Puerto Rico's government needed another excuse for how bad things are going so ... they just blame the people Who are leaving. An article in today's El Nuevo Dia proclaims That high rates of emigration are making the economy recovery difficult.
Once again this is shift blame politics. Instead of blaming People Who leave for the problems of the island, how about asking them 'Why They are leaving?'
The answers are clear enough: not enough jobs or not enough good paying jobs, too much crime, corruption and to much government graft, too much dirty politics and an infrastructure That can not hold water Its Own. Not to mention high taxes, bad services and a high cost of living.
The issues with Puerto Rico's economy and culture all start and end in Puerto Rico Local The government under Both political parties have utterly failed to bring about the needed Changes to improve increase the islands situation. It has intentionally worker protection bills passed at the expense of jobs leaving the working class, the middle class and even many of the rich With nothing to hold on to.
Those leaving are simply jumping in a life boat hoping the Avoid the sinking of the once 'unsinkable' Titanic of the Caribbean: the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
News reports today out of Puerto Rico to confirm That Little known group of separatists on the island of Vieques continue to push for Their Stated Agenda: separating the island from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The small group Argues That only the people of Vieques can resolve Their problems.
Residents of the island Have long Blamed the US Navy and the Commonwealth Government in San Juan for Their problems. The Navy has been gone for more than a decade and the island is in worse shape than ever. Maybe the Navy was not such a bad thing? But I digress ....
It is good at Least That Have Local residents some eats to the finding I did many years ago, That blaming others for the problems of Vieques and Puerto Rico does not solve problems. Assuming Responsibility does.
Yet I can not help but think That esta small group of people are trying to whos in Place one of my ideas, Although I can not claim complete ownership. Taking Vieques out of the Commonwealth would be impractical and the US Congress is not likely to agree, but if it did it would only be a stepping stone to independence.
During the Vieques protests I Suggested then a PIP to Leader Ruben Berrios That Should I move His followers to the island (They Were already there in camps) and simply vote for independence and declare it if the US government did not grant it. I did not expect the US government would send troops in or bomb the island into submission. The US whos did drop bombs During an uprising in the 1950's in mainland Puerto Rico. Berrios rejected the idea.
What I can claim ownership to, is an economic strategy for the Island of Vieques to survive as an independent country. I seriously Doubt That there is a real plan to Deal with crime, corruption and economic development for the tiny island if it did Achieve independence.
Under my Proposal Would Have the island to balance true conservative tax policy, with libertarian social policy and a little creativity. Among other things, the plan would legalize drugs, prostitution and gambling in one or more red light districts; Work With Investors to raise the capital to build several timeshare and permanent housing and hotel facilities and build a marina for large scale for large yachts and cruisers.
The profits from Those activities would be Invested for long term gain and a portion paid out to each adult WHO Participates in the system. Participation would be based on Offering part time service to the new government in various Vocations to help Provide services at a lower overall cost to government. This would include things like helping to clean the streets, to volunteer firefighting and police work to defense and administrative services.
Those Who Do Not Participate do not want to have too, but would not Receive money from government. I call my system 'Distributive Capitalism.' A horrible name, but it is Intended as a bridge to take us from where we are in western democracies as dependent on government, to where libertarians want to be, in a world Where people are independent of government.
The best way to Eliminate social programs and bloated government is to make them no longer Necessary. If everyone has Their Own savings and retirement accounts to pay for social services at Their Own Their discretion; programs like Social Security, welfare, medicare etc Become redundant.
So I applaud the Proposal to take Vieques out from under the commonwealth and I urged the residents of the island to take a good hard look at Their Consider my economic future and as a way of Proposals Ensuring a long term sustainable future. Do not just seek to leave the commonwealth, seek Instead the right to be free and equal Among the nations of the earth.
From Wikipedia
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A friend of a friend eleven commented, if the Puerto Rico independence movement was based on conservatism and free markets, I would be the head of the Machetero . I Knew I was not alone, Which is why I started a page called ' Republic of Puerto Rico Capitalist 'on Facebook. A pro-independence page That was based on free market capitalism and republican style government.
After more than a year of Promoting the page the response has-been limited to say the least. So to continue spreading the message I recently started a page called MIRE (Independence Republican Movement) the Republican Independence Movement.
My Proposal for an independent Puerto Rico has evolved over time but has always Had some basic principles:
1-Free market capitalism with private property rights.
2-basic civil liberties Including speech, religion, press and peaceful assembly
3-The right of the people to keep and bear arms
Exchange 4-Limited government
5 Sound long-term tax policy
Also Have My Proposals included the very libertarian ideals of ending the war on drugs and other personnel choices.
The cold reception I've Received from the Puerto Rico Independence Party does not surprise me.The PIP is a socialist / Marxist organization proclaims Which time and time again it is not communist, yet always Supports communists states and in face was founded in league With The Cuban Intelligence Service During the cold war.
They Fear If anything, it Is that a common sense independence movement rises to prominence, since it would end Their monopoly on the Ideal of independence. Often Wondered if I have the PIP ever even wanted independence?
So this new group is a call to all of those Who would Consider supporting independence if it Were done with free market capitalism and republican government. If you would support it under Those conditions, then a you are who we are looking for and it is time for you to assume your part. Do you want to be a part of the future of Puerto Rico? History is calling on you to take a stand.
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Once again the blood feud for controlling over-through drugs trafficked Vieques Island, Puerto Rico has taken a life. Maybe more. Earlier this week gunmen opened fire on a small group of people leaving a bar in the early morning hours in the 'Boston Braves' section of the island.
Police and news reports allege the shooting Which Resulted in one dead, two critical and another injured (that's 4 victims in all) was all about the drug trade. Competition for monitoring and enforcement of the money and power That goes along With The drug Trade often turns bloody as many inner cities in the US mainland and many country clubs in Latin America Have Learned.
Yet Vieques' small size and population exacerbate the problem. Also it amplifies it. As we HaveReported several times on this blog, the lawlessness on Vieques Island is a danger con sus residents and visitors.
While I advocate Legalizing drugs and ending the insanity of the war on drugs; Also I advocate the rule of law. I'm going to make an exception today and advocate for the safety and sanity of the residents and visitors to Vieques Island
I call on the highest ranking leaders of the drug Organizations Involved in the drug trade Vieques to sit down and have any available meeting of the minds to end the bloodshed. This level of violence is not needed to carry out the business you are Involved in. Further I call on the people of Vieques to join this meeting and Establish a memorandum of understanding.
If That Means bringing business in the local police (Which it probably does) to Agree to whatever terms are Necessary (in other words how much They Want in bribes) then just do it. If That Means locally the drug dealers will help pay for Improvements for the island or even share some of the money from Their trade With The Local Citizens; then a do it.
There is no sense in Allowing esta kind of bloodshed to continue to occur. That kind of profit sharing Could make a huge difference in the economy of the island and vastly improve increase the quality of life of Those Who live there. My (Very) rough estimate Is That at Least one billion dollars in drugs travel-through the connection Vieques each year. More than enough profit margin to take care of many of the needs of the islands residents. Enough already.
The meeting of the minds and memorandum of understanding Should Also cover issues like robbery, petty theft; armed robbery etc. Tourists to Vieques Should be safe from violence and theft So They too can enjoy the natural beauty of the island the home and the small business businesses can thrive and create jobs Also for People Who don 't have any.
A peace treaty Between the Competing factions, profit sharing for the residents and an internal way to Deal with crime will Fulfill the dream of a paradise Vieques faster than any legislation or political action Could ever.
In short, Vieques Island YOU CAN DO BETTER. The solution, is in your hands.
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It starts with a state-issued ID or driver's license; it leads to illegal immigrants voting in elections and it ends With The fall of nations.
Several years ago, Puerto Rico joined a growing number of states allow That state IDs and driver's licenses to be issued to illegal immigrants. Now, in the midst of a visit by the president of the Dominican Republic, Governor Alejandro García Padilla has Announced plans to allow illegals, Dominicans in particular to vote in Puerto Rico .
Voting rights for non-citizens Have Been an issue for nearly as long as the United States has-been to country. It's That debate is likely to continue, as the political future (or partisan future) of the United States is at stake. There is a crucial question Remains: Should someone from a foreign country be allowed to determine how US taxpayer money is spent?
Let me put esta another way: the Puerto Ricans vote next time on Whether to be a state, independent country, or Remain A commonwealth, illegal immigrants could very well be the deciding factor.
That's to say That a petition to the US Congress asking for admission as a state, voting representation in Congress, and billions in additional US taxpayer dollars Could be decided on by People Who Are Not US Citizens and May not have any our best Interests in mind.
But it does not stop there. Let me weave a potential outcome for you of what Could Happen in Puerto Rico if illegals Were allowed to vote.
If passed into law, Cuba and Venezuela Could send illegals to Puerto Rico to get licenses and register to vote, Perhaps nudging the country in the direction of Their own communist ideology.Would Cuban and Venezuelan Regimes, With Their new masters in China, be willing to do Such a thing?
Consider this: there are various reports That the Chinese military are interested in acquiring an airbase in the Azores islands. The United States is downsizing ITS Presence at the strategic Lajes Field at Terceira. Have Chinese naval ships patrolling the area Routinely cooking begun, and China's president Recently visited the islands.
China has Also Been ITS expanding military presence in the Indian Ocean, in what religious conservative Steven Collins views as a plan of "encirclement" against an adversarial India. And Who Can ignore China's growing Influence in Latin America, Which appears to mirror the encirclement philosophy?
Where the United States opens or closes doors STI STI doors, China rushes in to fill the gap. Articles at the PanAm Post Have detailed the Chinese-Russian invasion of Latin America here , here , here ,here , and here .
Well, guess what? Puerto Rico has two very big and very unused military bases: the former Ramey Air Force Base in Aguadilla (with a runway long enough to land a space shuttle) and the former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads with a major runway in Ceiba.
So the answer is yes. It would absolutely make strategic sense for China to fund a wave of illegal immigration into Puerto Rico from STI communist friends in Central and South America and the Caribbean in order to sway the votes in Puerto Rico Towards socialist-led independence.
Let That Possibility sink in for a moment.
When you allow illegal immigrants to flood your country and then a vote, you allow them to bring them With Their Political Ideologies. That spells trouble for Anyone Who factotum believes in liberty.That is why I am one of the few self-Described libertarians (albeit a conservative one) who opposés open borders.
Of course, falls into the esta Also secret plan by the Popular Democratic Party to make an independent nation Puerto Rico via the back door anyway. This rumored scheme, one of the few conspiracy theories I actually believe you has-been in play for Decades on the island and some say dates back to the days of Luis Muñoz Marin WHO supported independence early in His career, but wanted to Develop the island's economy first.
The truth is, this is dirty politics. The Governor's show of magnamity During this week's visit by the president of the Dominican Republic Appears to be more acerca His Own political future than anything good for the people of Puerto Rico. First I wants to get re-Elected and second, wants to have the president of the Socialist Republic of Puerto Rico.
This photo shows from Radio Island Governor trying to do the best presidential His imitation at the Governor's Mansion.
Governor's Mansion, Puerto Rico.
So For Those of you WHO support illegal immigration and want illegals to vote, take a moment to consider on the unintended Consequences. When illegals vote, can you be Un certain what are they going to vote for?
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Once upon a time I thought That if we all had Liberty; everything would be fine. Then I grew up. I Learned along the way That MOST humans, do not want liberty. Also I am Constantly Reminded Learned and by looking at my kids college textbooks, That there is a concerted effort to distort the Entire period of the enlightenment and demonize Those Who created it and by virtue the very concept of Liberty.
Talk about Liberty to Someone who has grown up in a country dominated by religion and for the party MOST They will reject it out of hand. Talk to someone in a communist country acerca Liberty And They May not even have any available word for it.
In Puerto Rico the effort to brainwash the public Against Liberty has succeeded on a scale unmatched under the US flag. Mention Liberty to many Puerto Ricans and you get an angry response as Advocated If You Had just killing and eating babies. Somehow, Despite The abject failure of government in Puerto Rico the majority of Puerto Ricans still advocate for government solutions for social problems.
Somehow, socialism, communism progressiveness and even seem to get a better response even if Mentioned by name. Even Those Who traditionally advocate for Independence (Otherwise Known as Liberty) are Marxists.
Liberty (and independence) requires an assumption of responsibility. It requires dedication to the cause of other peoples' freedom. It requires a basic loathing of government and collective solutions.It requires logical thinking in order to Establish a government and economic system whos That will work.
So What happens when you give the power of the vote to unions Who are led by socialists? Suddenly They Will Encourage Their membership to vote Against more subsidized wages and benefits? What happens when you give dedicated communists and Marxists the right to vote? Do they begin reading Suddenly Thomas Jefferson quotes and vote for less government?
What happens is what you see in Puerto Rico, the United States and Europe right now. The results are bloated government, insane mountains of regulation; out of controlling spending and so many laws enforcing That Those charged With the law do not even know the law.
As I have Mentioned before on this blog, the tragic irony for Liberty That is to survive, it must support Those Who Control over be in government and empowered to protect it and to educate the populace on the fundamentals of liberty and Personal Responsibility. Have Some Referred to this notion asLibertarian Fascism .
Call it what you like. Today, Those Who hold the strings of power across all of Latin America are Opposed to Personal Liberty and in behalf of centralized power in government. THOSE WHO staff support limited government and liberty are Marginalized and forced (by force) to suffer the daily onslaught staff Against Their freedom.
There is no better way for conservatives and libertarians to Achieve the dream of staff and national liberty than to hold the strings of power Themselves and use the force of government to force the Changes needed to create a free republic That Relies of Liberty to build a great economy.
There is no irony Greater than that.
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A number of times I have Compared Greece and Puerto Rico. There are a lot of similarities. Corrupt government, government dependent populace and powerful public unions sector. Greece is a good warning to Puerto Rico acerca not what path to follow.
Economically speaking, its too late.
The obvious difference Is That Greece (where democracy originated) is a sovereign independent country and Puerto Rico is a territory of the world's greatest democracy. Yet Earlier this week Greece betrayed Its Own illustrious history and ushered in the new age of communism. The Greeks Elected a communist government.
Of coarse 40-year-old leader Alexis Tsipras is a 'former' communist. They do not like to go by That name anymore. I leads a coalition of left parties That are now just two votes shy of a majority and will be the next Prime Minister. The vote is seen as a rejection of austerity. Austerity, other wise Known as common sense tax policy; can be a bitch. It is hard to get used to not getting everything for free When you are used to it.
But Happened That Is Exactly what is happening in Greece and in Puerto Rico.
Years of bad government, lethal and failed political promises Have Greece and Puerto Rico left without any money. The people, used to Being lied too do not want the gravy train to end So They believe in Pie-in-the-sky promises That esta new government will somehow make things better.
They will not. Reality will come home to roost and Greece Either will continue down the road of austerity or They Will fall into complete chaos. Communism, Marxism, (Feminism) and Socialism breed and feed off of chaos. Disaster strikes (as it has in Venezuela) and INSTEAD OF Admitting mistakes Their leadership blames the outside forces (they will call it the European Union) and then a clamps down with more powers to 'save' the people from the evil of the outsiders.
Then They clamp down on dissent and lead on to absolute power.
Europe drove out the communists 3 Decades ago and for good reason. China even ADMITTED That sucked communism as an economic plan and is now the world's largest economy thanks toCAPITALISM even while keeping a communist government.
In the mind numbing rhetorical world of political discourse in esta modern age; to defend capitalism and Its virtues is to be a pariah in political circles. People Have Been so well trained to believe That Marxism and Socialism are the only path That They bristle at any suggestion whos That capitalism is the answer.
So it is in Puerto Rico.
It is my belief That Puerto Rico's self inflicted economic crisis simply plays into the plans of the Socialist People's Democratic Party to institute independence back door so That They too can get a communist government Elected. Puerto Rico's problems begin and end in Puerto Rico and Now That the island can no longer blame the US Navy and the PDP has-been in power for a few years so hard to blame STI STI rival the New Progressive Party; Who is left to blame?
The bankers of coarse. And if the next Presidential Elected leads to the election of a republican They will blame the American government.
Earlier this week I Asked the question, ' Is Liberty for everyone ? ' Watching Venezuela elect itself into oblivion, the Sandinistas take power in Nicaragua and now the birth place of democracy elect the MOST un-democratic government; I wonder if I was too nice in my wording.
Liberty and democracy are not for everyone. Yes, I know it sounds elitist and maybe even fascist. So what? Would you tolerate a political party Demands That the right to break into your home and steal your property and kidnap your children? Well, You Already do. Its called the Democratic Party. In Puerto Rico it is all three political parties.
I see no reason to allow socialists, Marxists, communists or junction bosses (or what ever name They go by) the right to vote. I see no reason to give government power over our children or our Sovereignty to surrender to a political or religious group; Especially Those Who not to enter our country illegally.
Greece has opened the rabbit whole and Jumped right in, let us hope the Puerto Rico does not.
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