Should Puerto Rico Consider Joining The Russian Federation?

[mota bhai 2,675]

Should Puerto Rico explore following Crimea into the Russian Republic?

...

Puerto Rico is in the terribly awkward position of territorial status. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. Yet they are not entitled to vote for president. They have a “resident commissioner” to, not a full Member of, Congress. They have no Senators.

...

There is something out there that really would snap Puerto Rico out of supplicant status and command Washington’s attention. It might actively consider affiliation with a sovereign entity other than the United States.

Such as Russia.

If the leaders of the Puerto Rican statehood movement really wanted to galvanize America into making Puerto Rico the 51st state they could seek a dialogue with Vladimir Putin. Might Mother Russia, currently in an expansive mood, welcome Puerto Rico as its 86th political division. (Let us leave it to the Puerto Ricans whether they would prefer the status of oblast, republic, krais, autonomous oblast, or autonomous okrug.)

...

Alfonso Aguilar, former head of American citizenship under President George W. Bush, now heads the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles (with whose sister organization I have a professional relationship on unrelated matters). He is a prominent Puerto Rico statehood advocate. By email to this columnist Aguilar writes, “I’ll say this: I wish Washington would show the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico the same level of loyalty and commitment that Vladimir Putin has shown to the Russian population of Crimea.”

President Ronald Reagan (on whose staff I had the great honor to serve as a junior official in completely unrelated areas) warmly embraced Puerto Rican statehood.. President Reagan’s Statement Reaffirming Support of Statehood for Puerto Rico, January 12, 1982:

Puerto Ricans have borne the responsibilities of U.S. citizenship with honor and courage for more than 64 years. They have fought beside us for decades and have worked beside us for generations. … In statehood, the language and culture of the island—rich in history and tradition-would be respected, for in the United States the cultures of the world live together with pride.

We recognize the right of the Puerto Rican people to self-determination. If they choose statehood, we will work together to devise a union of promise and opportunity in our Federal union of sovereign States.

Some conservatives inexplicably have drifted from Reagan’s position. Some Republicans also seem unaccountably tepid toward Puerto Rican statehood. As for the Democrats, who knows? Statehood for Puerto Rico is not high on official Washington’s agenda.

That can be changed. Just the possibility of Puerto Rico’s joining Russia, and of America then awakening to find Russia only a 60 minute flight from Miami, likely would galvanize sudden conservative Republican enthusiasm for the idea of Puerto Rican statehood. Maybe it even would energize the liberal Democrats.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphbenko/2014/04/01/should-puerto-rico-consider-joining-the-russian-republic/

[JohnR! 5,495]

If there ever was an understatement...

Reagan would be kicked out of the GOP were he alive today. The Baggers would have him out faster than water off a duck's back...

'Some conservatives inexplicably have drifted from Reagan’s position. Some Republicans also seem unaccountably tepid toward Puerto Rican statehood. As for the Democrats, who knows? Statehood for Puerto Rico is not high on official Washington’s agenda.'

Edited April 2, 2014 by Gegel

[Danno 1,228]

I thought they recently voted NO.... they did not want to become a state.

No chance of them joining the Russian Federation, the bennies just aren't there.

[mota bhai 2,675]

I thought they recently voted NO.... they did not want to become a state.

It's more complicated than that. They voted FOR statehood but the ballot questions were tricky and intentionally created to produce that outcome.

[Danno 1,228]

It's more complicated than that. They voted FOR statehood but the ballot questions were tricky and intentionally created to produce that outcome.

Another parallel to Crimea!

Edited April 3, 2014 by Danno

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Not gonna happen. Russians will never dial one for Russian.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Mr. Big Dog

[mota bhai 2,675]

Another parallel to Crimea!

Except the U.S. president did not exploit the outcome.

[Danno 1,228]

In Kiev, Crimea or PR?

[BatmanUSA 105]

Wow.! this is an interesting comparison.

Crimea was an independent state of Ukraine. They had their own government and Russian was an official language.. After the terrorists seized power in Kiev, the unelected government, immediately passed laws to limit the rights of free Crimeans and they disallowed Russian as an official language...

What would happen if D.C. passed laws to take away the Puerto Rican commissioner, took away their autonomy, and disallowed the use of Spanish as an official language. While still not giving them equal representation in the government.?