As has often happened with Gov. Sarah Palin during the campaign, we’ve had a battery of headlines from a single report, putatively based on an unnamed source, and only later do we get the facts. Let’s look at some of……

@ ProudPalinFan on November 9, 2008 at 6:36 PM

I read a while ago, last time Puerto Rico voted on whether to become a state or remain a territory, that the majority of P.R.s voted to remain a territory, BECAUSE (what I read, not my assumption) a lot of P.R.s receive a lot of financial aid from the U.S. taxpayers (and are not taxpayers themselves) such that they’d lose all that if they became a state.

I READ that welfare, essentially, runs very high in Puerto Rico — money many there rely on to live and paid for by U.S. taxpayers — and if they became a state, they’d then be out of that dependence situation and then be deemed self supporting as other state residents are (that means taxes and far less dependent individuals).

What I read, anyway. So, if all that’s true (what I read) then it’s a cultural problem in Puerto Rico…has to change away from the Liberal mindset of the “have to have welfare” mentality to one of independent individuals who appreciate the opportunities that Capitalism provides.

S on November 9, 2008 at 7:06 PM

Morning!

Yes Puerto Rico is a very complicated issue; for example that IS the biggest brawl there is in the island: For Puerto Ricans to determine to decide either statehood, independence or status quo. That is the reason why I don’t understand why here in the US abortion is such a big issue. Imagine North America’s population struggling every single day to decide between being a colony, break free or be dependent on a bigger country! Plebiscites have not done their job because US Congress basically can do with PR whatever they want whenever they feel like it. To put it mildly, they can kick us out and Guam and “c’ ya!” Of course, with a transition of several years, cutting off fed funds and then we would have to develop our own currency, kill US Passport, struggle with citizenship…you get the picture.

It is of utmost importance for this country to take a close hard look at what is going on in Puerto Rico because perhaps they might disagree with the President’s/Senate/House decision on this matter. I have never taken advantage of the system, not even sneak around for WIC for both pregnancies. It gives me a little, liiiittle hope that now on these elections the party that “advocates” for statehood won in PR in a landslide. Economy and corruption had a lot to do with it.

Believe me, there are lots of people here in PA that thought I was walking all over the island in indigenous clothes, necklaces, and covering the essentials with little clothing. Downtown San Juan looks a lot like Downtown Cleveland!

ITA on the welfare issue. I believe in putting these people to work to get a check; not sit at home pretending to be poor while having satellite TV, gaming consoles, and spend that money on fancy cars. In PR I worked and studied in college at night, while my mom was dying from breast cancer and I pulled off everything. That cannot be taken away from me so I believe anybody can do the same. Got my BA, married and had my kids, my mom did not see all that but that’s life.

It takes a great amount of courage to (I don’t mean to say it, but) change the course of Puerto Rico’s destiny. Go figure, PR leans Democrat.

I will kill this subject because I don’t want to deviate from the thread. Thanks anyways for reading and Google on PR Statehood, Puerto Rico’s status, visit Wikipedia, and such. If anybody needs translation/interpretation of a Spanish news article related to US Politics pls. let me know and I can help you guys.

xoxo PPF

I don’t mean to sound like a broken record about this, but I still have yet to hear Sen. McCain himself come out and refute this and rebuke those who are perpetuating these statements. Doesn’t he at least owe her that? Could it be that he had something to do with it? If he can make time for Letterman, surely he can take a minute to do this.

jehowe2nd on November 9, 2008 at 7:32 PM

Yup, if this is not part of a counterattack planed by Sarah , he’s a coward and a failure.

I don’t mean to sound like a broken record about this, but I still have yet to hear Sen. McCain himself come out and refute this and rebuke those who are perpetuating these statements. Doesn’t he at least owe her that? Could it be that he had something to do with it? If he can make time for Letterman, surely he can take a minute to do this.

jehowe2nd on November 9, 2008 at 7:32 PM

totally agreee with you; the more time that he is silent, the more disappointed I am in him.

I read a while ago, last time Puerto Rico voted on whether to become a state or remain a territory, that the majority of P.R.s voted to remain a territory, BECAUSE (what I read, not my assumption) a lot of P.R.s receive a lot of financial aid from the U.S. taxpayers (and are not taxpayers themselves) such that they’d lose all that if they became a state.

I READ that welfare, essentially, runs very high in Puerto Rico — money many there rely on to live and paid for by U.S. taxpayers — and if they became a state, they’d then be out of that dependence situation and then be deemed self supporting as other state residents are (that means taxes and far less dependent individuals).

What I read, anyway. So, if all that’s true (what I read) then it’s a cultural problem in Puerto Rico…has to change away from the Liberal mindset of the “have to have welfare” mentality to one of independent individuals who appreciate the opportunities that Capitalism provides.

Think about it. One candidate is smeared despite his formidable education, experience and accomplishments because he’s too nice, too well-groomed, is the wrong religion, and isn’t a cradle to grave social conservative.

The other candidate is smeared because despite having nice teeth and being very attractive, she isn’t Ivy League and is too Alaskan, or something.

Who can possibly meet these exacting standards?

Buy Danish on November 8, 2008 at 7:27 PM

Well said. I was thinking about these, well, “naysaids,” this afternoon while reading a lot on the internet, and (overview here), what the Right has to now do is coalesce.

First, as a Party, as a group of people who are “together” “working” and also together because we have a lot in common, and then support a candidate (one among many, worked out in cooperation).

Think back: Reagan was “old” when he ran for the Presidency on his eventually successful campaign, he wasn’t the best looking, wife Nancy was “odd” yadda, yadda, yadda (and I liked both and do like and respect Nancy, just saying, no one is perfect, everyone has their liabilities), same with President Bush, etc.

The expectations for “a movie star” candidate need to be dropped and the iconographic qualities about the candidate recognized by ISSUES and CHARACTER, what they represent and believe in.

This causes people who can’t stand “value voters” and “social conservative” issues a bit daft, I realize, is a real irritant to them, BUT, the point I’m making is that THE CANDIDATE we group together to support to win in 2012 has to be enthused, enjoyed and supported because we really enjoy WHO THEY ARE, not what their hair color may be, whether they’re “blow dried” or have excellent dentistry (which helps, just saying, that can’t be the reason to dismiss someone).

In my experience this past campaign cycle, many on the Right were very petty, very mean with one another. We have to stop the “knock down, drag out” cutting down of one another just because someone’s favored candidate is not ours, and look at shared “values,” or shared, mutual concerns and issues.

I ALSO want to suggest – if I may be so bold here – to stop “feeding” the naysayers. Stop interacting with people who show up as “astroturfers” and go on about how bad the GOP is and how stupid someone is and why they’ve left the Party to go vote for Obama and whatnot else. AND that includes people who continually harp on the Party needing to “abandon the social conservative issues.”

No, no we do not need to abandon social conservative issues, nor conversations. If we do, we’re mostly Liberals. The financial conservative ideology is to be respected AS MUCH AS the social conservative ideology and concerns because these two work together in results: education (how it’s arranged and administered, why and at what costs, the implications of investments in that area versus the social liberalisation of youth, etc.), energy (same base issues, whether to be self sufficient [conservative ideology] versus being big-spending [use of more taxpayer money, higher taxes] dependencies and limitations of resources [liberal ideology]) and on and on.

The social conservative VALUES and perspectives are very important because they work together to a successful organization politically. IN my view, all the criticism about “social conservatives” and issues has been one of the most serious handicaps to the GOP in the last five years or so.

It’s also where most of the infighting originates: denigrating or seeking to suppress social conservative opinion and concerns in preference for more socially liberal “acceptability.”

Here’s the answer:

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Clipperton Island, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Navassa Island, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Bartholemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre, Miquelon, and the United States.

Ask Biden: “Plugs, how many countries are in North America?”

I’ll bet he can’t name 10.
__________

RJGatorEsq. on November 8, 2008 at 7:58 PM

FYI/since I am born and raised in Puerto Rico:

Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States; is not a state, just a US Territory (the oldest colony along with Guam) and US the TAXPAYERS sent MILLIONS every year to support the Island. I am an advocate for Statehood for PR because:

1-We are natural born US Citizens.
2-We use the US Dollar.
3-We have fought all wars ever since WWII and now, so we have been to all wars by PR’s own sacrifice and devotion to the country.
4-We don’t vote for POTUS. Therefore, we don’t have a say on President, etc…so if PR is sent to war along with the resst of the country, oh well we have to go along with it even though there are protests left and right.
5-We have a US Congressman (1 for 4M)with voice and no vote.
6-Some US laws apply to PR and some don’t b/c of PR Constitution (confusing so don’t ask!)
7-So far a Self-Determination process for PR has to be supported by the US Congress, President and would have to accomodate PR senators and such to accomodate the 4M ppl.
8-WE ARE NOT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS! I get that a lot here I am mistaken by Mexican b/c of my looks and I don’t get sometimes a fair treatment.
9-As for Presidential primaries, the Dems. have campaigned in PR because for the primary of Hillary and O, Puerto Ricans voted for the Presidential candidate. Hillary won by a landslide. The MSM that flew to PR were baffled that PR cannot vote for president in elections but can choose a candidate for the Dem. ticket.
10-Republican side, don’t campaign in PR for primaries, and I can’t recall which president (Rep.) has flown to PR. I guess Cheney did but I am not 100% positive.

FYI from me to Sarah and the blogosphere. So get educated because it is convenient and beneficial for PR to be the 51st. State of the Union.

I think that this really could die for lack for feeding if she uses the Greta interview to put this to bed and talks instead about where she wants to take Alaska, etc. I think that the clothes story especially still has legs, and that the more that she talks about it, the longer it’s going to take for it to be forgotten. The smearers look like they’re passing the blame for their mistakes, and Palin can take this chance to be sort of statesmanlike and move above and beyond it.

Where are the funeral services, the burial (US or HI), obituaries, Obama and Family’s trip back for burial?

Like Sarah said family comes first.

Millions of minds are dormant on this matter.

“If the economy comes back, Afghanistan improves, and he keeps the bomb out of Iran’s hands, no one will beat him in 2012.”

The Dems have the WH and the Congress so I expect them to go full on with their plans to raise taxes during a recession and cut defense in a time of war. Therefore, I strongly disagree with your premise.

That’s a rumor I want to hear spread.

A little more troubling than a faux geography quiz.