Posted on 07/16/2005 8:43:23 AM PDT by cll
Copyright © 2005 The Hill Newspaper. All rights reserved. For educational and discussion purposes only.
In 1992, I was polling for Michael Huffington’s primary challenge to California’s veteran Republican Rep. Bob Lagomarsino. Our opposition research discovered that the incumbent was a promoter of statehood for Puerto Rico. The campaign-consultant team huddled and decided to use this as one point in our critique of Lagomarsino’s congressional record.
But, as it turned out, the Puerto Rico attack fizzled. The issue was obscure to the public and press. Even Huffington seemed disinterested. Our polls showed that just 23 percent of the Republican primary electorate would vote against the incumbent solely because he favored making Puerto Rico the 51st state. Other issues were much hotter. And the challenger toppled the incumbent using alternative issues.
Today, I am relieved to know that Bob Lagomarsino didn’t lose his job simply because of his interest in Puerto Rico. On that issue, he was right and I was wrong. Mea culpa!
Like most Americans, I didn’t know much about Puerto Rico. As one longtime observer of this topic observed in 2001, "In the United States Congress and public, ignorance about Puerto Rico was exceeded only by indifference toward Puerto Rico, a place most Americans would have had difficulty finding on a map." A nationwide poll of registered voters conducted last July by Opinion Dynamics found that just 13 percent of voters are "very familiar" with the island of Puerto Rico. Only 41 percent know that all Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens.
Last week, I learned firsthand what a huge mistake it is for Americans to be so ignorant about the Island. Attending a meeting of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce as part of an exchange delegation of Florida business and community leaders, I was stunned by a presentation made by Jorge Silva-Puras, Puerto Rico’s secretary of economic development and commerce. Silva made a persuasive case for the commonwealth’s desirability for economic investment. His sophisticated marshalling of statistics and facts about Puerto Rico’s economy was first-rate.
But what was most compelling about Silva’s pitch was his vision for the future of Puerto Rico’s economy. To understand his vision, though, you must understand where Puerto Rico is today. Unlike other Caribbean economies that are largely devoted to agriculture and tourism, Puerto Rico has high technology. Most impressively, pharmaceutical and medical-device makers are the major employers. It is these biotech assets, combined with the island’s bilingual capabilities, that point to a bright future. Silva pledged that his government’s educational focus will be on math, science and English as its economic-development plans unfold. I began to hear with my own ears that English is in far greater usage in Puerto Rico than statehood opponents allege. Puerto Rico today may, in fact, be a model for a bilingual America of tomorrow. People aren’t fussy about language in everyday situations. Politicians may be, but people aren’t. People just want to work, buy, sell and get on with their lives.
Commercially, the places I traveled seemed like most of the rest of the United States. American brands from Chrysler and Burger King to Verizon and Wal-Mart dominate the landscape. If the economy says anything about the culture, it says that Puerto Ricans are typical American consumers.
But Puerto Rico, like every state and region of our country, has unique cultural qualities that will never be fully blended by America’s melting pot or mass marketing. Because of that uniqueness and Silva’s vision, Puerto Rico would be another great state. But that is a decision that only the people of Puerto Rico can make, voting in a referendum.
If the day for such a referendum ever comes, Puerto Rican voters will doubtless be influenced by the opinions in the existing 50 states. The Opinion Dynamics poll taken last year found that 60 percent of voters here describe statehood as a good idea. More firsthand knowledge of Puerto Rico could boost those numbers, wooing Puerto Rican voters to choose statehood.
Hill is director of Hill Research Consultants, a Texas-based firm that has polled for GOP candidates and causes since 1988.
4F,
I'm saving yourself some trouble by pre-posting your rants here: LOL...Freeloaders!...LOL...Ingrates...LOL...Firebombers...LOL...Read the MSM-National Geographic cooked article to see that they're just a bunch of freeloading drunks...LOL...they hate the Navy...LOL...Honorary Citizenship...LOL...get out and stay out...LOL...LOL...LOL...LOL...LOL...LOL...LoL...LOL...LOL...YEAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!
Had Huffington's enthusiasm for sodomy been known, would he have won?
Last time I read anything about it, Puerto Ricans were actually less fluent in English than they once were. This is a problem with military recruiting there.
Dumping Bob Lagomarsino was the biggest mistake in that district. With Huffington's ascent and quick departure (after an unimpressive one term), the seat fell to a decent Conservative named Andrea Seastrand, but she wasn't able to hold it, and after one term to the soon-to-be-dead leftist 'Rat Walter Capps, whose equally leftist wife Lois has held it ever since (despite it being GOP-leaning). Lagomarsino might still be in it today had Huffington not deposed him for no good reason.
*ping*
Puerto Rico reminds me of our Channel Islands. An offshore island, to the south, with special status and tax exemptions. Jersey and Guernsey are doing just fine without having to send MPs or be subject to the same regulations and rules as the rest of the UK. That may be a case for the Puerto Ricans to consider before they vote.
Regards, Ivan
"IIRC, didn't the pharmaceutical companies originally locate there because of a tax incentive? One that has been phased out?"
The tax incentives are scheduled to be eliminated as of this year. However, hi-tech manufacturers are not fleeing the island. Some are even expanding. The industries that are leaving the island are, as in the rest of the U.S., the high labor intensive ones, such as apparel manufacturers, many of which are setting up shop next door in the Dominican Republic.
The article is wron in one count. High tech manufaturers are not the biggest private sector employers in Puerto Rico. The service sector is (Banking, telecommunications, tourism, etc.).
"If that's the case, it says alot about the current business climate in Puerto Rico that they have elected to stay."
I run a business here and I can tell you two things. It can be challenging in some industries such as construction because of limitations on the availability of land, which have environmentalists in a hissy fit. Realtors, however, make a killing. The permiting process for new developments can be draconian. On the other hand, many mainland retail chains have some of their best performing stores in Puerto Rico. Tourism is booming mainly because of the security world-wide security situation. Puerto Rico is an exotic enough destination that's under the American flag and without the hassles of Customs and Immigration.
"or be subject to the same regulations and rules as the rest of the UK"
That's part of the problem. The U.S. Congress legislates over us, make all laws and regulations applicable to us, and we only have one delegate that has no vote in the House.
While I have your attention, when is a good time to visit England. Is August okay?
There's the difference - the Channel Islands have their own elected local government.
As for when to visit the UK, August is less preferable to September. I believe ticket prices are cheaper in September as well.
Regards, Ivan
"This is a problem with military recruiting there"
I didn't speak much English when I joined the Army. I could read and write fluently, but didn't practice it often enough before I joined up in 1983. That wasn't an obstacle though. The Army has a pre-Basic Training for PR's where they are immersed in the English language. When they graduate from that, they then go on to Basic Training and join the rest of the recruits.
Only if the land is part of an estate. If you're a living property owner it's quite simple to sell and buy land.
On the other hand, there are areas where you can only buy or sell the surface rights of a plot of land. That's mostly municipal land leased out to farmers or other interests.
I am not familiar with this person at all.
I've always thought the confusion involving PR was unfortunate - it would make a great state, preferably after the Fair Tax is enacted...
PR needs to do more PR (sorry for the pun) - that is, it's a great, American, safe (well, no worse than LA) place to visit, has great beaches, lots of history that is of interest to both Anglo- and Hispanic-Americans, etc. But most mainland Americans don't know this, and there are probably a lot of public school products who don't even know that PR is actually part of these United States.
Hey, I was born and raised in PR...I lived 24 yrs in PR before joining the Air Force. Prior to joining I was told my English was first-rate...it wasn't. But you know what, I applied myself and now very few can tell that English is not my primary language. All it takes is practice.
A few months ago, a study found Puerto Ricans to be the happiest people on earth as determined by the number of parties held throughout the year. Those parties can come in the form of local fiestas and parades. On any one day there can be one or more of those happy events somewhere on the island.
A neighbor of mine (not Puerto Rican) and his wife (a Puerto Rican) used to hold Christmas block parties here in Florida after they left P.R. He says he misses the constant partying and would one day like to live there again.
I was born in Puerto Rico and I'm proud of that. I am more proud of being an American and hope/wish that Puerto Rico will become a state in the near future..
Yes, Old San Juan is beautiful - a spanish walled city with ramparts and forts and cannonades, superb nightlife and grand dining.
Thank you for your comments.
That's why I try to do here, educate people while at the same time convince people on the islands that with our strong Christian and family values, we can contribute immensely to the Rising Tide of conservatism in the U.S.A and around the world.
You and others can read more on this in my blog: http://calvinllorens.blogspot.com or in other internet publications such as http://www.cefus.net and http://www.puertorico-herald.org.
How do you say 'Cheers' in Latin?
My Norwich born and raised wife agrees with your statement. We were going over to visit her sisters and assorted relatives next year in September, but the recent tragic events have put that on hold for the time being. I'd still visit tomorrow if we had the time and money, terrrorist scum or no terrorist scum.
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