----- Original Message ----- From: "J. van Baardwijk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2003 4:53 AM Subject: Re: Tropical US Politics [Was Re: br!n: Re: a call to the irregulars!]
> > So, you pay taxes to the US government, but you don't get a say in who will > be in that government, and you don't get a say in how your tax dollars are > spent. No insult intended, but this sounds like Puerto Rico's primary > function is that of a milk cow for the US government -- something like "pay > up and shut up". :-( > > This calls for revolution! Well, let me quote from http://click.hotbot.com/director.asp?id=2&query=puerto+rico+taxes+&rsource= INK&target=http%3A%2F%2Fwelcome%2Etopuertorico%2Eorg%2Fgovernment%2Eshtml <quote> The major differences between Puerto Rico and the 50 states are its local taxation system and exemption from Internal Revenue Code, its lack of voting representation in either house of the U.S. Congress, the ineligibility of Puerto Ricans to vote in presidential elections, and its lack of assignation of some revenues reserved for the states. <end quote> Puerto Rico voted down (narrowly) becoming a state (at least twice IIRC) in the last few decades. They also voted down independence by a wide margin. The fact that they get many of the benefits of US citizenship (including Medicaid IIRC) without paying income tax is considered a key reason that statehood was voted down. Many people calculate that Puerto Rico is in a better financial position than it would be as a state as a result of this. But, there are indeed benefits in becoming a state, and statehood may pass the next election. It doesn't take a revolution; it just takes voting yes. Congress has to approve statehood, but it has indicated a willingness to do this after a yes vote in the past, and I don't see this as a big hurdle. Dan M. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
