It's not for that purpose ... so you right wing nuts can stop thinking what you're thinking!
Posted on 04/30/2015 8:03:04 AM PDT by pabianice
Puerto Rico is in trouble, after years of bad policies, mismanagement, excessive debt and bad luck.
Its economy has been shrinking or stagnant for a decade and the unemployment rate sits at nearly 12 percent. The commonwealth and its utilities have a debt of $73 billion, its public pension funds are woefully underfunded and one state agency has warned that the government could be forced to shut down soon because it might run out of money.
Lawmakers in Washington and San Juan need to come up with a plan that addresses the financial and economic problems of the territory, which is home to 3.6 million American citizens. The island’s difficulties also affect investors in the 50 states who own the tax-exempt bonds issued by Puerto Rico’s government and utilities.
Once a growing manufacturing center, Puerto Rico began a long decline in the mid-2000s after federal tax incentives for businesses that produced goods on the island were phased out, prompting some employers and tens of thousands of workers to leave.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Well then make it the 58th state.
I know, bring them all here and pull the drain plug out of the center of the island.
Let me call Jebbie...............
Right:)
Anyway...”What difference does it make?”, now?!!
Once a growing manufacturing center, Puerto Rico began a long decline in the mid-2000s after federal tax incentives for businesses that produced goods on the island were phased out, prompting some employers and tens of thousands of workers to leave.
Been to Puerto Rico a few times. It’s a beautiful place, but San Juan has some incredibly scary areas.
It's not for that purpose ... so you right wing nuts can stop thinking what you're thinking!
Statehood? It would only be a blue state, and one that does not have English as its first language.
But hey, many of the denizens of Puerto Rico are known to possess sidearms, great believers in the Second Amendment. Or something.
Puerto Rico is our Greece (though Detroit made a run at it).
Can we be as tough as Germany?
And when was the last time Conservatives controlled the government of Puerto Rico???
Just turn Puerto Rico back into a Bird Sanctuary
Also remember they just had to have Vieques back. No Vieques, no US Navy, no US Navy equals what has to be lost revenue that runs into the billions. Been there myself. Some of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. Good food too. Puerto Rico Is also where I learned that the sidewalk at intersections double as a turning lane. :)
“And when was the last time Conservatives controlled the government of Puerto Rico???”
2009 -2012.
Windmills. They just need more windmills.
“Bad luck”. Riiiiight.
I love the Robert Heinlein quote about “bad luck”:
“Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty. This is known as “bad luck”.
No bailout for Puerto Rico, not one dime!
They get to vote on statehood every few years and have always turned it down.
Give them back to Spain. They didn’t blow up the Maine anyway, so yeah.....our mistake.
Whats a few million more broke Spanish speakers gonna hurt? You will barely notice!
Wife and I visited PR over Christmas week. We rented a beach front place on the northwestern coast. Very pretty.
But even in this mostly rural area, there were used syringes laying in the street near our rental.
“Lawmakers in Washington and San Juan need to come up with a plan...”
Need?!?
Hmm, normally when I am begging someone for help, I don’t start off by saying “You need to come up with a plan!”
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