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Puerto Rico - 51st State? Congress Scrambling To Make It So
Big Government ^ | April 28, 2010 | Kristinn Taylor and Andrea Shea King

Posted on 04/28/2010 4:47:55 PM PDT by yoe

Last night (Tuesday) on his TV show, Glenn Beck dropped another bombshell — on Thursday, Congress will take up a bill to make Puerto Rico a state. Why is our Congress doing this now? Secretly? Quickly? If it hadn’t been for one of Beck’s “Refounders” (a Congressional insider), would we even know about this? Why is this important to you and me?

Well, the word is out, and my local 9-12/Tea party organization sent this out this morning. First thing to hit my mailbox, in fact…

There is a bill to make Puerto Rico a state. Again, they are trying to pull one over on us and on Puerto Ricans, who have consistently said they do not want to become a state. Read below for more information (from Eagle Forum). This was also discussed by Rep Tom Price on a conference call yesterday.

Please consider this:

* The U.S. would transform, overnight, into a bilingual nation. At least half of Puerto Ricans do not speak English, the language of our U.S. Constitution and founding documents. The Washington Times article, “Puerto Rican statehood,” analyzes all the implications of adding a foreign language-speaking state to the Union.

* It would bring immediate demands for massive federal spending. The average income of Puerto Ricans is less than half that of our poorest state, and infrastructure and the environment are far below American standards. Puerto Rico has a population with a median national income of $17,741, nearly a third of that for the U.S.

* Puerto Rico is already a democracy. Despite the bill’s deceptive title, Puerto Rico already has an elected government and exists as a self-governed commonwealth of the U.S.

* Statehood would give Puerto Rico more congressional representation than 25 of our 50 states! It would inevitably give Democrats two additional U.S. Senators and 6 to 8 additional Members of the House.

H.R. 2499 is stealth legislation designed to lead to the admission of Spanish-speaking Puerto Rico as the 51st state, thereby making us a de facto bilingual nation, like Canada. The U.S. Congress should not be forcing Puerto Ricans to vote on statehood, especially since the Puerto Rican people have rejected statehood three times since 1991!

No Member of Congress who describes himself as a limited government, fiscal conservative should be casting a YEA vote for H.R. 2499, as Puerto Rican statehood would cause an immediate increase in federal expenditures, particularly for taxpayer-funded welfare state services.

Sponsored by Puerto Rican delegate Pedro Pierluisi (D), the Puerto Rico Democracy Act (H.R. 2499) – which has reared its ugly head a number of times over the past few congresses but has yet to have any success – would require Puerto Ricans to hold a national referendum to decide if they want Puerto Rico to remain a self-governing U.S. commonwealth, or become the 51st state.

The referendum would be set up as two plebiscites which would effectively deceive Puerto Ricans into voting for statehood. In the first round of votes, the Puerto Rican people would be given the choice between remaining a U.S. territory and “pursuing a different political status.” If the majority votes to maintain the status quo, this bill would require that Puerto Rico vote on this same issue every eight years.

If the majority votes for “different status,” a second round of votes would be held where Puerto Ricans would choose either statehood or independence-the status quo of “U.S. territory” would not even be an option! In other words, the two ballots would be rigged to favor the outcome of statehood, overriding the wishes of Americans and Puerto Ricans who want to maintain the current commonwealth status.

* Contact your US congressmen AND (Take quick action here)


TOPICS: Breaking News; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Government
KEYWORDS: 57states; 6more2go; barackhusseinobama; democrats; obama; pelosi; puertorico
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To: NoLibZone
LOLOLOLOL!!!

Just what we need in the US: even more Latin American, "social justice"-brand Catholicism. Lemme guess, you think Fr. Pfleger and Cardinal Mahony are great conservative stalwarts?

21 posted on 04/28/2010 5:24:46 PM PDT by thecabal (Destroy Progressivism)
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To: popdonnelly

Read the article to find out exactly how they are going to try to “nudge” the people of PR into voting for statehood. More voting trickery.


22 posted on 04/28/2010 5:26:03 PM PDT by thecabal (Destroy Progressivism)
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To: NoLibZone
Its a Catholic Nation. It will be a welcome addition to our conservative base.

I am guessing you don't know many PR's.

23 posted on 04/28/2010 5:26:19 PM PDT by raybbr (Someone who invades another country is NOT an immigrant - illegal or otherwise.)
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To: Atom Smasher

I don’t either, term limits gone, he looks to have the job for many many years and then passing on hsi job to a man if hsi choice while bringing in millions of immigrants from the middle east, south America , course not Europe or south Africa if they’;re white even if the white farmers are being killed daily .

he said he will transform this country and he is trying his best


24 posted on 04/28/2010 5:26:48 PM PDT by manc (WILL OBAMA EVER GO TO CHURCH ON A SUNDAY OR WILL HE LET THE MEDIA/THE LEFT BE FOOLED FOR EVER)
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To: yoe
the Puerto Rican people would be given the choice between remaining a U.S. territory and “pursuing a different political status.”

Why can't the rest of us (say, Texas) vote for “pursuing a different political status?”

25 posted on 04/28/2010 5:27:10 PM PDT by Clint Williams (America -- a great idea, didn't last. R.I.P. America 3/21/2010.)
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To: popdonnelly

Congress can’t make Puerto Rico a State unless the people of Puerto Rico ask to become a State.

############

Agreed! But that was what was so important about what Beck was pointing out tonight...the bill is written differently now & the answer is a trick! It no longer asks if they want to become a state, it asks if they want the country to stay the status quo. So, obviously people will answer no b/c of the economy & such - which then leads to the second half of the bill, & the second question - which does not allow a popular answer.

...its a trick!


26 posted on 04/28/2010 5:27:44 PM PDT by Atom Smasher
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To: cripplecreek

Simple question. Do the rest of the states get a vote on whether to admit Puerto Rico as a state or not? What if we don’t want them? LOL!


27 posted on 04/28/2010 5:28:29 PM PDT by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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To: NoLibZone

Its a Catholic Nation.


Most “catholic” PRs I know are dems. They vote who their precinct leaders tell them to vote for. Democrap.

Most evangelical PR’s I know are conservative but not many vote.


28 posted on 04/28/2010 5:29:58 PM PDT by eleni121 (For Jesus did not give us a timid spirit , but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline)
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To: penelopesire
Do the rest of the states get a vote on whether to admit Puerto Rico as a state or not? What if we don’t want them?

No but if you're a former resident of Puerto Rico and currently reside in any of the other states you do get to vote.
29 posted on 04/28/2010 5:31:06 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))
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To: Grams A; NormsRevenge; Grampa Dave; SierraWasp; Marine_Uncle; Brad's Gramma; SE Mom; onyx; ...
I saw that,...great program.

I think that is the purpose of all the heavily watched activities,...like yesterdays bashing of Goldman Sachs...obsucres what else is going on!

30 posted on 04/28/2010 5:31:14 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach ( Support Geert Wilders)
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To: penelopesire

Congress does in fact have to vote to admit the new state to the Union.


31 posted on 04/28/2010 5:31:41 PM PDT by atomic conspiracy (Victory in Iraq: Worst defeat for activist media since Goebbels shot himself.)
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To: Atom Smasher

This is about squeezing Puerto Rico into a narrower and narrower box. Basically forcing them to choose between something we can’t afford (Statehood) and something they can’t survive. (Independence)


32 posted on 04/28/2010 5:33:24 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))
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To: NoLibZone

Its a Catholic Nation.

It will be a welcome addition to our conservative base.


They vote just like Pelosi , Kerry and the late Ted Kennedy
(who are /were all Catholic)

Every single Puerto Rican I ever met loved socialism


33 posted on 04/28/2010 5:33:53 PM PDT by Lera
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To: atomic conspiracy

Know one PR’an. He’s a Dem, but a good man, good Father, and has a nice family. I can’t really guess if he would secretly vote R if he knew the candidate was just better...... and never admit it. I did get along with him at my former job (before the change) but he always reverted to some liberal talking points.


34 posted on 04/28/2010 5:36:33 PM PDT by bicyclerepair (FR - my online family. From Ft. Lauderdale, Florida)
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To: yoe

Odd that our last civil war was also preceeded by years of the free state/slave state territorial games that are being recreated in the census, immigration reform, now statehood issues.


35 posted on 04/28/2010 5:36:55 PM PDT by Vince Ferrer
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To: Lera

The party that’s pushing for statehood.

http://www.puertoricousa.com/english/pnp.htm

>>we are at a great disadvantage in obtaining our fair share of federal programs and funds. Under statehood, Puerto Rico would be entitled to two (2) Senators and six (6) Representatives.<<


36 posted on 04/28/2010 5:38:48 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))
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To: atomic conspiracy; cripplecreek

I was thinking more along the lines of a state by state vote on the state level. Wishful thinking on my part. We better get to calling our congresscritters and making our wishes known LOUD AND CLEAR!! Tell them that their procedural votes matter and we don’t care if it’s binding or not at this time. If they vote for it..WE VOTE THEM OUT!


37 posted on 04/28/2010 5:39:53 PM PDT by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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To: yoe

Why?

It’s called “Keeping Control of Congress.”

It’s called “2 more liberal Democrat Senators”.

It’s called “More liberal Democrat House Seats.”

If Puerto Rico had a conservative history, the Congress would be looking for a way to keep it from voting.


38 posted on 04/28/2010 5:41:07 PM PDT by Tzimisce (No thanks. We have enough government already. - The Tick)
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To: cripplecreek

Yes, I agree. But I also believe its one hell of a land grab, PLUS, it assures democrats stay in power for years to come & the utter destruction of our country!


39 posted on 04/28/2010 5:42:33 PM PDT by Atom Smasher
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To: penelopesire

Beck talked about the Tennessee plan....they will demand to be admitted as Tennessee and Alaska did according to what I heard...


40 posted on 04/28/2010 5:42:46 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach ( Support Geert Wilders)
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