Posted on 12/28/2004 1:23:56 PM PST by Ebenezer
On Thursday of last week, and following a trying seven-week recount process marked by court battles on the federal and local levels, the Puerto Rico State Elections Commission (CEE) declared Popular Democratic Party (PPD) candidate Aníbal Acevedo Vilá the winner in that U.S. Commonwealth's November 2 gubernatorial election, albeit by a slim 0.2% margin, over New Progressive Party (PNP) candidate Pedro Rosselló. With 99.9% of the island's polling stations accounted for, Acevedo received 961,693 votes (48.4%) to Rosselló's 958,465 votes (48.2%). Coming a very distant third was Puerto Rican Independence Party candidate Rubén Berríos Martínez with 54,447 votes (2.7%), while the remaining 12,691 votes (0.6%) went to other candidates. Thus, Acevedo prevailed over Rosselló by 3,228 votes out of a total of 1,987,296 cast. Voter turnout was 81.5%.
Claiming a "feeble", questionable advantage on Acevedo's part based on null and coerced votes, the PNP representative to the CEE announced that he would not sign the certification making the PPD candidate's victory official. This certification was scheduled to be issued today at 3:00 P.M. Atlantic Standard Time.
Related Spanish-language articles appearing in the Puerto Rican newspaper "El Vocero" may be accessed via the following links:
http://www.vocero.com/noticia.asp?n=50594&d=12/24/2004
http://www.vocero.com/noticia.asp?n=50662&d=12/28/2004
That was a good turnout, but why don't we just start settling all elections through the court. That's where the Democrats force them anyway. So why not? Hmmmm?
We're all not still silly enough to believe Democrats might actually follow the will of the people?
Is the winner pro or anti statehood? I hope anti. There's no room on our flag for another star. I think Rosello is the pro statehood candidate, but I'm not sure. Puerto Ricans have a lot to lose by becoming a state. I believe a large portion of the population does not realize this. Between property taxes, school taxes, state, federal, etc., many of them would lose their homes and property. The concept of paying these kind of taxes, especially on property that is bought and paid for, possibly in the family for generations, is foreign to most PR citizens. They sure dont hear about it on their left-wing MSM.
The PNP, which narrowly lost, is affiliated with Republican Party and supports statehood.
Strange that the pro statehood party favors the Republicans, since becoming a state would mean, like I wrote, being taxed out of existence. Do the Republicans favor statehood for PR? Seems like statehood would mean over 2 million people would immediately be eligible for welfare handouts. Economically, most of the population is living below our "poverty level".
Contrary to popular opinion, Puerto Rico is not a tax-free haven. Local taxes include income tax, a 6.6% excise (sales tax of sorts) on all imported merchandise, property tax on real estate and inventory, "state" unemployment tax. Federal taxes that we DO pay include FICA (Social Security and Medicare) and FUTA (Federal Unemployment Tax). If you have a smidgen of income from outside of PR, as do military personnel and Federal employees, as well as those with investments on the mainland, you do have to file your 1040 and pay federal income tax if due. When you and others say that we don't pay taxes, it only applies to IRC section 933 income.
Historically, the Republican Party has been a more vocal supporter of statehood for Puerto Rico than the Democratic Party has ever been. It can be said, in fact, that the island's pro-statehood movement owes its existence to the GOP. The Democratic Party, meanwhile, has been more receptive to the Commonwealth status; the island's Popular Democratic Party (PPD), for example, is a traditional ally of the Democrats.
Although the PPD established the Commonwealth back in 1952, there are those among its current leadership who have not ruled out calling for some kind of free-association relationship with the United States short of complete independence. To what degree the PPD rank-and-file understand this is questionable.
What's this, a left wing party modeling themselves after American Democrats?
Meant to reply yesterday. My better half was born and raised in PR and is there right now for Christmas. All of my in-laws live there. They all own their homes and the property ther're on. They pay no school tax, and think I'm exaggerating when I speak of school taxes of $1000 or more a year. The concept of this does'nt register with them. Huge property taxes don't seem legit to them either, but if PR becomes a state one of these years, they'll get it. They'll lose everything because you know that most people in PR will refuse to pay these taxes because they don't understand why you have to pay for your property every year if you already own it. I understand the income taxes that are paid in PR, and I like the idea of a consumption tax so that everyone is hit, not just property owners. I know consumer goods are higher there than in the states, as I spend about a month there visiting every year. Half of my in-laws vote progressive and half vote popular. Those who are in favor of statehood are more so in favor of the social handouts that they figure they will be eligible for. Those who are in favor of the status quo realize that PR is not ready for the turmoil that statehood would bring.
I personally would hate to see PR become a state unless the current system of taxation were "grandfathered in". No one there needs to be subject to the ridiculously high taxes that we here are subject to. Too much culture shock.
Please explain to me if you can why the GOP would support statehood for PR. As my sister-in-law, a native of Puerto Rico who still lives there says, "Statehood would be great. I could get cash assistance, the access card, and the free health care all without leaving Puerto Rico like my cousins in Philthadelphia had to do". Scheming for handouts does not sound like a Republican value to me. I though the welfare roles were to be reduced, not inflated, by the GOP. They can't be doing it for the votes. The GOP will never get the bulk of the PR vote. Not after Klinton cut loose those 17 terrorists to get Hitlery elected in NY. What about Vieques. W gets credit for cutting those ties, right? Anti statehood is the only thing I agree with the left on. Other than that, pinkos are worthless.
I'd like to see the statehood problem beyond the nitty-gritty of taxation. The real problem is government with the consent of the governed. There's a deficit of democracy for 4 million Americans. Federal laws apply to Puerto Rico and we don't have a say on any of them. That's the crux of the problem. People should realize that Puerto Rico is an inextricable part of the United States of America, recognize that we are a de facto state of the Union, get over it, and give us adequate representation in Congress and the Presidential vote. We can phase taxes in. Which in its own way is an obstacle to statehood. People who support the status quo, other than party loyalty, just don't care for the scrutiny of the IRS. And what red-blooded conservative doesn't want the IRS to go away.
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