Taking Note
MF
FOR NEARLY A CENTURY, PUERTO RICO'S POLI-tics have revolved around the search for dignity in itsrelationship with the United States. The Bush Administra-tion's intention to hold a plebiscite on the...
...Rafael The case for the commonwealth was made by Gov...
...The Senate Committee on Energyergy and Natural Resources (a revealing depository for the and Natural Resources (a revealing depository for the authorityauthority of colonial administration) then rendered its pro- of colonial administration) then rendered its proposal, to be amended and approved by the entire Congress posal, to be amended and approved by the entire Congress before abefore a plebiscite can be realized...
...In 1952 the Republican Statehood Party (a PNP predecessor) received only 13% of the vote...
...One offederal courts...
...experience in the Philippines-it recommended a simplistic formula: Puerto Rico will either ommended a simplistic formula: Puerto Rico will either become an independent nation like any other, a state like any become an independent nation like any other, a state like any other, or the status quo will be preserved...
...Rico will remain a colony as long as the United States wishes...
...Some analysts believe commonwealth status paved the road for analysts believe commonwealth status paved the road for statehood by vastly increasing the island's involvement in statehood by vastly increasing the island's involvement in Washington politics and deepening Puerto Rico's depend- Washington politics and deepening Puerto Rico's dependence on the Unitedence on the United States...
...The Committee is other, or the status quo will be preserved...
...on the promise of adopting him into the family...
...taxpayers...
...He may also be concerned about the colony's Kong...
...OF COURSE, THE OPINION OF THE COLONIZED Oexerts only marginal influence on those who steer the (F COURSE, THE OPINION OF THE COLONIZED)exerts only marginal influence on those who steer the course of the Empire...
...politicians its members don't even know what a colony is...
...Barring the emergence of some unforeseen movement on the island, however, Puerto some unforeseen movement on the island, however, Puerto Rico will remain a colony as long as the United States wishes...
...BerrIos also called for a defense treaty by dual currency...
...Barring the emergence of forum and a new respectability...
...PSP has yet to secure a spot on the ballot...
...FormerFormer governor Cabs Romero Barcelo of the New governor Carlos Romero Barcel6 of the New Progressive Party (PNP), presented two key proposals on Progressive Party (PNP), presented two key proposals on behalf of statehood:behalf of statehood: that Puerto Rico be allowed to have two that Puerto Rico be allowed to have two official languages, Spanish and English, and that a lengthy official languages, Spanish and English, and that a lengthy transitiontransition period be established before residents of Puerto period be established before residents of Puerto Rico becomeRico become subject to federal taxation...
...politicians its members don't even know what a colony is...
...experience in the Philippines-it rec- empires-and the U.S...
...Independence trails a distant third, not surprising in light of the consistent repres- distant third, not surprising in light of the consistent repression of independentistas: the killings and persecution of the sion of independentistas:the killings and persecution of the 1950s, FBI interference in the 1967 plebiscite, the police 1950s, FBI interference in the 1967 plebiscite, the police murder of two young activists in 1978, the maintenance of murder of two young activists in 1978, the maintenance of dossiersdossiers on 70,000 citizens revealed last year, the ongoing on 70,000 citizens revealed last year, the ongoing kangarookangaroo trials...
...DURING JUNE, THREE OF THE ISLAND'S MAJOR Dpolitical figures were summoned to Washington to (URING JUNE, THREE OF THE ISLAND'S MAJOR)political figures were summoned to Washington to give their definitions of the options to be considered: inde- give their definitions of the options to be considered: independence, statehood, and a continuation of "commonwealth" pendence, statehood, and a continuation of "commonwealth" status in an "enhanced" form...
...Some a level of support which it has since maintained...
...Neither Bush nor the Puerto Rican people have the Neither Bush nor the Puerto Rican people have the "authority" to determine the island's future, even through "authority" to determine the island's future, even through plebiscite.plebiscite...
...party seven more representatives and two more senators...
...The Bush Administration favors state- course of the Empire...
...plebiscite can be realized...
...Congress that will define the options and decide whether a vote will be held...
...The Committee is notnot interested in decolonization...
...market, tax benefits for U.S.U.S...
...In 1952 the Republican Statehood Party the past thirty years...
...in 1967, despitedespite a partial boycott, it won 40...
...in 1976, PNP got 48%, a partial boycott, it won 40...
...Rafael Hemandez Colon of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Hernindez Col6n of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), whose "enhancements" included local control over air whose "enhancements" included local control over air traveltravel and shipping, the right to be exempt from federal and shipping, the right to be exempt from federal environmental laws, and optional use of Spanish in local environmental laws, and optional use of Spanish in local federal courts...
...And in Congress there is no consensus for change...
...subject to federal taxation...
...Whatever Washington's motivations may be, the process Whatever Washington's motivations may be, the process has already provided the independence movement with a has already provided the independence movement with a forum and a new respectability...
...It is Congress that retains sovereignty over colo- It is Congress that retains sovereignty over colonialnial possessions...
...Many Demo- for fiscal and public relations reasons...
...OppositionOpposition to statehood comes from conservatives who to statehood comes from conservatives who would like to keep the island's 3.5 million brown-skinned would like to keep the island's 3.5 million brown-skinned people disenfranchised, fearing they might be prone to "left- people disenfranchised, fearing they might be prone to "left-wing'' politics...
...Committee rejected virtually all of these proposals...
...One of the more ludicrous colonial scenes is the more ludicrous colonial scenes is the courtroom,the courtroom, where all proceedings are in English...
...In the 1988 gubernatorial elections, PIP received only 5% of the vote...
...The Bush Administration favors statehoodhood for fiscal and public relations reasons...
...taxpayers: $5 to $6.5 billion annually (comparable in size to the supposed Soviet subsidies to Cuba...
...In the 1988 gubernatorial elections, PIP received fascism...
...But even should there be a goodfaith effort to respect the will of the Puerto Rican people-andalready there are indications to the contrary-the plebisciteis unlikely to settle anything...
...Puerto Rico is of this money goes to support social welfare...
...TheThe Committee rejected virtually all of these proposals...
...Ignoring the decolonization experience of Europe's Ignoring the decolonization experience of Europe's empires-and the U.S...
...PSP has yet to secure a spot on the ballot...
...An unrelenting ideological campaign de- trials...
...Ruben BerrIos believes the proposed plebiscite is actually Ruben Berrios believes the proposed plebiscite is actually a ploy to stem the inevitable growth of the statehood move- a ploy to stem the inevitable growth of the statehood movement on the island...
...interested in decolonization...
...Congress that reserves the decide whether a vote will be held...
...where all proceedings are in English...
...He may also be concerned about the colony's cost to U.S...
...market, tax benefits for one-way, duty-free access to the U.S...
...T HE POLLS SHOW STATEHOOD AND COMMONT wealth running neck and neck...
...The Bush Administra-tion's intention to hold a plebiscite on the island's politicalstatus in 1991, has raised hopes that this issue could beresolved once and for all...
...5 to $6.5 billion annually (compa- cost to U.S...
...Independence trails a (HE POLLS SHOW STATEHOOD AND COMMON-)wealth running neck and neck...
...Holding such a plebiscite now, Berrios maintains, Holding such a plebiscite now, Berrfos maintains, would allow Congress "to say no to the little brown boy would allow Congress "to say no to the little brown boy before he knocks on the door and they're asked to make good before he knocks on the door and they're asked to make good on the promise of adopting him into the family...
...corporations, federal subsidies for social programs, and corporations, federal subsidies for social programs, and dual currency...
...As currently defined by Congress the ment on the island...
...The Senate Committee on En- status in an "enhanced" form...
...twice as poor as Mississippi, the poorest of the 50 states...
...As independence appears ever less viable to many, statehood seems to offer Puerto Ricans a viable to many, statehood seems to offer Puerto Ricans a realistic means for achieving some control over their destiny...
...As independence appears ever less States...
...Much of this money goes to support social welfare...
...States, whose bases currently cover 12% of the island...
...wing" politics...
...Congress that reserves the right not to abide by a plebiscite's results...
...And in Congress there is no consensus for change...
...Congress that will define the options and possessions...
...The case for the commonwealth was made by Gov...
...right not to abide by a plebiscite's results...
...InIn defining independence, Ruben BerrIos of the social defining independence, Rub6n Berrios of the social democraticdemocratic Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP)-whose Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP)-whose posture enjoysposture enjoys the support of the leftist Puerto Rican Social- the support of the leftist Puerto Rican Socialist Party (PSP) and other independentista forces-proposed ist Party (PSP) and other independentistaforces-proposed a lengthy transition period characterized by dual citizenship, a lengthy transition period characterized by dual citizenship, one-way, duty-free access to the U.S...
...in fact, like most U.S...
...Puerto Rico is twice as poor as Mississippi, the poorest of the 50 states...
...in 1976, PNP got 48%, a level of support which it has since maintained...
...Bush, who has long advocated statehood for Puerto Rico, Bush, who has long advocated statehood for Puerto Rico, apparently does not want the United States to enter the U.N.' s apparently does not want the United States to enter the U.N.'s "decade of the end of colonialism' '-the l990s-bearing "decade of the end of colonialism'--the 1990s-bearing thethe stigma of possessing the world's largest colony after stigma of possessing the world's largest colony after HongHong Kong...
...Berrios also called for a defense treaty by which Puerto Rico would become a nuclear-free zone and which Puerto Rico would become a nuclear-free zone and banban all foreign military forces except those of the United all foreign military forces except those of the United States, whose bases currently cover 12% of the island...
...As currently defined by Congress the option would mean little more than exchanging significant option would mean little more than exchanging significant subsidies for a few seats in Congress and the right to pay subsidies for a few seats in Congress and the right to pay taxes.taxes...
...An unrelenting ideological campaign depicts the island as bereft of natural and human resources, and picts the island as bereft of natural and human resources, and equates independence with the worst of Latin American equates independence with the worst of Latin American fascism...
...Many Democrats embrace it because it would virtually guarantee their crats embrace it because it would virtually guarantee their party seven more representatives and two more senators...
...Much rable in size to the supposed Soviet subsidies to Cuba...
...realistic means for achieving some control over their destiny...
...The statehood movement has grown phenomenally over The statehood movement has grown phenomenally over the past thirty years...
...in fact, like most U.S...
...in 1967, (a PNP predecessor) received only 13% of the vote...
...only 5% of the vote...
Vol. 23 • September 1989 • No. 3
