[rector seal]

I have lived in the United States almost twenty years. I came here because I married a radical capitalist American. While growing up in Puerto Rico I treasured the books of Ludwig Von Mises, Hayek and the other economists of the Austrian School. I read everything about capitalism I could find. I realized with sadness how far from a constitutional republic the United States had become. When I met my husband in Texas I was delighted to meet someone who had read everything I had read. Politically I am very much an American.

Nevertheless I have missed my beautiful island almost every day I have lived in the United States. I visit it often and I love it dearly. Justice requires that the United States stop all the billions of dollars going to Puerto Rico. Unfortunately that money has made many in my island disgraceful welfare statists. It is time to cut the umbilical cord. Nothing short of that will make the Puerto Rican government assume responsibility for their actions.

The issue of Vieques is one of the most shameful episodes in our history. Shameful because the left succeded in forcing the Navy out of Puerto Rico. Men in my family served the American military with honor. And now the left has succeeded in embarassing all Puerto Ricans who appreciate the United States. I understand the loathing some Americans feel for the actions of the government of Puerto Rico.

So let us forgive the justified anger of the Americans that speak with hatred towards Puerto Rico. If someone would pick your pocket for a hundred years you would be mad too.

[4Freedom]

Your post brings an interesting and valid perspective to Puerto Rico's status issue, Rector Seal.

Unlike Willie, you've actually been to the island and visit it often. You've seen and heard what goes on there first-hand. It also sounds like you are a bonafide Conservative, Capitalist and not a Liberal RINO.

In my experience, for every one person that loves Puerto Rico and wants to stay there, 5 people I talk to want to leave.

Puerto Rico has become a very dangerous place to live and work. The people that live there are just as afraid to be out after dark as the tourists. The island is extremely dangerous for those residents that can't afford to live in guarded, gated communities surrounded by their wrought iron bars, Rottweilers, German Shepperds, Dobermans, Great Danes, Bull Dogs, Pit Bulls and Giant Mastiffs. The residents of Puerto Rico voluntarily live in concentration camps. They're their own jailers.

A motorist in Puerto Rico is twice as likely to be killed by a drunk or drugged driver in a traffic accident as anywhere else in the United States. Puerto Rico's super-highways are a killing field. Over 14,000 police officers and traffic laws/speed limits still aren't enforced.

The murder rate and the HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis C infection rates are the highest in the country or nearly so.

Most of the beaches are polluted and really unsafe for swimming, although the government won't tell you that. They hide that information.

The residents of Puerto Rico fail to report a lot of crime, because they fear the police are in on it. The federal government has busted more police officers, judges, lawyers and government officials in a single sting operation in Puerto Rico than anywhere in the USA.

In my experience, the entire island's politics are Left of center. It's just that two of their parties are way-way Left.

Their so-called Republican Party led the charge to throw the Navy off Vieques and to socialize their medicine.

I bear no hatred for the residents of Puerto Rico, I'm just stating the facts and setting the record straight.

Now that our military is leaving the island, there's no reason for our government to squander $10's of billions of the U.S. Taxpayer's hard-earned dollars in Puerto Rico every year.

No reason, except to buy the votes of the stateside Puerto Rican voters. And that's not a good reason.