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  1. #1
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    Puerto Rico's Statehood Plan Revealed

    H.R. 2499 has 150 co-sponsors as of today.

    Puerto Rico's Statehood Plan Revealed

    Jose A. Hernandez-Mayoral
    Secretary of Federal and International Affairs
    Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico

    A seemingly innocent bill now running through Congress is the centerpiece of a statehood plan for Puerto Rico. On its face, H.R. 2499 simply calls for a non-binding expression by Puerto Rican voters on their political status preference. Behind the innocuousness, however, lies a fully thought out Tennessee Plan type assault on Congress.

    H.R. 2499 builds upon two earlier failures for statehood. Back in 1993, after a landslide victory in the general elections, the pro-statehood governor quickly called for a plebiscite expecting his personal popularity to translate into a similar win for statehood. Overconfident as he was, the governor allowed each of the parties to decide how their status option would appear defined on the ballot. To his surprise, Commonwealth won with 48.6% of the vote to statehood’s 46.5% and independence’s 4.4.%.

    Pledging not to let that happen again, the governor called for a new plebiscite in 1998, but this time he drafted the Commonwealth’s definition himself and in such unpalatable terms that the Commonwealth party could not endorse it. To his total dismay, the Commonwealth party asked its supporters to vote instead under a “none of the aboveâ€
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    No Puerto Rican statehood without English

    H.R. 2499 would require that Puerto Ricans hold a plebiscite on whether or not Puerto Rico should keep its status as a commonwealth of the U.S. If a majority does not vote in favor of remaining a commonwealth, then another plebiscite would be held with only two options: to become a state, or to become an independent country.

    ProEnglish opposes this bill for two reasons. First there is no provision in the bill that requires Puerto Rico to adopt English as the language of its government, which ProEnglish believes must be a pre-requisite for any territory or commonwealth to be admitted as a state. Second, the two stage plebiscite is a carefully contrived effort to get a majority of Puerto Ricans to vote in favor of statehood, something Puerto Ricans have repeated refused to do despite several attempts in the past. It is therefore undemocratic, manipulative, and an insult to the citizens of Puerto Rico. (Please click here to read Op-Ed by Sen. Juan Hernandez.)

    New Generation of Puerto Ricans lacks language skills

    33% of Puerto Ricans between the ages of 18 and 65 are bilingual (i.e., they spoke Spanish, but reported knowing English "well" or "very well."). But among Puerto Ricans aged 5 to 18, however, less than 19% are bilingual. In both age groups, just over 14% spoke English only.[1]

    History of Puerto Rico, its status, and its official languageS

    1900: The island was surrendered to the United States military authority. On April 2, the Foraker Law (Organic Act of 1900) is approved, establishing civil government and free commerce between the island and United States. The law was impulsed into Congress by senator Joseph B. Foraker. Puerto Rico became U.S. first unincorporated territory. The new government had an American governor, with 5 Puerto Rican Cabinet members. The first civil governor (Charles H. Allen) of the island under the Foraker Act was inaugurated on May 1, in San Juan.

    1902: The Official Languages Act (under the Foraker Act) was instituted which declared that in all insular governmental departments, courts, and public offices, English was to be regarded as co-official with Spanish, and when necessary, translations and interpretations from one language to the other would be made so that all parties could understand the proceedings.

    1917: On March 2, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Jones Act. With this law, Puerto Rico: became a territory of the United States ("organized but unincorporated,"); had its citizens granted citizenship by act of Congress (not by the Constitution and therefore not guaranteed by it); Established that elections were to be celebrated every four years; made English the official language.

    1922: In the case of Balzac v. Porto Rico (258 U.S. 30 the U.S. Supreme Court declared that Puerto Rico was a territory rather than a part of the Union. The decision stated that the U.S. constitution did not apply in Puerto Rico.

    1946: A bill was passed ordering "the exclusive use of the Spanish language for teaching in all public schools."

    1950: Congress authorizes Puerto Ricans to draft their own constitution, establishing the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

    1967: The first plebiscite on the political status of Puerto Rico is held. Voters overwhelmingly affirm continuation of Commonwealth status.
    Commonwealth 60%
    Statehood 39%
    Independence 1%

    1991: Puerto Rico declares Spanish the only official language of the island.

    1993: Puerto Rico declares English and Spanish as the official languages of Puerto Rico. In a referendum, Commonwealth status is reaffirmed by voters.
    Commonwealth....... 826,326 (48.6%)
    Statehood.......... 788,296 (46.3%)
    Independence........ 75,620 ( 4.4%)
    Nulls............... 10,748 ( 0.7%)

    1998: Puerto Rico votes on whether to become a state, for the third time. The party opposed to statehood, dissatisfied with the ballot's wording, encourages its supporters to vote "None of the above," the option which receives the most votes:
    Commonwealth: 0.6%
    Independent Nation with Free Association: 0.3%
    Statehood: 46.5%
    Independent Nation: 2.5%
    None of the above (commonwealth): 50.3%[2]

    Click to go to the news archive for Puerto Rico statehood.

    Click here to read K.C. McAlpin's editorial on Puerto Rican statehood.

    [1]Source: Based on U.S. Census 2000, Summary File 4.

    [2]Source: welcome.topuertorico.com

    Click here for more information on why ProEnglish opposes H.R. 900.

    http://www.proenglish.org/issues/pr/index.html
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  3. #3

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    would somebody clarify the following for me - Puerto Ricans do not pay federal taxes if they live on the island.

    Is that true?

  4. #4
    Senior Member lccat's Avatar
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    I'm surprised that so many want statehood. During my period in the Army early68-late71 the men from the island like being a Commonwealth and there second choice was independence; I never heard one say they wanted statehood. All could speak perfect English with less accent than many sections of the lower 48.

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    Senior Member Bowman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lccat
    All could speak perfect English with less accent than many sections of the lower 48.
    The lower 48? I have never heard that term before. Is that what Alaskans calls the Continental US?
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    ive heard lower 48 alot
    ive also heard continental US.

    as for Puerto Rico, instead of morons in DC signing a bill that makes it the 51st state, should not the people who live on the island decide if they want to be part of the US instead of just a commonwealth and territory

  7. #7
    Senior Member lccat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bowman
    Quote Originally Posted by lccat
    All could speak perfect English with less accent than many sections of the lower 48.
    The lower 48? I have never heard that term before. Is that what Alaskans calls the Continental US?
    I have heard this term since the 60's but I did find the following, sorry I didn't get the link:

    Alaska
    "In Alaska, given the ambiguity surrounding the usage of continental, the term "continental United States" is almost unheard of when referring to the contiguous 48 states. Several other terms have been used over the years. Most Americans are familiar with the term "Lower 48", which for many years was the most common Alaskan equivalent for "contiguous United States". However, since the 1980s Alaskans have increasingly adopted the term "Outside" to refer to the rest of the United States. Alaskans will speak of going Outside to vacation or will refer to being born Outside.""

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    I think the point being made, Iccat, is that the political "elites" are planning to try to "ram Puerto Rican statehood" down the throats of the majority of Puerto Rican natives and all mainland U.S. citizens whether they or we want it or not by calling a series of referendums until they get the results they want. Much like the push for "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" now being relaunched by the Democratic leadership in Congress (or the series of "referendums" on the EU Constitution). This legislation, evidently unwanted by the "majority of everyone", already has 150 co-sponsors in Congress.

    My purpose in posting all this information about the reintroduction of this proposed legislation was so that it would not be allowed to gather momentum under the public radar. By this fall, we will have a Supreme Court Justice who considers herself "Puerto Rican" even though she was born and raised in New York City, and who once was closely affiliated with an extremist political wing in Puerto Rico.
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  9. #9
    Senior Member lccat's Avatar
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    I see your point but I have never looked at Puerto Ricans as other than guys I served with in the Army. We had a 1stSG from the Island and he may have been the best "soldier". I think they either didn't have to pay income tax or maybe social security, I can't remember which. But when they got out they always wanted to go back to the ISLAND, they seemed to look down on the ones who claimed to be Puerto Ricans but were born in the states, mostly NY. The only other Spanish speakers I knew in the Army were from Cuba and they spoke almost perfect English but with a heavy accent and were "gungho"(sp.) expressing a duty of honor to serve in U.S. Army. Most of the Cuban at that time were running from Castro but they also wanted to go back to their Island.

  10. #10
    Senior Member JohnDoe2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by feduphispanic
    would somebody clarify the following for me - Puerto Ricans do not pay federal taxes if they live on the island.

    Is that true?
    GOOGLE to the rescue:

    Puerto Rico - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Puerto Ricans often call the island Borinquen, from Borikén, its indigenous . . . Most residents do not pay federal income tax but pay federal payroll taxes . . .

    Everyone born in Puerto Rico since 1917 is a U.S. Citizen, but Puerto Rico is classified by the U.S. government as an independent taxation authority by mutual agreement with the U.S. Congress. Contrary to common misconception, residents of Puerto Rico pay some U.S. federal taxes: import/export taxes, federal commodity taxes, social security taxes, etc. Most residents do not pay federal income tax but pay federal payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare), and Puerto Rico income taxes

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico
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