Why Puerto Rico Matters So Much

To all the Latinos who have lived in this country for decades and centuries, please forgive this specific post focusing on Puertoriqueños. Dominicanos, Mejicanos, Cubanos, etc. also have lived in this country as long as many other Americans and are Americans who are here legally and have not broken any laws to get here, or while they live here as fellow Americans. So, about Puertoriqueños:

First off, Baseball would suck without decades of Puerto Rican players, Unions would be significantly less populated and strong, and a lot of left side politics would still be inchoate, IMHO, so the question of why Puerto Rico gets so many Democratic Party delegates surely must be rhetorical in nature...

But let's continue. They fight in the US' wars and serve in the military at very high percentages, because they are US citizens and brave and patriotic and contributing members of our Democracy.

They have for decades provided every natural resource of their island, including sweatshop labor in the States in the form of underpaid and ill treated people, at virtually no charge to US corporations who have polluted the environment and helped create a cyclical surge in STDs.

Until recently, the US military used their island and islands as practice for bombing raids without any concern to the collateral damage. Now they give lip service to the people, and realize they just might accidentally be harming their own citizens. Even so, the people of Puerto Rico are proud to be of service to the country

Puerto Ricans have lived in the US for decades as well, contributing hugely to the economy (paying taxes even!),not to mention arts, culture, science and medicine. Which reminds me of the forced sterilization of thousands of Puerto Rican women in clinics where they thought they were going to receive health care.

Oh, and Puerto Ricans are US citizens (They almost voted to become a US state a few years ago, and that is something that is pretty heavily supported by the Democratic Party) and have for many decades also moved throughout the United States, working hard and bringing life and prosperity to many places. No, not singlehandedly or at the expense of a community, but putting the hard work in wherever they live.

It would be pretty easy for you to search for a map that shows the distribution of first, second, third and fourth generation Puertoriqueños all throughout the US. That said, they are great Democrats (although the wealthier ones have tended to be a little more to the right and Republican leaning than the norm, but only a very foolish political party takes the votes of any group of Latinos less than seriously.

Also, Puerto Ricans from all throughout the country can vote in Puerto Rican elections, as well as in mainland state elections so in a political sense the island represents about 12 to 15 million US voters, at least. To say that the Puerto Rico vote doesn't count because the Commonwealth does not contribute Electoral votes is to be quite naive regarding the number of people (who have both US and Puerto Rico passports, usually) who vote all over this country.

Besides, without the contributions of German, Cuban, Italian, Irish, Mexican, Polish, British, French, Puerto Rican, Swedish, Norwegian, Albanian, Korean, Russian, Dutch, Hungarian, Roumanian, Canadian, Brazilian, African, Middle-Eastern, Jamaican,Chinese, Indian, Australian, Japanese,Dominican, Haitian, Finnish, Spanish (and many other groups of immigrants including those brought here against their will), this country would truly be nothing. And I say that with the belief that all the different tribes of Native Americans would have donet just fine as well if they were never colonized, often against their wills.

But we're all Americans and Puerto Rico counts a lot to the Democratic Party - every last delegate. Now if we could just let the District of Columbia (DC) become a state we'd really be moving closer towards a perfect union!


Display:


Re: Why Puerto Rico Matters So Much (none / 0)

Americans who happen to live in territories should definitely get a say in which Democrat they want to represent them.

Those Americans should also get a say in who actually becomes president in November, but that would clearly take a constitutional amendment to change the fact that it is the 50 states who elect our president.

I am not certain who is favored in Puerto Rico, our pollsters do not have much experience there and rarely have previous contests even lasted until PR.  This one may not either.


by Skaje on Mon May 05, 2008 at 04:28:26 AM EST

Re: Why Puerto Rico Matters So Much (none / 0)

There are so many Puerto Ricans who live in the US that pollsters who do an analysis of the different Latino groups can usually get a fairly accurate idea about how that group will vote in the general election. If I had to guess I'd say it's about a 60/40 split for Clinton, but may be higher for Clinton based on primary voting in stateside contests. Again, that's really just a guess.
John McCain is a liar. Erratic, poor judgment.
by Jeter on Mon May 05, 2008 at 04:37:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Tip Jar? (2.00 / 2)

For all the Latinos in this country and a President Hillary Clinton who will fight for the rights of us all, regardless of race, sex, ethnicity, age, marital status or the lack of health insurance, money for gas or food, or lack of a stock portfolio.
John McCain is a liar. Erratic, poor judgment.
by Jeter on Mon May 05, 2008 at 04:31:04 AM EST

Re: Tip Jar? (none / 0)

I gave a tip for Puerto Rico, but I hope they vote for Obama! I realize that will be tough, as Puerto Ricans are generally socially conservative lower-income Catholics (prime demographics for Hillary), but the Puerto Rican vote has been less overwhelmingly pro-Clinton than the Mexican-American vote.


Visit Election Inspection for analysis, polls, and predictions!
by X Stryker on Mon May 05, 2008 at 07:43:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why Puerto Rico Matters So Much (none / 0)

The District of Colombia can never be a state; it must always be uniquely identified as the federal city which contains our government.

It can and should however have two senators and as many representatives as the state with the least amount of representatives.

And yes, Puerto Rico matters very much. But it isn't naive to say Puerto Rico doesn't matter in National Elections. The reality is, it doesn't. And it likely won't as they dislike the idea of statehood.

And "the movement of Puerto Ricans" with dual-citizenship doesn't really make sense. Puerto Ricans are U.S. Citizens. In fact, they don't even need their passport to move from Puerto Rico to the mainland, whereas members of the Contiguous United States often have theres.

Furthermore, this is disingenuous in the sense that Puerto Ricans have a vote on the Island and a vote they magically have once they enter the U.S. No. A person living on Puerto Rico, unless he's a casting an absentee ballot does not have any say in November.

That same person does not have any say when he vacations in Florida in November; he doesn't live there.

And if you live in Florida and are Puerto Rican then you don't have a vote in the Puerto Rican Primary.

With that said. Puerto Rico deserves it's say in the Democratic Primary, not because I say it or you say it but because it's in the rules. And the rules are the rules.


Commissar: Canadian Gal; Proletariat Policemen: ragekage, Lord Hadrian. "For the Proletariat!"
by Lord Hadrian on Mon May 05, 2008 at 04:31:21 AM EST

Does the machine control the vote there? (none / 0)

BTD at Talk Left has had a few posts on Puerto Rico over the last few months. He argues that the machine controls the vote there and right now the Statehood Party governor candidate is a Republican. This Republican, if he chooses to get involved, can deliver the vote to either Obama or Clinton. Thus BTD argues that the public opinion polls don't mean much. What is your take on this?


by ineedalife on Mon May 05, 2008 at 08:45:13 AM EST

Re: Why Puerto Rico Matters So Much (none / 0)

Puerto Rico's votes will put Hillary over the top for good with popular votes, and will also help her close the gap to 100 or less on pledged delegates. It wil be a great win for her.


Steven Shaman Publisher Skywatch-Media News
by steve468 on Mon May 05, 2008 at 08:45:15 AM EST


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