United States Plus One - The Prospect of Puerto Rico as the 51st State

When HR.2499, the Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2010 passed the House 223 - 169, it barely gathered a whimper of press. The prospect of America gaining a new state would normally be newsworthy, yet H.R.2499 missed out. Meanwhile, decade old perceptions of Democratic gerrymandering, and opinions based on the 93 and 98 failed plebiscites re-surfaced.

This 78 Minute Audio Documentary speaks with the participants themselves, and looks into the decade long debate over Puerto Rican Statehood.

Participants Interviewed

Luis Fortuno: Governor of Puerto Rico

Kenneth McClintock: Sectary of State of Puerto Rico

Luis Gutierrez: U.S Congressman for Illinois.

Héctor J. Ferrer Ríos : President of the Popular Demorcratic Party

Jeffrey L. Farrow: White House advsior to Pres. Clinton on Puerto Rico.

Pedro Pierluisi: Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico / Sole non-voting Congressman of Puerto Rico

Luis Davila Colon: Puerto Rican Author/Columist, Laywer, Radio/Television Presenter, Political Expert.

The Hon. Dr. Hernan Padilla: Co-founder of The U.S. Council for Puerto Rico Statehood, former Mayor of San Juan, and Alternate Representative of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations for Puerto Rico.

Don Soifer: Lexington Foundation

Brian Darling: Political Expert and Fellow at the Hertiage Foundation

Phylis Schlafly: Constitutional Lawyer and Founder of the Eagle Foundation

Eduardo Soto: President of The Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association

(Originally Released:7/12/2010)

LINKS: Download Podcast http://www.solidprinciples.com/index.php/podcast/episode-33/

H.R.2499 - Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009 from opencongress.org
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h2499/show

Review of Audio Documentary from La Chuleta Congelá
http://annexx51.wordpress.com/2010/07/22/united-states-plus-one/

Download as Audiobook from Learn Out Loud
http://teach.learnoutloud.com/Browse/Politics/U.S.-Government/United-States-P...

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• puerto america
• Luis Fortuno
• Puerto Rico
• Statehood
• Rep Luis Gutierrez
• Héctor J. Ferrer Ríos
• Jeffrey L. Farrow
• Popular Demorcratic Party
• Pedro Pierluisi
• Luis Davila Colon
• Hertiage Foundation
• Brian Darling
• Phylis Schlafly
• Eduardo Soto
• The Hon. Dr. Hernan Padilla
• 51st State
• Puerto Rican Statehood
• Audio Documentary
• HR.2499
• gerrymandering
• Pres. Clinton
• New Progressive Party
• Puerto Rican Independence
• Don Soifer
• Lexington Foundation

[solidprinciples]

To the so called supporters of PR Independence upset by this video.

An invitation was given to the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) when making this documentary, and I received no response from them. Which is why there are no PR Independents featured in the this documentary only in the narrative content. When only 3% want Independence for PR, that doesn't make PIP a major participant in this saga.

That allows me to view your You Tube attack comments as a sign of your desperation.

[machetezone]

statehood will murder our culture 

[PUNG1BOY]

@machetezone but fix our country, you want to be independent? statehood is the only chance for PR to be part of a true independent nation.

[10vegajj]

Puerto Rico Libre ! No cambio mi patria ni a mi país !!!!!!

[Borinquen94]

@MrMuse777 i just dont want my country to become part of a "democratic empire" i just want Puerto rico to become free from colonialism and can actually do good for themselves.

[MrMuse777]

@Borinquen94 I agree, but, I think that a real leader of P.I.P. that arises and take back the legacy of fearsome people like Albizu, Concepcion de Gracia or even the great Mari Bras should take the leadership of that party, and make it a matter of great importance, but not remaining in the comfort zone like them seem to be.

[Mijyns]

i'm all for what puerto ricans want, y'all want independence then vote for it, if you want statehood then vote for it.

however, i doubt it will "murder" your culture. hawaii hasn't lost it's culture. i think they're a pretty good example of a mixture of both. if it were to become a state, preserving a culture is an individual's responsibility. whichever way you vote, i think it'd bring more freedom and ability to do as you wish.

[Snowintosh]

PUERTO RICO LIBRE! L.I.B.R.E !

[flako1983]

@machetezone We have no culture, other than the american FACT!

[zavish]

@PURO5X5LK P.S.: If you're Puerto Rican, look at your passport. It says United States of America. Read it... It says: US Citizen.

Also, take a look at your wallet... Oh, I see you got some US Dollars. Use them well ;)

Oh, by the way... The Constitution under which your civil and human rights are protected, is the US Constitution. And, take a flight away to another country, then come back to PR... They will greet you with a "Welcome to the USA". =)

Bless you.

[zavish]

@PURO5X5LK Statehood is not about getting Ferraris or Mansion Houses, mate. Statehood is about having sovereignty over our territory as a State of the Union, sharing plenary powers with Fed. Government, having full civil rights, having the same political, social, and economical responsibilities as the rest of the nation.

I also believe that even Independence is better than the status-quo, but please have some respect for our ideological preference. (Read my next post for the P.S.)