FReepmail “Antoninus” to be added or removed.
Posted on 03/15/2012 7:52:12 AM PDT by Skeez
Campaigning in Puerto Rico today, Rick Santorum said that Puerto Ricans needed to adopt English as their official language if they wanted to make a serious push for U.S. statehood. Santorum is in Puerto Rico making his pitch for the GOP's primary on Sunday.
"Like any other state, there has to be compliance with this and any other federal law," Santorum said. "And that is that English has to be the principal language. There are other states with more than one language such as Hawaii but to be a state of the United States, English has to be the principal language."Reuters goes on to report that neither the U.S. Constitution nor any federal law requires that a state speak English. Some states have established English as an official language anyway. To be charitable to Santorum, he did say that English should be the "principal" language, not something to be legally required. Puerto Ricans typically learn English in high school, but census data shows only about 30% of Puerto Ricans rate their ability to speak English "very well."
Santorum's presence in Puerto Rico may seem odd - governor Luis Fortuno has endorsed his rival Mitt Romney, and the candidate perceived as a moderate has won massive portions of the electorate in the past few years - John McCain, Bob Dole and George H.W. Bush all won massive majorities there.
The people of Puerto Rico go to the polls on Sunday to vote in their GOP primary. Puerto Rico awards a small number of delegates - twenty-three - but more than some small states like Delaware.
A new national Fox poll has Romney at 38%, and both Newt and Santo tied at around 27%.
Santo also has a tendency to get arrogant and flippant after he scores a lucky hit, which prompts him to spew some incredibly stupid rhetoric. (Puerto Rico)
Santo will be vetted accordingly in the remaining non-Bible states.
We can revisit statehood for Puerto Rico in another generation. By then, the way things are going, we will all be speaking Spanish anyway so it wouldn’t make sense to have an English requirement./s
FReepmail “Antoninus” to be added or removed.
I’m trying to understand....are people upset here with Rick because they disagree with what they said, or just because they think what he said will lose him votes?
Statehood for Pu-wer-toe Reeee-co is what the libs, dims, socialists and nanny-staters want more than anything.....a whole new 58th state of Democrat Party electoral votes ASAP.
A whole new slew of welfare cases. A new state dependent on tourism alone....and no one in the mainland with money to travel.
How's Hawaii workin' out for ya???? Did you know Hawaii is the most Democrat entity of all the states in the US of A along with the non-voting District of Columbia....????
Santorum is sticking his social-worker lady snoot into too many areas where he shouldn't....and any consideration of him by conservatives has fast become an untenable position. He's a smooth talker...but watch where he goes, what he wants to do and what he subtly endorses without saying anything.
Getting all excited about the language issue in Puerto Rico is really missing the forest for the trees.
Leni
Funny how the Newt people here are spinning off their axis with Santorum making this statement, yet the ex candidate Newton was pushing for English as the official language when he was running for Pres. I can’t wait for their strained logic on how the two are different.
BTW, PA has on of the largest populations of Puerto Ricans in the US. Rick is familiar with them and their issues.
GO RICK!!!
Geez, where to start. 1) Do YOU want PR to be a state? I sure don’t. They would absorb way more tax dollars than they would contribute. Also, two more guaranteed Democrat senators. So why is he laying out a roadmap? 2) He shows how stupid he is when he says they should follow all “legal requirements for English”. There ARE no legal requirements for English. (Again, IMHO, there SHOULD be, but there aren’t).
Santorum, as a two-term incumbent Senator, lost by 18 points in his bid for a third term. 18 points!!!! Wrap your head around that. It was the biggest loss by an incumbent senator in 26 years. And THIS guy is the best we can do? Its downright depressing.
You may be right. Newt Gingrich was pushing for English as the official language and his campaign imploded. Maybe there is a correlation there.
Yeah, I’m sure he was REAL familiar with what the people of PA wanted. Especially when they kicked his tail to the curb, 59% to 41%. You’re really inspiring confidence.
Don't worry. His chances of getting the nomination are slim indeed.
So does that mean ROMNEY is the best we can do? I’ve never really understood why people drink. I’m starting to though.
Then it must really upset you that this loser knocked the “Smartest Man Around” out of this Primary.
Why not, we’ve done it before - Louisiana was majority French speaking in 1812 when they were admitted as a state, and several of their constitutions established the state as being bilingual. Same thing with California in 1849 - Spanish was established in the constitution as being one of the two languages in the state, and the majority of the population spoke it. New Mexico was admitted as a state in 1912 - at that time, 50% of the population spoke Spanish as their primary language, and the state constitution established that state as bilingual. In Pennsylvania, even up into the early 1800s, as much as 40% of the populace spoke German, though admittedly German was not written into the state constitution. And the French-speaking provinces of Canada were invited to join as state during the early years of our nation - that they could join was in fact written into the the Articles of Confederation.
English is taught in schools in Puerto Rico, and is one of two official languages in the constitution of the commonwealth. And while the majority of Puerto Ricans speak spanish as their primary language, roughly half are also fluent in english.
Language issues with illegal immigrants in border states is something I would consider to be a separate issue. I doubt any of us here would question the loyalty of Puerto Rico to the United States - the same cannot be said of illegal immigrants.
Democrat crossovers can take credit for that.
What the hell is wrong with this guy? To play in the National leagues, you’ve GOT to know not only WHAT to say, but what NOT to say. This guy is not ready, I’m sorry. As much as I might like him as a conservative, he needs some serious polishing, of not downright sanding with 220 grit.
Speaking for myself only; I think it was an irrelevant and stupid argument that Rick somehow allowed himself to get led into ...sort of like Rick's personal views on contraception. He just shouldn't go there!!!
Rick should talk about the economy, the price of gas, balance of trade, monetizing the debt, Iran, ...the list goes on and on; but it doesn't (and shouldn't ever) include discussing why a traditionally Hispanic island's inhabitants should learn to speak English ...which most of them already do! ...plus they also have a relatively Conservative Republican Governor; Luis Fortuno.
..but your post is so over the top insulting to the candidate I whole heartedly support.
Why can't you... 'other than Rick'... supporters post civil discourse without resorting to attacking the candidate with ridicule
Santorum is sticking his social-worker lady snoot into too many areas where he shouldn't...and any consideration of him by conservatives has fast become an untenable position
Social worker lady snoot??????...sheesh
I know the rhetoric from some at Free Republic and MSM, even FOX will get louder and more egregious...
..but I certainly didn't expect a gracious lady like you to make fun of him on this forum.
Fwiw, I have never made fun of Newt on this forum.
What drives you all to make fun of Rick..?...what can you and others possibly gain from derisive and divisive tactics?
..but your post is so over the top insulting to the candidate I whole heartedly support.
Why can't you... 'other than Rick'... supporters post civil discourse without resorting to attacking the candidate with ridicule
Santorum is sticking his social-worker lady snoot into too many areas where he shouldn't...and any consideration of him by conservatives has fast become an untenable position
Social worker lady snoot??????...sheesh
I know the rhetoric from some at Free Republic and MSM, even FOX will get louder and more egregious...
..but I certainly didn't expect a gracious lady like you to make fun of him on this forum.
Fwiw, I have never made fun of Newt on this forum.
What drives you all to make fun of Rick..?...what can you and others possibly gain from derisive and divisive tactics?
The reason they don’t want statehood is that they would then be subjected to US Income Taxes. As it is now, they get all the benefits, except for voting in national elections. To my mind, I don’t want two Puerto Rican Senators, or their Congressman.
Well, given the way the primaries are set up and the work done on the ground by the campaigns, it increasingly looks as if he will be the nominee. The best we can do? That's irrelevant.
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