You have all sorts of politicians coming to the island for campaigning purposes… but not one is looking into depth on Puerto Rico’s debt/issues (not talking about New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo, who actually had an agenda directed towards the restructuring plan). Though, I can’t say the same for Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio who’s agenda was mostly based on campaigning (Hillary raised $500,000 in Puerto Rico).
Every year before election, numerous US politicians come visit the island for campaigning purposes and to appear that they care…the sad part is that when you really need them to care they don’t. I am aware that their constituents are not Puerto Ricans, but I’m sure there are a decent number of Puerto Ricans to make it an issue that affects their constituency (Gov. Cuomo probably knows what I am referring to). As well, if the diaspora of Puerto Ricans to the states continues it will eventually be a huge concern for them. No, we are not Mexicans…no Donald Trump, we are not the worst Mexicans… we are US citizens, and we were declared US Citizens by the USA itself.
Discrimination is a violation of the International Human Rights. Hispanics are constantly being discriminated… apparently, some minor groups hold the reputation of everyone else. It’s despicable that even US citizens, such as Puerto Ricans, are being discriminated just because we speak more languages, have an accent or look differently. There are numerous stories I have heard of Puerto Ricans in the US mainland that have been treated as illegal immigrants even when trying to set up a bank account, trying to enter a bar/club, between many others.
The current economic situation we are in, is due to our unstable relationship with the US. Why unstable? Ever since this relationship started the US has treated us differently…creating the current alienation both Puerto Ricans and Americans feel towards one another. It seems like they never really wanted to commit, but just use us for our natural resources (back in the day: coffee/sugar canes, etc.). There were some regulations created, decades ago, to make us believe we had some sort of autonomy…such as our own constitution, 936 law, between others. Our own constitution gave us only one member in US Congress to represent 3.6million citizens, no right to have a member in the Senate, and no right to vote for the President of the US…. what a great autonomy! We are part of a great nation, but at the same time we are excluded from some of the essential branches of its government.
Around the 1920s, the 936 law was created to allow US corporations to not pay taxes in their operations until the revenue was repatriated to the US. This had a big «boom» in the Puerto Rican economy, but it did not play out as the Americans had planned for their federal contributions; Consequently in 1982, the US Congress tried to control the revenue of 936 and legislated to increase the income percentage in Puerto Rico (this in order to prevent companies from investing their profits in Puerto Rico and then later repatriating them without paying federal taxes).
In 1993, Bill Clinton’s administration recommended the elimination of the 936- which in August 1996 was eliminated. There was a 10 year grace period established for companies so they would stay in Puerto Rico, but after section 30A ended in 2005…so did most of the relationship between these US corporations and Puerto Rico. The impact of this has been seen throughout the years, and has directly affected some of Puerto Rico’s important economic sectors- such as manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. Throughout the years, many US corporations have left Puerto Rico- which has led to less revenue, a decrease in employment opportunities and our current economic crisis. Of course, there are other issues that have taken a role in the blame game: unemployment measures, government mismanagement and excessive borrowing with a lack of planning; but one of the biggest culprit is this constant alienation to fellow US Citizens.
All I am saying is:
«US if you want to be in a relationship with Puerto Rico, then show at least some true commitment….don’t just pay attention to us when it’s convenient for you»
Respectfully.
The US Citizen «Immigrants»


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