Posted on 03/08/2008 6:36:50 PM PST by devane617
Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite may do a good job representing constituents on policy matters, but she does a lousy job minimizing the damage caused by putting her foot in her mouth.
The Hernando County Republican recently offended Puerto Ricans when explaining her reluctant support for President Bush's economic stimulus package.
"The bill," Brown-Waite said, "sends hundreds of millions of dollars to people who do not pay federal income taxes, including residents of Puerto Rico and territories like Guam. I do not believe American taxpayer funds should be sent to foreign citizens who do not pay taxes."
Brown-Waite needs to brush up on U.S. history. Puerto Ricans are American citizens. Granted, they do not pay U.S. income taxes, but they pay Puerto Rican income taxes and the same Social Security and Medicare taxes required in the United States.
Instead of owning up to her insensitive and incorrect remarks, Brown-Waite stubbornly tried to turn the tables on some of the people she offended: She criticized a protest against her last week in Brooksville, organized by Orange County Democrats, and demanded they reimburse local officials for the cost of providing police coverage and other control measures.
Brown-Waite should recognize that a peaceful protest is a fundamental American right.
Brown-Waite even complained about organizers not delivering the number of people they told local officials to expect. The tough-talking representative must not have enough to do. Whether reimbursement is in order is a matter between Hernando County officials and the Orange County Democratic Party.
The congresswoman should apologize for offending Puerto Ricans and show better tact when responding to a furor she causes.
Didn’t they vote to NOT become the 51st state a few years ago?
Am I remembering that correctly?
I have always heard they hate Americans....Now they gripe because someone want to stop a gift they don’t deserve.
Yes, they did vote against becoming a state. But they are still U.S. citizens.
We could show a great deal more tact towards Hispanics around FR for that matter.
If you are an American, you have my greatest respect.
I’m glad they did not want to become the 51st State. That would have overloaded the Department of Health and Human Services welfare budget.
Why not statehood for Guam and its nearly two hundred thousand people? It has as many people as Alaska had when it became a State.
I don't think they want it.
LOL, looks like someone actually read the bill..she was right! One commenter really set the others straight!
You obviously heard wrong. Puerto Ricans don't hate Americans, they are Americans.
Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free.....
What about this statement is incorrect? And it isn't just PR and Guam. Plenty of people in the mainland get this "gift" courtesy of my federal taxes.
Not really. She is pretty popular in her district and actually there are not very many Puerto Ricans who live in Brooksville and Hernando County.
I thought only those who paid taxes in 2006 were eligible for the stimulus checks.
Nope. If you had gross income in 2007 of less than the minimum (which is something like $8,500 for 2007) then, even though you are not required to file, if you file a return, you will get $300.
It is based on your 2007 tax return.
I saw, somewhere, that letters would go out this month to those receiving the checks so it can’t be on ‘07 income.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18390704
That article is dated 2/6/08, but it is clear that it’s based on 2007 income.
Here’s another article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/01/24/ST2008012401981.html
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