Carson backs Puerto Rico statehood

CNN ^ | 11/08/2015 | Deena Zaru

[GIdget2004]

Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson endorsed statehood for Puerto Rico at a Sunday campaign event on the island.

"In a Carson administration, I will leave no stone unturned in my efforts to secure this important step in Puerto Rico's history -- establishing Estado 51," said the retired neurosurgeon, highlighting the strategic benefits of the Caribbean island's location relative to the United States mainland.  Amid mounting scrutiny recently over his past, Carson traveled to the island territory to address a statehood advocacy group convention. The campaign estimated that 3,500 people were attended the New Progressive Party rally, at the Waldorf Astoria hotel.

"Mis hermanos Americanos, my campaign is built around the premise of 'We the People,' and through such lens, I view the statehood question in Puerto Rico as settled," Carson said, referring to a 2012 referendum in which a majority of island voters backed making Puerto Rico the 51st state.

[MinuteGal]

"....their citizens...."

They are OUR citizens! Most folks don't know that Puerto Ricans are bona fide U.S. citizens.

There was a special report on TV last night regarding the island's bankrupt condition. They are SO MUCH IN DEBT, SO BANKRUPT (through crazy spending) that experts are predicting (and I quote) they are on the BRINK of a " financial and human catastrophe" of biblical proportions.

PR is NOT a protectorate, it's a U.S. Territory. As such, it is NOT allowed by law to declare legal bankruptcy like, say, Detroit did...and Puerto Rico's creditors are very soon going to take a huge, huge bath.

Proposed statehood, as endorsed by Carson, is a stupid, reckless idea and is enough to run him out of the GOP race as soon as possible.

Statehood would mean our taxpayers would be saddled with a lot of the debt one way or the other, tens of thousands added to our welfare and entitlements systems...and all electoral votes going to the DemonRat party candidates in every presidential election, in every DC house and senate elections, and in state and local office elections.

Carson is a Trojan Horse...wake up all you Lovers of Sweetness, Light and Gentleness. This guy is BAD NEWS!

Leni

[3D-JOY]

PLUS...every time statehood comes up there they VOTE NO!

I suppose they get more benefits without taxation the way it is...but now they are actually bankrupt, maybe that will change.

[HarleyLady27]

Couldn’t say it any better!!!!

[highball]

“Proposed statehood, as endorsed by Carson, is a stupid, reckless idea and is enough to run him out of the GOP race as soon as possible.”

But really, how many more of these stupid, reckless statements do we need to hear from him before people wake up?

It boggles the mind that Carson could ever win a poll while a real conservative like Ted Cruz languishes in the single-digits. We like to make fun of the low-information voters on the Democratic side, but we apparently have plenty in our party as well.

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

Disagreeing with Carson on policy matters and joining with Politico to slander the man are two different things

I wouldn't fall in right away with the RINO retards like Ben Shapiro who rushed to declare innocence either.

[CottonBall]

“Should Puerto Rico become a state, the Democratic Party will gain a seat or two in the House, and two more America-hating Democratics in the Senate. Probably permanently. Worse still, Puerto Rico would gain 3 - 5 electoral college votes in presidential elections. This would be reliably Democratic, thus making it even harder for a conservative to win the White House.”

Couple that with Carson’s ‘guest worker’ plan, where they and their families get to stay and if course, citizenship is the logical next step - and the socialists get complete control forever.

[Bob Ireland]

***tens of thousands added to our welfare and entitlements systems***

Unhappily that is already happening - unavoidably. Since - as you say - they are already US citizens, they are legally coming to Florida in staggering numbers - perhaps hundreds of thousands... I forget how many they estimate have or will come, but it is heap plenty. Of course the bulk of them will qualify for govt. benefits: food, income, housing, health, cell phones... etc. Can Florida sustain them? !:^O

[ek_hornbeck]

Great idea Ben, let's add 2 more Democrats to the Senate and about another 4-5 to Congress with this master plan. And while we're at it, let's prop up the economy of a "state" with half the per-capita GDP as the rest of America.

Wasn't Jeb peddling this idea a few months ago? Brings me back to my point about Carson: that on policy, he's basically Jeb Bush minus the gubernatorial experience, but plus the Seventh Day Adventist theo-babble.

[seekthetruth]

Florida Freeper Ping to Post #81

[ken5050]

He’s not all bad news. Carson is a good, decent, and God-fearing man, who had an amazing career as a surgeon. But he’s not ready for prime-time..nor the GOP nomination

[arthurus]

Carson's attraction is that he is a well spoken exotic. His major asset for the moment is the hysterical left wing reaction to him. Those guys are aghast that a black man who doesn't drool, who can think for himself, is a Conservative and is a viable candidate for the Republican nomination. If he were William Sowell or Walter Williams, they would mount opposition more hysterical and more expensive than anything we have ever seen. They would spend billions.

[Rockingham]

Whether a state or a territory, there is no mechanism for Puerto Rico to declare bankruptcy. As with international defaults, drawn out negotiations are likely to provide Puerto Rico with a combination of federal aid, creditor haircuts, and new lending. In the meanwhile, like Argentina and other dead beat sovereign borrowers, Puerto Rico will have years to contemplate the perils of excessive borrowing.

For reasons unknown, conservatives and Republicans do not run Spanish language campaign ads blasting Puerto Rican Democrats in Florida as advocating the same leftist policies that have led to such misery in Puerto Rico. More than a few Puerto Ricans recognize that to be so and recoil from the Democratic party as a result.

One Puerto Rican couple of my acquaintance purposely settled well north of Orlando in an old house in a white neighborhood that was built in the 1930s. It does not take much for the couple to denounce the faults of Puerto Ricans, Obama, and the Democrats. They strictly limit their visits to family in Puerto Rico lest their children develop a sense of identification with the island and its misfortunes.

[highball]

“Carson’s attraction is that he is a well spoken exotic. His major asset for the moment is the hysterical left wing reaction to him.”

Are you kidding me?

Liberals are *salivating* at the prospect of running against him. He’s a known fantasist who keeps getting caught in these stupid exaggerations and embellishments.

If Carson wins the nomination, he won’t even make it to the convention before his stories come back and hound him out of the race. Months of Republican discord and chaos, tens of millions of our dollars wasted, not to mention our brand being thoroughly dragged through the mud; Carson getting the nod would be a liberal’s dream come true.

[dead]

Who cares? Puerto Rican statehood is a non-starter unless the Puerto Rican people pass a referendum for it, and they never will because they would have to start paying income taxes.

An utter non-issue.