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Puerto Rican voters back statehood in questioned referendum
AP ^ | 11 Jun 17 | DANICA COTO

Posted on 06/11/2017 3:58:08 PM PDT by SkyPilot

Puerto Rico's governor announced that the U.S. territory has overwhelmingly chosen statehood in a nonbinding referendum Sunday held amid a deep economic crisis that has sparked an exodus of islanders to the U.S. mainland.

Nearly half a million votes were cast for statehood, more than 7,600 for free association/independence and nearly 6,700 for the current territorial status, according to preliminary results. The participation rate was just 23 percent with roughly 2.26 million registered voters, leading opponents to question the validity of a vote that several parties had boycotted.

Gov. Ricardo Rossello shows his ballot at the San Jose Academy during the fifth referendum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Puerto Ricans are getting the chance to tell U.S. Congress on Sunday which political status they believe best benefits the U.S. territory as it remains mired in a deep economic crisis that has triggered an exodus of islanders to the U.S mainland. Congress ultimately has to approve the outcome of Sunday's referendum that offers voters three choices: statehood, free association/independence or current territorial status.

"From today going forward, the federal government will no longer be able to ignore the voice of the majority of the American citizens in Puerto Rico," Gov. Ricardo Rossello said, announcing the victory. "It would be highly contradictory for Washington to demand democracy in other parts of the world, and not respond to the legitimate right to self-determination that was exercised today in the American territory of Puerto Rico."

U.S. Congress, however, has final say in any changes to the island's political status.

(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bankruptcy; debt; hellno; puertorico; welfare
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To: Alter Kaker

We freed Spanish colonies. It’s time for this one to get off America’s teat.


101 posted on 06/12/2017 4:20:39 AM PDT by Vaquero ( Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: SkyPilot

The left will “use” democracy until they get what they want. How many times have the people of PR voted for statehood. Every five/ten years? They said no every time, until today.

Now the question is, do we have a vote in this matter?


102 posted on 06/12/2017 4:25:35 AM PDT by Ge0ffrey
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To: SkyPilot

Now that they are $72 billion in debt, they love us.

Well, we don’t love you back.

Time to give them independence.


103 posted on 06/12/2017 4:32:48 AM PDT by exit82 (The opposition has already been Trumped!)
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To: SkyPilot

And just how are they going to get around the US Constitutional process that will take YEARS if not DECADES to get? http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/united-states-and-canada/us-history/territory


104 posted on 06/12/2017 5:11:28 AM PDT by GailA (Ret. SCPO wife: suck it up Buttercups it's President Donald Trump! DRAIN THE SWAMP)
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To: laconic

You are right, but Hillary still got more votes than Trump, and that’s the point. We are still talking about whether people should have a say in the decision to allow P.R. to become a state, and that would be a yes or no decision, which would be a majority of votes decision and not a plurality.

IOW, the voting would not reflect the same kind of outcome that we see in presidential elections. Can’t compare the two.


105 posted on 06/12/2017 5:17:31 AM PDT by adorno (w)
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To: SkyPilot

A majority of 23% is hardly the “voice of the majority of American citizens” of PR.

Really, apparently 77% of Puerto Ricans didn’t care enough to vote.

Is there anything in this move that would do anything except add to the massive debt and add more Dem reps/Senators?


106 posted on 06/12/2017 5:38:32 AM PDT by proud American in Canada ( God Bless America (Trump: I wil)l bear the slings and arrows for you, the American people))
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To: SkyPilot

A majority of 23% is hardly the “voice of the majority of American citizens” of PR.

Really, apparently 77% of Puerto Ricans didn’t care enough to vote.

Is there anything in this move that would do anything except add to the massive debt and add more Dem reps/Senators?


107 posted on 06/12/2017 5:38:33 AM PDT by proud American in Canada ( God Bless America (Trump: I wil)l bear the slings and arrows for you, the American people))
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To: Trump20162020
Boycott a referendum you know you're going to lose, then say it doesn't count because the turnout wasn't [insert arbitrary percentage here].

Maybe it was a tactic, but they had their chance. How many referenda must we hold?

I really think it makes it look, to the average person, like 2/3 of the people don't care about statehood.

108 posted on 06/12/2017 6:01:08 AM PDT by proud American in Canada ( God Bless America (Trump: I wil)l bear the slings and arrows for you, the American people))
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To: Trump20162020
Boycott a referendum you know you're going to lose, then say it doesn't count because the turnout wasn't [insert arbitrary percentage here].

Maybe it was a tactic, but they had their chance. How many referenda must we hold?

I really think it makes it look, to the average person, like 2/3 of the people don't care about statehood.

109 posted on 06/12/2017 6:01:08 AM PDT by proud American in Canada ( God Bless America (Trump: I wil)l bear the slings and arrows for you, the American people))
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To: Husker24
That’s just what we need two more permanent Democrat senators. Unfortunately there are just enough idiots in the GOP to put the vote in favour of Statehood.

Jeb Bush was pushing for Puerto Rican statehood during the primaries, I'm sure there are plenty of like-minded fools in the House and Senate who want the same.

110 posted on 06/12/2017 7:51:21 AM PDT by ek_hornbeck
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To: SkyPilot
Report: 1/3 Population of Puerto Rico Gets US Food Stamps

I remember this clip from an old "Hollywood Squares" episode:

Host: What is the official currency in Puerto Rico?

Paul Lynde: Food Stamps.

111 posted on 06/12/2017 7:54:57 AM PDT by ek_hornbeck
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To: Enchante

I dream about this also, except I dream that the rest of the country expels them, to sink or swim on their own. Id give them downstate New York as well. California I would do the same as well except I would keep North Kali as its own state. That would substantially solve our Libtard problem for the foreseeable future. Please note Visas would be required for any of the citizens of these new countries to enter the US. Failure to have a visa, Camp Gitmo for you.


112 posted on 06/12/2017 8:00:04 AM PDT by joegoeny
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To: SkyPilot

I’m willing to make a deal with Puerto Rico. We forgive every single penny of their debt, and in exchange we cut them loose permanently. No longer a territory, no longer a ward of the United States, they can either become their own country or attach themselves to someone else’s, as they prefer.

I would bet that the U.S. would be the long-term winner in such a deal, financially, culturally, linguistically, and every other way.


113 posted on 06/12/2017 9:18:38 AM PDT by bus man (Loose Lips Sink Ships)
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To: proud American in Canada

If you don’t show up to vote, your opinion doesn’t matter.

What you’re saying is like arguing that the GOP’s big midterm election win in 2014 didn’t count, because its turnout was a paltry 36.4%.


114 posted on 06/12/2017 9:51:52 AM PDT by Trump20162020
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