Carta Defendiendo la Estadidad Para Puerto Rico

LAS PIEDRAS, P.R.
18 AUGUST 1999.

(Copy of a letter sent to some Congressmen and Senators via E-mail and fax)

DEAR CONGRESSMAN:



I AM A REPUBLICAN WHO ADVOCATES FOR THE ANNEXATION OF PUERTO RICO AS THE 51ST STATE OF THE UNION. UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE GROUPS AND PEOPLE, INCLUDING SOME REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMEN, DO NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF PUERTO RICO'S CONFEDERATION BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT THE ISLAND" WILL BECOME A PARADISE FOR WELFARE OR THE NEXT NORTHERN IRELAND"(AS PAT BUCHANAN SAYS).

LET 'S START THE ANALYSIS OF THE MYTHS THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE ABOUT PUERTO RICO BECOMING A STATE:
1) A "WELFARE PARADISE": DIDN'T CONGRESS AND YOU, IN A BIPARTISAN WAY, PASSED A LAW THAT LIMITS WELFARE RECIPIENTS TO GET $$$ AFTER FIVE YEARS? THE PROBLEM IN PUERTO RICO IS THAT 60% OF THE POPULATION ARE BEYOND THE POVERTY LEVEL, CAUSED IN PART BECAUSE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS 15% OR MORE. IF PUERTO RICO BECOMES A STATE, THIS PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED APPLYING AN ENTERPRISE ZONE BASED ON JACK KEMP'S MODEL(ZERO CAPITAL GAINS TAX). THIS WILL ATTRACT MORE INDUSTRIES INTO THE ISLAND'S ECONOMY. RIGHT NOW, CONGRESSMAN BILL ARCHER, CHAIRMAN OF THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, OPPOSSES A MEASURE THAT WILL GIVE INDUSTRIES IN PUERTO RICO A WAGE CREDIT AS AN INCENTIVE TO STAY IN THE ISLAND AND CREATE MORE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES (THE SO-CALLED SECTION 30A). PUERTO RICO DESPERATELY NEEDS THIS TO BE INCLUDE IN THE 1999 – 2000 BUDGET PACKAGE. ON THE OTHER HAND, I APPLAUD PRESIDENT CLINTON AND CONGRESSMAN ARCHER FOR SLASHING OUT THE SO- CALLED “CORPORATE WELFARE” (AS ROBERT REICH SAID IN THE BEGINNING) THAT WAS PROMOTED BY THE INFAMOUS 936 SECTION. 30-A IS THE ANSWER RIGHT NOW.

I AM NOT FOR A WELFARE PARADISE OR FREE MONEY FOR EVERYONE, AS SOME PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THIS, BUT WHEN A STATE CONFEDERATES IT RECEIEVES WHAT IT NEEDS, AND GIVES TO THE US TREASURY WHAT IT CAN GIVE. DO YOU KNOW THAT ONLY A HANDFUL OF THE 50 STATES GIVE MORE MONEY THAN THEY RECEIVE? IT IS OBVIOUS, HOWEVER, THAT PUERTO RICO WILL GET MORE FEDERAL FUNDS THAN NOW, BUT IT WILL GO TO PEOPLE THAT NOW REALLY NEED IT: THE ELDERLY AND HANDICCAPED(BY MEANS OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME), THE VETERANS, AND MORE MEDICAID FUNDS TO THE POOR WHO NEEDS IT. THE LEGISLATION JUST PASSED ON WELFARE REFORM WILL STOP WELFARE DEPENDENCY AS A DESTRUCTIVE LIFESTYLE AND IT IS REQUIRING ABLE PEOPLE TO LOOK FOR A DECENT WORK, WHILE GIVING APPROPIATE DAYCARE FOR SINGLE MOTHERS.(EXCUSE FOR SOME PEOPLE FOR NOT GOING TO WORK!!!)

MYTH #2: THE LANGUAGE BARRIER (PROBLEM RECENTLY SOLVED BY THE SUPREME COURT DECISION IN THE CASE OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA)
PUERTO RICO WILL BECOME A "BRIDGE TO THE AMERICAS"; IT WILL CONNECT AND ELIMINATE THE LANGUAGE BARRIER BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA, CREATING MORE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY BETEWEEN THEM ACCORDINGLY TO NAFTA AND GATT. I AGREE THAT ENGLISH SHOULD BE THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT TO IMPOSE A LANGUAGE TO A STATE BECOMES A VIOLATION OF THE TENTH AMMENDMENT! IF PUERTO RICO BECOMES A STATE, ENGLISH AND SPANISH WILL BE THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES OF THE STATE. WE HAVE NOW THE ADVANTAGE THAT ENGLISH IS TAUGHT AS A SECOND LANGUAGE FROM AGES 5 TO 20, APPROXIMATELY. THE CHALLENGE IS FOR THE ISLAND'S PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM IS TO INTENSIFY HOW ENGLISH IS TAUGHT IN ORDER FOR THE NEXT GENERATIONS TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE MORE FLUENTLY. OUR DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR, PEDRO ROSSELLO, IS LEADING THE EFFORTS THROUGH NEW POLICIES AND PILOT PROGRAMS.

MYTH #3: A TERRITORY WITH A DIFFERENT CULTURE CANNOT BECOME A STATE.
ALVIN TOFFLER SAYS THAT THE UNITED STATES IS NOT A GROUP OF CULTURES BOUND TOGETHER BY THE CONSTITUTION; BUT NATIONS BOUND TOGETHER FOR CENTURIES BY THE AMERICAN CULTURE!!!!.I RECENTLY WORKED IN AN INDIAN RESERVATION IN NORTH DAKOTA,. THE INDIANS ARE PROUD OF THEIR LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND HERITAGE, BUT THEY ARE ALSO PROUD OF THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING AMERICAN CITIZENS.

PUERTO RICANS ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS SINCE 1917, BUT SECOND CLASS CITIZENS. WE DO NOT VOTE FOR THE SELECTION OF THE SELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT, AND WE DO NOT HAVE VOTING CONGRESSMEN. WE ONLY HAVE OUR RESIDENT COMISSIONER, CARLOS ROMERO-BARCELO, WHO DOES NOT HAVE A VOTE IN CONGRESS.

MR. CONGRESSMAN, I THINK TIME HAS COME FOR PUERTO RICANS TO CHOOSE THEIR FINAL DESTINATION, NOT TO STAY IN THE POLITICAL LIMBO ANYLONGER. DON YOUNG, R-ALASKA, INTRODUCED A BILL THAT WILL SOLVE THE STATUS PROBLEM ONCE AND FOR ALL. I SUPPORT HIS INITIATIVE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. NEW HOUSE SPEAKER DENNIS HASTERT DOES SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE TOO. I HOPE THAT AFTER READING THIS LETTER, YOU WILL ALSO SUPPORT IT, AS WELL AS THE CHOICE OF STATEHOOD FOR THE ISLAND. MAY GOD BLESS YOU. I ALSO HOPE YOU REPLY TO THIS LETTER WITH YOUR COMMENTS.
SINCERELY,
HECTOR L. DEL VALLE
PO BOX 986, LAS PIEDRAS, PR 00771
(787) 733 – 2064
YIYO4U@HOTMAIL.COM