Puerto Rico Legislator Asks Spain to Intervene in Addressing the Island's Political Status

El Vocero de Puerto Rico (Spanish-language article) ^ | June 19, 2008 | Maricarmen Rivera Sánchez

[Ebenezer]

ping

[Gay State Conservative]

I'm all for Puerto Rican Independence.But they've gotta understand that with Independence goes the loss of US citizenship and the right to live here.

[EagleUSA]

Maybe we should just give Puerto Rico back to Spain. I am not sure why we need another tax-sucking welfare state like PR, and the socialist Spanish government could take care of it.

Give it back. Save the taxes.

[NewJerseyJoe]

This is ridiculous, if I remember my history correctly. I was taught in grade school that Puerto Rico has long had the choice to vote on whether to (A) become independent, (B) apply for statehood, or (C) continue in its present status -- and that, every time this vote has come up, P.R. voters have chosen (C). P.R. doesn't need Spain to speak for it -- if it wants to change its geopolitical status, it's got the means -- it simply needs the will, i.e., has to convince its voters.

(please correct me if I've gotten the facts wrong...)

[livius]

It’s unclear to me what this guy is trying to achieve. Does he want PR to go back to Spain? That’s fine, but I doubt that many Puerto Ricans would agree.

[NTHockey]

>>I’m all for Puerto Rican Independence.But they’ve gotta understand that with Independence goes the loss of US citizenship and the right to live here.

Don’t think that Spain wants a welfare-dependant entity. Loss of US citizenship means no Yankee dollars and subject to Spanish taxes.

This is gratitude for freeing them from Spain’s dominance. Good, let them go and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

[Ebenezer]

I don’t think “Mother Spain” wants Puerto Rico back anyway.

[Just another Joe]

Father government speaking, "You want independence? I'll GIVE you independence!"

If PR wants to become a separate country, that's fine with me.
They do need to remember that they can no longer be American citizens if that happens.

[Gay State Conservative]

It’s unclear to me what this guy is trying to achieve.

IMO,the only two things that he can be driving at are Independence or to become part of Spain again.I'd have no problem with either course.Today Puerto Ricans have most of the benefits of US citizenship with few of the burdens.Money flows only one way between San Juan and Washington...unlike with the 50 states.

[livius]

No, Spain doesn’t like Puerto Ricans any more than they like Spain. PR is actually a fairly functional capitalist society these days, and aside from the usual Dem corruption, is doing fairly well.

[Centurion2000]

Understanding that Spain has "a moral debt" to Puerto Rico after ceding the island [to the United States] following the Spanish-American War, Popular Democratic Party (PPD) Senator Eudaldo Báez Galib asked the government of Spain to intervene to help solve the problem of the [island's political] status.

What's the problem? Either become a state or get the hell out. ANY territory should start getting reorganized as states at this point.

[Little Ray]

What is Puerto Rico’s case? We’ve offered them independence, we’ve offered them statehood - just what the heck do they want?

Is is possible to force them to be an independent country?

[Political Junkie Too]

Understanding that Spain has "a moral debt" to Puerto Rico after ceding the island [to the United States] following the Spanish-American War...

Does England have a "moral debt" to the USA? France to Louisiana?

-PJ

[mngran2]

Loss of US citizenship means no Yankee dollars

But it would mean they'd get Euros, which these days are worth a whole lot more than Yankee dollars.

[massgopguy]

Wait until they find out the percentage of Puerto Ricans on Welfare.

[Ebenezer]

You have to see where Senator Báez is coming from. He is part of the sovereignty (read “independence”) wing of the Popular Democratic Party.

[abishai]

Even if they did claim independence our taxes would go there in the form of aid.

Its just the perks of our country being a global sugar daddy.

[Centurion2000]

Guam, the Marianas Islands and the US Virgin Islands of all places meet the requirements of statehood. Why they are not states already defies logic.

Heck, even American Samoa has more than 60K residents.

[Ebenezer]

I have never heard of those territories having active statehood movements. Does anybody else know otherwise?