Puerto Rico To Become 51st State on Thursday!

I guess I ought to also mention, I happen to hold to the LeMeTHA Party - the part of Leave Me the Hell Alone. Our approach to domestic and foreign issues is pretty much the same - mutual respect for privacy.

i agree that some repubs are progressives, but they should in no wise be called conservative. They are simply not as progressive as all out marxist dems.
The word conservative has the connotation of "conserving" the principles the country was founded on. Progressives abhor those principles, but adore the principles of third world dictatorships like venezuela, cuba, etc.

It's conserving nothing if one's diligence is targeted at principles not actually the philosophical basis of the nation. As for progressives, it's silly to think one can speak for all of them so, as a sort of "progressive", let me say this - what progress I seek is the continued march away from the barbarism of the past toward a future of genuine peace where one is at liberty to discover and maximize one's own potential without cost to the potential of others. You see, not all progressives are socialists either. "Socialism" isn't progress anymore than the exploitations of the past.

My point is this, neither republicans nor democrats, neither conservatives nor liberals represent the best course for the individual, the community, the nation, or the species. As I said, it's popular today for conservatives to rattle on about the "steal from the rich and give to the poor" socialist democrats all the while advocating "steal from the poor and give to the rich". They fool some with their noise, but they do not fool all. Neither outright socialism nor exploitation are the answer, however, a genuine capitalism where the individual is respected and free to trade with like-minded persons is. Conservative republican views are no less socialist than that of liberal democrats. They are simply socialist on different issues - they allow economic liberty but want to dictate to us all what and how to worship, who one can and cannot love and marry, how one can and cannot dress, what one can and cannot watch, listen to and read, whether one can live or die, what songs one can and cannot sing, what oaths one must take, what one must say in pledges, what language to speak and what banner to fly over all of it.

Sure, conservatives allow economic freedom in exchange for your soul. Today's liberals grant you a soul if you turn over your checkbook. Neither are particular friends to those who value individual liberty and reasonable justice. The people of Puerto Rico are better off independent.

monte, Please elaborate--specifically--on how the dems are like Marxists, using examples from Das Kapital (which you are surely familiar with as you are invoking it in an argument). I am very familiar with Marx and cannot really see how dems are Marxist other than being vehemently against child labor (check DK, it's one of the big no-no's). Also, I very clearly remember a big republican push for pro-eminent domain laws under the Bush admin...and frighteningly enough Marx was a HUGE fan of the eminent domain (he lifted the idea from Proudhon, a French anarchist after misunderstanding one of Proudhon's pamphlets).

Because you are clearly overeducated in this area of political science, please instruct us ll in more detail, so we won't be fooled. I personally view most politicians as opportunistic and selfish, but if the democrats are particularly evil I want to know *specifically* what they are doing. I hate Marx. He was very misguided. The application of the principles he laid forth was even worse.

And I'm VERY liberal.

Washington, DC) -- The U.S. House has approved legislation that could dramatically change Puerto Rico's relationship with the United States.

The Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009 passed on a vote of 223 to 169 Thursday.

The measure calls for the citizens of Puerto Rico to vote on whether the island should keep operating as a commonwealth of the U.S. or change its governing structure.

A vote for change would lead to a second vote on the different options available, including independence and statehood.

Congress would still have to pass legislation to make Puerto Rico the 51st state.

More than 50 Republicans voted in favor of the Puerto Rico Democracy Act despite warnings from some critics who claim the Democrats are pushing for Puerto Rico's statehood to gain another voting seat in the House.

Currently, the people of Puerto Rico are considered U.S. citizens, but they have a non-voting House delegate

Not exactly a vote on statehood yet but it moves them closer. Maybe you should do a little research before you dismiss somebody,s story out of hand.

And yet the headline for this article reads: "Puerto Rico To Become 51st State on Thursday!"

People would be less likely to dismiss it if it were factual. Details are important.

dems are just mining for more dependents who will vote for them, there also trying to get prisoners to vote and turn washington d.c. into a state. Guess they know they've pissed people off and are going to need some extra votes.

It is not a done deal yet. Glen Beck and Limbaugh are putting up fear straw arguments to rev up the fear factor in their bases, as usual.
I could care less if Puerto Rico gets the representation they should have had for years. We treat them like a colony.

read my reply to Roger Diapolo.

Yes, its more fair to treat them like a colony and not let them have any representation. Right?

If only he would

And on the other side we have gore and company saying the world will end if we don't pay the carbon tax, when will the fear mongering end>?

After one hundred years of exploitation, Puerto Rico deserves US protection at least.

Interesting comment given the fact that the United States destroyed their original economy. Also, the original post wasn't about them voting to become a state but Congress voting for them to become a state, which by the way, they didn't (if they even voted on it at all).

Protection from what? The commies? Doesn't the whole western hemisphere have US protection anyway?

So does your second point mean you think they wouldn't have a vote on the issue?

American "protection" is exploitation. That comment, in my opinion, was very Conservative sounding.

Why do you think Puerto Ricans would vote for state hood?

http://current.com/http://www.opencongress.org/articles/view/1841-A-vote-on-voti...

Hope this helps.

Thank you!

Uh, you're about 110 years too late to complain about us owning Puerto Rico.

And a conservative gripe about Imperialism? Now I really have seen it all.

would ya drink it down if it were posted by one of ur wackjob friends?
yeh, i bet ya would, ur a shittohead

I'd rather be a wackjob than someone who uses the term shittohead in public.

i see the vote going on right now. oops looks like you already bought the bridge.

The Only Rational Comment I have read on Current.

The same reason you only found out about Van Jones AFTER he resigned.

I dont know if you have picked up a book lately, but they voted to not become a state in 1998 based on the fact that they didnt want to pay american taxes. This isnt Harry Reids decision if Puerto Rico wants to become a state or not. It is theirs. If they wanted to become a state they can vote on it. Just like they have voted No the last 4 times.

Shouldn't we the people of the United States have a choice in the matter ?

The U.S. Government classifies Puerto Rico as an independent taxation authority by Federal Law 48 U.S.C. § 734. Puerto Rico residents are required to pay U.S. federal taxes, import/export taxes,[78] federal commodity taxes,[79] social security taxes etc. The only exemption is federal income taxes since residents pay federal payroll taxes (Social Security[80] and Medicare),[81] as well as Commonwealth of Puerto Rico income taxes. All federal employees,[82] plus those who do business with the federal government,[83] in addition to Puerto Rico-based corporations that intend to send funds to the U.S.,[84] and some others[85] also pay federal income taxes.

Puerto Rico is treated as a separate taxing entity from the USA; its income tax rates are set independently, and only some residents there pay federal income taxes[29] (though everyone must pay all other federal taxes[30]).

FROM THE POSTED ARTICLE:

The bill push for a vote by the people of Puerto Rico, and would force them into one of three options:

Independence: Puerto Rico should become fully independent from the United States
Sovereignty in Association with the United States: Puerto Rico and the United States should form a political association between sovereign nations that will not be subject to the Territorial Clause of the United States Constitution;
Statehood: Puerto Rico should be admitted as a State of the Union
_________________

It IS a vote by Puerto Ricans. Harry Reid is not "deciding" anything.

why was that voted down?

Yep! He is one wild an CrAzY GuY AHA HA HA HA

I guess you havnt picked upa book either. Puerto Rico has voted No 4 times in the last twenty years on becoming a state. It is their decision not ours.

true, Puerto Rico has all the rights of American other than the vote like Guam. beck is a talking head anyone that takes him for a annalist is an fool. most cable "news" is just more entertainment like TMZ. well no TMZ gives facts not opinion.

Lol TMZ is more factual news then the FOX Opinion network

that is so true an ain't that a shame?

so are you agreeing with me on that? or are you arguing with me with a rewording of what i said?

have you ever read the Monroe doctrine? we have been doing this since the war of 1812 (Oddly ending in 1816) nothing new is going on here, but i do agree with your sentiment.

" It's not like half the country doesn't speak let alone half the world "

That's not even remotely accurate.

SpanishSEO.org, the estimated worldwide Spanish Speaking population is 452,480,979 inhabitants representing 6.78 % of the global population.

Wow, impressive. It's always those pesky statistics! I stand corrected. We better get those numbers up people!

I'm sorry but we should always be expanding and diversifying our country and population, it only makes us stronger. And don't use the excuse that we shouldn't have hawaii or alaska because the truth is we would still be across the Atlantic if we thought like that.

You are so naive it isn't even funny. Hawaii and Alaska are some of the biggest economic states in the entire union.

Giving up Alaska would be the STUPIDEST move America has made in the past 100 years.

I don't think in terms of economics and profits, just progress. I guess you can call me nostalgic for morality. Sleep easy Mr. Business.

I can see that being a problem. Where are you going to put the extra star?