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Puerto Rico is $73 billion in debt. It is losing about 2% of its population to the US yearly because there are no jobs, no opportunities, jobs are being lost, their economy is in the tank. They do have resources. Even if they vote for state hood, why don't we help them with guidance to get their economy going again, have them clean up their debt.
Many want A change, but don't want TO change.
Their current governor wants to reduce a 130+ agency government to about a 30+ agency government and invest that money in jobs and opportunities, not to mention revamping their crumbling infrastructure. Its going to be painful for some of the people, and even Puerto Ricans tell me that.
They have voted no on statehood in the past. Give them a chance to pull themselves out before we start sinking billions into getting their economy going again. Then we can revisit the issue if Puerto Rico really wants to be a US state, which many citizens don't. They just think they have no options.
To be fair, the main opposition party (the PPD) encouraged their supporters and anyone else against statehood to boycott the referendum -- which they duly did, very very few people showed up to vote and then pulled the lever for anything else. Less than 25% participation rate. Which is strategically sound -- the PPD wants to avoid a situation where those wanting statehood try to push a referendum or two every decade with full participation and then move for statehood once they win once; once that happens they'd need to win every time while their opponents would only need to win once. We don't actually know who would win with everyone participating.
Puerto Rico is statistically whiter (75% white) and poorer than the mainland.
So, do we really need another useless white trash state like PR to add to our problems?
Yowza!
Tho if we're gonna count "Hispanics" as "white"; the rest of the US is more than 75 percent white, more like 80 since Blacks people ain't much higher than 10 percent in 2017.
What is you preferred alternative? The current half-in status or full independence?
It is in our best interest to maintain the status quo because I recognize the strategic importance of Puerto Rico in terms of our military presence and the war on drugs. HOWEVER we can still negotiate a deal with an independent Puerto Rico to keep US military and DEA presence there like we have with South Korea and Germany for example even if we have to pay a lease, which would still be cheaper than additional payouts to Medicaid, Obamacare, food stamps other government benefits etc to Puerto Rico. If a good deal can't be made we still have the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean that our military presence can be relocated to.
Puerto Rico is $73 billion in debt. It is losing about 2% of its population to the US yearly because there are no jobs, no opportunities, jobs are being lost, their economy is in the tank. They do have resources. Even if they vote for state hood, why don't we help them with guidance to get their economy going again, have them clean up their debt.
Many want A change, but don't want TO change.
Their current governor wants to reduce a 130+ agency government to about a 30+ agency government and invest that money in jobs and opportunities, not to mention revamping their crumbling infrastructure. Its going to be painful for some of the people, and even Puerto Ricans tell me that.
They have voted no on statehood in the past. Give them a chance to pull themselves out before we start sinking billions into getting their economy going again. Then we can revisit the issue if Puerto Rico really wants to be a US state, which many citizens don't. They just think they have no options.
This is pretty reasonable, Democrats and some pragmatic Republicans have been trying to extend programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit, full application of the Child Tax Credit (currently only applies if a Puerto Rican has more than 3 children), and parity in Medicare & Medicaid funding ... but yeah, the Tea Party blocks everything.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ALackOfCreativity
To be fair, the main opposition party (the PPD) encouraged their supporters and anyone else against statehood to boycott the referendum -- which they duly did, very very few people showed up to vote and then pulled the lever for anything else. Less than 25% participation rate. Which is strategically sound -- the PPD wants to avoid a situation where those wanting statehood try to push a referendum or two every decade with full participation and then move for statehood once they win once; once that happens they'd need to win every time while their opponents would only need to win once. We don't actually know who would win with everyone participating.
The problem here is that the PPD basically wants "statehood-lite" ... they want all the benefits of statehood but without the corresponding Federal income taxes, and they want a permanent Federal tax break for corporations. They call it the "ELA Mejorado" or the "developed commonwealth". This isn't constitutional, it's not a viable option. You can't have something that is legally a territory but with virtually every benefit and privilege of statehood.
Quote:
Nuestra visión es la unión con los Estados Unidos desde dentro de la federación.
- PPD figure Jose Alfredo Hernandez Mayoral, March 2017
1) Is the stupidest response I have ever seen to this issue.
2) Most Puerto Ricans who support statehood are actually Republicans. Jennifer Gonzalez, Johnny Mendez, and Thomas Rivera Schatz are all Republicans.The word "progressive" in New Progressive Party has nothing to do with the mainland connotation of the word.
3) English is already an official language in Puerto Rico and most people people speak English reasonably well
4) How is this any different than the White trash states down South and in Appalachia? Or are those states different just because they are populated by White people? The biggest drains on the Federal Treasury are those solid, red Republican states. Not inner cities, not Puerto Rico.
I suggest you learn the facts before you pipe up. Turn off Fox News, maybe even visit Puerto Rico on vacation. It might surprise you. It's hard to believe, but once upon a time I felt the same way as you ... and then I actually went to Puerto Rico and learned the facts as the facts are.
"Most Puerto Ricans who support statehood are actually Republicans."
OK, we'll take the ones who support statehood and leave the rest.
Amazing how the liberal media isn't covering their new referendum that's happening today in Puerto Rico where they're going to vote AGAIN on statehood. It seems like statehood is becoming more and more popular but if this referendum passes, Congress should NOT allow Puerto Rico to be a state.
- The American flag looks perfect the way it is now
- Puerto Rico is a very left-wing place politically. Allowing them to be a state means that the Democrats will have a permanent advantage in the Electoral College and in Congress as the new Senate and House seats allotted to them will be filled by Democrats. Puerto Rican voters are also susceptible to the Democrats' racial politics and stand in racial solidarity with illegal Mexicans and Central Americans in favor of illegal immigration and things like the Dream Act and illegal alien amnesty.
- This will be adding another non-English speaking area to the U.S. and will undermine efforts to make English the official language of America
- Yes, Puerto Ricans will have to pay federal taxes if they're a state but they are an economic basket case and will receive far more in federal funds than they pay in. It will be a financial black hole for the American taxpayer, a large version of Detroit, Chicago, Newark or the Bronx.
I truly believe this is a ploy by liberals and Democrats to gain and hold power. THey've tried to push for Washington DC to be a state for a long time and have failed and now they want to try with Puerto Rico. Because the left moving Democrat Party can no longer appeal to the average American, they have to resort to these games.
Though I'm open to allowing Puerto Rico to be a state in exchange for New Jersey or California leaving and taking their electoral votes and congressional representation away.
The Republicans currently have a skewed representational advantage, with the number of electors allotted in many of the red states, in proportion to their populations. If the strongly democratic populations of Puerto Rico and Washington, D. C. were given statehood and added their electors, the Democrats would still be at a great disadvantage. Having these two new states, would only partially offset the Republicans existing electoral advantage. The OP tries to make it seem like it would be improper for democrats to increase their power-------that the American Way requires them to be marginalized.
Although only 25% of the eligible voters turned out today, 97% of them favored statehood. ¡Bienvenidos a nuestros hermanos puertorriqueños!
Last edited by Steve McDonald; 06-11-2017 at 08:28 PM..
Most Puerto Ricans in the US seem to be Democrat and live in heavily Democrat strongholds like NYC and Chicago. Also I was surprised that this Puerto Rican terrorist from the 70s was able to march in the Puerto Rican parade in New York. The left wing movement has been prominent among Puerto Ricans on the mainland.
Now if Puerto Rico isn't a guaranteed Democrat stronghold then MAYBE its not that bad but their economic issues are still very concerning and us having to bail them out of that mess. Also we're not sure that they're not going to support Obamacare at a time when we must as a nation get Obamacare dismantled and end the push for socialist medicine. On the good side I guess Puerto Ricans are still more socially conservative than New York and California and are still mostly pro-life and don't believe men should be allowed in women's bathrooms.
If Puerto Rico becomes a state, another concern is that it will give Washington DC more momentum toward statehood and I definitely oppose the District of Columbia becoming a state.
It is in our best interest to maintain the status quo because I recognize the strategic importance of Puerto Rico in terms of our military presence and the war on drugs. HOWEVER we can still negotiate a deal with an independent Puerto Rico to keep US military and DEA presence there like we have with South Korea and Germany for example even if we have to pay a lease, which would still be cheaper than additional payouts to Medicaid, Obamacare, food stamps other government benefits etc to Puerto Rico. If a good deal can't be made we still have the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean that our military presence can be relocated to.
The problem with this is that in the event of independence a very large portion of the population would move to the US ... and you'll still be paying for them!
Remember, some Federal benefit programs have a COL aspect and Puerto Rico has a very low COL so even in the event of statehood it's still cheaper than paying for the Puerto Ricans when they move to Florida, Texas, etc.
Also, DC cannot constitutionally become a state so it's a moot point. Lastly, Nuyoricans are not the same as Puerto Ricans. They are different people. Nuyoricans are basically like say ... the descendants of people from New York who move to Florida.
Why does anyone what would be a third world country to be part of the US.
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