreams went to USA, Our standard of living is like Haiti(Considering that Cuba before 1959 was the 2nd economy in Latin America) BUT we have our truelly Independence, jaajjajaja. Come on folks, USA is federal republics, you will be a Puerto Rican no matter what a piece of paper says or no matter if you are in Florida, NY, California.
Texans have so much pride of be texans and they still in the USA, why not puerto Rico.
Dont bite the independence story, think what you have, and what you will loose if you vote for independence and what really mean independence to you because the independece that castro gave to cubans is other think, jajaja
Bye bye,
Thank you for the advice; however, you are confusing the concept of independence with the folly of communism. Prior to January 1959, Cuba was an independent country and by most accounts of exiles such as yourself, prosperous by Latin American standards. I wasn't in Cuba prior to Castro, but there must have been some reasons for the Cuban population to fall for Fidel's rhetoric because I find it hard to believe that the entire Cuban population at the time was that stupid. Communism is just slavery in disguise. I despise what Castro has done to the Cuban people. Sometimes I think that if Castro hadn't grabbed power in '59, more Puerto Ricans might have voted for independence in 1968. But, that's water under the bridge now.
The USA as a whole is A republic, each individual state is not a republic. As far as aspiring to be like Texans, well...there must be more to life than that especially since Texas and Puerto Rico could not possibly be more different.
Thank you for the advice; however, you are confusing the concept of independence with the folly of communism. Prior to January 1959, Cuba was an independent country and by most accounts of exiles such as yourself, prosperous by Latin American standards. I wasn't in Cuba prior to Castro, but there must have been some reasons for the Cuban population to fall for Fidel's rhetoric because I find it hard to believe that the entire Cuban population at the time was that stupid. Communism is just slavery in disguise. I despise what Castro has done to the Cuban people. Sometimes I think that if Castro hadn't grabbed power in '59, more Puerto Ricans might have voted for independence in 1968. But, that's water under the bridge now.
The USA as a whole is A republic, each individual state is not a republic. As far as aspiring to be like Texans, well...there must be more to life than that especially since Texas and Puerto Rico could not possibly be more different.
Actually, I don't think he is confused. I think he made two very good points that you missed. First, that just because you gain independence does not mean you automatically gain all the benefits/freedoms/etc. that you think are going to go along with it. To wit, the example of Cuba. This is a valid point because Puerto Ricans themselves routinely complain of corruption amongst their government officials. And obviously that's even with the U.S. Justice Dept./Attorney General/Congress at least keeping them somewhat in check. So, the implied warning is that if they became independent and all those basic U.S. safeguards disappeared, it's quite possible the new Puerto Rico could just end up another corrupt country in the region - and nothing like what people were assuming independence would bring. As far as the Texans analogy, the point he was making there is that you can still be a part of the greater whole while still maintaining your own culture and heritage. This point has been made before in this thread and indeed there are many more examples in the U.S. other than Texans of people and areas within the country that are culturally unique. Just take a long extensive drive around the country and you will be amazed at the cultural diversity. In fact, there are plenty of cultures within the U.S. that if you were dropped into the middle of them without knowing where you were, you would have no idea you were in America! So, again, he made a perfectly valid point.
Actually, I don't think he is confused. I think he made two very good points that you missed. First, that just because you gain independence does not mean you automatically gain all the benefits/freedoms/etc. that you think are going to go along with it. To wit, the example of Cuba. This is a valid point because Puerto Ricans themselves routinely complain of corruption amongst their government officials. And obviously that's even with the U.S. Justice Dept./Attorney General/Congress at least keeping them somewhat in check. So, the implied warning is that if they became independent and all those basic U.S. safeguards disappeared, it's quite possible the new Puerto Rico could just end up another corrupt country in the region - and nothing like what people were assuming independence would bring. As far as the Texans analogy, the point he was making there is that you can still be a part of the greater whole while still maintaining your own culture and heritage. This point has been made before in this thread and indeed there are many more examples in the U.S. other than Texans of people and areas within the country that are culturally unique. Just take a long extensive drive around the country and you will be amazed at the cultural diversity. In fact, there are plenty of cultures within the U.S. that if you were dropped into the middle of them without knowing where you were, you would have no idea you were in America! So, again, he made a perfectly valid point.
I have traveled around the mainland and around the world, and I am not overly concerned about the erosion of Puerto Rican culture. What I am concerned about is the detrimental effect that all those "benefits" have had on the social fabric of the Puerto Rican people.
I lived on the island for 18 years and I visit every few years. I am apalled at the number of people who are on some kind of public assistance or another. Too many women are having children out of wedlock. There are too many households where there isn't a responsible male in sight. The traditional family, once the pillar of Puerto Rican society, is vanishing. To me, "El mantengo" is not a "benefit" at all. These people need to work so they can have some dignity, some self-respect. It is time to stop depending on the government for a livelihood. It's time to grow up and stop looking for answers from Washington.
On the other hand, the people who do work, want to live like they'd live in any other state. Well, the reality is, that Puerto Rico has a long way to go before it can be "like any other state". Time to live within your means.
You mentioned corruption. Politicians in PR are corrupt to the core. Do you really think that the presidential vote and congressional representation is going to change that? There will be more federal money going in, so there will be more opportunities for corrupt deals. Like they used to say "Entonces sà que se van a poner las botas!"
Every year, politicians from one side of the spectrum to the other, keep distracting the population with the status. And all the while, they keep taxing and stealing. Given the fact that the mainland keeps losing good paying jobs to outsourcing, how is statehood going to bring jobs to the island? And I mean real jobs, not (state/federal) government jobs. The politicians and the businesspeople who land all the government contracts are doing quite well. Meanwhile, the people on welfare remain in an ever deepening hole of hopelessness.
I do not claim, even remotely, to have all the answers. All I know is that something's gotta give. In the current political and economic climate in the continental US, I don't see the Congress giving statehood to the island. It'd be like touching a third rail. Puerto Ricans need to get their house in order by themselves. I did not say it'd be easy, but nothing worth having is ever easy. The population can start by shedding the attitude, so well ingrained over decades, that the island is too small, too helpless to do anything. That's a defeatist attitude that sets people up for failure. The "mantengo" system has to go. People need to dig out their self-respect and act responsibly. Puerto Rico needs to get its act together soon or Uncle Sam is going to get tired and show them the door. "Y se van a quedar sin la soga y sin la cabra."
I think you got the point very well, I came from a very nationalistics system(actual Castro dictatoship), I lift Cuba in a boat and since then I have thought a lot who Am I, Where Am I from?, I love USA, I know is not a perfect country or system, but of all the Country and Region that I have visited for me is the best(Its just my opinion), in terms of justice(Do you think is BAD?, Go to Europe, To Asia, not to mention Latin America), safety, etc. But I still love all the things that I did in Cuba, Im still a Cuban with all my heart even when Im not in the Island, and is very funny I always heard from the Castro politicians about all the stories of be Independent, Cuba is the best, jaja,We can be along very well, now its make me laugh, in this globalize world, thats A joke(that A is for EDNurse), Now Im really independent:
I can do whatever I want
I can speak and think whatever I want
I can work whoever I want
I can dress whatever I want
I can speak whoever I want
I can go any where(Thanks to my status)
And the list is endless, That EDNurse, is independence, its funny Im in USA, and Im AN independent person, jajajaj, the whole term of independence of the country is A silly song, get over it, Be a happy by yourself dont expect any politician will help out, they will try(of course thats their job), but the mainly point is the normal citizen of PR, The PRicans will lost a ton of independence in order to win the TRULLY INDEPENDENCE, why:
PRicans will no longer benefits of the status of USA citizen
PRicans can not travel around the world, ask the dominican about it.
PRricans can not work and live in USA, I meant they will have less options to live well and to make the decisions of live in such wide terrioty like USA.
There will be in A short term, The American PRicans(the richer) and the only PRicans(the poorer, jaja, But you will have the word independece in your Country, jaja).
And what wILL you win?, Politicinas make decicions, not you, the POLITICIANS, and of course, do not expect the bad politicians of American Congress, expect the Politicians at the Style of Latin American(For me, the Worst of all the World). The Whole indepent song for me now is very romantic and old song, for me independent is focus in only one person, what that person can do with the benefit of be an USA citizen and what can not? Sorry ED, , You and I know the Answer
Bye,
Cuba is my Home, but USA is my Country, its not very difficult to say it now, jajaj
I'm apalled at the lack of analysis in this forum. In order to judge the Castro years you must first remember that Cuba has been isolated and its trade blocked by the United States. How can you compare the industrial/ scientific/ social development of a country as such? It just can't be done. If there is one major reason why the island is in bad shape is the "embargo", promoted by some of you hypochrites who claim to support the island. All you wanted to support was your status quo pre-59. Or you really think that the Batista years were better? Your stupid opposition perpetuated the dictator and made your co-nationals poorer, but do you really care? Did you ever think about the Cubans when supporting the embargo, or just your egos. For all I'm concerned Miami, the city you've been leading, is one of the most unequal cities in the country, probably the only large city that doesn't offer much culture-wise and a major responsible of electing Bush twice. I'm so glad I've met so many illustrated Cubans who agree with me, and before I get brainless replies, neither them nor I are Castro supporters.
And don't think that Puerto Rico or Dominican Republic are ahead of Cuba, because it's not true in all aspects. Cuba is ahead in the two factors that are more dominant in the future of any economy: education and health. I'm married to a Puertorrican, I go there very often and I agree with those in this forum who argue that Puerto Rico is not even close to economic independence as a first step to gain full sovereignity. Cuba, on the other hand, is already there.
Well Isacere is your opinion I totally desagree, but if you believe in what you wrote go ahead that is the democracy and I have to respect that cuz Im not in Cuba anymore, jaja,
But for your concern Izacares I do beleive that PRico Should define its status, and not be in the middle anymore
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No!
