Puerto Rico and the 2008 Elections

The November elections have people buzzing with ideas of change. For the first time in 8 years Americans will have the opportunity to change the face of their country. However, the US is not the only country excited about change, Puerto Rico is also talking change.

Puerto Rico is an interesting place to be at the moment. Their governor just turned himself in to the Feds last week for 19 counts of violating federal election laws (He is also a super-delegate who has endorsed Obama). Second, the Puerto Ricans will have the chance to vote in the democratic primaries in June for the first time since 1988, where 63 delegates will be up for grabs. Senators Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton have already started to run their mouths on how they would resolve the Puerto Rico status issue.

Obama has stated that he believes the decision should be left up to the Puerto Ricans, and he will respect whatever decision they make, including statehood. Pedro Pierluisi, the candidate for vice-governor of the pro-statehood party, has endorsed Obama. Pierluisi is confident about converting PR into the 51st state as he told the newspaper El Nuevo Día "Obama has made it very black and white, if Puerto Rico decides the path to statehood, like I am sure it will, Obama will support the decision of the people."

Clinton, too has tried to appeal to Puerto Rican voters. She recently told the newspaper, El Vocero, that if president she will make it a priority from day one to resolve Puerto Rico's controversial situation.

I hope that they are both telling the truth and not just playing politics and blowing smoke up our asses. Puerto Rico is in desperate need of a change. The situation on the island is far from good. Over recent years unemployment has surged, the wages remain low, and the confidence of the people is being depleted. A Newyorican (Puerto Rican born/raised in New York) asked me how I liked PR and I said it was a beautiful place and that I liked it and he replied in a snappy tone "Yeah you sound like a tourist, the situation is bad here. Worst it has been in years." For example Americorps (my full-time volunteer position) is viewed more as a job rather than a phase, stage, or step in one's life as it would be for most college graduates who decide to live off food stamps and do a self-less activity for a year or so. Puerto Ricans do it because there is a steady check of $790 a month, which gets you basically nowhere.

To resolve the issue once and for all I think the pueblo (the people) should have two options: independence or statehood. PR has voted for statehood on four occasions, and each time has chosen the comfortable commonwealth status. Take it one step further and make it black or white, statehood or independence, then we will see what PR chooses.

Although in my last blog I mentioned that I do like aspects of it's commonwealth position, it is also entirely too ambiguous. Realistically, how long can people be satisfied being a colony? Can a country stay united and satisfied when the two of the three political parties seek a drastic change for their people?

The current situation, supported by the Partido Popular Democrático, is like a group of people invited to a party who go and enjoy all the booze and tasty h'orderves but bring nothing to contribute, and stay isolated in a corner. They like all the benefits of being associated with the US; the dollar, citizenship ect. but they choose not to be a state; basically out of pride. All the commonwealth does is offer comfort, because they don't have to completely "sell out" to the American empire while getting to hold on to all that is Puerto Rico. The Puerto Ricans have a true identity crisis. Staying a commonwealth they remain second class American citizens, mostly forgotten by the American population.

Sometimes I feel if the Americans knew how much tax money is poured into PR combined with the large number of Puerto Ricans who do not wish to be a part of the states, Americans would say "pues, vete,'' or "then go." Still I remain torn on my opinion on it's status as I discovered only six presidents have visited the island while in office. Why would any Puerto Rican be convinced that it is better to be state when in 110 years of American rule a measly 6 presidents have visited? Americans show little or no interest in the island.

The ex-mayor of San Juan recently told El Nuevo Dia that for the governor to turn himself into the Feds demonstrates the "painful reality" of PR's colonial status. He added that "For the governor to turn himself in to the Federal Government demonstrates that he is obligated to recognize that Washington controls PR," and finished off by saying "this just killed the experimental colony called the 'commonwealth.'"

This pseudo state mode has had it's run. The time has come to decide. Obama and Clinton have made it known that they are willing to help resolve the islands status. Let us hope that they are not being a typical empty-promise politician and make a real effort to fix this problem. We know we can't count on McCain because he has not been pulled into this mess.

Again, thanks for reading.