How to help the Puerto Ricans

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Profile Bob DeWoody
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Message 1899595 - Posted: 6 Nov 2017, 20:20:01 UTC

This ought to generate some interesting interaction. I watched the 60 Minutes segment on the situation in Puerto Rico after this fall's hurricanes. The island was in serious financial trouble well before the storms devastated the island and now the whole economy of the island has collapsed. There is plenty of blame to spread among everyone involved. Most of the island is without power and some area may be waiting until next summer before local electricity is restored. Businesses can't operate meaning many people are jobless and have no money even to buy basics. There are unsavory elements that are preying on the helpless making things worse. The puerto Rican government is reported;y 70 billion dollars in debt. Officially it is the responsibility of congress to fix things but they seem unwilling to shoulder their responsibilty. What is to be done?
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Message 1899631 - Posted: 6 Nov 2017, 23:45:28 UTC

What is to be done?


Have P.R. Bosses Get In Touch with Detroit, MI and State of IL Bosses. Yeah, and MoonBeam of CA.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ be Flowin' Like a mO fO

or, Pull dA Drain Plug and Let 'er Sink in dA Abyss.

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May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!
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Message 1899634 - Posted: 7 Nov 2017, 0:34:17 UTC

I've been trying to understand the relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico and Guam, and it's just as puzzling to me as the electoral college still is.
The mind is a weird and mysterious place
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Message 1899667 - Posted: 7 Nov 2017, 5:27:10 UTC
Last modified: 7 Nov 2017, 5:28:05 UTC

After watching 60 minutes I wanted to see if I could figure out what the responsibility of the US government is in this case. Living in Florida what ends up being done, or worse, not being done for Puerto Rico may have a direct influence on the Florida economy. It was mentioned that many Puerto Ricans have already decided to leave their homeland and head to Florida, with Kissimmee being the destination of many of them as there is already a large PR community there. Puerto Rico isn't officially a colony but it may as well be. It was ceded to the USA after the Spanish American War in 1898 and the status of those who live there has been murky ever since. An attempt was made in 1950 to clarify their status but, in my opinion things are still somewhat vague. Maybe the combined tourist industry which uses Puerto Rico as one of their primary ports of call can be persuaded to invest a lot of capital in the island to help bring it's citizens back to normal.
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Message 1899675 - Posted: 7 Nov 2017, 6:47:13 UTC
Last modified: 7 Nov 2017, 6:48:11 UTC

It is the last territory the USA has of any significant size, sorry Guam. There have been attempts to have it join as a State. They have not passed. The status of its residents is no more murky that those of Alaska before it became a State. However here is far more commerce than in that case, so many more things come up and much more frequently.

Congress has seen fit to treat PR in many ways as foreign soil for purposes of commerce. That has significant tax consequences. As to its local government, that is a special ball of wax. Because it is a territory, the Feds are ultimately on the hook even though they deny it and likely would legislate their way out of any debt they felt was wrong. Congress has been more charitable to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and that may be the precedent they can't escape. It is a very weird animal with many overlapping changes over many years.

With the devastation of Maria, I doubt there is any way that the Island will ever be able to pay for the needed repairs. There simply isn't enough commerce left running to generate the tax revenue needed. Because they were already in the RED I also don't believe they can issue bonds to get the necessary capital to repair their infrastructure. Congress is going to have to step in with a bailout, or it will get stuck with a bankrupt territory and have to pay the bills anyway.

The take away here is that a small state can suffer a significant devastation to essentially its entire area at once and thus be unable to recover by itself. Rhode Island is smaller.

You might be able to donate directly to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico government, but there is no way to know how that money will be spent. You have the same issue with any of the big charities and they will take some off the top for their expenses.

I don't know the status of road clearing and their other major issue is getting electricity. They go hand in hand in some respects as you need a clear road to string power poles and cable, and you need electricity to pump gas and diesel to clear roads. Once they are back then regular economic activity can begin to recover.

All I have to say is if congress fails to give aid, then we will know just how selfish those bastards are sitting there watching people suffer just so they can have a personal tax cut for their rich buddies. Oh and what are they going to do in your state when, fire, flood, tornado, earthquake, tropical storm comes calling?
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Message boards : Politics : How to help the Puerto Ricans


 
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