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Puerto Rico's new gov promises immediate push for statehood
Associated Press ^ | Jan 2, 2017 1:04 PM EST | Danica Coto

Posted on 01/02/2017 10:51:02 AM PST by Olog-hai

Puerto Rico’s new governor was sworn in Monday, promising an immediate push for statehood in a territory facing a deep economic crisis.

Gov. Ricardo Rossello, 37, proposed several measures aimed at alleviating the crisis shortly after he was sworn in at midnight. Among them is a proposal to hold a referendum that would ask voters whether they prefer statehood or independence. Many have argued that Puerto Rico’s political status has contributed to its decade-long crisis that has prompted more than 200,000 people to flee to the U.S. mainland in recent years.

“The United States cannot pretend to be a model of democracy for the world while it discriminates against 3.5 million of its citizens in Puerto Rico, depriving them of their right to political, social and economic equality under the U.S. flag,” Rossello said in his inaugural speech, delivered in Spanish. “There is no way to overcome Puerto Rico’s crisis given its colonial condition.” …

(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: boricua; democracy; puertorico; racecard; rossello; statehood
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To: Timpanagos1

Not to be argumentative but you may not have read my complete post. What I am suggesting is after cutting Puerto Rico lose, i.e. they become their own country then FUTURE generations of Puerto Ricans will be citizens of Puerto Rico solely and NOT citizens of the United States therefore they won’t be stripping Puerto Ricans of any US citizenship as they won’t have it to begin with. I believe the citizens of the US must ultimately have the final say over what countries can be part of the Union and I don’t believe that Puerto Rico can or should be allowed to vote itself statehood.


41 posted on 01/02/2017 11:57:12 AM PST by JMS
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To: spintreebob

Should Puerto Rico become independent, children born outside of the USA after that date (such as in Puerto Rico) will be required to meet the same statutory requirements as everyone else born abroad in order to be citizens. In the first few decades post independence, that will mean that almost all children born in P.R. will be American citizens but the percentage would go down as the generations pass (because the parental residency requirements will increasingly not be met).

Regardless, statehood is a horrendous idea that every conservative should oppose.

Because its residents do not pay individual federal income taxes, it ought to be the most competitive economy in the USA with everyone else in the country jealous of it. Instead, it has spent, taxed and borrowed its way into quasi-bankruptcy. Why should the rest of us take on sorting that out?

Also, Spanish is the primary language. I would prefer to see the USA unite around English as its common language.

Further, are not the Democrats always whining about how the structure of the Senate and Electoral College (and one US Rep minimum per state, and the amendment ratification process...) go against the principle of One Man - One Vote because the less populous states get greater per capita representation than the more populous states do? But suddenly, when they can pick up two more Senate seats, they are all for it! Here’s an idea, make P.R. a state when Texas becomes 5 states and California 6. Then maybe there would be something in it for the rest of us.


42 posted on 01/02/2017 11:57:55 AM PST by Stingray51
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To: Olog-hai

No way. Another non-productive welfare state we don’t need.


43 posted on 01/02/2017 12:02:10 PM PST by JimRed (Is it 1776 yet? TERM LIMITS, now and forever! Build the Wall, NOW!)
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To: Olog-hai

No.


44 posted on 01/02/2017 12:08:21 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (President Trump is coming, and the rule of law is coming with him.)
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To: JMS

I read what you wrote.

The issue is that all people born in Puerto Rico are US citizens and their citizenship cannot be revoked.

Thus, if PR were to become independent, Puerto Ricans would still be US citizens.

That status of citizenship cannot be stripped from Puerto Ricans.

If U.S. citizenship is never stripped, each person born to a Puerto Rican, will also be a U.S. citizen.


45 posted on 01/02/2017 12:12:25 PM PST by Timpanagos1
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To: JMS

The US Congress would have to approve statehood and the president would have to sign the legislation.


46 posted on 01/02/2017 12:13:57 PM PST by Timpanagos1
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To: Olog-hai

Noooo!


47 posted on 01/02/2017 12:18:49 PM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: Olog-hai

This guy is a real scumbag.

I guess citizenship and welfare isn’t enough for this marxist prick..

These commie bastards kicked out the Navy and Clinton repealed the tax break for corporations who operated tax free in 1998, this has resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in commerce.

Democrats are to blame, and there is no way they get Statehood.


48 posted on 01/02/2017 12:19:37 PM PST by Rome2000 (SMASH THE CPUSA-SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS-CLOSE ALL MOSQUES)
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To: Timpanagos1

Perhaps you can explain to me how if Puerto Rico becomes independent they would continue to be US citizens? I contend that independence would end US citizenship. I understand that the Congress would have to vote and the President would have to sign the legislation to make them a state however, the question has not been brought before the American people and only discussed among the Puerto Ricans themselves. I contend that because this is a very different situation than say Nevada territory becoming a state due to the history and culture of Puerto Rico that this must be brought before the American people and the citizens of the United States rather than having another primarily non-English speaking culture permanently grafted on to our country - especially one centered on an island that cannot support itself. Hawaii might be a closer comparison however the economic and strategic interests of the US at the time made it a desirable acquisition rather than one that would be a net drain on an already strained economy. Also, we were exporting our culture to Hawaii rather than importing non-American cultures into our country at the time so in many ways Hawaii was already much more part of the US than Puerto Rico ever was.


49 posted on 01/02/2017 12:23:19 PM PST by JMS
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To: JMS

I don’t think there are any Cultural Requirements in the U.S. Constitution.

You said you live in New York.

Now, suppose 50.01% of the voters of New York City voted to become an independent nation and Congress and the president approved New Yorker’s desire to become an independent nation.

Would you lose your U.S. citizenship?


50 posted on 01/02/2017 12:31:37 PM PST by Timpanagos1
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To: Olog-hai

I’m OK with it - if Guam also comes at the same time in with two Republican Senators.


51 posted on 01/02/2017 12:39:38 PM PST by Mr. Jeeves ([CTRL]-[GALT]-[DELETE])
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To: Timpanagos1

I don’t understand your question as it seems to be a non-sequitur. I am not saying that there is a cultural requirement merely that it is one of the reasons why Puerto Rican statehood would not be a good idea. I also asked if you could explain why in the scenario of a post-independent Puerto Rico, i.e. the US cuts them loose they would still be American citizens as you posted previously. As we seem to be speaking past each other I’ll drop the thread with that.


52 posted on 01/02/2017 12:41:56 PM PST by JMS
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To: spintreebob; Impy; BillyBoy

Fortuño (not Fuentes) was a Republican. However, Rosselló is NOT a Republican. Although all members of the Popular Democrats are aligned with the Democrats on the mainland, not all members of the New Progressive Party are aligned with the mainland Republicans. Only two Governors in the modern era have been aligned with the national GOP, Don Luis Ferré and Fortuño. Both new Governor Rosselló and his father, while NPPers, are both mainland Democrats.

Conversely, the outgoing NPP Commissioner to Congress, Pierluisi, is aligned with the Democrats, but his NPP successor, Jenniffer González, is a national Republican (and only the 2nd Republican in the modern era after Fortuño).


53 posted on 01/02/2017 12:45:43 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (Je Suis Pepe)
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To: Cowboy Bob

That’s what I say.

Give Puerto Rico their independence.


54 posted on 01/02/2017 12:46:22 PM PST by july4thfreedomfoundation (November 8, 2016..... Donald Trump schlongs Hillary Clinton. 306 Electoral Votes)
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To: Olog-hai

Best thing we could do for PR is exempt them from the federal minimum wage.


55 posted on 01/02/2017 12:47:26 PM PST by rottndog ('Live Free Or Die' Ain't just words on a bumber sticker...or a tagline.)
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To: Mr. Jeeves

Guam hasn’t elected a Republican to Congress since 1990, so I’d be careful what you asked for. I thought that if the Northern Marianas Islands was granted a full-fledged Delegate to Congress, they’d be a Republican. Nope, they elected a Democrat, too.


56 posted on 01/02/2017 12:48:11 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (Je Suis Pepe)
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To: Rome2000

These commie bastards kicked out the Navy and Clinton repealed the tax break for corporations who operated tax free in 1998, this has resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in commerce.

Democrats are to blame, and there is no way they get Statehood.


So how should Clinton have reacted to PR kicking out the US Navy? Patting them on the po-po?


57 posted on 01/02/2017 1:06:19 PM PST by sparklite2 (I'm less interested in the rights I have than the liberties I can take.)
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To: oh8eleven

Puerto Rico has voted four times on this question. The most recent vote in 2012 was the first time the majority voted for statehood.

http://www.pr51st.com/none-of-the-above-the-strange-history-of-puerto-ricos-status-votes/

I could support statehood if California split up to grant a conservative state of Jefferson.


58 posted on 01/02/2017 1:09:22 PM PST by outofsalt ( If history teaches us anything it's that history rarely teaches us anything)
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To: Olog-hai

NOOOoooo...


59 posted on 01/02/2017 1:09:44 PM PST by Chaguito
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To: WENDLE
Well I think it's fine for them to vote. But I think the rest of us should vote too, after all it's our nation we should decide who is invited to be a State.

Wikipedia:

Congress is under no obligation to admit states, even in those areas whose population expresses a desire for statehood. In one instance, Mormon pioneers in Salt Lake City sought to establish the state of Deseret in 1849. It existed for slightly over two years and was never approved by the United States Congress. In another, leaders of the Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole) in Indian Territory proposed to establish the state of Sequoyah in 1905, as a means to retain control of their lands.[15] The proposed constitution ultimately failed in the U.S. Congress. Instead, the Indian Territory was incorporated into the new state of Oklahoma in 1907.

I do not support statehood for Puerto Rico, in fact I support Independence and would like to see the USA exit our control, just as we have from some pseudo-nation islands in the Pacific. I favor this regardless of what the Puerto Ricans want.

Essentially my position is : you have grown up and your parents are kicking you out of the house. Get a job

60 posted on 01/02/2017 1:13:36 PM PST by Jack Black (Dispossession is an obliteration of memory, of place, and of identity)
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