This afternoon POLITICO reported that the White House “declined to fully endorse a push by Puerto Rico to become the 51st state.” However, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney also reiterated the previously-published position that the Obama Administration believed that Puerto Ricans have rejected their current commonwealth system.
In November Puerto Ricans held a two-part plebiscite vote, which rejected the current commonwealth system in the first part and preferred statehood in the second part. A more detailed analysis about the reality of this vote (context that the POLITICO didn’t include) can be read here.
Here is what POLITICO said:
Asked Monday by a reporter if President Obama would “help” the Puerto Ricans with their statehood bid, [Carney] said: “I think the outcome was a little less clear than that because of the process itself.”
The story also added the following:
Carney said that the results showed that Puerto Ricans want a resolution to their current political status — and Congress should study the issue closely.
“The people of Puerto Rico have made it clear that they want a resolution to the issue of the island’s political status,” Carney told reporters.
“Congress should now study the results closely and provide the people of Puerto Rico with a clear path forward that lays out the means by which Puerto Ricans themselves can determine their own status,” Carney said.
He added that the Obama administration was committed to the principle that only Puerto Rico could decide on their future.
“This administration, as you know, is committed to the principle that the question of political status is a matter of self-determination for the people of Puerto Rico,” Carney said.
How convenient to be able to throw around words like “self-determination” 100 years after a military colonization…
Ironic, huh? Let’s just say that Washington, neither the White House nor the Congress, will do anything. But Puerto Ricans still believe that they will. Maybe all the years of colonialism is now just engrained in our minds. But, for some crazy reason, I still have hope.
Even if the WH did agree that there was a clear mandate, which we know there wasn’t, to change the status, Puerto Rico would most likely not accept Congresses requirement that English be the primary language spoken and taught in public schools.
As I’ve said previously we Puerto Ricans have to decide what we want and to achieve this we have to achieve a firm State vote( yes or not), even knowing that the last word is not in us. If the United States does not want to Puerto Rico as a State, then we can continue with our lives without the United States.
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There is no sense in accepting that we voted against the territory in the first question by 54% but ignore the 61% who voted for statehood. For 61% who voted in the second question this is a clear mandate to act.
I would buy that if not for the fact that if AGP just told people to say vote on Question 2, it would have muddied the issue even more. However, I respect the vote but I also think that we should all be pushing for the first issue: the status quo has been rejected. Then one more binding and clear vote: Statehood YES or NO? Just one question, and then make it binding. Thanks for the comment!
Julito —
I’m confused about what you mean by a binding question. As you know, Congress acts in political ways, and there is no way Congress would be bound to any vote by Puerto Rico’s people. Are you suggesting that Congress passes a law first that asks people in PR if they want statehood yes or no; and that Congress is then bound to create an enabling act, conditions for statehood transition, Constitutional review and adjustment, etc.
Then, whatever the results are, for example 51% statehood, 49% no statehood, then the Congress has no choice but to grant statehood?
There is no way Congress would proceed with that type of process, so I’m curious to know what you mean by binding.
A better way would be to do the actual suggestion of the President’s task Force. Congress could pass a law to “consider” the results of such a process. However, I would argue that there is no way that even the following would be binding
Election One: Does Puerto Rico want to continue being associated with the U.S. (via either existing Commonwealth or Statehood) OR does it want to become a sovereign nation (either completely Independent or via a Free Association pact)?
My guess is that option one would win here by about 70% to 30%, plus or minus 5%.
So we go to election two between Statehood and Commonwealth
Election Two: Happens a month later. The Enhanced Commonwealth or independence loyalists could “stay home” during this election (i.e. “None of the Above” or blank ballot), but who ever shows up would be counted.
My guess here is that Statehood wins 51% to current Commonwealth 49%. It could go to Commonwealth of course, and then nothing happens for the next 14 or 60 years. See Obama’s comments from a few months ago.
However, even here, I don’t believe Congress would be compelled to act.
I believe what I presented above is the most non-confusing path; but even if statehood wins Election two, that is no guarantee anything will happen.
Thanks for the comment. I still stand by the belief that a binding resolution is the way to go. Just because Congress isn’t thinking this now, doesn’t mean it can’t happen. Let’s think big here. That is the only and clearest way for resolution. Everything else will forever be spun by politicians. American citizens have changed history in this nation before, no reason we can’t again. Last time I checked Congress works for me, not the other way around. I see your point, too, but it doesn’t do enough and will only be sold short and we will be spinning our wheels forever. One vote. One question. Final result. That will bring out the truth and not just the spin. Who’s in? 🙂
Thanks for the comment!
Btw, democracy is messy but 51-49 wins.
I do like the bold approach. One vote, one question, no spin.
Now if we can get 1 million Puerto Ricans to demand this, we are golden! 999,998 to go.
It’s not just congress accepting PRico as a state but PRicans must also accept English as the primary language. American families move around from state to state for various reasons, and would therefore expect their children be enrolled in a public school that instructs courses in English.
Am agree with you flyboy56 if you get to my house you must follow my rules, if Puerto Rico is accepted must follow the rules.
This president is full of crap! (Lower case “P” on purpose!) This same President declared right after election day ,that, “puerto Rico clearly voted by 54% for CHANGE (Obama’s favorite word) And that Statehood received a supermajority of 61% on the second question.
Now in an about face (I saw it coming, I’ll explain) The white house wants to count the “blank ballots to reduce it t 46%. This is wrong, and its PPD propaganda.
The PPD is for a fantasy status of commonwealth with statehood funding and international recognition as a nation in “soveregn ” independence in permanent political union with the USA (confusing, I know)
They know its illegal and unconstitutional,so they are nowfully dedicated to simply delaying statehood with confusion and misinformation.
Key to this misinformation is preventing the mases from learning English. This way the PPD can tell its followers in spanish whatever they want. With the mases unable to read in English the truth over what the PPD says in Spanish.
*The PPD claims that permanent union and citizenship is guaranteed under the “free Associated State”/ Congress says its NOT!!! As long as PR is a territory, any future Congress can revoke union& citizenship if it pleases,under the territorial clause.
* The PPD claims in Spanish that there is a “pact between the Nations of US and PR.”/Congress is sick and tired of saying ..NO THERE ISN’T! ! YOU ARE AN UNINCORPORATED TERRITORY OF THE USA.
*PPD; “no we’re not!/Congress; basically “STFU!” Yes you are!! You know what,PPD? NO MORE section 936!!!
*Anibal Ace vedo Vila told congress they wanted “sovereignty as a commonweath outside congress”) when congress senator Inhoff/G Miller informed him that US nationality and citizenship would end in PR, AAV and the PPD reps AGREED TO IT!! This was the birth of the “Estado Libre Asociado Soberano” aka Free Association,aka “tratado de Union” also known as simply “soberania”. Its a version of Independence with assistance from the US, as well as US control over its military defense and currency! It used to be called “a protectorate” but that’s not PC.
*The PPD has increasingly become more and more pro independence over the last 15 years,while hiding it from the populares, who remain 90% pro union w/USA.
*The PPD put “Free Association” /ELA Soberano as its official status in its 2010,2011,2012 platform. They publicly deny it!
* AGPadilla (gov elect) endorsed Soveregn Free Association for the federal plebiscite he later fought against. He claimed that the 2 part vote, asking a yes,no vote on question A , would reesult in a natural NO to commonwealth. That would be followed by an obvious victory for statehood, on question B, since its the only opcion that has permanent union and citizenship with USA.
So its not that the process is “unfair to voters” ,rather, that the TRUTH over the superiority of Independence and statehood is unfair to their “commomwealth lies!” The PPD does not want a plebiscite with true non territorial options!
Well, Alejandro Garcia Padilla ,a “popular” Democrat, and Obama himself is a Democrat meaning they are now on the same side! Besides most PNPs were Republicans. Obama has licked his finger……the wind is PPD!
I still believe that AGP made a huge strategic mistake when he did the whole vote blank suggestion. He caused a lot of this mess. And agree with you on WH change as well. Thanks for the comment!
You make an interesting argument Luis. And it truly amazes me just how many voters could not follow simple rules when filling out the referendum. Or they believed their PPD leader Padilla had a plan to foil the PNP.
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