Gov. Pedro Pierluisi: ‘Puerto Rico will be the first truly Hispanic state’

[GMDino]

Well is there is a majority for it and they can find a way to do it this might really be happening.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/gov-pedro-pierluisi-e2-80-98puerto-rico-will-be-the-first-truly-hispanic-state-e2-80-99/ar-BB1efupw

Quote:SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi traveled to Washington, D.C., this week to meet with White House officials and advocate for a new bill that charts a path toward statehood for the American territory.

The push to make Puerto Rico the 51st state follows a referendum last year in which 52.5% of voters on the island said they are in favor of permanently joining the American union as a state. Though detractors worry the island would potentially lose some of its cultural identity, for Pierluisi that is not a concern.



To the contrary, he says: “Puerto Rico will be the first truly Hispanic state.”

The bill is one of several initiatives the island’s new governor is pushing at home and in Washington aimed at finding long-term solutions to the myriad problems facing the U.S. territory.

Pierluisi took office Jan. 2 at a time when the island is facing multiple crises: the pandemic, multibillion-dollar debt, a series of earthquakes still rattling the island, as well as ongoing recovery from Hurricane Maria, which killed thousands and demolished critical infrastructure.

In his first month, the governor declared two states of emergency: one to combat gender violence and another to address Puerto Rico’s steep fiscal bind.

The governor sat down with the Miami Herald to speak about the issues dominating his first 100 days in office. Questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: What can you tell us about your trip to Washington?

A: So far so good. Actually today is the 104th anniversary of the American citizenship of Puerto Ricans. We’ve been American citizens for more than a hundred years. Yet, we do not have equal representation in Congress, and cannot vote for president and vice president. That’s not democratic.

I came to Washington because today our resident commissioner and Congressman Darren Soto of Florida introduced a bill providing a straightforward process for Puerto Rico to become a state.

The way the bill works is that once Congress approves the bill, then in Puerto Rico we’ll hold both a referendum reaffirming our wish to become a state and an election of, in my calculation, four representatives and two senators.

Fifty-one co-sponsors for the bill. That speaks for itself. That tells you that this bill will get traction in Congress. It got bipartisan support.

Q: How likely do you think the bill is to pass?

A: This is the first time that we had an up or down vote on statehood. We had never done this. We were courageous enough to do it. And it was a vote against all odds. This was during the Trump administration. And we had no offer or commitment on the part of Congress.

So this is the first time that Congress faces something like this.

Some of the detractors talked about Puerto Rico having the economy in recession, the government facing a bankruptcy process, but they forget that by and large, most if not all of the territories that became states did so when their jurisdictions were underperforming.

I have no doubt the House will approve this bill. We’ll have a tougher fight in the Senate, but we’ll fight that fight and we’ll go one by one convincing members of the Senate to join our cause.

I do believe that it’s like an alignment of the stars in the sense that you have a Congress controlled by the Democratic Party, along with a president who belongs to the same party. I’m positive about this.

Q: In Puerto Rico, the government operates in Spanish. In no state is the legislature conducted in a language other than English. What would happen under statehood?

A: We do have two official languages, and our goal should be for Puerto Ricans to be fully bilingual. English has really become the dominant language of the world. And as a matter of personal advancement, knowing English is for the better of anybody. Puerto Rico is no different.

I would be the first one who would have no objection to having two counterparts for the bills, for the executive orders. So you have an English and a Spanish version for each. Gradually ... people will be able to debate in both English and Spanish depending on their fluency. And we’ll use interpreters as needed.

But that shouldn’t be an obstacle. In fact, I think that one of the main assets that Puerto Rico brings to the nation (is) its cultural identity, its heritage, its customs, its manners, its way of living, our history. We enrich the nation. Puerto Rico will be the first truly Hispanic state.

Q: For residents of Puerto Rico, what would change under statehood?

A: Statehood is not (a) panacea. But definitely, the odds would be that we would do much better if we get equal treatment in federal programs such as Medicaid. Our health system is underfunded. The treatment we’ve been getting from the federal government is really atrocious.

Then in other programs, like for example nutrition, again, we’re underfunded. It’s night and day, the difference. It would be like a 40% increase in nutrition assistance for our people.

Just having that powerful representation in Congress I know would make a difference. And voting for the president and vice president as well, because presidents barely come to Puerto Rico. I know if we could have the right to vote, they would be visiting us regularly, like they do to Florida.

So that’s the aspiration. It is a legitimate aspiration. The difference is basically being treated fairly.

Q: Has the Biden administration offered a timeline on when and how it plans to make Hurricane Maria emergency aid available?

A: They have been extremely receptive. We were facing all kinds of restrictions in the use of (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) funding. And I complained about a grant agreement that was signed by the former governor that was too onerous.

This was my first call with White House staff, and within days they basically decided to authorize the disbursement of roughly $6 billion dollars of the funding and at the same time, they said they would revisit the grant agreement. In fact, I understand they’re even reconsidering the necessity of having a monitor at our housing department.

So all kinds of things are happening and this is because the Biden administration has a different attitude altogether in dealing with Puerto Rico. They simply want to expedite matters.

Q: One of your first acts as governor was to declare an emergency of gender violence.

A: Local feminist groups, women’s rights groups, were asking this for years and it was about time. The male chauvinism that we’ve had in Puerto Rico we need to put a stop to. The femicides we had last year, each and every one of them, is regrettable, and we should put a stop to it. Gender violence in general, discrimination because of gender identity, discrimination because of sexual orientation, should be stuff of the past.

I want Puerto Rico to be known for being inclusive, for being a place in which we respect each other, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation and where women can live in peace and contribute to our Island, like they have, but without having to face the obstacles and the discrimination and the harassment and the violence they have faced for too long.

Q: What is your metric of success for this executive order?

A: One of the areas where the committee needs to work on is statistics to make sure that we have relevant, reliable statistics to measure our progress. What I want to see happening here is that within a year, year-and-a-half, the plan issued by this committee is in execution. I also want to see a considerable reduction of domestic violence in Puerto Rico, of gender violence in Puerto Rico. What percentage in terms of the reduction? I cannot say at this point, but I want this to be dramatic, significant. Unless I see that, I’m not going to feel that we’re making progress.

Q: What has been your administration’s most important moment so far?

It’s been two months, but it feels like six months. We haven’t stopped and we’re moving fast on all fronts.

The main challenge is to do well in terms of dealing with this pandemic; hopefully, to get to a new normality by the end of the summer or early fall so that our businesses start flourishing again, the tourism sector of our economy comes back. So the pandemic is the first thing and we’re devoting a lot of time and effort to dealing well with it.

On the other hand, our education system has been under heavy constraints. This concept of remote learning in the public school system is quite challenging. We didn’t have computers for kids and students for too long. They got them just by the end of last year, early this year.

I saw that private schools, a lot of them, were using digital computer systems to keep the learning process going forward. But in the public system I knew that wasn’t a reality for many, so I decided to authorize the reopening of schools on a gradual and partial basis as of March 1.

[Dill]

(03-05-2021, 08:33 PM)GMDino Wrote: Well is there is a majority for it and they can find a way to do it this might really be happening.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/gov-pedro-pierluisi-e2-80-98puerto-rico-will-be-the-first-truly-hispanic-state-e2-80-99/ar-BB1efupw

Would like to hear the full debate first, including that between pro and con Puerto Ricans.

But sounds like a good idea.

[hollodero]

Already said it once, but the fact that the USA is still owning colonies like Puerto Rico kinda undermines this whole beacon of democracy idea a bit.

US citizens with no right to vote, facing taxation without representation. And getting mocked at presidential elections by meaningless ballots put in place. Look, you can vote, it just means nothing and we don't care.

[*jason*]

(03-06-2021, 11:22 AM)hollodero Wrote: Already said it once, but the fact that the USA is still owning colonies like Puerto Rico kinda undermines this whole beacon of democracy idea a bit.

US citizens with no right to vote, facing taxation without representation. And getting mocked at presidential elections by meaningless ballots put in place. Look, you can vote, it just means nothing and we don't care.

Clears his throat...

We prefer to call them "territories".

[hollodero]

(03-06-2021, 11:43 AM)jason Wrote: Clears his throat...

We prefer to call them "territories".

Oh I'm so sorry. What a cognitively imperfect term for me to use.

[Goalpost]

52.5 percent is pretty close to an even split. I'd prefer to see a larger majority in favor of this among Puerto Ricans themselves.

[hollodero]

(03-06-2021, 12:19 PM)Goalpost Wrote: 52.5 percent is pretty close to an even split.  I'd prefer to see a larger majority in favor of this among Puerto Ricans themselves.

I find that interesting.

You offer Option A and Option B in a democratic vote. A 52.5% majority of voters opts for Option A. And then the response is "well, there should be more than a 5% margin amongst you people. Hence it's option B for you, that makes more sense. Thanks for participating!"

Yeah, that way Trump could have stayed president too. 

[Goalpost]

(03-06-2021, 12:38 PM)hollodero Wrote: I find that interesting.

You offer Option A and Option B in a democratic vote. A 52.5% majority of voters opts for Option A. And then the response is "well, there should be more than a 5% margin amongst you people. Hence it's option B for you, that makes more sense. Thanks for participating!"

Yeah, that way Trump could have stayed president too. 

If you want to include personal as part of your own fact finding, that's your choice I guess.   Nowhere did i mention or even think of Trump in my response.

[hollodero]

(03-06-2021, 01:52 PM)Goalpost Wrote: If you want to include personal as part of your own fact finding, that's your choice I guess.   Nowhere did i mention or even think of Trump in my response.

You did not. I just wanted to show why i disagree with your objection. Could have used brexit as an example too.

[Wes Mantooth]

(03-06-2021, 11:22 AM)hollodero Wrote: US citizens with no right to vote, facing taxation without representation.

Most Puerto Ricans don't pay federal tax.

The only people who do are people that don't live their year round, or people's whose income is from outside the territory (Someone from the US who works remotely for a company that is based in the States, or someone who is employeed by the US Government)

[hollodero]

(03-06-2021, 03:09 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Most Puerto Ricans don't pay federal tax.

The only people who do are people that don't live their year round, or people's whose income is from outside the territory (Someone from the US who works remotely for a company that is based in the States, or someone who is employeed by the US Government)

From wikipedia:

Contrary to popular belief,[5] all Puerto Rico residents pay federal taxes, just as mainland Americans do. Specifically, the following federal taxes are paid by all residents of Puerto Rico: Customs taxes,[6][7][c] Federal commodity taxes,[9] and all payroll taxes, including: (a) Social Security taxes,[10] (b) Medicare taxes,[11] and Unemployment taxes: "Residents of Puerto Rico...are obliged to pay exactly the same Social Security and Medicare taxes that fellow U.S. citizens in the 50 states and the District must pay. For most of [Puerto Rico]'s wage-earners, moreover, those outlays far exceed the federal income-tax liabilities they would bear if Puerto Rico were a state."[12]

Payment of Federal income taxes[edit]

Contrary to common misconception,[13] residents of Puerto Rico do pay federal income taxes. 
[...It goes on to state that quite some Puerto Ricans don't pay income taxes due to living beyond the federal threshold]




--- So I guess you're incorrect on that.

[Wes Mantooth]

(03-06-2021, 03:39 PM)hollodero Wrote: From wikipedia:

Contrary to popular belief,[5] all Puerto Rico residents pay federal taxes, just as mainland Americans do. Specifically, the following federal taxes are paid by all residents of Puerto Rico: Customs taxes,[6][7][c] Federal commodity taxes,[9] and all payroll taxes, including: (a) Social Security taxes,[10] (b) Medicare taxes,[11] and Unemployment taxes: "Residents of Puerto Rico...are obliged to pay exactly the same Social Security and Medicare taxes that fellow U.S. citizens in the 50 states and the District must pay. For most of [Puerto Rico]'s wage-earners, moreover, those outlays far exceed the federal income-tax liabilities they would bear if Puerto Rico were a state."[12]

Payment of Federal income taxes[edit]

Contrary to common misconception,[13] residents of Puerto Rico do pay federal income taxes. 
[...It goes on to state that quite some Puerto Ricans don't pay income taxes due to living beyond the federal threshold]




--- So I guess you're incorrect on that.

https://www.hrblock.com/tax-center/irs/tax-law-and-policy/do-puerto-ricans-pay-us-taxes/

Right from the IRS...

https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc901


If you're a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico during the entire tax year, you generally aren't required to file a U.S. federal income tax return if your only income is from sources within Puerto Rico. However, if you also have income from sources outside of Puerto Rico, including from U.S. sources, you're required to file a U.S. federal income tax return if such amount is above the U.S. filing threshold. Nevertheless, a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico with a U.S. filing obligation, generally won't report Puerto Rican source income on a U.S. income tax return.

If you're a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico and can exclude your Puerto Rican source income on your U.S. income tax return, you must determine your return filing requirement based on the filing thresholds shown in the individual tax return instructions. For more information on who is considered a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico and how to determine the amount of income that requires filing a U.S. income tax return, refer to Publication 570 and Publication 1321 PDF.
However, if you're a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico and a U.S. government employee, you must file a U.S. income tax return reporting all income received for performing services for the U.S. government, including services performed in Puerto Rico as a U.S. government employee. If you're a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or a civilian spouse of an active duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces, special income tax filing rules may apply to you. For more information, please refer to Publication 570 and Notice 2012-41.
U.S. citizens and resident aliens who aren't bona fide residents of Puerto Rico during the entire tax year are required to report all income from worldwide sources on their U.S. income tax return. However, a U.S. citizen who changes residence from Puerto Rico, and who was a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico for the two years before changing residency, can exclude from his or her U.S. income tax return the Puerto Rican source income that is attributable to the part of the year he or she was a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico.
Regardless of whether an individual is or isn't required to file a U.S. income tax return, the individual may have an obligation to file a return with the United States reporting self-employment income derived from a trade or business in Puerto Rico and/or elsewhere. Residents of Puerto Rico who aren't required to file a U.S. income tax return must file

Note how my previous post started with and prefaced my statement with "most".

[GMDino]

(03-06-2021, 03:39 PM)hollodero Wrote: From wikipedia:

Contrary to popular belief,[5] all Puerto Rico residents pay federal taxes, just as mainland Americans do. Specifically, the following federal taxes are paid by all residents of Puerto Rico: Customs taxes,[6][7][c] Federal commodity taxes,[9] and all payroll taxes, including: (a) Social Security taxes,[10] (b) Medicare taxes,[11] and Unemployment taxes: "Residents of Puerto Rico...are obliged to pay exactly the same Social Security and Medicare taxes that fellow U.S. citizens in the 50 states and the District must pay. For most of [Puerto Rico]'s wage-earners, moreover, those outlays far exceed the federal income-tax liabilities they would bear if Puerto Rico were a state."[12]

Payment of Federal income taxes[edit]

Contrary to common misconception,[13] residents of Puerto Rico do pay federal income taxes. 
[...It goes on to state that quite some Puerto Ricans don't pay income taxes due to living beyond the federal threshold]




--- So I guess you're incorrect on that.

So the residents are like US corporations.  They pay taxes but there is a loophole to some taxes.

All the more reason to bring them into the fold.

[hollodero]

(03-06-2021, 03:52 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Note how my previous post started with and prefaced my statement with "most".

Duly noted. I take it most Puerto Ricans are not required to pay income tax. Didn't gather that from wikipedia, but so it appears.

As far as I can tell, income tax is not all taxation a citizen faces though. (Eg. Custom taxes, commodity taxes, Social security taxes.) - I mean, I am really bad in US tax code, I have to admit as much. But imho these also qualify as being "taxation".

And sure I used the taxation without representation phrase, I guess it somehow still applies, and even if most Puerto Ricans do not pay federal income tax I still think that's no valid reason to deny them a citizen's most basic rights, the right to vote; and the right to be represented in House and Senate.

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

(03-06-2021, 11:22 AM)hollodero Wrote: Already said it once, but the fact that the USA is still owning colonies like Puerto Rico kinda undermines this whole beacon of democracy idea a bit.

US citizens with no right to vote, facing taxation without representation. And getting mocked at presidential elections by meaningless ballots put in place. Look, you can vote, it just means nothing and we don't care.

(03-06-2021, 11:43 AM)jason Wrote: Clears his throat...

We prefer to call them "territories".

It's all about perspective.

In World War II, the Germans used Prisoners Of War as "Slave Labor" in their labor camps.

My German Grandfather that was a Prisoner Of War didn't have to be subjected to such a inglorious title as "Slave Laborer" in his two and a half years in an American labor camp because he was "Working Off His Debt To The American People".

If Republicans weren't afraid of two more Democratic Senators being added(Same by Democrats if Puerto Rico was mostly Conservative), they would have been a state a long time ago along with Guam and American Samoa. I say go through the process of adding them if Republicans continue to keep pushing for voter suppression laws.

[Wes Mantooth]

(03-06-2021, 03:58 PM)GMDino Wrote: So the residents are like US corporations.  They pay taxes but there is a loophole to some taxes.

All the more reason to bring them into the fold.

No, they're not like US corporations.  Nor can you liken their tax code as to having similar loopholes.

It's not that hard to understand.  They do not pay income tax unless they're employed by the US governent, or they're not a full-time resident.  The employers (not employees) do pay into social security, medicaid/medicare as citizens are eligible for these benefits.

How can you bring about a term like loopholes when the vast majority of residents don't even have to file a tax return?

[Wes Mantooth]

(03-07-2021, 12:45 AM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: It's all about perspective.

In World War II, the Germans used Prisoners Of War as "Slave Labor" in their labor camps.

My German Grandfather that was a Prisoner Of War didn't have to be subjected to such a inglorious title as "Slave Laborer" in his two and a half years in an American labor camp because he was "Working Off His Debt To The American People".

I'm sorry, I'm not following how this story relates to Puerto Rico.  Would you care to delve in a little deeper to explain the comparison?

[Wes Mantooth]

(03-07-2021, 12:45 AM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: If Republicans weren't afraid of two more Democratic Senators being added(Same by Democrats if Puerto Rico was mostly Conservative), they would have been a state a long time ago along with Guam and American Samoa. I say go through the process of adding them if Republicans continue to keep pushing for voter suppression laws.

I'd suggest you take a little bit of time to read up on the history of Puerto Rico, specifically after the Spanish American War.

There was a push for statehood (from the US) for quite awhile in the early 20th century.  Puerto Rico resisted, as they had been pushing for full autonomy for a long, long time. (Dating well back to when they were under Spanish rule)

They were finally allowed to elect their own governors in the late 40's, and drafted their constitution and bill of rights in 1952.

I'm pretty sure that's why you're still seeing a 50/50 split today.  And I'm actually surprised statehood has that much support there.

[Wes Mantooth]

(03-06-2021, 10:44 PM)hollodero Wrote:  I still think that's no valid reason to deny them a citizen's most basic rights, the right to vote;

They do vote.  They have their own governement.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Puerto Rico is a self-governing commonwealth in association with the United States. The chief of state is the President of the United States of America. The head of government is an elected Governor. There are two legislative chambers: the House of Representatives, 51 seats, and the Senate, 27 seats.

Puerto Rico has authority over its internal affairs. United States controls: interstate trade, foreign relations and commerce, customs administration, control of air, land and sea, immigration and emigration, nationality and citizenship, currency, maritime laws, military service, military bases, army, navy and air force, declaration of war, constitutionality of laws, jurisdictions and legal procedures, treaties, radio and television--communications, agriculture, mining and minerals, highways, postal system; Social Security, and other areas generally controlled by the federal government in the United States. Puerto Rican institutions control internal affairs unless U.S. law is involved, as in matters of public health and pollution.

Executive

The Executive Power is exercised by the Governor, who leads a cabinet conformed by the heads of the commonwealth's executive departments, who in turn must be ratified by the Legislature. The Governor is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits), which begins on the second day of January after the year of his election and ends on the date his successor takes office.
In the case of the death, resignation, or removal, of the Governor, the Secretary of State of Puerto Rico succeeds the Governor. In case the Secretary of State is unwilling or unable to assume it, the Attorney General (or, as the position is known, the Justice Department Secretary) would assume the governorship, followed by the Secretary of Treasury.

Legislature

The Legislative Power resides in the Senate and in the House of Representatives. The Senate consists of 27 members, 2 per electoral district (8), and 11 elected according to the different districts proportion of population. Two extra seats are granted in each house to the opposition if necessary to limit any party's control to two thirds.
The House of Representatives consists of 51 members, one per electoral district and 11 elected proportionally. Legislators are popularly elected to four-year terms. The bicameral legislature determines how to spend the island's tax revenue. Unless specifically stated, Puerto Rico is also subject to all laws and most regulations of the U.S. government, which sometimes cause jurisdictional problems. Most U.S. agencies are represented on the island.

Judiciary

The Judicial System is directed by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is formed by 7 judges (a chief justice and six associate justices) named by the Governor. The structure of the Judicial System includes a Court of Appeals, Superior Court, a District Court (civil & criminal), and Municipal Court. There are 12 judicial districts.
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico also has a district court comparable to those of the states of US. Each district court has at least one district judge and can have more than a score of district judges, as well as a clerk, a United States Attorney, a United States Marshall, one or more United States Magistrates, bankruptcy judges, probation officers, court reporters, and their staffs.
The federal government, located in San Juan, is represented by 2 district judges and the procurator, who is named by the President of the United States. The Federal Court has final authority of the ELA.
Capital
San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico and the most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, with a population of two million. The city was founded in 1508, by Juan Ponce de León. It is also Puerto Rico's main port of entry and has one of the best harbors in the Caribbean. San Juan is located on the north east of the island.

Administrative Divisions

None (Commonwealth associated with the U.S.); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the U.S. Government, but Puerto Rico is divided into 78 "municipios" (municipalities). Each is governed by a popularly elected mayor and municipal assembly. The mayor appoints a secretary-auditor and a treasurer. Municipalities are further subdivided into barrios, and those into sectors.
A municipality (municipio) is an administrative local area generally composed of a clearly defined territory and commonly referring to a city, town, or village government. In Puerto Rico, a municipality is a city and the government unit that is the primary legal subdivision; each municipality has an elected mayor. However, the Census Bureau treats the municipio as the statistical equivalent of a county.
Other territories include: Mona (5,517 hectares), Monito (15 hectares), Desecheo (122 hectares), and Caja de Muertos (202 hectares). Numerous other small cays lie offshore of Puerto Rico.
Mona and Monito are located between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. These small islands are considered the Galápagos Islands of the Caribbean Sea. No other reef and offshore island habitat within U.S. jurisdiction possesses such ecological uniqueness, invaluable habitat, and biological diversity within such a reduced surface area. For these reasons, Mona and Monito Islands have been recognized by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as a Natural Reserve. The islands are a critical habitat of endangered marine turtles, sea birds and occasional migratory marine mammals.

[hollodero]

(03-07-2021, 11:46 AM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: They do vote.  They have their own governement.

In distinct politenenss, but: Oh, come on    I mean, I apparently talk about United States citizens having no vote in elections for United states president, and no representation in the United States legislative body.

I note your counterpoint of them having a governor and a local governement with a certain amount of power that they can vote for. But imho, that is not the issue at hand. At all.

And I doubt this would fly with any other state. Realism aside. If the US say took Wyoming out of the EC and sent their representatives in Congress home. Claiming now come on you people, you don't really pay much federal tax anyway, look at that number it's more of an embarrassment really... and we rather govern the US without you to be frank. - What are you people complaining about? You can still vote for your governor, for your mayors, for dogcatcher, for teacher of the year... so don't make a fuzz about being stripped of your fundamental rights as a citizen. You're still citizens, we'd just rather don't have your input on how to run this country.

Would you accept that?