Catalonia vote brings new test for struggling Spain

NBC News ^ | 11/25/2012

[SeekAndFind]

BARCELONA, Spain - Voters in Spain's Catalonia region began voting Sunday in an election whose outcome is likely to test Spanish unity at a time of deep economic crisis.

Opinion polls show two-thirds of voters in this region on the French border will cast ballots for parties, both rightist and leftist, that want Catalan independence from Spain.

Catalan President Artur Mas will likely win re-election since his conservative Convergence and Union party is forecast to take a majority, some 62 to 64 seats, in the 135-seat regional assembly, or Parliament.

Frustration over high unemployment and a deep recession have fueled a separatist resurgence in Catalonia, where polls show that for the first time more than half of the people want to break away from Spain.

Many Catalans believe their economy would be more prosperous on its own, complaining that a high portion of their taxes go to the central government in Madrid.

Mas, who adopted the independence cause in September after a massive street demonstration, campaigned on a promise to hold a referendum on secession.

If he carries through with the pledge, it will put him on a collision course with Madrid, where Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will use the constitution to block a referendum.

[Clemenza]

Nonwhite Spanish speaking people, the majority of whom receive the WIC card on the island, will only give us 8 Dems or RINOs at best.

Haven't we learned our lessons regarding the nonwhite, government-dependent vote? Do you realize that the median IQ on PR is 89? The level of PC on this site on matters of culture has been sickening as of late.

[ex91B10]

Puerto Ricans voted in favor of statehood in the last election. It's the first win for this question, so it may be closer than you think.

Impeach the kenyan or secession.

[Cronos]

well, as I understand it, from the Jones-Shafroth act of 1917, the Puerto Ricans are already US citizens and I believe they receive federal funds for federal programs (Medicare etc.)

They've been tied to the US since the Spanish-American war.

Yes, they would be mainly democrats, but I don't see how we could deny them statehood based on the acts etc. that have tied them to us for the past century