Cash Shortage Seen in Puerto Rico in 3 Monthsby By MICHAEL CORKERY
A letter from the Government Development Bank urged officials to negotiate a tax overhaul to clear the way for a bond deal.
Speaking in both Spanish and English, Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, urged Republicans to “show respect and to listen” to Latino communities.
Mr. Bush’s trip was the latest stop on his Spanish-language Republican redemption tour.
"If Bush decides to run for President, he will not be the first candidate to firmly endorse statehood forPuerto Rico. As a candidate, President Ronald Reagan explained in a February, 1980 op-ed in the Wall Street Journal that ...
 New York Times (blog) |
Political News, Now.
New York Times (blog) SAN JUAN, P.R. – Jeb Bush visited Puerto Rico on Tuesday and spoke in personal terms about “the power of the immigrant experience” as he challenged his party to be more respectful of Latino communities if it ever hopes to win back their votes. and more » |
Wall Street Journal |
Puerto Rico Needs to Finish Tax Overhaul, Officials Say
Wall Street Journal Puerto Rico's government may run out of money and have to shut down in the next three months, with a “devastating impact” for the U.S. commonwealth's economy, officials at the island's Government Development Bank warned this week. In an April 21 letter ... Cash Shortage Seen in Puerto Rico in 3 MonthsNew York Times Puerto Rico's last hope is bankruptcyFox News Latino Puerto Rico officials warn government shutdown imminentReuters |
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S&P Downgrades Puerto Rico
Wall Street Journal The ratings firm attributed the downgrade to “our view that the commonwealth's market access prospects have further weakened and Puerto Rico's ability to meet its financial commitments is increasingly tied to the business, financial, and economic ... and more » |
S&P Downgrades Puerto Rico
Morningstar.com The ratings firm attributed the downgrade to "our view that the commonwealth's market access prospects have further weakened and Puerto Rico's ability to meet its financial commitments is increasingly tied to the business, financial, and economic ... and more » |
WRCB-TV |
Bilingual Bush talks immigration in Puerto Rico
WRCB-TV (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo). Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush speaks during an event at the Metropolitan University in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, April 28, 2015. The former Florida governor delivered a speech on economic opportunities partly in Spanis. |
The Fiscal Times |
Buckle Your Seatbelt - The Bottom Is About To Fall Out Of Puerto Rico's Economy
Seeking Alpha A report last week from Reuters spelled out that Puerto Rico is heading towards its economicfinale. "Puerto Rico's top finance officials said the government of the U.S. Territory will most likely shut down in three months because of a looming ... A Fiscal Crisis Leaves Puerto Rico No Good OptionsThe Fiscal Times Puerto Rico Debt Slides Amid Wrangling on Tax Plan to Raise CashBloomberg Grundlach Increases Puerto Rican Bond BetFINalternatives all 16 news articles » |
 Bloomberg |
Jeb Bush Sparks Passion in Puerto Rico
Bloomberg A meeting room inside an athletic complex in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, was packed with 500 supporters of Jeb Bush an hour before the former Florida governor even arrived on Tuesday. After concluding a short speech, he was swarmed for an hour by an ... and more » |
 Bloomberg |
Jeb Bush visits Puerto Rico — with an eye on Florida
Washington Post SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Jeb Bush's trip to this Caribbean island Tuesday wasn't just about catching up with longtime friends — he's also hoping they tell friends and relatives living in Florida that he stopped by. Puerto Rico plays a minor role in ... Bush Says Puerto Rico Agencies Should Have Access to BankruptcyBloomberg Jeb Bush makes a play for Puerto RicansMcClatchy Washington Bureau all 379 news articles » |
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 Albany Times Union |
Bush Says Puerto Rico Agencies Should Have Access to Bankruptcy
Bloomberg Puerto Rico's public agencies should be able to seek bankruptcy, Jeb Bush, a probable presidential candidate, said Tuesday during a visit to the U.S. territory. Commonwealth officials are promoting a bill that would enable some agencies to access ... The bilingual Bush in Puerto RicoAlbany Times Union Jeb Bush makes a play for Puerto RicansMcClatchy Washington Bureau all 148 news articles » |
 NBCNews.com |
Puerto Rico not for faint of heart
NBCNews.com CNBC Alexandra Lebenthal, Lebenthal Holdings CEO, discusses buyer risks and investing inPuerto Rico debt. Published April 28th 2015, 12:01 pm. advertisement. Related Videos. (1:17) Playing Next Next ... and more » |
 New York Times |
Jeb Bush Visits Puerto Rico in Hopes of Reconnecting With Hispanic Voters
New York Times He was here in the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, usually little more than an afterthought in the presidential primary process. But for Mr. Bush, a former Florida governor, Tuesday was all about political symbolism, not electoral significance. This was ... In Puerto Rico, Jeb Bush pushes for statehoodCNN Jeb Bush Sparks Passion in Puerto RicoBloomberg Jeb Bush Endorses Puerto Rican Statehood in Spanish SpeechBreitbart News Hot Air -NBCNews.com all 187 news articles » |
Congress Could Make US Retirees Shoulder Puerto Rico's Debt
Daily Caller Puerto Rico is in the throes of a massive debt crisis, and a proposed alternative to a taxpayer bailout could force American retirees to shoulder much of the cost. A temporary agreement between the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) and its ... |
Reforms and tax hikes are stalled in Puerto Rico's legislature, and the island's finance officials are warning that a government shutdown is likely unless progress is made.
"A government shutdown is very probable in the next three months due to the absence of liquidity to operate," Puerto Rico's finance officials warn, in an effort to shock lawmakers into action and avoid a potential "PRimbo".
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Puerto Rico's top finance officials said the government of the U.S. territory will likely shutdown in three months because of a looming liquidity crisis and warned of a devastating impact on the island's economy. In a letter to ...
Thirty-five years ago Rubén Berríos, the president of the Independence Party of Puerto Rico (PIP), made a very dramatic speech. He informed the world that both of the major parties in Puerto Ricowere a complete fraud.
 Christian Science Monitor |
Jeb Bush's astonishing money machine: brilliant or dodgy?
Christian Science Monitor “We are in a new era,” says Viveca Novak, spokeswoman for the Center for Responsive Politics, a research group in Washington that tracks the flow of money in US politics. “There were super PACs in 2012, but this is the first presidential election where ... and more » |
 Chron.com |
Bush, Rubio, bring Spanish fluency to 2016 campaign
Chron.com He earned thunderous applause in Puerto Rico at events where he mixed English with effortless Spanish. "I love it," said Maria Elena Cruz, a 59-year-old government worker from Toa Baja. "He speaks Spanish just like us." "That makes us feel good," said ... and more » |
 NBCNews.com |
Jeb Bush Visiting Puerto Rico, Latino Evangelicals This Week
NBCNews.com The former Florida governor who has yet to declare his candidacy was to visit Puerto RicoTuesday for an event at the Universidad Metropolitana de Cupey and for a town hall with the Republican Party of Puerto Rico. ... "We want to engage the Latino ... and more » |
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 myfoxny.com |
The bilingual Bush in Puerto Rico
myfoxny.com (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo). Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush speaks during an event at the Metropolitan University in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, April 28, 2015. The former Florida governor delivered a speech on economic opportunities partly in Spanis. Jeb Bush makes a play for Puerto RicansFresno Bee all 351 news articles » |
 Bloomberg |
Puerto Rico debt slides amid wrangling on tax plan to raise cash
Chicago Tribune After years of borrowing to balance budgets, Puerto Rico and its agencies have racked up $73 billion of debt, more than any U.S. state except California and New York. Because most of the debt is tax-exempt nationwide, it's held by mutual funds and ... Gundlach's Fund Doubles Holdings of Junk-Rated Puerto Rico BondsBloomberg Grundlach Increases Puerto Rican Bond BetFINalternatives all 15 news articles » |
Puerto Rico's top finance officials said the government of the U.S. territory will likely shutdown in three months because of a looming liquidity crisis and warned of a devastating impact on the island'seconomy. In a letter to ...
The ratings firm said that, absent improvements in the economic and business conditions in Puerto Rico, its analysts believe that "debt and other financial commitments will be unsustainable." Read MoreTempted by Puerto ...
 CNBC |
Is Puerto Rico the US version of Greece?
CNBC But the situation is much less dire for the American territory than it is for Greece, in part because Puerto Rico's debt levels are a much lower percentage of its GDP, compared with Europe's "sick man." The CIA World Factbook ... As Greece struggles to ... |
 NBCNews.com |
The Lid: The GOP Has a Gay Marriage Problem in 2016
NBCNews.com Welcome to The Lid, your afternoon dose of the 2016 ethos… Thanks for checking out our new afternoon newsletter, which we hope will offer a quick take on the day in politics. Think of it as Happy Hour for your brain, except you get breaking news and ... and more » |
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 WSB Atlanta |
Bush donors see him lay out contours of 2016 campaign
WSB Atlanta Jeb Bush speaks to reporters after a "Politics and Eggs" event, a breakfast fixture for 2016 presidential prospects at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. For Democratic politicians, same-sex marriage has become an easy issue: They're for it. Many ... Jeb Bush: “Latino Vote Can Make a Difference” in 2016 Presidential ElectionsLatin American Herald Tribune all 154 news articles » |
 Daily Mail |
Bush donors see him lay out contours of 2016 campaign
Daily Mail He's traveling to Puerto Rico and headlining a Hispanic Christian leadership conference in Houston this week. On the matter of political dynasties, voter sentiment is somewhat mixed, but a recent national survey suggests Bush's team is right to be wary. Jeb Bush: “Latino Vote Can Make a Difference” in 2016 Presidential ElectionsLatin American Herald Tribune Jeb Bush's Cash Hoard Will Not Change RaceThe Ledger Jeb Bush's South Beach confab to draw more than 350 donorsMiami Herald (blog) all 142 news articles » |
 SunHerald.com |
Jeb Bush makes a play for Puerto Ricans
SunHerald.com “It's smart politics to head to Puerto Rico this early on,” said Florida Republican state Rep. Robert Cortes, who was born in Brooklyn but grew up in Puerto Rico. Traditionally staunchly Democratic voters, Puerto Ricans twice helped Barack Obama win ... and more » |
 Fox News Latino |
With eye on Florida, Jeb Bush heads to Puerto Rico to court Republican donors
Fox News Latino Though Cuban-Americans in the Sunshine State once tilted the Latino vote there toward Republicans, over the years the Latino community has grown in diversity and political leanings, with younger Cuban-Americans, Puerto Ricans and South and Central ... In Puerto Rico, Jeb Bush pushes for statehoodCNN Jeb Bush makes a play for Puerto RicansFresno Bee all 351 news articles » |
 Tampabay.com (blog) |
In Puerto Rico, Jeb Bush returns to formative political experience
Tampabay.com (blog) The '80 Bush campaign, managed by Jeb, was similar to many that have followed: the emphasis was on making Puerto Rico the 51st state, and turning the island from an afterthought into a realpolitical entity. Bush's campaign focused relentlessly on the ... With eye on Florida, Jeb Bush heads to Puerto Rico to court Republican donorsFox News Latino Jeb Bush makes a play for Puerto RicansFresno Bee all 333 news articles » |
Fox News Latino |
In Puerto Rico, Jeb Bush pushes for statehood
CNN The push for statehood remains the biggest political flashpoint regarding the commonwealth. Proponents say statehood will help grant Puerto Rican citizens more rights and benefits as the 51st state, while opponents say it will increase their tax bill ... Jeb Bush visits Puerto Rico — with an eye on FloridaWashington Post With eye on Florida, Jeb Bush heads to Puerto Rico to court Republican donorsFox News Latino Jeb Bush Visits Puerto Rico in Hopes of Reconnecting With Hispanic VotersNew York Times |
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 NBCNews.com |
Jeb Bush Talks Immigration, Endorses PR Statehood
NBCNews.com He still backs a legal status for some immigrants. His comments included a jab at his potential rivals who have taken tougher views on immigration. "The conservative cause would be better to embrace this than push it away," he said. Puerto Rico is a U ... and more » |
Christian Science Monitor |
Jeb Bush raises record funds, draws scrutiny on campaign law ethics
Christian Science Monitor Jeb Bush (R) speaks during an event at the Metropolitan University in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Tuesday. ... The former Florida governor has sought to position himself as being on the acceptable side of a fuzzy legal line, using his status as a not-yet ... and more » |
Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority Negotiates Reprieve From Creditors
Wall Street Journal Advised by former Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuño and Eduardo Bhatia, president of the island's Senate, the group says allowing the commonwealth's entities access to Chapter 9 is a minor tweak to the law that will give Puerto Rico the same authority as ... and more » |
Jeb Bush heads to Puerto Rico
Miami Herald (blog) The money will come in over lunch, at a reception co-hosted by former Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuño. Both Bush and Fortuño have espoused Puerto Rican statehood. The bilingual memorably campaigned in Puerto Rico for his father's 1980 presidential race. and more » |
 McClatchy Washington Bureau |
Jeb Bush makes a play for Puerto Ricans
McClatchy Washington Bureau Bush will visit the Universidad Metropolitana de Cupey on Tuesday in San Juan, then hold a town hall-style meeting with the Republican Party of Puerto Rico. He'll also attend a fundraiser with former Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuño, a Republican, who ... and more » |
Jeb Bush reiterated his support for Puerto Rico statehood on Tuesday, telling a crowd that he's long been a supporter of the movement to make the U.S. territory the 51st state. The former Florida governor and likely ...
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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Jeb Bush confronted one of the Republican Party's touchiest debates head-on Tuesday, telling Puerto Ricans that conservatives should be proud that America is “an immigrant nation” and ...
Jeb Bush in Puerto Rico for fundraiser, town hall
Jeb Bush's fluency in Spanish is going over well in Puerto Rico.
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Tax-reform debate continues as House aims for vote
After a caucus meeting that ran until late Monday, the House of Representatives’ ...
Jeb Bush confronted one of the Republican Party's touchiest debates head-on ...
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Judge orders release of House tax-reform draft
A local court ordered House Speaker Jaime Perelló and Treasury Committee Chairma ...
 Planning Board: GNP down 0.9% for fiscal 2014
The Puerto Rico Planning Board made available today its latest Statistical Appen ...
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More than a 51st Star by hadeninteractive
Disputes about statehood for Puerto Rico focus on many issues, from language to taxes, but one of the simplest questions is also one of the most common: what will the U.S. flag look like with 51 stars.
Modern graphics programs are very different from the methods used in 1959, when the U.S. last added a state. They can automatically arrange 51 stars into a pleasing pattern. Updating the flag will be, quite literally, no problem.
If Puerto Rico becomes a state, the bigger issue will be its state symbols.
Puerto Rico already has a flag that can be its state flag and a seal that can be its state seal. It has a nickname, “Isle of Enchantment” or “Isla del Encanto.” According to 50States.com, it even has an official bird, the stripe-headed tanager; an official flower, the Puerto Rican hibiscus; and an official tree, the silk-cotton tree.
That’s just the beginning.
Here are some of the official state symbols recognized by U.S. states:
- Animals of various kinds, including specific categories for bats, breeds of dog, insects, crustaceans, dinosaurs (not to be confused with the official state fossil), birds, fish, and horse breeds.
- In addition to state trees and flowers, quite a few states have a state grass. California’s purple needlegrass and Minnesota’s wild rice are standouts in this category.
- Flora and fauna are among the best-known state symbols, but there are also state microbes and state fungi. Oregon is the only state to have made its state microbe (brewer’s yeast) official, but Hawaii is apparently still considering a bioluminescent microbe as well as a microbe that has been so far found only in Hawaii. Tough choice.
- State fossils have been chosen by votes among schoolchildren in some states. If you have wooly mammoths (Alaska) or saber-toothed cats (California) in your past, why not celebrate them?
- Official state minerals range from the diamonds of Arkansas to Kentucky’s coal. Vermont has five state minerals, and quite a few states have three.
- State dances are very common, but they are almost always the square dance. Hawaii has the hula and Wisconsin claims the polka, while South Carolina has three official dances, including the waltz.
- Food is another common item in the state symbols list. Most states list edible crops, like the Arkansas official state fruit/vegetable, the pink tomato, but Oklahoma has a complete state meal from barbecue to pecan pie. New York’s state snack is yogurt and Louisiana has both an official state jelly and an official state meat pie.
- Drinks are named in 28 states, but the milk industry’s lobbyists worked hard to get recognition for their product in the 1980s, and got 21 of the 28.
- Six states have official firearms and only two have state toys, but 17 have official state tartans. Musical instruments and sports (Maryland’s is jousting, but rodeo is the most common) are a couple of other relatively rare options.
While the official choices are often a fairly transparent boost for local products, many of the quirkier symbolic items express strong local feelings. Most have been gradually added over the years, so Puerto Rico won’t have to decide immediately, but with statehood will certainly come state symbols.
The post More than a 51st Star appeared first on Puerto Rico Report.
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Legislation pending before the U.S. Congress to include Puerto Rico within Chapter 9 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code is attracting attention and a wide range of support from within Puerto Rico and the broader U.S. bankruptcy community. Opponents of the measure, representing investment firms with over $1.5 billion worth of Puerto Rico bonds, are attempting to block it.
The bill (Puerto Rico Chapter 9 Uniformity Act of 2015 (H.R.
870)), introduced by Puerto Rican Resident Commissioner Pedro Peirluisi (D/statehood), would grant Puerto Rico authority to authorize a local municipality to adjust its debt. The legislation has been the subject of a congressional hearingand is awaiting passage by the House of Representatives.
870)), introduced by Puerto Rican Resident Commissioner Pedro Peirluisi (D/statehood), would grant Puerto Rico authority to authorize a local municipality to adjust its debt. The legislation has been the subject of a congressional hearingand is awaiting passage by the House of Representatives.
Under existing law, a state may permit its municipalities to seek relief under Chapter 9. Puerto Rico is excluded from the definition of “state” in the law, denying the U.S. territory access the federal debt-restructuring mechanism that has been used in Detroit and other financially troubled municipalities.
Support for the bill has been broad. The Puerto Rican Senate and House of Representatives have approved a joint resolution in support of the federal proposal and requested the U.S. Congress and President expedite its approval. The legislation has the support of former Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuno (R/statehood), Puerto Rican Senate President Eduardo Bhati (D/commonwealth),financial institutions, the National Bankruptcy Conference, numerous academics and local Puerto Rican community organizations.
In testimony before the House Judiciary Committeelast February, Melba Acosta-Febo, President of the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico (GDB), explained that that combined debt for the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) and the Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation Authority (PRHTA) exceeds $20 billion. The total debt for the Puerto Rican government is over $72 billion – not including extraordinarily high interest payments that must be paid due to Puerto Rico’s “junk” bond status. These additional costs bring the total value of Puerto Rico’s debt closer to $165 billion – approximately 150% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that the bill, if enacted, would not impose any costs on the federal government. The Pierluisi proposal does not involve a transfer of federal funds to Puerto Rico but, instead, enables the Puerto Rico government to authorize its public corporations to utilize a legal mechanism available in the 50 states.
Opposition to the bill has been centralized among investment firms who are heavy investors in Puerto Rico bonds, who argue that Chapter 9 hurts bondholders and the municipal bond market generally. A representative of some of these firms testified before Congress that they “would not oppose the application of Chapter 9 to Puerto Rico if Congress made Chapter 9 a fairer statute, which would take only a few changes.”
In his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, University of Michigan law professor John Pottow noted and dismissedthe Chapter 9 argument. As he explained:
I can imagine someone saying, “I don’t like chapter 9, period, and so the fewer entities that can use, it, the better!” If that sort of objection is launched, the Committee should reject it. This is because an objection of this sort is unprincipled unless it is tethered to a specific argument about why drawing a distinction between Puerto Rico and other states is justified. It is fine (although in my view wrong-headed) to object to chapter 9. It is not fine to deploy arbitrary discrimination in access to chapter 9.
The post Puerto Rico Bankruptcy Legislation Awaits Congressional Action appeared first on Puerto Rico Report.
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The people of Puerto Rico have fought in the U.S. armed forces in disproportionate numbers in every conflict since World War I. Puerto Rico has sent a Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court and interns to the White House. Puerto Ricans have also competed in Olympic Games and other sports for U.S. teams. With recent mass migration to the states, the presence of Puerto Ricans can be felt throughout the U.S.
Yet the people of Puerto Rico could lose their U.S. citizenship.
There are two primary ways this could happen. It is possible, for example, that Congress could enact legislation changing the law it passed in 1917 that granted U.S. citizenship to people born in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. It’s not likely at this point in history, but it would be legal. The citizenship rights of residents of the 50 states, on the other hand, are more securely protected in the U.S. constitution. U.S. citizenship for the residents of Puerto Rico enjoys no such protection.
A second way that Puerto Ricans could lose their U.S. citizenship is if Puerto Rico becomes an independent nation.
If independence is chosen, Puerto Rico could choose to keep an affiliation with the United States (typically known as “Free Association”), as the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau have done. The citizens of these nations are not citizens of the United States. Either side of any of those alliances can end the alliance at any time, so these associations are not permanent relationships.
There is no reason to believe that the United States would allow an independent Puerto Rico to keep U.S. citizenship. There is no other foreign nation in the world in which U.S. citizenship is automatic. The people of the Philippines were not provided with U.S. citizenship when the Philippines gained independence from the U.S.
The U.S. Federal government has rejected this possibility many times and in many ways, most recently in a 2014 brief filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, in which the Department of Justice recalled that “the Supreme Court has never found that the Congress must bestow all of the same panoply of privileges upon those born in the outlying possessions that the Constitution bestows on those born in the United States.”
There are now more people of Puerto Rican heritage living on the mainland than on the island. Visits – especially extended visits – between friends and family could become more complicated, and additional business hurdles can be expected to arise while negotiating transactions involving more than one country. For those living in Puerto Rico, independence could bring additional changes and challenges. For example:
- Puerto Ricans could be charged tuition as foreign students rather than as U.S. citizens if they chose to continue their education on the mainland.
- Puerto Ricans might be able to travel and work in the U.S., as the freely associated nations listed above can, but they could be subject to restrictions faced by other foreign nationals.
- Puerto Ricans would not be able to vote in U.S. elections while residing in a state.
- Puerto Ricans would have to apply for U.S. citizenship just like other foreign nationals.
- Puerto Ricans could be deported from the U.S. if circumstances warrant, just as any other foreign national can.
Independence is an option for Puerto Rico. It is an option, however, that cannot be expected to include U.S. citizenship.
The post How Puerto Ricans Could Lose U.S. Citizenship appeared first on Puerto Rico Report.
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People Are Asking about Puerto Rico by hadeninteractive
At Yahoo Answers, visitors can do the virtual equivalent of hollering questions down the hallway, hoping that someone will know the answer.
Here are the questions people have about Puerto Rico:
Do you believe that Puerto Rico should become the 51st state?
What do you think are the pros and cons of Puerto Rico becoming a state of the USA?
So puerto rico is actually a state now?
The answer to the final question is no, Puerto Rico is still a territory of the United States. This was a shock to some people who had read that Puerto Rico had voted for statehood, but the answers were correct: Puerto Rico is not yet a state.
On the pros and cons of Statehood, there were a variety of answers.
Pros
- The economic advantages of statehood were on the top of people’s minds. Having the advantages of statehood as a recipient of federal funds was often mentioned. Being able to compete on the world stage as a State of the U.S. rather than as a small Caribbean country in fiscal distress was another clear advantage.
- The opportunity to vote in presidential elections and to have full representation in the House and Senate was another important benefit.
- The chance to participate fully in the rights and responsibility of statehood was another pro.
Cons
- The loss of participation in Miss Universe and the Olympics was a popular concern.
- Having to pay federal income taxes was seen as a negative result of Statehood.
- There was fear that Puerto Rico would lose their language and culture.
There were some more eccentric ideas about the pros and cons, such as the fear that adding Puerto Rico as a 51st state would skew the demographic data in the U.S. and make it look as though the poverty rate is increasing, or the hope that Puerto Rico as a State would improve the U.S. basketball scores. However, those listed above were the most common ideas.
The list of positive outcomes of Statehood are hard to argue against. We know that Puerto Rico loses out on a lot of benefits because of the territorial status. It is a matter of law that Puerto Rico would gain a significant voice in the U.S. legislature as a State. We know that previous territories, even as recently as the 20th century, were greatly benefited by Statehood from an economic perspective. The benefits are clear.
The negatives are less clear. Both the Miss Universe pageant and the Olympics Committee have stated that Puerto Rico could continue to compete in those contests. And of course the United States could speak against either of those competitions, as both France and the UK have spoken up in the past about their possessions, and Puerto Rico would lose its ability to compete as other possessions have.
More Puerto Ricans would have to file federal income tax returns, but it is not at all clear that this would lead to higher taxes. As on the mainland, many people in Puerto Rico would not have to pay any taxes, and many would receive money in the form of an Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit, for which Puerto Rico is not now eligible.
As for the loss of Puerto Rican culture, more people of Puerto Rican heritage now live on the mainland than on the Island. There is no reason to think that Statehood would dilute Puerto Rico’s special character.
Crowdsourcing questions can produce answers that rely less on facts and more on feelings. Another sign of this: the ads for immigration assistance that pop up if you look for information about Puerto Rico on Yahoo Answers:
The post People Are Asking about Puerto Rico appeared first on Puerto Rico Report.
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Jeb Bush announced unequivocal support for Puerto Rico statehood during a visit to the U.S. territory
today.
today.
“I think Puerto Rican citizens, U.S. citizens, ought to have the right to determine if they want to be a State,” he said. “I think statehood is the best path, personally. I’ve believed that for a long, long while.” Bush further explained, “to get the full benefits and responsibilities of citizenship, being a state is the only path to make that happen.”
Bush also called on Puerto Rico to hold a simple up-or-down vote for statehood and added that “the next President… has a duty to make sure they use their influence to make sure Congress acts on this.”
He called Puerto Rican self determination a question of principle or morality, not a political question.
Puerto Rico last addressed the status question in a 2012 plebiscite. The two-part ballot first asked voters whether they would like to continue with Puerto Rico’s current territorial status and then asked voters which status option they preferred from among the viable alternatives: statehood, independence and free association. Fifty-four percent of voters rejected Puerto Rico’s territorial status and 61% chose statehood.
Puerto Rican Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla rejected the referendum vote because the ballot did not include a “commonwealth” option in the second question. Although Puerto Rico often called a “commonwealth,” the label is actually just a word in the official title of the government of Puerto Rico, just as it is in the states of Massachusetts, Kentucky, Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Since 1952, the term “commonwealth,” has evolved to describe a potential relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico in which Puerto Rico is given special rights and privileges greater than those enjoyed by states. Such proposals have been soundly rejected by legal authorities and policy makers for both constitutionaland practical reasons.
If Bush decides to run for President, he will not be the first candidate to firmly endorse statehood for Puerto Rico. As a candidate, President Ronald Reagan explained in a February, 1980 op-ed in the Wall Street Journalthat he supported Puerto Rico statehood:
When I formally announced my intention to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 1980, my televised speech to the nation included a commitment to not only support statehood for Puerto Rico if the people of the island Commonwealth desire statehood. It also included a commitment that, as President, I would initiate statehood legislation, which really means that I would take the lead in persuading the people of Puerto Rico – the mainland United States – all American citizens – that statehood will be good for all of us.
At the event today, moderated by former Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuno, Bush also discussed his experience campaigning for his father, former President George H.W. Bush, in Puerto Rico for three months during the 1980 election. “I I loved the passion,” he explained, “I loved the intensity.” Although the U.S. Constitution does not permit Puerto Ricans to vote for President through the Electoral College, Puerto Ricans can vote in presidential primaries.
Former President George H.W. Bush has also expressed support for Puerto Rican statehood. In his1989 State of the Union address, he said, “I’ve long believed that the people of Puerto Rico should have the right to determine their own political future. Personally, I strongly favor statehood. But I urge the Congress to take the necessary steps to allow the people to decide in a referendum.”
The post Jeb Bush Strongly Endorses Puerto Rico Statehood appeared first on Puerto Rico Report.
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