From the Daily News:The House on Thursday approved a bill that could move Puerto Rico to statehood - exposing a rare and bitter rift between New York members from the island territory.
Bronx Democratic Rep. Jose Serrano backed the measure, calling it a vital step to ending colonial rule, even as his usual ally, Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-Brooklyn) blasted it as a "disgrace," "shameful" and "appalling."
The measure offers Puerto Rico - a U.S. territory for 112 years - a two-step vote.
The first would ask whether Puerto Ricans - including those living in the States - like the current territorial commonwealth status or if they want change.
If the vote is for change, a second vote would ask what change they want.
Velazquez and Harlem Rep. Charlie Rangel, whose father was Puerto Rican, said the measure was a backdoor move to a statehood vote on the island that has failed three times in the past.
"It is baffling that the statehood option, which lost in 1967, in 1993 and again in 1998, is now allowed to scheme its way to victory," Velazquez said.
Before the debate, the bill had offered three options for change: statehood, independence or an independent "free association" like three other former U.S. territories.
Velazquez argued that if keeping the current status was no longer on the ballot, statehood - always the second choice in the past - would win by default.
She favors a Puerto Rican constitutional convention.
Velazquez managed to win an amendment to add keeping the status quo to the choices.
Wow, was this one of the most pressing issues that Americans faced when choosing their leaders last November? No.
But it would bring in more electoral votes for Democrats. Notice how there are 2 referendums on this planned for the island but none for Americans.
Tweeding on the national level.
13 comments:
Give P.R it's sovergnty.......see how long it lasts.
Can we vote on whether we want to admit PR as a state?
Par for the course that our socialists would push this crap again now. They have the potential votes in Congress, the Executive is partisan and sympathetic, the world economy is in the tank (PR is feeling the pressure too) and there's an uproar about illegal immigration thanks to the level headed Arizonians (issue is polarized).
Right out of the Alinsky play book, my friends.
Can we give them their independence? And while we're at it, Texas can go as well and most of the south--of course, the USA will control their oil reserves for the next 100 years as compensation for having to put up with them all this time....
Where are the anti-imperialists now? Puerto Rico should be an independent country. Puerto Rico for the Puerto Ricans! Historically and culturally, it would make more sense for Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico to form a federation, not for them to join the United States. Does Spain have a right of first refusal in this?
It's about time. Way long overdue. They will actually have to pay taxes. We've shipped way too much money down there, with nothing in return. When Obamacare kicks in, we would have to pay for all of them, yet they still would pay no taxes. They should be a state. The Dems would get more seats and you know they want that. Washington is on a power high, so PR statehood could happen. I think it should.
Citizens should vote if PR can become a state. I fear statehood would last a day, there. No commitment other than have their hands out.
Stop punishing existing citizens for even thinking of another bad idea to be rolled out and enacted. I cannot wait till November elections arrive.
The people who are paying their taxes should be able to vote on this. It's our money that's going there, so we should be the ones to have a say. Why would Puerto Rico want statehood? They have a sweet deal. They get everything and they pay nothing. We should have been able to vote for or against Obamacare too, but Washington knew the people didn't want it, so that's why we had no say.
I just found out they do not pay taxes!!! What the____? An we ship money to them??? I just don't get it.......And whta do we get in return? I know a lot of Puerto Ricans that are very patriotic about being Puerto Ricans (born here) and not acknowledge one thing about being American. Look at NYC everyone is Italin this or Guayanes that and not once do they mention the country they were born in (USA). What a bunch of crap. I'm proud to say that I am American with Puerto Rican background.
Puerto Rico has no representation on Congress, that's one reason.
Here's more:
Puerto Rico is classified by the U.S. government as an independent taxation authority by mutual agreement with the U.S. Congress.
A common misconception is that residents of Puerto Rico do not have to pay federal taxes. Residents of the island pay federal taxes (import/export taxes, federal commodity taxes, social security taxes, etc.) and some even pay federal income taxes (Puerto Rico residents who are federal employees, or who do business with the federal government, Puerto Rico-based corporations that intend to send funds to the U.S., etc). While most residents of the island do not pay federal income tax, they do pay federal payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare), as well as Puerto Rico income taxes.
In addition, because the cutoff point for income taxation is lower than that of the IRS code, and because the per-capita income in Puerto Rico is much lower than the average per-capita income on the mainland, more Puerto Rico residents pay income taxes to the local taxation authority than if the IRS code were applied to the island. Puerto Rico residents are eligible for Social Security benefits upon retirement. Puerto Rico is excluded from Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Puerto Rico receives less than 15% of the Medicaid funding it would be allotted as a state. For Medicare, Puerto Rico pays fully but only receives partial benefits.
As statutory U.S. citizens, Puerto Ricans may enlist in the U.S. military. Puerto Ricans have been included in the compulsory draft, when it has been in effect. Puerto Ricans have fully participated in all U.S. wars since 1898, most notably in World War II, in the Korean and Vietnam wars, and the current Middle-Eastern conflicts. Many Puerto Ricans soldiers have died serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.
I been to Puerto Rico those people want no part of it.
Most are farmers who will grab those Congressmen and feed them to the pigs.
The states want a piece of those Casino's resorts cash (over 20 of them) and to tap into all those paychecks.
---Obama needs money
If they ever become a state, we will never hear the end of whining how much Puerto Rico got shortchanged in the deal and why PR needs more money to compensate for it. There's going to be no "E Pluribus Unum" here.
Many Americans seem to forget that Puerto Rico was taken over by Americans in the late 19th century ---- by force.
In addition, Puerto Ricans do pay Federal Taxes, and they have fought In American wars ---- and given up their lives doing so.
Puerto Ricans are a culture of hardworking people.The United States gives American companies 10 years of free taxes for all the businesses that they establish in Puerto Rico. The United States has also benefited from tourism and (let's not forget) all those ca$ino$ in Puerto Rico. Now, American companies are making quite a lot of money while using lowly paid Puerto Rican workers. So, now, who is making money from whom?
Most Puerto Ricans do NOT want statehood. The push for statehood came as soon as certain money hungry entities in the United States learned that Puerto Rico has one of the richest sources of off-shore drilling in the world.
The United States has acted like the uninvited guest who sucks up all the food and your hospitality, then allows their relatives to go around spreading nasty lies about you ----- to their benefit, of course.
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