Thread: Bill to Decide Puerto Rico's Status Moves Forward

Bill to Decide Puerto Rico's Status Moves Forward

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 4:55 PM

WASHINGTON -- A House committee approved a proposal Wednesday that would let Puerto Ricans decide their island's political status. It was unclear whether the full Congress would consider the bill.

The Natural Resources Committee approved the Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009, which was submitted by the island's resident commissioner, Pedro Pierluisi.

Voters would choose between keeping the island's commonwealth status, adopted in 1952, or to opt for something different. In the latter case, a second plebiscite would let them decide whether they wanted statehood, independence or independence with a loose association to the United States.

Two of the island's main parties oppose the proposal, and a similar bill that the committee approved in October 2007 has since died. Wednesday's debate marked the 68th time that the House has debated a bill related to Puerto Rico's status.

Puerto Ricans voted to maintain the island's current status and rejected statehood in nonbinding referendums in 1967, 1993 and 1998.

Residents of the U.S. Caribbean commonwealth are barred from voting in presidential elections, and their Congressional delegate cannot vote.

http://www.newsmax.com/politics/us_puer ... 38918.html

Related:

Statehood for Puerto Rico
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-158652.html

Citizens's Petition Against Making Puerto Rico Our 51st State
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-158725.html

The Puerto Ricans keep voting for status quo and the statehood movement keeps trying to ram it down there throats.

What would be the advantage for Puerto Rico of statehood over their now commonwealth status or a future independence status?

Iccat wrote:

What would be the advantage for Puerto Rico of statehood over their now commonwealth status or a future independence status?

They could vote in our presidential election.

I was surprised to read in the above articles that English was not taught in school on the Island. In the late 60's I served with several men from Puerto Rico who spoke English with an accent different but not any stronger than servicemen from many sections of the U.S. Most were NCOs’ from E-5 to a Master Sgt. and for some reason I no longer remember often a topic of discussion was statehood for the Island normally initiated by some of us from the "states"; none indicated any favor for statehood and they seemed to prefer being a commonwealth and independence a distance second. Of course that was over 40 years ago and things change but from my time spent with these men I would think if not remaining a commonwealth they would move to independence.

"The school system is administered by the Department of Education and has several levels of learning. The language used in the schools is Spanish, however, English is taught from kindergarten to high school as part of the school curriculum. Some private schools provide English programs where all classes are conducted in English except for the Spanish class."

It is partly the vote they want. They feel rule by Congress has not served them well but they do not even get to vote on a Congressional representative that can vote on what happens to them.

Much the same way we feel about Congress.

They would like to be formally a part of the United States, a state on equal footing since we lost that footing long ago.

Remember after the civil war though, the strife that continues today because the states on the side of the Confederacy were no longer equal?

They are very upset with Pelosi because she stopped the bill in 2006 and looks to be stopping this one. Pelosi apparently has political reasons to stop it since it is actually one area that Republicans and Democrats do look somewhat biparisan when it comes to immigration. Some of the Democrat hispanics would not support it because it does not give the option they want, specifically to please them it must include Commonwealth with extended status. Another words, we give them more (including a vote) and they stay a commonwealth.

The people themselves are somewhat divided between Commonwealth, Statehood, and a minority for independence.

I think we should push Pelosi on this.

They are citizens of the United States and the only way they can be equal citizens is by being a State. The only way they get that option is if they vote on it.

It will make our movement look better if we do stand up for Latino citizens of the United States that are legally here and in Puerto Rico, and this is not an anchor baby situation, where our Constitution was twisted.

This bill continues to be pushed forward. From AOL Latin American News today:

http://noticias.aol.com/articulos/latin ... 1509990001

Puerto Rico should be:
Independent 37%
The 51 state 32%
US Territory 31%

Total de Votos: 57,813
Nota sobre los resultados

What would be the advantage for Puerto Rico of statehood over their now commonwealth status or a future independence status?

Apparently the Puerto Ricans don't see any. But the Democrats see two more senators and 2-4 more votes in the House of Representatives.