Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Posted on 05/19/2026 9:24:50 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
During the days of colonialism, it was gratifying for the British, Portuguese, Germans, and French to look at the world map and bask in all the colonies of each country. But the pretty blotches of red or blue or black hid an unpleasant fact. Many of those colonies were a drain on the mother country; they would put into those colonies far more than they got out of them. This was particularly obvious in those colonies that were principally desert.
Spain also had colonies. Cubans tried to become independent but failed due to the eternal ineptitude of Cubans, whose only expertise lies in music, poetry, and sex. (I can say this because I’m Cuban.) Spanish rule was particularly brutal, and American newspapers amplified it and urged American intervention (sound familiar?). The Spanish-American War (1898) eventually came, although the American army at the time was in a dismal state. Spain’s military was even worse, and the war was over in the blink of an eye. The explicit aim of the war for America was to establish Cuban independence, but in the process, the U.S. acquired Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico.
Before the war even ended, imperial powers sent their navies to the Philippines, hovering like vultures, waiting for the official conclusion of the war so they could pounce on the carcass and either divide up the islands or fight for the spoils. Not so in Puerto Rico, partly because of the Monroe Doctrine.
“Nation-building,” even then, was in the minds of American officials. Eventually, the Philippines was granted independence in 1946.
On the other hand, the island of Puerto Rico has been in a state of limbo for over a century simply due to inertia.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
|
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
The island serves as a point of entry for illegal aliens from the Dominican Republic, who then proceed to the U.S. mainland. Additionally, a small but sizeable section of the population sees itself as a “colony” that must achieve independence — by violence if necessary — so that continuing with the status quo, or even statehood, would prolong this open sore.
Much more importantly, Puerto Rico is also an enormous financial drain on the U.S. Last year, the Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB) released a comprehensive analysis revealing that the island receives three times more federal aid than any other state in the Union.
ROSALIA
Puerto Rico,
You lovely island . . .
Island of tropical breezes.
Always the pineapples growing,
Always the coffee blossoms blowing . . .
ANITA
Puerto Rico . . .
You ugly island . . .
Island of tropic diseases.
Always the hurricanes blowing,
Always the population growing . . .
And the money owing,
And the babies crying,
And the bullets flying.
I like the island Manhattan.
Smoke on your pipe and put that in!
OTHERS
I like to be in America!
O.K. by me in America!
Ev’rything free in America
For a small fee in America!
ROSALIA
I like the city of San Juan.
ANITA
I know a boat you can get on.
ROSALIA
Hundreds of flowers in full bloom.
ANITA
Hundreds of people in each room!
ALL
Automobile in America,
Chromium steel in America,
Wire-spoke wheel in America,
Very big deal in America!
ROSALIA
I’ll drive a Buick through San Juan.
ANITA
If there’s a road you can drive on.
ROSALIA
I’ll give my cousins a free ride.
ANITA
How you get all of them inside?
ALL
Immigrant goes to America,
Many hellos in America;
Nobody knows in America
Puerto Rico’s in America!
ROSALIA
I’ll bring a T.V. to San Juan.
ANITA
If there a current to turn on!
ROSALIA
I’ll give them new washing machine.
ANITA
What have they got there to keep clean?
ALL
I like the shores of America!
Comfort is yours in America!
Knobs on the doors in America,
Wall-to-wall floors in America!
ROSALIA
When I will go back to San Juan.
ANITA
When you will shut up and get gone?
ROSALIA
Everyone there will give big cheer!
ANITA
Everyone there will have moved here!
I’ve been saying this for years. Cut them loose.
Get rid of it before the dims turn it into a state.
The problem is if you cut them loose, half the island will move to the US to keep their US Citizenship.
I propose making PR the 6th Borough of NYC.
Yes!
Now that would be impeachable.
It would cause demographic problems.
But Wall Street, Big Oil, and Neocons would love it.
Here’s the potential issue I have with divesting Puerto Rico.
Personally, it makes no difference to me if they stay or leave.
I wonder if left to their own devices, would Puerto Rico become the next Cuba in the Caribbean, a place where China and/or Russia seek to make them a PITA for the US.
They would be ripe for a revolution without the US controlling them.
Cuba is about to fall, Puerto Rico could be next up, it wouldn’t happen with Trump as POTUS, what happens if a Democrat gets elected and you never know what would happen.
Just something to think about.
LOL
At this particular time that would be a net negative for Puerto Rico.
Initiating a war without Congress was impeachable.
I just think it's funny people are talking about divesting Puerto Rico while the president is trying to acquire neighbors left and right.
It’s a comfortable fit being part of the US. I disagree with anyone saying otherwise. And secondly, here we are trying to push hostile rivals out of Cuba, Venezuela, Panama, while giving away Puerto Rico? As soon as we give it away we’ll wish we hadn’t.
And we only needed them to keep Cuba surrounded.
And what about The Virgin Islands. I am surprised with everything else Trump has proposed that he hasn’t entertained getting the British Virgin Islands.
I spent a terrific week in Puerto Rico decades ago. Beautiful country, charming towns, cities, and people. Great hotels at the time.Not sure it’s charming any more. But it has a lot of possibilities. We stayed at the San Juan Hilton. Haitian art gallery there had incredible paintings of scenes in Haiti, probably the last year that poor downtrodden country had paved roads. Painting I bought there may be most valuable thing I own.
My son’s boss at some CA computer company was Puerto Rican. Brilliant tech guy.
Recently spoke with an American woman who lives there, works for Humana Insurance, and loves it.
.............
Spent an entire week in Cuba too. Illegally, but noboy cared. Not at the airport, hotel, stores, etc. Similar experience but Commie country looked slummy in spite of natural beauty. Who could afford paint when you can hardly feed your kids. ? With billions poured in by Hilton, etc it could well become a fab destination again for people from all over the world. It has “great bones” as they say in the fashion world. A remodel, lots of new paint and super ad campaign would do wonders.
Yup.
America needs Puerto Rico like a hole in the head.
Even more annoying Puerto Rican nationalist/independence groups like the FALN (Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional) and Los Macheteros (Ejército Popular Boricua) did carry out bombings, shootings, and other attacks on US targets (including government and military sites) in earlier decades, primarily the 1950s, 1970s, and 1980s. These caused deaths, injuries, and significant property damage.
Who needs that?
MPRSA - Make Puerto Rico Spain Again!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.