HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
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- JakeYonkel
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HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
This one seems to be flying under the radar, but apparently the house is voting on a measure that will give the Puerto Rican people two votes. The first being if they want to keep the status quo (ie. commonwealth) or "change" their status. If they vote for a change (har har har) they then will vote between becoming the 51st state or independence.
I guess this is the first time Congress will really be asking for their voice in the matter. Naturally what they say means nothing but I assume Congress would seriously consider getting the ball rolling on adding another star to the flag.
Thoughts?
I guess this is the first time Congress will really be asking for their voice in the matter. Naturally what they say means nothing but I assume Congress would seriously consider getting the ball rolling on adding another star to the flag.
Thoughts?
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
If you take out the conspiracy theory that says Obama is doing this for party gains, the reasons against it in this article are pretty well-founded:
http://beforeitsnews.com/news/37267/Opp ... _2499.html
http://beforeitsnews.com/news/37267/Opp ... _2499.html
- MasterOfMeatPuppets
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
Hell yeah! We wouldn't want this country to be infested with a bunch of poor ass Spanish speaking brown people.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
Not sure about Puerto Rico, but there is no fucking reason in hell why DC shouldn't be given representation in congress.
Taxation without representation? Isn't that why those guys dumped a bunch of tea into that one harbor?
Why the fuck isn't the Tea Party supportive of this measure?
Taxation without representation? Isn't that why those guys dumped a bunch of tea into that one harbor?
Why the fuck isn't the Tea Party supportive of this measure?
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
Heh, PR doesn't get taxed OR have representation.
Make DC and PR states, that'll be a nice even 52. Even though DC is awfully small.
Make DC and PR states, that'll be a nice even 52. Even though DC is awfully small.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
JakeYonkel wrote:Heh, PR doesn't get taxed OR have representation.
Make DC and PR states, that'll be a nice even 52. Even though DC is awfully small.
No way they make D.C. a state....that's instantly more liberals in government...Republicans will never let it happen.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
Well, now would be the time, what with the control of both Houses that the left has.KneelandBobDylan wrote:JakeYonkel wrote:Heh, PR doesn't get taxed OR have representation.
Make DC and PR states, that'll be a nice even 52. Even though DC is awfully small.
No way they make D.C. a state....that's instantly more liberals in government...Republicans will never let it happen.
The conspiracy theory that Obama is pushing this for political purposes makes me laugh. People don't realize that Puerto Ricans are generally conservative. It's an extremely Catholic group that generally opposes social liberal causes like gay marriage and abortion. Obama and the Democrats wouldn't be doing themselves any favors with this one.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
JakeYonkel wrote:Well, now would be the time, what with the control of both Houses that the left has.KneelandBobDylan wrote:JakeYonkel wrote:Heh, PR doesn't get taxed OR have representation.
Make DC and PR states, that'll be a nice even 52. Even though DC is awfully small.
No way they make D.C. a state....that's instantly more liberals in government...Republicans will never let it happen.
The conspiracy theory that Obama is pushing this for political purposes makes me laugh. People don't realize that Puerto Ricans are generally conservative. It's an extremely Catholic group that generally opposes social liberal causes like gay marriage and abortion. Obama and the Democrats wouldn't be doing themselves any favors with this one.
This also isn't the first time P.R. has had a vote on statehood......They've always voted to remain a commonwealth in the past.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
I don't necessarily think DC needs to be made a state but they should get full representation in congress. They have tried to pass a bill to give DC one representative (and no senators) but this is one of the several bills that have been filibustered by the republicans (and got very little press). The original bill would have given Utah and extra representative making the number 437 in the House and evening out the two sides of the aisle.JakeYonkel wrote:Heh, PR doesn't get taxed OR have representation.
Make DC and PR states, that'll be a nice even 52. Even though DC is awfully small.
BTW, Washington DC has more people in it than Wyoming.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
By and large Puerto Ricans are content with the status quo. Some want full recognition as a state and a very small percentage (the independentistas) want full independence from the US.KneelandBobDylan wrote:This also isn't the first time P.R. has had a vote on statehood......They've always voted to remain a commonwealth in the past.
However the Congress has never asked for an official word from the Puerto Rican people on the matter. Votes have been held in PR but it's never been at the request of the USA.
The wording is poor and manipulative in the vote, if it does come to pass as rumored. It's basically going to strongarm them into claiming they want to be a state.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
PR should join the union and Vermont should secede so they don't have to change the flag. Fuck Washington DC. It's called a "district" and not a "state" for a reason, dammit!
Yep, secede and become part of Canada. Buh-bye, Obamacare, hello, awesome Canadian health-care system.
Yep, secede and become part of Canada. Buh-bye, Obamacare, hello, awesome Canadian health-care system.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
What Canada are you referring to ?chickenona wrote:PR should join the union and Vermont should secede so they don't have to change the flag. Fuck Washington DC. It's called a "district" and not a "state" for a reason, dammit!
Yep, secede and become part of Canada. Buh-bye, Obamacare, hello, awesome Canadian health-care system.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
Now that is one horrible idea. The less influence Utah has over national politics, the better off we're all going to be.MadmanShepherd wrote: The original bill would have given Utah and extra representative making the number 437 in the House and evening out the two sides of the aisle.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
Well the idea was that it would be more bipartisan. The first bill came up in 2007, passed the house easily, and stalled in the senate. It would have called for new districts after the 2010 census anyway.NickasInSaltLick wrote:Now that is one horrible idea. The less influence Utah has over national politics, the better off we're all going to be.MadmanShepherd wrote: The original bill would have given Utah and extra representative making the number 437 in the House and evening out the two sides of the aisle.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
But would you become a part of Quebec or Ontario? Obviously you are closest to Quebec but I don't think they'd want a bunch of non-french speaking greasy americans.chickenona wrote:PR should join the union and Vermont should secede so they don't have to change the flag. Fuck Washington DC. It's called a "district" and not a "state" for a reason, dammit!
Yep, secede and become part of Canada. Buh-bye, Obamacare, hello, awesome Canadian health-care system.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
They talk a good game about how inferior we are - they stop just short of going full Muslim and calling us "infidels" - but they sure love our money. You must've noticed that when you were up there last time.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
Puerto Rico has the military and economic protection of the USA, a few less rights and a lot less responsibility, just as it is. Why become independent so they can be the target of invasion by Cuba, the Dominican Republic, or another smaltime aggressor? And why become a state and have to shoulder equal taxation load?JakeYonkel wrote:By and large Puerto Ricans are content with the status quo. Some want full recognition as a state and a very small percentage (the independentistas) want full independence from the US.KneelandBobDylan wrote:This also isn't the first time P.R. has had a vote on statehood......They've always voted to remain a commonwealth in the past.
However the Congress has never asked for an official word from the Puerto Rican people on the matter. Votes have been held in PR but it's never been at the request of the USA.
The wording is poor and manipulative in the vote, if it does come to pass as rumored. It's basically going to strongarm them into claiming they want to be a state.
They have the best of both worlds.
Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
Fuck no, to PR becoming a state. They will take out more from the system than they put in, and we have enough people here we should be looking after.
And fuck DC. It should just be absorbed into either Virginia or Maryland. Washington should just be a city within a state. No need for this "district" bullshit.
And fuck DC. It should just be absorbed into either Virginia or Maryland. Washington should just be a city within a state. No need for this "district" bullshit.
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
They already do and they're already here.MickeyG wrote:Fuck no, to PR becoming a state. They will take out more from the system than they put in, and we have enough people here we should be looking after.
http://welcome.topuertorico.org/index.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico
Good luck rewriting the Constitution.MickeyG wrote:And fuck DC. It should just be absorbed into either Virginia or Maryland. Washington should just be a city within a state. No need for this "district" bullshit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C.
http://www.dc.gov/index.asp
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Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
Yeah, they actually benefit from us without paying taxes, so as a citizen of the 50 states, you really wouldn't see or feel a difference.MickeyG wrote:Fuck no, to PR becoming a state. They will take out more from the system than they put in, and we have enough people here we should be looking after.
On the island however it's really no benefit to them for full statehood. I saw some dumbass on a CNN comment thread claiming that since they join the US military the least we should do is let them be a state.
That kind of ignorance makes me speechless.
Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
You don't think that if they became a state they wouldn't milk the continental US for even more coin? You don't think US costs would go up, with jack shit in return?
Actually, reading that wiki on DC, it makes some sense. Being the center of federal government it should have no voting power of it's own, it's just supposed to be a central place for the states to convene. So I guess it's tough luck, it's a federal district so no votes. Maybe if government hadn't gotten so big there wouldn't be all those people with no representation.
Actually, reading that wiki on DC, it makes some sense. Being the center of federal government it should have no voting power of it's own, it's just supposed to be a central place for the states to convene. So I guess it's tough luck, it's a federal district so no votes. Maybe if government hadn't gotten so big there wouldn't be all those people with no representation.
Re: HR 2499 - Puerto Rican statehood
They migtht get more but they would also be paying in more which they don't have to do now. As is now, they always have their options open for the future and no pressing need to make a decision now - so why change? Things might change in future to make one option or the other more viable, so reserve the changes until a real need presents itself. But I can't see what appeal independence would be as a small, weak Caribbean nation.MickeyG wrote:You don't think that if they became a state they wouldn't milk the continental US for even more coin? You don't think US costs would go up, with jack shit in return?
Actually, reading that wiki on DC, it makes some sense. Being the center of federal government it should have no voting power of it's own, it's just supposed to be a central place for the states to convene. So I guess it's tough luck, it's a federal district so no votes. Maybe if government hadn't gotten so big there wouldn't be all those people with no representation.