The day after statehood comes to P.R.
There are many people in Puerto Rico who do not vote for statehood out of fear for what will happen under state- hood. Most probably, these people have been induced or influenced by political leaders, based on incorrect and or mis- leading information, maybe from ignorance, bad faith or from both.
Perhaps they are not aware of the following facts that will apply the day after Puerto Rico becomes the 51st state:
The U.S. Constitution will continue to be the supreme law of the Land in the states and in Puerto Rico just as it is now,
The residents of Puerto Rico will continue to be legal American citizens of the United States.
Puerto Rico will continue to have a republican form of gov- ernment (the branches) and a local Constitution to rule its internal affairs, as states do.
■ All federal laws will continue to apply locally just as they do now.
All federal agencies will continue to operate locally just as they do now.
The U.S. District Court will continue to operate, and resi- dents of Puerto Rico will be able to appeal to the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston and the U.S. Supreme Court, just as they can do now.
■The US. dollar will be our currency and the U.S. Post Office will continue to operate, just as they are now.
■ Puerto Ricans will continue to serve voluntarily in the U.S. Armed Forces just as they do now.
Puerto Ricans will continue being able to travel freely to the 50 states, and to establish residence in any state of their choice, just as they can now.
Puerto Ricans who establish residence in any state can con- tinue to hold elective office in municipal, county, and state gov- ernments, just as they do now. They will continue to be elected to Congress, just like Luis Gutiérrez, Nydia Velázquez and José Serrano.
■ Puerto Ricans will be able to serve as federal judges, just as •trebom 50!
Gregorio Igartúa Commentary
➡ Puerto Ricans will carry an American passport, just as they do now.
Residents of Puerto Rico will continue to receive their Social Security checks and their Medicare card will continue to be valid in any hospital in the United States, just as now.
■Residents of Puerto Rico will continue to elect city council- men, mayors, state legislators, and a governor, just as they do now and, as citizens in states do.
■The Puerto Rican flag will continue to fly from state offices and buildings, alongside the American flag, just as it does now, and just as it does in Texas and California, and as in all other states.
Residents of Puerto Rico will continue to speak Spanish just like the other 20 million Americans do in California, New Mexico, Texas, Florida, Chicago and New York.
■ Puerto Rico will send six House representatives and two senators to Congress in Washington, DC. to look after our inter- ests and those of the nation. The government of Puerto Rico will no longer have to spend millions of dollars in hiring lobby- ists to look after our interests.
The residents of Puerto Rico will be able to vote in presi- dential elections, a fact that the presidential candidates will have to take into account when making decisions that may affect Puerto Rico and when appointing federal judges and other federal government officials.
income taxes because they have a large enough income. More than half will not pay federal income taxes because they do not have a large enough income. Thousands of wage earners will be eligible for the earned income tax credit, that is, they will receive a check once a year instead of paying federal income taxes.
■ Baseball and basketball players will continue to play in Major League Baseball and the NBA, just like they do now. Puerto Rico will no longer have a separate Olympic team. Those athletes who qualify will be able to join the US Olympic team. (Note that any Puerto Rican who currently lives in a state can qualify for the US. Olympic team.)
Women who wish to participate in the Miss Universe or Miss World Contest will first have to participate in the Miss America or the Miss USA contest. (Is this too high a price to pay for the purpose of having government with the consent of the governed and taxation with representation?)
■The residents of Puerto Rico will continue to pay federal income taxes on income from sources outside Puerto Rico, just as they are doing now, except that presently we do not have a voting representative in Congress (taxation without representa- tion).
English and Spanish will continue to be the official lan- guages, just as they are now.
☐ Puerto Rico will continue to benefit from commercial treaties negotiated by the federal government, just as it is bene- fiting now.
Puerto Rico will continue to be represented in the United Nations and other international organizations by delegates from the United States, just as it does now.
Puerto Rico will be treated like states are concerning the amount of federal government grants and expenditures.
And the list goes on…
Gregorio Igarída is an attorney who successfully sued to give Puerto Ricans the presidential vote in 2000. The decision was later overturned on … And the list goes on………..
Gregorio Igartua
The San Juan Star – View point
October 13, 2006
bufeteigartua@yahoo.com
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