Puerto Rico....what is going to happen?????

[ruby slippers]

With the news shifting to the fact that Puerto Rico can have a major impact on the primaries and is now projected in Hillary's favor, I wonder how such a territory that isn't a state can have such a major influence over our election results. I am not sure how I feel about this. Read and make up your own mind and comment back please so that I understand why this should or should not bother me so much. I guess it is the 50.3 percent vote making it the "Estado Libre Asociado" that makes me shake my head about all this.....(PS No offense to Puerto Ricans out there...just trying to understand. So, can WE vote in their elections? If so, I want a ballot next time.

From Wikipedia.

Political parties
Main article: List of political parties in Puerto Rico
As unincorporated territory dependent on the U.S. since 1898, with commonwealth since 1952, the ideology of Puerto Ricans is represented by its political parties, which stand for three distinct future political scenarios that are non-conformist regarding Puerto Rico's territorial or colonial status: (1) those who favor an autonomous, sovereign bilateral relationship with the United States (so-called "improved"/"enhanced" U.S. commonwealth outside the U.S. Constitution's "Territorial Clause" or Free Associated Republic status); (2) those that favor that Puerto Rico's national independence should be recognized by the U.S., as a full-fledged sovereign republic within the concert of the international community at-large; and, (3) those who favor Puerto Rico's entry into the U.S. as a full-fledged state of the federated union, by becoming its 51st state. The Popular Democratic Party (PPD) seeks to maintain the island's "association" status as a commonwealth, improved commonwealth and/or seek a true free sovereign-association status or Free Associated Republic, and has won a plurality vote in referendums on the island's status held over six decades after the island was invaded by the U.S. (The fairness of most referendums has been impugned by one or two of the opposition parties.) The Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party (PPR) seeks to address the islands problems (including its status) from a status-neutral platform. The New Progressive Party (PNP) seeks statehood. The Puerto Rican Independence Party and the Nationalist Party seek independence, albeit through different means. The Nationalist Party, for example, does not participate in elections held every four years. Although they maintain close relations and are considered allies within an otherwise rather divided Puerto Rican Independence Movement, the Puerto Rican Independence Party, on the other hand, does participate in nation-wide gubernatorial elections held every four years since 1948.


Political Status
Main articles: Politics of Puerto Rico and Political status of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is not an independent country, but a “non incorporated territory” of the United States. According to the United States Supreme Court, an unincorporated territory is “a territory appurtenant and belonging to the United States, but not a part of the United States.” <63> This is true today, even after the Federal Relations Act of 1950 and the Constitution of 1952 which gave Puerto Rico substantially more authority to regulate local affairs.<64> Thus, the Island is subject to the Congress’ plenary powers under the “territorial clause” of Article IV, sec. 3, of the U.S. Constitution’s.<65>

Furthermore, United States federal law is applicable to Puerto Rico, even though Puerto Rico is not a state of the American Union and has no voting representative in the United States Congress. By virtue of the Federal Relations Act of 1950 all federal laws that are “not locally inapplicable” are automatically the law of the land in Puerto Rico.<66>


Estado Libre Asociado
In 1950, the U.S. Congress granted Puerto Ricans the right to organize a constitutional convention, contingent on the results of a referendum, where the electorate would determine if they wished to organize their own government pursuant to a constitution of their own choosing. Puerto Ricans expressed their support for this measure in a 1951 referendum, which gave voters a yes-or-no choice for the commonwealth status, defined as a 'permanent association with a federal union' but not choice for independence or statehood. A second referendum was held to ratify the constitution, which was adopted in 1952.

Before approving the new constitution, the Constitutional Convention specified the name by which the body politic would be known. On February 4, 1952, the convention approved Resolution 22 which chose in English the word "Commonwealth", meaning a "politically organized community" or "state," which is simultaneously connected by a compact or treaty to another political system. The convention adopted a translation into Spanish of the term, inspired by the Irish saorstát (Free State) of "Estado Libre Asociado" (ELA) to represent the agreement adopted "in the nature of a compact" between the people of Puerto Rico and the United States. Literally translated into English the phrase Estado Libre Asociado means "Associated Free State."

In 1967, the Legislative Assembly tested the political interests of the Puerto Rican people by passing a plebiscite Act that provided for a vote on the status of Puerto Rico. This constituted the first plebiscite by the Legislature for a choice on three status options. Puerto Rican leaders had lobbied for such an opportunity repeatedly, in 1898, 1912, 1914, 1919, 1923, 1929, 1932, 1939, 1943, 1944, 1948, 1956, and 1960. The Commonwealth option, represented by the PDP, won with an overwhelming majority of 60.4% of the votes. The Statehood Republican Party and the Puerto Rico Independence Party boycotted the vote.

After the plebiscite, efforts in the 1970s to enact legislation to address the status issue died in Congressional committees. In the 1993 plebiscite, in which Congress played a more substantial role, Commonwealth status was again upheld.<67> In the 1998 plebiscite, all the options were rejected when 50.3% of voters chose the "none of the above" option, favoring the commonwealth status quo by default.<68>

[Aloha Spirit]

1. There's gonna be knife fight. I was there last month, hanging out with some locals, and

I asked this one guy about the political scene. No kidding, he said in PR, you're more likely to get in a knife fight over politics :o

[Aloha Spirit]

5. Seriously though, the Clinton's have a lot of support there. Here's an interesting piece tho:

http://www.syracuse.com/articles/news/index.ssf?/base/news-13/120729968652651.xml&coll=1

[MadBadger]

2. Puerto Rico does scare me because I have no idea how things will go down there

But I dont think superdelegates will care all that much about the popular vote (Obama has already won the delegate race) in a place where people cant vote in the GE.

[ruby slippers]

3. so they can vote in the primary but not the general? That's dumb. It

should be none or both don't you think?

Notice that they were allowed to have a voice in 1993, so wasn't that during Bill's tenure?

[davidpdx]

8. I just skimmed the article, but didn't catch that part

Good eyes. That is quite bizarre. I guess the difference is the primary is a run by the parties, the general is a Federal election. They should have changed the law to allow them however many electoral votes they would have been gotten based on the population (granted they wouldn't get any in terms of US Congressional seats since they only have a Resident Commissioner). It looks like it would have to happen by a constitutional amendment, which would be a long process.

[DesertFlower]

4. isn't that strange?

they can vote in the primary, but not the GE. it doesn't make sense.

[Aloha Spirit]

6. I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess Clinton 57-43.

[rocktivity]

10. Unfortunately for Hillary, she needs 68% of the vote in ALL the remaining contests

Or she'll fall father behind.

:headbang:
rocknation

[aaaaaa5a]

7. I'm not that worried.....

Could you imagine the Democratic party denying the first viable African American Candidate the nomination for president because he lost the popular vote in a Puerto Rican primary?

This, despite leading in pledged delegates, states won and total cumulative popular vote among the 50 states?

The party would be torn apart.

I have full confidence that party leaders are not that stupid.

I honestly think in a "strange way" that having the popular vote lead with Florida and Michigan included is actually more credible than including Puerto Rico.

The Puerto Rico factor as well as the Caucus, vs Primary, vs Open Primary, vs Closed Primary, vs Semi-Open Primary is yet another reason why the popular vote argument is flawed.

Not to mention that not one candidate would have ever visited Iowa or New Hampshire if the popular vote totals were including in nominating rules.

After this year, I think there are going to be a lot of rule changes.

[hogwyld]

9. I think you give too much intelligence to the party leaders

If Hillary and Bill strongarm enough of them, and keep kneecapping Barack, they just might flip the nomination. It ain't smart IMO to piss of the new voters and the black voters, but the Clinton's seem to have some sort of royal spell cast on the big wigs...

[ruby slippers]

11. CLIFF Notes Version...for you skimmers...

I agree, I hate to read long articles. I only read this one because I am truly mystified by reports that if Hillary wins Puerto Rico (and remember it is the LAST primary held) that she could overtake him in the popular vote....

Now, here are parts that bother me.

Furthermore, United States federal law is applicable to Puerto Rico, even though Puerto Rico is not a state of the American Union and has no voting representative in the United States Congress.

After the plebiscite, efforts in the 1970s to enact legislation to address the status issue died in Congressional committees. In the 1993 plebiscite, { ED note: BILL CLINTON administration} in which Congress played a more substantial role, Commonwealth status was again upheld.<67> In the 1998 plebiscite, all the options were rejected when 50.3% of voters chose the "none of the above" option, favoring the commonwealth status quo by default. <68>


Political status within the United States
Under the Constitution of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico is described as a 'Commonwealth' and Puerto Ricans enjoy a degree of administrative autonomy similar to that of a U.S. state. Puerto Ricans are statutory U.S. citizens, but since Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory and not a U.S. state, the U.S. Constitution does not enfranchise U.S. citizens residing in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico does participate in the internal political process of both the Democratic and Republican parties in the U.S., accorded equal-proportional representation in both parties, and delegates from the islands vote in each party's national convention.

[bhikkhu]

12. Bizarre relic of colonialism...

"appurtenant and belonging to the United States, but not a part of the United States". That's like our cats belong to our family, but are not really a part of the family. Not to insult Puerto Rico - I have a great deal of respect for their peaceful independence parties.

I don't think much of an argument can be made for their influence on our primaries though.

[crankychatter]

13. Puerto Rico Decides Democratic Nomination 2008

Won't THAT be an historic headline, eh?

I'm no expert on PR. The ones I knew in the Military were mostly African/Native/Hispanic mix. Wonderful, warm people. We had a lot of fun. They told me there is some socio-economic stratification along racial lines in PR... not so severe as the Dominican Republic, but there nonetheless. My girlfriend says that Puerto Ricans in the US were not so race conscious and intolerant as we are here... until they GOT here; and the NYPD starting beating the hell out of them. She's Black and calls that "the Puerto Rican's "N****r" wake up call."

I think this is nothing to worry about.

But thinkin' ain't my long suit.

[ruby slippers]

14. Here is Hillary's strategy for winning PR....

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/03/sweet_clintons_puerto_rican_st.html

I don't have an issue with PR people, either. I just have an issue with a non-state determining or making more problems for the Democrat Party than it already has.

Don't think for one moment in a contest that the media wants to HYPE for as long as it can that they won't make this a major issue. The party leaders are blind or in cahoots....one just as bad as the other.

I don't think they see the perfect storm coming.....