WASHINGTON- A pesar de que tiene claro que el Estado Libre Asociado (ELA) territorial fue derrotado en el plebiscito de noviembre de 2012, el líder del comité de la Cámara de Representantes de Estados Unidos con jurisdicción primaria en el debate sobre el futuro político de Puerto Rico no está listo para tachar el status actual como alternativa de futuro.
El republicano Rob Bishop (Utah), presidente del Comité de Recursos Naturales, hace la advertencia de que no tiene todas las respuestas sobre hacia donde deben ir las relaciones entre Washington y San Juan, pero afirma que está dispuesto a dar espacio a ese diálogo.
El Congreso está en record, el ELA de Mentiras Quimérico no cabe en la Constitución de los USA. Escrito por Demócratas y Republicanos. Y los PPD No se Atreven a Definir al ELA Real, porque una mentira no se puede hacer verdad.
Su visión de que el ELA territorial debe ser aún una alternativa de status choca con el nuevo proyecto de ley federal pro estadidad del comisionado residente en Washington, Pedro Pierluisi, que lleva el número 727 y persigue que el Congreso autorice una consulta en la que los residentes de la isla se expresen a favor o en contra de la admisión de Puerto Rico como estado 51.
Pero, su posición coincide con la de su homóloga en el Senado, la presidenta del Comité de Energía y Recursos Naturales, Lisa Murkowski (Alaska). La propia Casa Blanca, en 2013, expresó que le corresponderá al gobierno de Puerto Rico seleccionar las alternativas de status.
Bishop conoció ese lenguaje en noviembre pasado, cuando El Nuevo Día le preguntó por ella. De todos modos, piensa dejar en manos de su colega Don Young (Alaska) -presidente del subcomité de Asuntos Insulares y aliado de estadistas del Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP)-, el análisis inicial de la medida de Pierluisi y la probable convocatoria a una audiencia.
El congresista Bishop subrayó que cualquier decisión sobre el status y la legislación de Pierluisi, que no supone una orden al gobierno de Puerto Rico, se tomarán como grupo.
Durante los pasados cuatro años en que estuvo como presidente del comité, el ahora excongresista republicano Hastings le cerró el espacio al debate de status, hasta para examinar el informe de la GAO que solicitó.
¿Cuáles son los planes de su comité sobre Puerto Rico?
No es que quiera ser muy cuidadoso con mi respuesta, pero realmente no sé. No quiero prejuzgar el resultado, voy a dejar que el comité decida el camino, sin utilizar mi posición para impulsar una posición a favor o en contra de alguna legislación.
Pero, van a examinar el proyecto de Pierluisi en una audiencia.
La decisión no va a ser realmente mía. El asunto va a quedar en manos del presidente del subcomité (Don Young). Asumo que va a hacer eso, porque es lo apropiado.
¿Cuál es su interpretación sobre los resultados del referéndum de 2012?
Sé que es una pregunta capciosa, porque los dos (principales) sectores políticos en Puerto Rico tienen diferentes versiones de lo que sucedió. Creo que es claro que la idea del statu quo, el ELA, fue derrotado y cerca del 60% de los votos de la segunda pregunta fueron para la estadidad, pero el otro grupo va a advertir que cerca de un 25% a 30% de los electores prefirió no votar (dejó la papeleta en blanco) y que el voto a favor de la estadidad baja a cerca del 40%. Ese es un debate filosófico sobre si se cuenta el voto (en blanco) de los que no emitieron una opinión. Es un poco turbio. Me doy cuenta de que los dos lados del debate hacen eso. No me quiero involucrar en un debate interno sobre lo que los puertorriqueños están diciendo. Idealmente uno quiere que los puertorriqueños establezcan cual es el asunto a decidir y que ellos ejerzan su libre determinación.
Usted reconoce que el ELA territorial fue derrotado. ¿Pero, debe o no ser una opción en una próxima consulta?
“No sé. (Lo piensa). La contestación es sí. Las elecciones representan una decisión en un momento dado. En otro momento la decisión pudiera ser diferente. Lo que no quiero es predisponer e imponer mi posición en el Comité. Cada cual en el comité tiene que decidir. No quiero que el tema se convierta en un balón de fútbol que impacte las elecciones en Puerto Rico o que el comité se convierta en el asunto de controversia.
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Colonialism & Segregation is Not an Option to 3.6 Millions American citizens in Puerto Rico
“An Open Letter to Congressman Rob Bishop (R-Utah)”
Equality is the essence of liberty. Equality is a fundamental human right. The Fathers of our Nation’s Constitution and in the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence wrote it so clearly; “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Abraham Lincoln successfully led our Nation in a civil war against slavery. He planted the seeds of making
our Nation a beacon of freedom, equality and democracy for the World to emulate. His thoughts on the rights of freedom and equality were very pristine when he said: «Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it.»
Every GOP President since Eisenhower has supported and endorsed the right for political equality of the 3.6 millions American citizens residing in the territory of Puerto Rico. Why? For the following reasons:
a) More than 275,000 have served our Nation in wars around the world, precisely defending the rights of freedom and equality that are denied to them (See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
b) Puerto Rico pays more Federal taxes than Alaska; Vermont; Montana; Wyoming; South Dakota and North Dakota (See:http://www.economist.com/
c) Puerto Rico has been for many years among the ten largest buyers of United States goods and services creating hundreds of thousands of jobs in the states of the Union.
d) There are more than 5 million American citizens from Puerto Rico living in the 50 states because the present political condition denies them the opportunity of seeking the American dream. In fact, since 1952, the year of the “establishment” of the so called “commonwealth status” up to 2012 more than 2.3 millions American citizens left the Puerto Rico to live in our Nation. This trend, according to the U.S. Census will continue and the Island will have in 2050 the same population it had in 1952.
In the edition of Sunday, March 15, 2015 Congressman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said that the territorial status of “commonwealth” should be an option in a process of self-determination in resolving the colonial status we have been living since 1898. The people of Puerto Rico in a referendum held on November 6, 2012 expressed the following on the the status question: Puerto Rican voters were asked two questions: (1) whether they agreed to continue with Puerto Rico’s territorial status and (2) to indicate the political status they preferred from three possibilities: statehood, independence, or a sovereign nation in free association with the United States.[2] 970,910 (54.00%) voted «No» on the first question, expressing themselves against maintaining the current political status, and 828,077 (46.00%) voted «Yes», to maintain the current political status. Of those who answered on the second question 834,191 (61.11%) chose statehood, 454,768 (33.34%) chose free association, and 74,895 (5.55%) chose independence.[3][4]
Congressman Bishop ignores the democratically expressed in the ballot electoral mandate of the People of Puerto Rico against the territorial, the segregated colonial status. He also ignores the 61% of the votes requesting political equality. Our 275,000 Americans, yes Congressman Bishop, American citizens from Puerto Rico sacrificed in battlegrounds through out the World defending liberty, freedom and democracy, and thousands paid the ultimate price by giving their lives since World War I, it is bizarre to continue with the old policies of the past of defending colonialism. Denying equality to those who protected your rights Congressman Bishop to the freedom and liberty you enjoy, is nothing short but endorsing the segregation and a neo-apartheid colonial regime in Puerto Rico.
When you read that Puerto Rico contributes more Federal taxes to the Nation than more than 6 states of the Union and we have no representation with vote in Congress and we cannot vote for our President and Vice president is like revisiting the roots of the American Revolution when in Boston the voice of “Taxation without Representation” was first heard in the World. Puerto Rico is going through it’s most defining moment with an economic crisis of biblical proportions. In the last two years 200,000 have moved to the South; Atlantic and Midwest states. The massive population exodus will increase further when the colonial government implements a Value Added Tax during a depression making Puerto Rico the most expensive area to live in the 50 states of the Union.
Congressman Bishop to support colonialism in the 21st century is to support inequality; segregation and taxation without representation. Would you be willing to ask the People of the Great State of Utah to resign their statehood and equality status and become a territory of the United States like Puerto Rico is today? Would you? The only path for Puerto Rico is political equality. The Hawaiian statehood experience is our model.
We want for our 3.6 millions American citizens the same rights and obligations of any of the 50 states of the Union. We want to have the same rights of equality and freedoms that Martin Luther King so gallantly fought for when he said; “Man is man because he is free to operate within the framework of his destiny. He is free to deliberate, to make decisions, and to choose between alternatives. He is distinguished from animals by his freedom to do evil or to do good and to walk the high road of beauty or tread the low road of ugly degeneracy.” Equality now for Puerto Rico! End colonialism and segregation in Puerto Rico!
franklinlopez46@aol.com
I wanted to share this We the People petition with you: http://wh.gov/iDxdN
Share with everyone!
we petition the obama administration to:
Admit the Territory of Puerto Rico as State 51st of The United States of America immediately.
The American Citizens of the Territory of Puerto Rico have waited long enough to reach the same right and obligations of the rest of The United States of America. We have waited for over one hundred years and as of last general elections we voted 61% in favor of Statehood in our democratic society that is well know as a vast majority of «We the People». Statehood is what defines the selection made on the elections of Nov.,7 2012. Therefore this petitions is to admit Puerto Rico as the 51st. State of the Union with no other option to be decided since it outstanding 61% supersedes the 51% + 1 as required by electoral law.Published Date: Mar 08, 2015
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