Ok, In plain Spanglish, what if independence.

[Nacionalista]

Let use this thread to list what would happen if Puerto Rico becomes independent.

Rules:

1. The message posted must have an reference to a credible authority.

2. Personal opinions are not acepted, and if you post one, it will degrade your intellect.

3. Please, base your input to proven fact, no CUCOS tales allow.

Let's have fun and learn with it!!!

[papirobby]

I work as a telecom cost analyst when GTE bid for the rights to provide telecom service in Puerto Rico. Our company's manning projections were a major factor in the contracting agreement that led to the general strike.
As with most services on the island the telephone/telecom service was over 700% manned. This is also the same situation in almost all goverment provided services, transportation, administration, medical, and social services. The exception is education which is under strength and under funded.
Unless the legislators in San Juan can provide the environment to attract foriegn(non-tourism) investment. The economy will not have the capacity to provide employment for the excess of workers who WILL be laid off when the citizens of newly independent Puerto Rico have to provide all of the funding for goverment services.
A recent report (Oct.19th, 2000) by the US Dept. of Labor estimates that unemployment could reach 65% within a year of independence. Price Waterhouse and Smith Barney Lehman both have policy letters that advise that a independent Puerto Rico would be a haven of low cost labor, with labor costs equal to or lower than Mexico.
So Independence might be good for pride, but it would really be good for investment for the large industries and investment houses that have kept the Carribean and Latin America in turmiol for the last century for their own profit.
The only true independence of this movement would be the lifting of obligation for the tax payers of Utah, North Carolina, Kansas and Maine who are now the bedrock of Puerto Rico's Economy

[El_Jibaro]

Facts:

1- $39Billions in Puerto Rican Gross National Product (Fiscal Year 1999).
2- Approximately $20Billions were Puerto Rican Government expenditures.
3- Roughly half of those $20Billions comes from Federal Funds: $10Billions.

Probable Human Cost Scenario:

1- 2 million Puerto Ricans will probably take their money out of their banks and leave Puerto Rico forever.
2- If half of those Puerto Rican REFUGEES (1 million of them) become a burden to the American Taxpayer.
3- They will require social services for the next 20 years, at $25,000 per year to support each of the REFUGEES: it would cost $25Billions per year to support all these people [and I haven't factored in COLA tied to the inflation rates yet].

Let’s go over this again:
1- 1 million REFUGEES x $25,000 = $25Billions per year
2- Now, $25 Billions x 20 years = $500Billions
3- Now assume a super modest 2.25% Cost Of Living Increase: $622.79Billions


About the possible savings if Puerto Rico would be a Republic we have to tell American Taxpayers that they may save yearly $10Billions in direct money to the PR State Government. But American Taxpayers will probably pay $25Billions YEARLY during transition to Republic status for forcing independence on 95% of the Puerto Ricans living in Puerto Rico.

[Eddier1]

The topic proposed by Nacionalista was to refer to data or facts with some documentation to support one's response to it.

Fuzzy math doesn't make the cut of those guidelines.

Here is some data based on the Republicans position with regard to the Young Bill. They rejected voting for it in the Congress in 1998, although they had Puerto Rican Independence, or the freedom of choice of the PRs to decide for themselves their own status as a plank in the Rep.agenda. Obviously, they want things to remain the same in PR even though they don't know how many PRs, educated or professionals or NOT, may opt to leave PR if it becomes independent. No one is privy to such facts, until they actually become a reality.

The Reps. which appear, according to the latest breaking news, to be the next administration of the U.S. gov't will if they remain consistent to what they did with regard to denying the Puerto Ricans the right to choice expressed through the Referenda setup by the Young Bill (which got enacted despite the Reps), will continue to make a farce of all PR referendums in the future of their administration.

[El_Jibaro]

What's the matter old reptile, adding and multiplying numbers makes you dizzy?

[El_Jibaro]

Originally posted by El_Jibaro
Facts:

1- $39Billions in Puerto Rican Gross National Product (Fiscal Year 1999).
2- Approximately $20Billions were Puerto Rican Government expenditures.
3- Roughly half of those $20Billions comes from Federal Funds: $10Billions.

Probable Human Cost Scenario:

1- 2 million Puerto Ricans will probably take their money out of their banks and leave Puerto Rico forever.
2- If half of those Puerto Rican REFUGEES (1 million of them) become a burden to the American Taxpayer.
3- They will require social services for the next 20 years, at $25,000 per year to support each of the REFUGEES: it would cost $25Billions per year to support all these people [and I haven't factored in COLA tied to the inflation rates yet].

Let’s go over this again:
1- 1 million REFUGEES x $25,000 = $25Billions per year
2- Now, $25 Billions x 20 years = $500Billions
3- Now assume a super modest 2.25% Cost Of Living Increase: $622.79Billions


About the possible savings if Puerto Rico would be a Republic we have to tell American Taxpayers that they may save yearly $10Billions in direct money to the PR State Government. But American Taxpayers will probably pay $25Billions YEARLY during transition to Republic status for forcing independence on 95% of the Puerto Ricans living in Puerto Rico.

No wonder that the USA is not so eager to give us the boot: we would cost AN EXTRA $15Billions in more social spending to support all the future REFUGEES.

Already Puerto Ricans cost the USA $10Billions PER YEAR in Puerto Rico alone. All those Puerto Rican Marxists Reptiles and retired macheteros living off the welfare rolls over here in New Jersey and the rest of the USA is probably costing us TAXPAYERS an extra $20Billions PER YEAR.


------------------------------
CONCLUSION:

Divorce AT THIS PRECISE MOMENT would cost more than marriage (Statehood), or even Status Quo (Commonwealth).

FORECAST:

Look for Washington to selectively cut off the money supply while gradually giving a "gentle nudge" to Puerto Rico become more self sufficient. This will make the Island politicians go ballistic, as well as inspire them to device new ways to thwart those efforts towards giving Puerto Rico the BOOT. The PPD, like always, will have 50% favoring going more towards the Republic, and the other 50% of them, who already breathe and drink PERMANENT UNION, will only become more conservative and attached to the USA.

However, if present Puerto Rican Population trends continue [high abortion rates, high AIDS incidence, and low birth rates], then "the graying" of Puerto Ricans will be the inevitable and unavoidable natural result in the next 30 years. If this occurs, it is highly probable that the present "gentle nudges" by Washington will backfire and make the Islanders lean more towards Statehood.

Wow, I will be able to retire in the State of Puerto Rico after all.

[Eddier1]

Will the JIB, the proved Nutcase from S. Toms River ever get off its freakin' puter?

Supporting the Statehooders and Carlos Pesquera, and insulting all independentists seems to have no end for the imbecile from South Toms River. THE IMBECILE SIMPLY CAN'T GET OVER THE FACT THAT ITS PESQUERA AND P.N.P. PARTY WERE BOOTED OUT OF OFFICE THANKS TO THE JUDICIOUS USE OF REASON AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY BY ALL THE TRUE BORICUAS IN PUERTO RICO. AS AN OUTSPOKEN INDEPENDENTIST,I ALWAYS SUPPORTED THAT, AND NEVER EVER WAS ASSOCIATED WITH STATEHOOD ANNEXIONISM OR ANY OF ITS SUPPORTERS, THANK GOODNESS TO SOCIAL REASON FOR THAT!

WHAT A FREAKIN' LOSER THAT EL JIB is! It continues to say and push the same old crap that it always has EVEN THOUGH IT GOT ITS BUTT KICKED BY THE RECENT GOVERNOR ELECTION. IT SEEMS IT WILL NEVER EVER TAKE ITS HEAD OUT OF ITS ANUS.