Puerto Rico

spike

spike

New Member
Watching a documentary right now on Puerto Rico. There's so much poverty there that many many Puerto Ricans's enlist in the US military and figth for the commander in chief.

Yet they aren't granted the right to vote in presidential elections.

Doesn't seem right.
 
Because they are a territory not a state, which is self-chosen.
The fact that they are allowed to join the military is a perk, they are not required to and can not be drafted. They do it for the benefits - medical, college funds.
I served with a lot of them and the majority of them never went back. I also believe that it's pretty simple for them to receive actual "citizenship". It's basically a paperwork thing that the military assists with.
 
There has been a major referrendum for statehood withing Puerto Rico every 5 or so years for the last 25 years. They are the ones denying it. They already are full recipients of our welfare state... why opt to start paying into our tax structure for the sake of 2 senators and 2 congressmen? They already get the milk; why pay for the cow?
 
unclehobart said:
There has been a major referrendum for statehood withing Puerto Rico every 5 or so years for the last 25 years. They are the ones denying it. They already are full recipients of our welfare state... why opt to start paying into our tax structure for the sake of 2 senators and 2 congressmen? They already get the milk; why pay for the cow?
Click to expand...

Even longer than that. Clearly though, it's all the sitting president's fault. :lol:
 
unclehobart said:
They already get the milk; why pay for the cow?
Click to expand...

I don't think it's as simple as that.

I'll need to do some more research but from what I gathered there's a lot of issues that created a demand for them to be independent from the US.

Forced sterilization of the women and testing of on FDA approved drugs on the people. Navy testing of Agent orange and radiocative waste in populated areas. Discrimination by government agencies in Puerto Rican populated areas of New York.

But as far as voting goes it would seem to me that at least military personael should be granted that priviledge.
 
Theres is also an internal pride issue from maintining independence. They are able to field their own Olympic team and keep their own name in things like the Miss Universe Pagent. Also, because they are so poor and everything is government controlled, costs of living are dirt cheap. Becoming a state would force certain federal regulations upon their economy. Most don't want their power bills going from $10 to $80 overnight. They are also scared that the US is going to pass an english only bill for paperwork and whatnot. They are a hard blend of spanish and english that wouldn't want to tow the line. Also, they are able to maintain their own treaties with powers that normally don't deal with the US. If they become a state, they will have to follow our treaties.
 
Why on earth would the government pass an all english law in Puerto Rico when they haven't passed one here?
 
Its a federal thing they tease with every once in a while. If things like drivers licenses and whatnot go only english... it will apply everywhere. That may not be a big deal in North Dakota... but places like New Mexico will freak.
 
I have my phone set to play the arrow hitting the wall and "message for you sir!" from Monty Python whenever I get a text message... but I miss the four short little beeps my old phone made for text messages.
 
I love my new phone using actually songs for ringtones but I sort of miss the midi Eye in the sky that was my ring tone for Rob.
 
I'm finding out that the music player goes through battery life like Michael Moore goes through food.

I've got the chorus from "Disco Duck" as my ringtone. :D
 
LOL!
I don't use my phone as an MP3 player - I have my Shuffle for that. Mainly, because I would need a seperate card for my music and have not felt the need to obtain one.
I have several ringtones:
For Rob - Obla de obla da ~ The Beatles
For school/scouts/PTA - Kodachrome ~ Paul Simon
For The folks in Louisiana - Louisiana Saturday night ~ Mel McDonald
For everyone else - Chop Suey ~ Systom of a down
 
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