Puerto Rico: The fiscal experiment

Dozens of university students are arrested for demonstrating
against a tuition hike. But Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuno
remains steadfast in charging students more to help close a
$3.2 billion budget gap. The students' fight is representative
of a larger debate in Puerto Rico, and in the US, about how
to solve a severe budget crisis -- and at what cost. Gov.
Fortuno, a hawkish fiscal conservative, laid off 20,000
government workers in 2009, and suspended all labor
negotiations, just like governors on the US mainland are
doing today.

But two years later Puerto Rico's labor unions are still scrambling to reorganize a largely unemployed population -- nearly 17 percent. Puerto Rico is in its fifth year of recession, and expected to be the world's slowest growing economy if its situation doesn't improve. At question is the degree of economic and social responsibility the US has to its commonwealth state.

Fault Lines travels to Puerto Rico to investigate America's legacy as the Island's ruler, and the harsh economic policies that are being imposed on the people who live there.

This episode of Fault Lines, "Puerto Rico: The Fiscal Experiment" first aired June 27, 2011 on Al Jazeera English.

http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/faultlines/

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[rockaddict139]

This video made me cry, most middle and high class Puerto Ricans are unaware or refuse to see the real crisis Puerto Rico is suffering. Another serious problem in Puerto Rico that this video didn't cover was corruption, especially in the government.

[sesshomarupr]

ese es precisamente el problema...todo el mundo quiere vivir de ayudas gubernamentales si este chorro de vagos se dedicara a trabajar y no a robar quizá hubieran fondos para seguir dándole a los ancianos, pero mientras sigamos pagando la luz que la gente de la perla se roba y sigamos pagando le agua, luz, teléfono, plan medico a los dueños de los puntos de drogas que viven mil veces que la clase trabajadora...ese sera el resultado los mas necesitados seguirán pagando

[mansoyo82]

13:55 dude looks like Manny Paquiao LOL!!!

[Igneris17]

Have a loser givernment! They dont work for the people, they work for themselves!!

[Igneris17]

I'm from PR and this is def not exaggerated! That was a hard moment for us, the students, lot of violence from the police. It's so sad that PR, being a beautiful island with awesome people have a lose

[CASE20061]

en puerto rico no hay trabajo, todo esta caro, no se puede estudiar es muy caro y los q pueden terminar de estudiar terminan trabajando en supermercados. Siguen empeorando las leyes pero no mejora el trabajo y le echan la culpa al pueblo. Ahora tengo q dejar a mis niños y a mi familia para irme a trabajar a los estados unidos pq el gobierno es tan corrupto q no traen trabajo pero bregan con millones para sus proyectos y salarios.

[yingdiskette]

Estoy contigo en ese punto.

[yingdiskette]

Clearly an exaggerated documentary by a sensationalist "reporter" who "interviewed" the most militant, opportunistic, and anti-social citizens of the island of Puerto Rico. Bottom line is this, Hawaii, and Alaska are not meant to be states and this is from the "natives" themselves. It behooves Puerto Ricans to become a state, otherwise if they become independent they will still rely militarily and economically from the U.S. (given a dictator takes over).

[njdevil281]

Without a constant supply of US and international aid Puerto Rico would be an impoverished shit hole. Puerto Rico spends 30 billion a year and only receives 8 billion in taxes.

[fernandoago]

ESTA HIJA E PUTA NO ENSEÑA LO QUE LOS TITERES UNIVERSITARIOS HICIERON VANDALIZANDO Y ROMPIENDO CRISTALES,Y PROPIEDAD DE LA UNI.Y DE NOSOTROS LOS CONTRIBULLENTES...ASI CUALQUIERA,SOLO ENSEÑANDO LO QUE LE CONVIENE.....DESGRASIADA....

[ctr772001]

NO VOTES... AL VOTAR MANTOENES AL SISTEMA, AL VOTAR SIGNIFICA QUE LE ESTAS ENTREGANDO TU SER AL SISTEMA, SI EL VOTO REALMENTE CAMBIATA EL SISTEMA SERIA ILEGAL. NO SEAN "SHEPLE"

[ctr772001]

@sesshomarupr YOU ARE A SHEEPLE IF U KNOW WHAT IT'S MEAN... LOL