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  1. #1
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
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    Puerto Ricans to vote on US statehood

    A referendum to be held in November will ask Puerto Ricans if the island be admitted as a US state.
    Danica Coto

    Associated PressMAY 17, 20204:07AM

    Governor Wanda Vazquez says she will hold a non-binding referendum in November to decide whether Puerto Rico should become a US state.
    For the first time in the island's history, the referendum will ask a single, simple question: should Puerto Rico be immediately admitted as a US state?
    It's an answer that requires approval from US Congress and a question that outraged the island's small group of independence supporters and members of the main opposition Popular Democratic Party, which supports the status quo.
    Puerto Rico has struggled to obtain federal funds for hurricanes Irma and Maria, a string of recent strong earthquakes and the coronavirus pandemic amid growing complaints that the island does not receive fair and equal treatment.
    Previous referendums have presented voters with more than one question or various options, including independence or upholding the current territorial status, but none have been so direct as the one scheduled to be held during the November 3 general elections.
    "Our people will have the opportunity once and for all to define our future," Vazquez said. "It's never too late to be treated as equals."
    Puerto Ricans are US citizens but cannot vote in US presidential elections.
    And while the island is exempt from the US federal income tax, it still pays Social Security and Medicare and local taxes and receives less federal funding than US states.

    Puerto Ricans to vote on US statehood


    Warning: Be cautious if you are a fragile pink

  2. #2
    In Uranus
    bsnub's Avatar
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    As long as Republicans control the Senate it will never happen. PR is overwhelmingly Democratic, and they would never want to basically give the Democrats two additional Senate seats. Plus as it sits Puerto Ricans can not vote in presidential elections so another reason the GOP will try to block statehood.

  3. #3
    Thailand Expat tomcat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bsnub View Post
    As long as Republicans control the Senate it will never happen. PR is overwhelmingly Democratic, and they would never want to basically give the Democrats two additional Senate seats. Plus as it sits Puerto Ricans can not vote in presidential elections so another reason the GOP will try to block statehood.
    ...^that...and the fact that the island is full of brown people who tend to speak a funny language unrelated to trailer park...

  4. #4
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tomcat View Post
    and the fact that the island is full of brown people who tend to speak a funny language unrelated to trailer park...
    Perhaps more to the point...

  5. #5
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    ^Perhaps there will be few more following the suit?

  6. #6
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Given that the Republicans will block it, does it matter if it's "binding" or "non-binding"?

  7. #7
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    Given that the Republicans will block it, does it matter if it's "binding" or "non-binding"?
    I guess the hope is that a non-binding referendum may be easier to hold, fence sitters might be more easily able to answer, and then the results, if favourable can be used as evidence for change.


    Sociology 101.

  8. #8
    Thailand Expat tomcat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheRealKW View Post
    I guess the hope is that a non-binding referendum may be easier to hold, fence sitters might be more easily able to answer, and then the results, if favourable can be used as evidence for change.


    Sociology 101.
    ...doesn't matter what the island folks think...their future is determined in Washington, not San Juan...

  9. #9
    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheRealKW View Post
    the island is exempt from the US federal income tax
    This is the make and break of the question - if Puerto Rico becomes a state they will be liable for US Federal Income Tax. Can, or will, their current taxation burden be adjusted/overhauled or will the US Federal Income Tax just be added to their current taxation burden?

    So, in reality, the only question on the minds of the Puerto Rican voters is "Will I be paying more, or less, in taxes?"

  10. #10
    Thailand Expat tomcat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bowie View Post
    This is the make and break of the question - if Puerto Rico becomes a state they will be liable for US Federal Income Tax. Can, or will, their current taxation burden be adjusted/overhauled or will the US Federal Income Tax just be added to their current taxation burden?

    So, in reality, the only question on the minds of the Puerto Rican voters is "Will I be paying more, or less, in taxes?"
    ...doubt that...I expect questions will spring to local minds concerning states' rights, nationalism and other matters of concern...

  11. #11
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bowie View Post
    This is the make and break of the question - if Puerto Rico becomes a state they will be liable for US Federal Income Tax. Can, or will, their current taxation burden be adjusted/overhauled or will the US Federal Income Tax just be added to their current taxation burden?

    So, in reality, the only question on the minds of the Puerto Rican voters is "Will I be paying more, or less, in taxes?"
    I think access to all the federal money will far outweigh that, another reason why the Republicans are so opposed.

  12. #12
    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tomcat View Post
    ...doubt that...I expect questions will spring to local minds concerning states' rights, nationalism and other matters of concern...
    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    I think access to all the federal money will far outweigh that, another reason why the Republicans are so opposed.
    I spend a few weeks in Puerto Rico in the early 00's on a case. At the time, the issue of statehood was a hot topic - has been a hot topic for decades really. The group I was working with were lawyers and we did discuss the issue. In their opinions the majority of Puerto Ricans are concerned only with taxes. Funny, but I had two of the lawyers, one pro and one con, in hot and heavy debating about it.

    Now, it is their territory, their country per se, they both agreed that the general population would vote against statehood. Now, granted, this was twenty years ago. Things may have changed. But, doubtful. The Puerto Rican people are far more concerned with making ends meet than relying on their government to save them.

    I believe, and am too damn lazy to bother a google search, but, wasn't a shit load of supplies sent to Puerto Rico that the "government" wound up slowly distributing and lining their pockets with the proceeds.

    There is an underlying distrust of government officials everywhere. Puerto Rico is no exception and may well be far more distrustful. Crime and political corruption have, unfortunately, become a hallmark of a beautiful USA vacation island.
    Last edited by bowie; 17-05-2020 at 07:22 PM.

  13. #13
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bowie View Post
    wasn't a shit load of supplies sent to Puerto Rico that the "government" wound up slowly distributing and lining their pockets with the proceeds.
    A load of money was authorised by congress and then projects were given to various "friends", which took a large slice off the top.

    Then some greasing of local palms allowed them to extract some more.

    But baldy orange cunto went there and threw them some kitchen towels, so it all worked out in the end.

    I was there two years ago. Lovely place, lovely people, still in touch with a couple of them. There seemed to be a lot of US-born New Yorkers whose parents were immigrants, who'd returned on holiday, fallen in love with the place and decided to stay there.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Klondyke View Post
    ^Perhaps there will be few more following the suit?
    A few more what?



    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    I think access to all the federal money will far outweigh that, another reason why the Republicans are so opposed.
    I agree, this outweighs the complicated taxation questions, if the ordinary folk have them at all.

  15. #15
    I'm in Jail

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    Quote Originally Posted by bowie View Post
    I spend a few weeks in Puerto Rico in the early 00's on a case.
    A case ? Were you a policeman of some sort, Bowie ?

    Or a spy ?

  16. #16
    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Latindancer View Post
    A case ?
    A court case. There was an incident/occurrence that resulted in a fatality. I was hired to complete an investigation and provide my opinion concerning the events that led up to and the causal factors.


    Long and varied stories. Many, many cases over many years.

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