Vol. 2 No. 18

Para ver este documento en español, oprima aquí.

EXTRA! EXTRA! EXTRA!
EACH PUERTO RICAN HAS LOST OVER $132,000 UNDER COMMONWEALTH!

The Costs of Puerto Rican Independence Would Be Staggering

Gingrich Supports Statehood for Puerto Rico; Equates Commonwealth with Colonialism

PDP Legal Setback, Status Falls Under Territorial Clause

"QUOTABLES"

The Cost of Commonwealth is Enormous

Using the conservative convergence rate of 3.7 percent found in the study, it is possible to show that in 1994, the average Puerto Rican had an income of almost $6,000 less than the one he would have received, had the Puerto Rican economy converged to Mississippi, the poorest state in the Union. Accumulating this loss from 1955 to 1994 implies that each Puerto Rican could have been $110,000 wealthier by 1994

Puerto Rican Independence: The Economic Implications for the U.S. and Puerto Rico

The independence option for Puerto Rico...poses enormous potential risks...and possibly significant bail-out costs in the event of political or economic crisis.

[As] a result of normal investor behavior and the aspirations and needs of its citizens, the costs of independence would be staggering.

Puerto Rico's Economic Future Is Solidly Bound with its Political Status

The nearly 4 million American citizens of Puerto Rico need and deserve political empowerment in order to attain economic empowerment. The Hispanic-Americans of Puerto Rico cannot realize their full economic potential until a self-determination process is aaccomplished.

Sense of the Senate Regarding a Referendum on the Future Political Status of Puerto Rico

It is the sense of the Senate that--

(1) the Senate supports and recognizes the right of United States citizens residing in Puerto Rico to express democratically their views regarding their future political status through a referendum or other public forum, and to communicate those views to the President and Congress; and

(2) the Federal Government should review any such communication.

It Is Clear that We Cannot Continue with the Status Quo

   "A Decision Is Going To Have To Be Made Soon As To What The Permanent Political Status Of Puerto Rico Will Be. The Sense of the Senate Resolution proclaims that the ultimate decision as to the political future of Puerto Rico will be made by this Congress." Senator Frank Murkowski (R-AK)

Historic Senate Resolution Backs Self-Determination in Puerto Rico

Hispanic Coalition Hails Senate Resolution on Puerto Rican Self-Determination

Three Hispanic Pols Back D'Amato

Sen. Alfonse D'Amato picked up endorsements from three Hispanic politicians yesterday as he slammed Rep. Charles Schumer for missing key votes on issues important to the Latino community.

"[W]hen it comes to the people of Puerto Rico, Chuck Schumer has not been here," the Republican lawmaker said. D'Amato later unveiled a new Spanish-language radio ad...charging Schumer missed key votes on Puerto Rico status as a commonwealth and bilingual education.

Storm Damage Won't Halt Vote on Statehood

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Gov. Pedro Rosselló demonstrated his firm grip on power within the pro-statehood New Progressive Party again last week by persuading the party's governing board to vote unanimously in favor of holding the status plebiscite Dec. 13 as originally planned.

Puerto Rico Political Status Plebiscite Act of 1998

Plebiscite Status Options Consistent with U.S. Constitution, Congressional Findings and International Law

Puerto Rico Herald Launches Spanish Edition


"What I think is clear...is that you cannot have a territory in the 21st century. We are not an empire, we are a republic...The people of Puerto Rico have to decide, but I hope they ultimately decide on statehood." -Newt Gingrich

Puerto Rico Has an Opportunity Now to Seize its Future

"After 500 years of colonial rule...it is time for us to determine whether the political status of our island will be finally resolved or whether we will languish in the quagmire of colonialism that keeps us divided as well as socially, politically and economically impoverished." -Luiso Rosselló Nevares

U.S To Rebuild Hurricane-Ravaged Puerto Rico Homes: Cost to U.S. Taxpayers Put At More Than $1 Billion

President Clinton Issues Formal Proclamation of National Hispanic Heritage Month, 1998

Excise Tax Could Be Dropped in Puerto Rico

The tax would be replaced by a smaller consumer sales tax. For Puerto Rican consumers...a sales tax represents a jarring change. And therein lie the issue's politics.

Mr. Rossello's New Progressive Party, which favors statehood for the island of 3.8 million people, generally seeks to mold local laws to the U.S. model, and thereby eliminate legal obstacles toward its political goal. Robert Walzer, Journal of Commerce.

"The Truth About Free Association"

President Clinton Calls on Congress to Respect the Results of the December Plebiscite

Puerto Ricans Urged to Join Quest to Become 51st State

– HERALD WHITE PAPERS –

Resolving Puerto Rico's Political Status

   The record before Congress is now clear that permanent union and irrevocable U.S. citizenship can not be obtained through commonwealth, even if it is reformed as proposed in the 1993 commonwealth definition. Since only statehood provides the constitutionally guaranteed status and citizenship included in the commonwealth definition, the real question arising from the 1993 referendum results is how those who voted for commonwealth with permanent union and irrevocable U.S. citizenship intend to achieve that result if not through statehood.

The Promise of Citizenship

   "We will be repeating the mistakes of 1952 if we do not inform the people of Puerto Rico that individual U.S. citizenship is protected under commonwealth for the individual to whom it is already granted against arbitrary loss, regulation or restriction, but that the conferral of U.S. citizenship in the future is discretionary and could be withdrawn."

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Puerto Rico Self-Determination

Recent Commentary from Puerto Rico
Miriam Ramirez de Ferrer, Neftali Fuster, Guillermo Moscoso, Robert Becker
Write your Member of Congress in Support of
Puerto Rico Self-Determination!

House of Representatives Member Web Sites
Write Your Representative

Senate Member Web Sites
Write your Senator

Under Statehood All Puerto Ricans
Would Have Been

American Taxpayers
Have Forked Over


$ 181,836.82


$ 224,743,486,080.18

Wealthier Today, and
Commonwealth is Costing Them
$6,000.00 More Every Year!

Subsidizing Puerto Rico Commonwealth,
and It's Costing Them $22,821,918.52
More Each and Every Day of the Year!


PUERTO RICO SELF-DETERMINATION
Puerto Ricans Earning Their Own Way
Puerto Rico Paying Its Own Way

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