Rubio on Puerto Rican Status Question: 50% + 1 Won’t Equal Mandate for Statehood

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Rubio on Puerto Rican Status Question: 50% + 1 Won’t Equal Mandate for Statehood

April 23, 2012 by Julito Varela

Good to see Florida Senator Marco Rubio commenting about the upcoming November plebiscite question in Puerto Rico. Sure, Rubio, who is of Cuban American descent, represents the state of Florida, which has seen an increase in voters of Puerto Rican descent the last few years, so it makes sense that he would weigh on the island’s non-binding vote to determine its political identity (statehood, independence or enhanced commonwealth). However, Rubio’s opinion reflects what most of the US Congress and President Obama is saying: the final decision by Puerto Ricans on the island has to be a clear majority, whatever that means. Just for reference, the 1958 statehood vote by Alaska won by a 6 to 1 margin, although only about 46,000 voted in Alaska. In 1959, Hawaii gained a 94% voted for statehood. Ironically, the one person who is pushing for a binding resolution of the status question is GOP front-runner Mitt Romney.

This is what a report from Caribbean Business chronicled about Rubio’s comments:

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a rising star in the Republican Party and potential vice presidential pick, has broken ranks with GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney over the issue off Puerto Rico statehood.

Rubio said in an interview that 50 percent plus one vote in a status plebiscite isn’t enough to put Puerto Rico on the path to become the 51st state.

“It doesn’t have to be 100 percent, nor 90 percent, but it cannot be, to say a figure, 51 percent of the votes,” Rubio reportedly told a local newspaper.

That puts the Cuban-American lawmaker, often mentioned as a vice presidential running mate for Romney, at odds with the former Massachusetts governor on statehood.

Romney has pledged to support statehood for the island if that option wins the Nov. 6 referendum on Puerto Rico’s political status, saying a simple majority at the polls should be enough.

The position taken by Rubio, a Tea Party favorite, actually puts him on the same page as Democratic President Barack Obama when it comes to statehood for Puerto Rico.

Right now, polls on the island show a virtual dead heat between enhanced commonwealth and statehood. It is highly doubtful that either option enters Hawaii or Alaska numbers, and in the end, the US Congress will still have final say. So, after 114 years of a complex (and colonial) relationship with the United States, Puerto Rico looks like it will still be stuck in the status quo.

One thing all Puerto Ricans, both on the island and the mainland, should agree on is that the upcoming plebiscite needs to be BINDING.

If you agree, let your elected officials know by visiting their official Congressional pages.

Posted in Puerto Rico | Tagged Barack Obama, Florida, Marco Rubio, Mitt Romney, plebiscite question, Political status, Puerto Rican, Puerto Rican politics, Puerto Rico, Republican, United States | 7 Comments

7 Responses

on April 23, 2012 at 11:49 am | Reply Joseph Espanol

It’s is for the Puerto Ricans to make that determination not for a two face pseudo Hispanic puppet of the Baggers, who’s agenda is against all that is of great benefit to the working poor!
- on April 23, 2012 at 2:29 pm | Reply Julito Varela
  
  Right now, the entire vote is non-binding and it is still up to Congress to make the final determination.
on April 25, 2012 at 9:37 am | Reply Julia Torres Barden

I really appreciate the information you share here and enjoy your Blog. I’d be grateful if you’d please check me out at NEWYORICANGIRL.COM. My most recent post pertains to my meeting Marc Anthony last month and begging him to lead the charge in securing full voting rights for Puerto Ricans. Please let me know what you think 🙂
- on April 26, 2012 at 3:19 pm | Reply Julito Varela
  
  NICE!
  - on April 26, 2012 at 6:16 pm Bruce R. Harris
    
    That will require Puerto Ricans paying federal taxes which will never happen under the current status. Only statehood would allow for full voting rights.
  - on April 28, 2012 at 7:23 pm Antonio
    
    NO, not nice Varela. What would be nice is for an end to the occupation and for all of those yanquis to go home. Viva Puerto Rico Libre!
  - on April 30, 2012 at 10:06 am Julito Varela
    
    ok, we agree with you.