The lengths to which the Democratic Party will go in order to push their ever-growing Socialist agenda on the American people are boundless. Rigging an election is nice work if you can pull it off. With the help of ACORN and others, many believe they managed to do that in 2008. And Democratic majority in the U.S. House of Representatives appears to be trying to do it again as it votes next week on the misleadingly named Puerto Rico Democracy Act, which is designed to confer statehood on the island commonwealth by sheer deception. The bill is wrongheaded on so many levels that opponents in the Senate ought to filibuster it to death if it passes the House, as expected.
Puerto Rico has enjoyed a special status with a degree of autonomy since it became a commonwealth of the United States of America in 1950. Puerto Rico is under a self-drafted constitution. It enjoys advantages such as offering tax-free profits to American companies that do business there. There have been a few “token” attempts to seem as if they are interested in becoming a state but voters there have always rejected this proposal. Personally, I’m certainly not against Puerto Rico becoming a state. I’m not against them choosing their form of government. What most of us are against is having something rammed down our throats or, in this case, outright deception.
Because Puerto Rico leans heavily toward the Democratic Party, our congressional Democrats are looking for two new senators and maybe six new House Members who would be added to their caucus if statehood were to pass. Oh my! The things that make us go hmmm, hmmmm, hmmmm.
Traditionally, Puerto Ricans have preferred being a commonwealth over statehood because of the independence they enjoy. So, the Democrats have come up with a BRILLIANT scheme to first hold a vote with just two options:
1. Commonweath of one side, anything else on the other. If supporters of all three other options ban together, they might vote to rule out the commonwealth without knowing what would replace it.
2. IF and ONLY IF that first vote succeeds would a second vote be held to determine which of the other three options would apply – with commonwealth status off the table.
In order to further their agenda, the (Democrats) House bill would explicitly allow people to vote in this election who were born in Puerto Rico but no longer live there. Nothing appears to bar somebody from voting on statehood while being a registered voter of, say, New York or Rhode Island or even the District of Columbia. If Congress passes this bill and if Puerto Rican voters decide to choose the statehood option, Congress still controls the decision to make the island a state. But, it is thought that if Puerto Rico sends a full delegation claiming OFFICIAL STATUS and the (false) legitimacy of a (tainted) popular vote, a Democratic Majority would seat the delegation instantly.
This scenario (which is real) poses problems for American citizens. First, Puerto Rico does not consider English its first language. Most residents of Puerto Rico speak Spanish. No non-official-English state has ever joined the union. Canada’s experience with official bilingualism has proven to cause discord and balkanization. Don’t get me wrong here, there’s nothing wrong with allowing free people to decide or reanalyze their governing status. It is quite another thing to rig the very process that statehood is meant to celebrate.
As I write this and as you read it, Congress is planning a stealth move which would pass legislation THIS MONTH (remember to always watch what the other hand is doing….we have learned this!!!) that is rigged to allow Puerto Rico to become the nation’s 51st state. Oh, I forgot to mention that Artur Davis, Congressional Representative from Alabama is a Co-Sponsor of this legislation. You know, the one who is running for Governor. His office and his press secretary were contacted to give a statement regarding this bill and they didn’t bother to bother. What does that say? Volumes. Congressman Bobby Bright was not listed as a co-sponsor but this writer can find no evidence that he has taken a stance against it, either. His office was contacted for a statement as well as that of Parker Griffith. No one cared enough to make statements.
“H.R. 2499 Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009 is rigged to guarantee a vote in favor of statehood in Puerto Rico without much debate and without considering the impacts,” said CONLAMIC Chairman Rev. Miguel Rivera. “Every Member of Congress needs to sit up urgently and pay attention to this deceptive bill. There are massive costs and economic and social impacts of admitting Puerto Rico as our 51st State. These questions must be answered in a fair, open process before any this process goes forward.”
Here is an excerpt from the Bill:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009′.
SEC. 2. FEDERALLY SANCTIONED PROCESS FOR PUERTO RICO’S SELF-DETERMINATION.
(a) First Plebiscite- The Government of Puerto Rico is authorized to conduct a plebiscite in Puerto Rico. The 2 options set forth on the ballot shall be preceded by the following statement: `Instructions: Mark one of the following 2 options:
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`(1) Puerto Rico should continue to have its present form of political status. If you agree, mark here XX.
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`(2) Puerto Rico should have a different political status. If you agree, mark here XX.’.
(b) Procedure if Majority in First Plebiscite Favors Option 1- If a majority of the ballots in the plebiscite are cast in favor of Option 1, the Government of Puerto Rico is authorized to conduct additional plebiscites under subsection (a) at intervals of every 8 years from the date that the results of the prior plebiscite are certified under section 3(d).
(c) Procedure if Majority in First Plebiscite Favors Option 2- If a majority of the ballots in a plebiscite conducted pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) are cast in favor of Option 2, the Government of Puerto Rico is authorized to conduct a plebiscite on the following 3 options:
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(1) Independence: Puerto Rico should become fully independent from the United States. If you agree, mark here XX.
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(2) Sovereignty in Association with the United States: Puerto Rico and the United States should form a political association between sovereign nations that will not be subject to the Territorial Clause of the United States Constitution. If you agree, mark here XX.
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(3) Statehood: Puerto Rico should be admitted as a State of the Union. If you agree, mark here XX.
SEC. 3. APPLICABLE LAWS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Applicable Laws- All Federal laws applicable to the election of the Resident Commissioner shall, as appropriate and consistent with this Act, also apply to any plebiscites held pursuant to this Act. Any reference in such Federal laws to elections shall be considered, as appropriate, to be a reference to the plebiscites, unless it would frustrate the purposes of this Act.
(b) Rules and Regulations- The Puerto Rico State Elections Commission shall issue all rules and regulations necessary to carry out the plebiscites under this Act.
(c) Eligibility To Vote- Each of the following shall be eligible to vote in any plebiscite held under this Act:
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(1) All eligible voters under the electoral laws in effect in Puerto Rico at the time the plebiscite is held.
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(2) All United States citizens born in Puerto Rico who comply, to the satisfaction of the Puerto Rico State Elections Commission, with all Commission requirements (other than the residency requirement) applicable to eligibility to vote in a general election in Puerto Rico. Persons eligible to vote under this subsection shall, upon timely request submitted to the Commission in compliance with any terms imposed by the Electoral Law of Puerto Rico, be entitled to receive an absentee ballot for the plebiscite.
(d) Certification of Plebiscite Results- The Puerto Rico State Elections Commission shall certify the results of any plebiscite held under this Act to the President of the United States and to the Members of the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States.
In the 1990s, debate over Puerto Rico statehood, studies showed that the cost to the US Treasury of admitting Puerto Rico as a state would be more than $25.9 billion a year. “But those numbers were before unemployment hit 16% and Puerto Rico’s public debt reached almost $50 billion. The costs of extending all Federal benefits to Puerto Rico’s population today would be astronomical,” Rev. Rivera added. “How can congressional leaders be focusing on this when we have unmet needs, high unemployment and budget pressures right here in the 50 United States?”
The Washington Times said the bill would establish an “underhanded” process to achieve statehood “by hook or crook,” creating “major problems.”
An article addressing this issue from The Washington Examiner adds, “statehood has traditionally been granted only to territories whose residents show, in referendum or otherwise, overwhelming support for statehood. There is no such support in Puerto Rico. Status—whether Puerto Rico should become a state, should become independent or should retain in current terms or somewhat modified terms the current status which in English is called commonwealth but in Spanish the more descriptive estado liberado asociado—has been the single most important issue in Puerto Rican politics since the 1940s.”
The National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders (CONLAMIC) calls on Congress to put an end to closed-door deals that affect our future.
“This legislation is reportedly going to be voted on in just a few weeks, yet nobody has heard about it. It’s time to open the process and to have an honest debate about Puerto Rican statehood,” Rev. Rivera concluded.
CONLAMIC represents over 16,000 Churches across 34 states within the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Each of these churches represents hundreds of individuals who attend church services and related activities every week. They are the largest Latino Christian advocacy organization in the United States of America.
Hector J. Ferrer Rios, President of the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico, in a letter to House Speaker Pelosi dated February 2, 2010 stated, “…HR2499, the so-called ‘Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009′…which provides for ’self-determination’ process for the people of Puerto Rico, is not only wrong, but is unfair and undemocratic.”
“I want to take this opportunity to explain why HR2499 is a filthy trick…HR2499 is actually a statehood bill. HR 2499’s aim is to set forth a twisted, predisposed and disturbing process designed to get rid of Commonwealth in order to steer the people of Puerto Rico towards a predetermined outcome…it stacks the deck against the Commonwealth option.”
“The bill is exclusionary and divisive…it endangers the principles that are the foundation of America and does not take into account the will of the majority of the people of Puerto Rico.” Hmmm, sounds familiar.
I advise each Tea Party Member within our state to call your friends, family, neighbors and contact your Representative (and all of them if you have time) and express your “displeasure” and further deception by this majority who obviously will do ANYTHING to get their way and care nothing about the U.S. Constitution nor the American people. It seems they are trying to also pull a fast one on the people of Puerto Rico, who may want statehood, but have historically voted against it. We seem irrelevant to Congress, they seem to only care about pushing their agenda. It’s time to stop them.
We attempted to contact Congressman Parker Griffith, Congressman Bobby Bright, and Congressman Artur Davis for a statement on this. No statements or comments from any were forthcoming. They were told if they did not give statements, this would be noted.
*Source Washington Times February 26, 2010, “The Deck is Stacked for statehood” (Editorial)
*Source The Washington Examiner, Beltway Confidential, “Puerto Statehood Bill”,February 2010
*Source National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders
Special thanks to Ed for the heads up.
Bamabelle
