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STATEHOOD |
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NONE
OF THE ABOVE |
Congress must select and fairly define the Puerto Rican status
choices it would be prepared to accept. These would include a
version of commonwealth that enabled Puerto Rico to be governed
in a fully democratic manner, statehood, and nationhood of one
sort or another -- independence or "free association."
It would then be up to Puerto Ricans to make an informed and
realistic decision among them. The decision and the resulting
transition may take years. But nothing less will satisfy the
obligation to convert an imperial property into a place of dignity
for American citizens who are equal in rights to all others.
-Washington Post, Editorial
Confusion
Over the Puerto Rican Vote
The only clear message from the recent plebiscite in Puerto
Rico is that the question of the island's political future remains
deeply divisive. Congress's failure to sponsor orderly balloting
that would give the island's 3.8 million voters a meaningful
say about their political status has not helped.
Congress can reduce the confusion by crafting a referendum with
input from Puerto Rican leaders on all sides that accurately
reflects the options available. "None of the above"
does not move Puerto Ricans any closer to defining their future.
-New York Times, Editorial
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Washington -- Nothing in the current US-Puerto Rico relationship
would prevent Congress from levying federal taxes in Puerto Rico
under commonwealth, the Congressional Research Service's constitutional
expert said Thursday.
"Congress has full powers to tax the US territories and
there is nothing special under commonwealth relationship to stop
it," said John Killian, who often writes opinions for Congress
on Puerto Rico. "Taxation without representation is just
a slogan. There is nothing in the Constitution about it,"
Killian said.
[A] "trend" may be building here to get Puerto Rico
to contribute to the federal treasury... [as] federal officials
here ask why the island is receiving some $10 billion yearly
in federal funds without contributing to the federal treasury.
-Robert Friedman, The San Juan Star
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After four centuries of colonialism under
Spain, and a century and three days after the signing of the
Treaty of Paris of Dec. 10, 1898, we expected a decision in favor
of decolonization.
Each of the options on the plebiscite ballot
was to confer dignity, liberty and pride on all Puerto Ricans.
But each of the three status formulas implied the assumption
of certain duties and responsibilities.
Unfortunately, 50% of the voters decided
not to decide. Puerto Rico decided not to decide. The decision
is now up to Washington. -Neftali Fuster
The
Current Commonwealth Status Cannot Be Maintained
"Ultimately,
Puerto Ricans will be faced with two choices: independent status
or statehood." -Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN)
Statehood Issue Not Dead, Puerto Rico Has to
Change
"The days
of the virtual one-way flow of U.S. federal dollars flowing into
Puerto Rico as a commonwealth are ending", Rep. Don Young
(R-AK)
Federal
Taxation Could Be Imposed On Commonwealth Under Legislation Introduced
In Congress. Fiscal Equity and Responsibility for Puerto Rico,
H.R. 4769
It Is
Imperative for Congress, Which Presides Over the Present Commonwealth
System, to Promote English. The English Empowerment Act, H.R.
4766
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"I am confident that once Congress
has assumed its responsibilities under the Constitution's Territorial
Clause and defined the real status options available to the people
of Puerto Rico, they will choose statehood.
"Born in 1904, a citizen of the US
by law in1917, I look forward to celebrating my own centennial
under a fifty-one star flag." -Luis A. Ferré
When a new Congress convenes next year, it should resubmit
the legislation approved by the House in the spring. Puerto Ricans
deserve a better process to determine their fate than what they
were faced with on Sunday. The Hartford Courant, Editorial 12/15/98
Puerto Ricans deserve a chance to chart their own course.
Self-determination as an ideal flows too strongly through Americans'
political blood to be withheld from a prominent part of the nation's
citizenry. The Senate should make the time to discuss Puerto
Rico's status, and Puerto Ricans should be granted a meaningful
opportunity to vote on it. The Orlando Sentinel, Editorial, 12/16/98
UNDERSTANDING
THE PUERTO RICO STATUS VOTE
Voter rejection of the present territorial
commonwealth status, rejection of independence in any form, combined
with voter reluctance to make a choice among known options, reflects
a need for federal territorial policy reform which Congress can
no longer ignore. For only Congress has the authority and responsibility
under the U.S. Constitution to define the terms for resolution
of Puerto Rico's status.
The historical vote favoring statehood
over all available options sets the stage for further integration
of Puerto Rico into the political, economic and fiscal system
of the nation. Ultimately, Congress must exercise its exclusive
power to define terms for Puerto Rico to remain under U.S. sovereignty
or achieve separate sovereignty. Only then can the U.S. citizens
in Puerto Rico make an informed choice in a Congressionally sponsored
self-determination process to resolve the status of the territory
permanently. -Citizens Educational Foundation
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