Dems Plot For Two More Senate Seats
In an apparent fear of losing the House and Senate in the mid term elections, Democrats in the House passed a bill to encourage Puerto Rico to become a state. The bill favors Statehood, and the Spanish speaking residents poll heavily in favor of Democrats, meaning Dems would gain two more Senate seats and a half dozen or so more representatives in the House. This plan, along with White House efforts to grant Amnesty for illegal aliens, are seen as the Democrats best hope of undermining a backlash from tax payers angry about the recent expansion of government spending and entitlements(including health care).
Puerto Ricans ought to hold a referendum on whether to keep their island a commonwealth or consider statehood, independence or some other status, the U.S. House voted after an impassioned debate today. But the bill was weighted toward statehood. In past votes in Puerto Rico, statehood and commonwealth ran neck and neck, with less support for independence options. But the first vote in the bill's two-step process would pit the current status against all other options combined.
Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., said the Puerto Rican people have not requested Congress to intervene. "This is a disgrace." she said.
The bill, which has not yet been voted on in the Senate, sets up a two-step process. Puerto Ricans would first vote on whether to keep the status quo. If they voted for change, they would then choose among statehood, independence and becoming an independent nation in "free association" with the United States. Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, for instance, have free-association relationships with the U.S. that make them independent but have agreements in place for U.S. defense and economic aid.
The bill doesn't bind Congress to accept Puerto Rico as a state. And it doesn't say how large a majority of Puerto Ricans are needed to choose a new political status. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said Congress ought to require that two-thirds of residents approve before statehood is allowed.
"You don't want to get married to someone who is only 51 percent sure, for goodness sakes," Chaffetz said.
See Chicks "Are Roman Catholics Christians?"
Puerto Ricans ought to hold a referendum on whether to keep their island a commonwealth or consider statehood, independence or some other status, the U.S. House voted after an impassioned debate today. But the bill was weighted toward statehood. In past votes in Puerto Rico, statehood and commonwealth ran neck and neck, with less support for independence options. But the first vote in the bill's two-step process would pit the current status against all other options combined.
Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., said the Puerto Rican people have not requested Congress to intervene. "This is a disgrace." she said.
The bill, which has not yet been voted on in the Senate, sets up a two-step process. Puerto Ricans would first vote on whether to keep the status quo. If they voted for change, they would then choose among statehood, independence and becoming an independent nation in "free association" with the United States. Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, for instance, have free-association relationships with the U.S. that make them independent but have agreements in place for U.S. defense and economic aid.
The bill doesn't bind Congress to accept Puerto Rico as a state. And it doesn't say how large a majority of Puerto Ricans are needed to choose a new political status. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said Congress ought to require that two-thirds of residents approve before statehood is allowed.
"You don't want to get married to someone who is only 51 percent sure, for goodness sakes," Chaffetz said.
See Chicks "Are Roman Catholics Christians?"
posted by chickcomics | 9:41 PM
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