Puerto Rico has been 'blessed' by the US Congress to finally determine her own fate. By a mixed vote of 223 to 169, the House of Representatives gave Puerto Rico the authority of self determination. PR, a territory of the United States, has had an identity crisis for some time, and this vote could lead to the first allowance of a state to the (crippled) Union in over 50 years.
Puerto Rico will get to take a vote on her status in relation to the United States. Becoming a state would allow a voting presence in Congress and electoral votes for presidency. They currently have delegates to congress, but retain no voting rights as a territory. However, as a territory they receive taxpayer funds - to which they pay none into. Becoming a state would increase their taxes, while becoming independent would cut-off the free flow of cash to the island nation.
Words of caution to PR - joining the United States is apparently a one way street. Once you vote to give up your national identity, Puerto Rico will cease to have the liberty it enjoys as a free and relatively independent state. The House Republicans even attempted to amend the vote to say that PR must adopt English as her official language - which would require, what, teaching their students english? OK. Changing to a more 'American Sounding' English name, like "Richport", "Lincoln", "Columbia"... Puerto Rico, Proceed with caution.
And while we're at it - Let's ask the question for each state. There should be a general series of state conferences to re-determine the will of the states to be in, or opt out of the federal government. Gee - I wonder how that would go over?
:)
Showing posts with label territory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label territory. Show all posts
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Haiti: With nothing left but the people, a US territory?
"You will not be forsaken; you will not be forgotten. In this, your hour of greatest need, America stands with you...You must know that help is arriving."
Obama made this promise, a testament to the strength of the American people, backed by an army and navy of volunteer soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines, despite our financial and personal hardships at home. Some gave time to a relief effort, packing supplies. Others gave cash through their church or Red Cross. Even in the poor areas, they gave... It is not an attribute of the American President, our political dealings, or the parties in power... it is something we are bred with in this collective of States - that when a neighbor is down and out, you lend a helping hand.
However, as with everything that comes with US governmental involvement, there are already strings attached...
Just as Obama offered the promise that "help is arriving", it is just days after telling now prosperous banks "we want our money back"... and moments after signing the Council of Governors Executive Order - a 'payback' of sorts for states who took the federal bail-out money... the big pay-off... So one has to wonder when Obama will tell Haitians "we want our money back"... Or perhaps something else.
I have heard from a few different sources the concept of making Haiti a US territory. Though tempting as the thought is, it only serves to feed the imperialistic nature of the beast that is DC. True, we will be giving billions in relief to the country, we have an army deployed, there is no viable government or infrastructure currently in place, and all that stands between the US and the western part of the Island Nation are the 10 Million people remaining - hungry and looking for basic necessity and leadership. Will Obama and the "one world government" he supports be so bold as to suggest that the US oversee the rebuilding efforts, enact martial law under US authority, and rebuild to US safety codes with US dollars?
Perhaps it will be guised as an "international effort" under the UN - but something seems off when even conservatives are suggesting the taking of Haiti as part of a "National Defense" measure to ensure Chavez or Castro regimes do not swoop in to enact authoritarian communist control over the territory.
Haiti has nothing to lose by accepting such an offer from the Untied States. The States of the Union have everything to lose by accepting a welfare state of 10 Million people with no viable industry, absolute impoverishment, majority of the population uneducated, and an infrastructure that has just been obliterated. Any efforts to turn the Haiti People into subjects of the Union should be met with absolute resistance.
Let's not confuse the fact that I believe we have a moral obligation as intellectuals with relative wealth to help in times of need - but we must empower the people of Haiti to rebuild - not turn them into another welfare society living on hand-outs of their neighbors... We should volunteer to clear the debris, bury the dead, reconnect to clean water, ensure basic means for sustainability, educate (on a free market basis) on the skills needed to sustain infrastructure in earthquake AND hurricane environments, and let the people of Haiti continue their path of self determination. This is the ONLY way for Haiti to succeed as an independent nation, free or otherwise. Education on permanent infrastructure, even at the Presidential Palace, can work miracles in this type of disaster - that, and a little rebar!
In closing, and as a reminder, if you hear grumblings of a US territory or other such insanity, remind folks that the US is a nation of sovereign states, not the protector of nanny states. Our humanitarian efforts may be mighty, but our imperialistic tendencies must be curbed. Plus, we have enough to worry about right here in the continental US as a constitutional crisis looms over our heads as early as Tuesday...
Obama made this promise, a testament to the strength of the American people, backed by an army and navy of volunteer soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines, despite our financial and personal hardships at home. Some gave time to a relief effort, packing supplies. Others gave cash through their church or Red Cross. Even in the poor areas, they gave... It is not an attribute of the American President, our political dealings, or the parties in power... it is something we are bred with in this collective of States - that when a neighbor is down and out, you lend a helping hand.
However, as with everything that comes with US governmental involvement, there are already strings attached...
Just as Obama offered the promise that "help is arriving", it is just days after telling now prosperous banks "we want our money back"... and moments after signing the Council of Governors Executive Order - a 'payback' of sorts for states who took the federal bail-out money... the big pay-off... So one has to wonder when Obama will tell Haitians "we want our money back"... Or perhaps something else.
I have heard from a few different sources the concept of making Haiti a US territory. Though tempting as the thought is, it only serves to feed the imperialistic nature of the beast that is DC. True, we will be giving billions in relief to the country, we have an army deployed, there is no viable government or infrastructure currently in place, and all that stands between the US and the western part of the Island Nation are the 10 Million people remaining - hungry and looking for basic necessity and leadership. Will Obama and the "one world government" he supports be so bold as to suggest that the US oversee the rebuilding efforts, enact martial law under US authority, and rebuild to US safety codes with US dollars?
Perhaps it will be guised as an "international effort" under the UN - but something seems off when even conservatives are suggesting the taking of Haiti as part of a "National Defense" measure to ensure Chavez or Castro regimes do not swoop in to enact authoritarian communist control over the territory.
Haiti has nothing to lose by accepting such an offer from the Untied States. The States of the Union have everything to lose by accepting a welfare state of 10 Million people with no viable industry, absolute impoverishment, majority of the population uneducated, and an infrastructure that has just been obliterated. Any efforts to turn the Haiti People into subjects of the Union should be met with absolute resistance.
Let's not confuse the fact that I believe we have a moral obligation as intellectuals with relative wealth to help in times of need - but we must empower the people of Haiti to rebuild - not turn them into another welfare society living on hand-outs of their neighbors... We should volunteer to clear the debris, bury the dead, reconnect to clean water, ensure basic means for sustainability, educate (on a free market basis) on the skills needed to sustain infrastructure in earthquake AND hurricane environments, and let the people of Haiti continue their path of self determination. This is the ONLY way for Haiti to succeed as an independent nation, free or otherwise. Education on permanent infrastructure, even at the Presidential Palace, can work miracles in this type of disaster - that, and a little rebar!
In closing, and as a reminder, if you hear grumblings of a US territory or other such insanity, remind folks that the US is a nation of sovereign states, not the protector of nanny states. Our humanitarian efforts may be mighty, but our imperialistic tendencies must be curbed. Plus, we have enough to worry about right here in the continental US as a constitutional crisis looms over our heads as early as Tuesday...
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