My Word: Puerto Ricans long overdue for political-status upgrade

Cuba y Puerto Rico son
De un pájaro las dos alas,
Reciben flores y balas
Sobre el mismo corazón...

Lola Rodríguez de Tió

Sorry Lola, but it seems PR receives the flowers while Cuba, the bullets.

Puerto Ricans should stop complaining, they got it good. Freedom without fighting for it, unimpeded travel between the island and the states, and the highest standard of living of any Latin country. And the problem is?

We Cubans went down a pitiful path - a quarter of a million people died over Cuba in the 18th century wars of independence, thousands starved forced into concentration camps by the Spanish, and yet all our efforts got us corrupt governments during the few legitimate elections exercised during republicanism, a nation dominated by American interests, and a charismatic dictator who brought a half century of hell after its most prosperous era.

If it is not broke, don't fix it. Not a perfect situation or political arrangement, by any means but one others would not mind having given the precise view of hindsight.

We are "American Citizens" and over 200 thousand Puerto Ricans have served in Wars since WWI, but we can't vote for our "Commander and Chief", let's continue with the fact that the same percentage of Medicare tax is taken out of my paycheck every week as employees stateside but medicare providers in PR only get partial reimbursement when they treat medicare patients, and FYI, we pay Social Security tax as well, USA controls our Import/Export, I could go on, and on...

As an American Citizen I am disenfranchised because I can't vote, that's the very meaning of the term.

It really pisses me off when people make comments like "Puerto Rican's should stop complaining" when they know nothing or very little about the island's history and have probably never set foot on this island, and only go by what they see and hear from the Puerto Rican's that left the island.

"At the Summit of the Americas, Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega absurdly linked Cuba and Puerto Rico as absent from the summit. No, Mr. Ortega, Puerto Rico was there, proudly and ably represented by our president and commander in chief"

A commander in chief that we can't vote for, that's not representation.

for me it boils down to this: treat people with respect and dignity. It's disrespectful and shameful that the US has kept Puerto Rico in this ambiguity for over 100 years! Shameful!

Joel wrote:

We are "American Citizens" and over 200 thousand Puerto Ricans have served in Wars since WWI, but we can't vote for our "Commander and Chief", let's continue with the fact that the same percentage of Medicare tax is taken out of my paycheck every week as employees stateside but medicare providers in PR only get partial reimbursement when they treat medicare patients, and FYI, we pay Social Security tax as well, USA controls our Import/Export, I could go on, and on...
As an American Citizen I am disenfranchised because I can't vote, that's the very meaning of the term.
It really pisses me off when people make comments like "Puerto Rican's should stop complaining" when they know nothing or very little about the island's history and have probably never set foot on this island, and only go by what they see and hear from the Puerto Rican's that left the island.
"At the Summit of the Americas, Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega absurdly linked Cuba and Puerto Rico as absent from the summit. No, Mr. Ortega, Puerto Rico was there, proudly and ably represented by our president and commander in chief"
A commander in chief that we can't vote for, that's not representation.

I would gladly trade the useless right to vote for ignoramuses like McCain or Obama in exchange for what you PRs have: the right to pay no income taxes.

The United States has no legal "commonwealth status" Puerto Rico is a territory until it is allowed to become a state or goes independent.

poor taxpayer wrote:

<quoted text>I would gladly trade the useless right to vote for ignoramuses like McCain or Obama in exchange for what you PRs have: the right to pay no income taxes.

dito, I don't want to be under absolute and unlimited control of Washington DC which normally Statehood protects you form, but apartment the federal government intends to elemental any and all such restriction an State liberty. So there really is no gain to Statehood over territorial status at all.

To the federal goverment we are all terrtoays now seeing as they think they can shove their idea of "health care" down our throats.

I got a feeling the union as we know it is not going to last too much longer if this keeps up.

Joel wrote:

We are "American Citizens" and over 200 thousand Puerto Ricans have served in Wars since WWI, but we can't vote for our "Commander and Chief", let's continue with the fact that the same percentage of Medicare tax is taken out of my paycheck every week as employees stateside but medicare providers in PR only get partial reimbursement when they treat medicare patients, and FYI, we pay Social Security tax as well, USA controls our Import/Export, I could go on, and on...
As an American Citizen I am disenfranchised because I can't vote, that's the very meaning of the term.
It really pisses me off when people make comments like "Puerto Rican's should stop complaining" when they know nothing or very little about the island's history and have probably never set foot on this island, and only go by what they see and hear from the Puerto Rican's that left the island.
"At the Summit of the Americas, Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega absurdly linked Cuba and Puerto Rico as absent from the summit. No, Mr. Ortega, Puerto Rico was there, proudly and ably represented by our president and commander in chief"
A commander in chief that we can't vote for, that's not representation.

Joel

I serve in the US Army. I am Puertorican, please read the Constitution before you argue about wanting to vote for the Presiden.

You may very well fill out a form with whatever candiadate you select but, fact to matter is that voting for the President is not done by dirct vote. It does not work like in PR voting for the governor.

Voting for the President is not decided by your vote or the vote of any other citizen unless they are part of the electorial college.

Being a State will be better for PR yes but just becasue of voting....well that is not a good reason.

http://www.fazboricua.com

anonimous wrote:

<quoted text>
Joel
I serve in the US Army. I am Puertorican, please read the Constitution before you argue about wanting to vote for the Presiden.
You may very well fill out a form with whatever candiadate you select but, fact to matter is that voting for the President is not done by dirct vote. It does not work like in PR voting for the governor.
Voting for the President is not decided by your vote or the vote of any other citizen unless they are part of the electorial college.
Being a State will be better for PR yes but just becasue of voting....well that is not a good reason.
http://www.fazboricua.com

This is true, Technically There are no federal election peroid, the only thing PR gains with Statehood besides greater stability is a actual vote in the U.S. Federal system.

The vote would technically belong to Puerto Rico not Puerto Ricans specifically thou Puerto Ricans own Puerto Rico. Same with every state, that is how the system works. Puerto Rico gains Statehood not you, and you only gain full U.S. citizenship thou Puerto Rican Citizenship constitutionally guaranteeing you U.S. Citizenship. under the 14th amazement.(before which there was no such thing as U.S. Citizenship peroid).

Joel wrote:

for me it boils down to this: treat people with respect and dignity. It's disrespectful and shameful that the US has kept Puerto Rico in this ambiguity for over 100 years! Shameful!

It is shameful that you think of yourselves a Puerto Ricans and not Americans.
Stay on your island and stfu.

Dick wrote:

<quoted text>
It is shameful that you think of yourselves a Puerto Ricans and not Americans.
Stay on your island and stfu.

There are the few that do think of themselves as Puertoricans but many of us know that we are Americans.

There those that do not know any better or that do not want to learn.

Puertoricans are Americans by birth. That is not a debate point.

www.fazboricua.com

I just wish they would cut their grass more than once a month.

How about actually voting to become a state in the U.S. Maybe then you would deserve the same benefits of the rest of the U.S.

when they can read the ballot without a translator maybe we will allow them to vote.

Dick wrote:

<quoted text>
It is shameful that you think of yourselves a Puerto Ricans and not Americans.
Stay on your island and stfu.

#ick,#ick,#ick,#ick,#ick.
Where is this hostility coming from?

Pablo wrote:

I just wish they would cut their grass more than once a month.

Pablo, if it is mowed to short, you cant graze the goats.

Joel wrote:

for me it boils down to this: treat people with respect and dignity. It's disrespectful and shameful that the US has kept Puerto Rico in this ambiguity for over 100 years! Shameful!

Do they not vote for independence or statehood? Choices they make them what is the problem more demands? why don't they stop al the Dominicans fron killing their island nation?
Islanders really can not stand new yur ricans...

Randy wrote:

How about actually voting to become a state in the U.S. Maybe then you would deserve the same benefits of the rest of the U.S.

LOL

We have all the same benefits as any other US Citizen. But we don't pay federal taxes. So if that is what you mean then yes we need to do that to be equal. LOL

racism is alive and well in Orlando, cheers.

Operation: br,bl alien [ WET-BACK II ] 2009'

__________

Monorprise wrote:

The United States has no legal "commonwealth status" Puerto Rico is a territory until it is allowed to become a state or goes independent.

choices that are available and are sanctioned by the United Nations for territories: integration (statehood), independence or free association (i.e., a relationship negotiated between mutually sovereign equals). Three choices and WE choose one, no one else makes that choice for us.