U.S. TerritoriesPuerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.
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In this age of Internet rabble democracy, where anybody has an opinion that seems to be from another planet, most people think that by just voting for this or that alternative would solve a problem. I believe the democracy we have is not as simplistic as that. The choices people have are controlled by the powers that be, they set up the choices, and then let the people pick.
Nations like The United States, which is the most powerful nation on earth, doesn't function like if Washington was running a Miss Universe Contest. Nations take into consideration their national interests and after that is discussed, let people vote for agreeable choices.
The U.S. acquired the VI as a strategic move during the start of the first World War in 1917. Statutory American citizenship was quickly granted as a way to keep Germans away and stressing that the VI was American territory and to lay off! Same happened to Puerto Rico, even though there are many myths about this but it mostly had to do with Keep Away!
To think that the people of the VI or Puerto Rico can pick anything without taking into consideration the policies and economic viability of any move that doesn't fall within the best interest the United states, is dreaming with pregnant birds, as they say in my country.
However what are the best interest of the United states for keeping these 20th century bankrupt colonies, nobody knows.
Turning Puerto Rico over to Ruben Berrios and Carmen Yulin is NOT within our national interests especially considering that they are little more than stooges of Maduro. It's a non-issue. And yes, we know where ol Ruben gets his orders from.
BTW: if the GAO report was so harmful to statehood then why did Hastings hide the report in his desk for a month?
We can discuss the GAO report among Puerto Ricans till snow balls freeze in hell and each one can find what they want in it. One thing is certain, Statehood will give the island parity of federal transfer funds. Millions upon millions will pour into PR making more than 60% ++ eligible for welfare. These funds are not to stimulate the economy but to keep people from working. If anyone thought the island was a welfare ghetto in 2014, wait till Statehood comes.
Some statehooders are now saying that even though Statehood will impose taxes, 7 out of ten Puerto Ricans will not have to pay them. INCOME TAX CREDITS?
This may sound like a chapter of Alice in Wonderland to most Americans, but It gets better. A full discussion of the GAO report by both houses of Congress will surely make the American citizens of Puerto Rico cringe. And if the Tea party/ Republicans get to win the House and the Senate in November there will be fireworks when the GAO report is given a full work over, can't wait. LOL
Some statehooders are now saying that even though Statehood will impose taxes, 7 out of ten Puerto Ricans will not have to pay them. INCOME TAX CREDITS?
Yes, this is true. the EIC (Earned Income Credit) for PR is about a 10th of what it is in the US, what does that mean, well if your AGI is about 8 or 9 k in PR ( This describes a lot of households ), you get a refundable credit of about $270-$290, but if PR were on the federal tax system, your EIC would be about $2,500-$3,000 for the same income. Since it is a refundable credit and not a deduction, you get that money even if you pay no taxes....
Turning Puerto Rico over to Ruben Berrios and Carmen Yulin is NOT within our national interests especially considering that they are little more than stooges of Maduro. It's a non-issue. And yes, we know where ol Ruben gets his orders from.
BTW: if the GAO report was so harmful to statehood then why did Hastings hide the report in his desk for a month?
YIKES, the cold war is back!
Stooges of Maduro? LOL
Ruben gets his orders from the Communist international headquarters which are now in Havana and Caracas.
At this point in time, anything would be better than the status quo. If Spain can treat PR like it treats other provinces like the Canary Islands, I see nothing wrong with that. And with the current spending orgy in the US government, how long it will be before the US dollar becomes worthless? Suddenly, the Euro looks more attractive.
I traveled to Spain on 2008 and while I was there, it struck me how most of our current culture and traditions are still rooted in the Old World, even after being a US colony for the last 116 years.
The only ones who deny that we have a distinct culture are the rabid pitiyankis. When you read about comparing Puerto Rico to Hawaii or some regional Texan difference, many immediately jump to point out, "you see, they have their own culture too, we're not different".
The problem with this simplistic view is that language is what makes the difference. In our case language identifies our culture and locks in our identity, forming part of Latin America and not Anglo America. That is why the push for bilingual education is suspicious. Although on the surface it sounds great, but we have had our problems with language immersion during the first years of American colonialism, they lost , we won! Nonetheless those years formed a paranoia among us that in the long run may be counter productive.
Yes, there may be a lot of languages spoken in The U.S. but when push comes to shove most younger folks drop their original ethnic tongue then adopt the majority language like the Nuyoricans did. The only thing Puerto Rican about Nuyoricans is that they eat rice and beans and dance Salsa, similar to the Italian-Americans who eat spaghetti and once in a while listen to tarantellas, but that does not make them Italians, ask real Italians from Italy. All speak English, and a bad one at that!
No we are not European, therefore not Spaniards. We are Puerto Ricans who still are trying to figure out if we are or not.
At this point in time, anything would be better than the status quo. If Spain can treat PR like it treats other provinces like the Canary Islands, I see nothing wrong with that. And with the current spending orgy in the US government, how long it will be before the US dollar becomes worthless? Suddenly, the Euro looks more attractive.
I traveled to Spain on 2008 and while I was there, it struck me how most of our current culture and traditions are still rooted in the Old World, even after being a US colony for the last 116 years.
I've been saying this on here for quite some time. PR is very tied up with Spanish culture, not British like the rest of the US for the most part.
PR should really be independent, but that won't happen anytime soon. But statehood is never, ever going to happen either. The thought of a fully Spanish speaking state frightens way too many Americans, particularly tea party republicans.
actually Puerto Rican music superstar Ricky Martin became a spanish citizen not long ago, reclaiming spanish citizenship in Puerto Rico seems fashionable and trendy, looking back at the 'madre patria' ( translated: 'motherland' , that is how Spain is called in Puerto Rico) is now 'in', add to the mix that the present governor of Puerto Rico is also looking for stronger ties with Spain as well. he is also using the coat of arms that Spain gave to Puerto Rico as a symbol of his administration (google:Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla travels to Spain, seeking investment opportunities).
Puerto Rico was part of Spain for 400 years, Puerto Rico is a creation of Spain (before that it was called Boriken by the natives and was inhabited by caribbean indian tribes) and became at last an autonomous state of Spain in 1897 (so statehood arrived in Puerto Rico in 1897 with Spain), so yes, it was a state of Spain and puerto ricans were first class spanish citizens (with full voting rights and voting representation in the spanish congress, something Puerto Ricans have never achieved during 115 years relationship with US). All puerto ricans have a great great grandfather who came from Canary Islands or AndalucÃa, the spanish accent of Puerto Ricans is very similar to the spanish spoken in these spanish regions, words like 'guagua' (bus) or 'enjillio' (skinny) are only used in Canary Islands and Puerto Rico, also the way of speaking is very similar as well, like words ending with 's' end up sounding voiceless and aspirated.
En cuanto al acento, el vuestro es muy similar al cubano, del canario se distingue perfectamente y no tiene nada que ver con el andaluz
Un saludo
Translated for Zirt / Hopefully Correctly
Hello!
I'm from Madrid and I was reading and I extend good greetings ...
From what I understand you feel culturally close to Spain rather than the USA, no? That is normal, but the Back to Spain can I explain it? You want to be part of Spain?
As for the accent, yours is very similar to Cuban, the Canary accent is perfectly distinct and has nothing to do with the Andalusian.
Regards
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