Republicans Push To Make Puerto Rico The 51st State

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Republicans Push To Make Puerto Rico The 51st State
The Conservative Caucus
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Concerning statehood for Puerto Rico, former Vice President Dan Quayle, appearing on Meet the Press (NBC, 3/15/98), said: "If two-thirds of the people of Puerto Rico vote for statehood, then I think we'd be in a position to try to have them become a state."

According to The New York Times (3/6/98, p. A14), "Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato, Republican of New York, who is running for re-election this year, is... a strong supporter of the House bill. Mr. D'Amato has received more money in campaign contributions from Puerto Ricans living in Puerto Rico than any other senator. ‘We're going to work to bring it to a vote and give the people of Puerto Rico the right of self-determination,’ Mr. D'Amato said."

"On the other side of the Capitol, Representative Patrick J. Kennedy, Democrat of Rhode Island and a strong advocate of the House bill, said he met today with his father, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, to try to persuade him to back a bill. The Kennedys have been longtime allies of supporters of commonwealth status, who oppose the House bill. ‘He's almost there,’ Mr. Kennedy said of his father. ‘I'm working on him.’...."

The statehood legislation which passed the GOP-controlled House Resources Committee by a vote of 44 to 1 engendered widespread lobbying activity before votes on the House floor: "Lobbyists on both sides of the Puerto Rico issue clearly have had a field day on Capitol Hill in recent weeks. About two dozen lobbying concerns have spent millions of dollars to push the bill or defeat it, with statehood supporters leading the pack."

"Harold M. Ickes, the former deputy White House chief of staff, and Haley Barbour, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, both labored for pro-statehood clients.

"And Puerto Ricans have dug deep into their pockets for this year's elections. National party committees and members of Congress have received more than $500,000 in campaign contributions from residents of the island."

Prior to the 209-208 House floor vote paving the way for subsequent Senate action, the GOP House voted 238 to 182 (Roll Call no. 29, 3/4/98) to support legislation blocking a proposal to require that English be the official language.

Republicans who voted those Republicans voting in favor of Burton amendmentagainst making the primacy of English a prerequisite for Puerto Rican statehood included: Ballenger (N.C.), Barton (Tex.), Boehlert (N.Y.), Bonilla (Tex.), Burton (Ind.), Buyer (Ind.), Camp (Mich.), Campbell (Calif.), Cannon (Utah), Castle (Del.), Cook (Utah), Diaz-Balart (Fla.), Ehlers (Mich.), Ehrlich (Md.), English (Pa.), Ensign (Nev.), Foley (Fla.), Forbes (N.Y.), Fox (Pa.), Gallegly (Calif.), Gekas (Pa.), Gibbons (Nev.), Gilchrest (Md.), Gilman (N.Y.), Granger (Tex.), Greenwood (Pa.), Hansen (Utah), Hostettler (Ind.), Houghton (N.Y.), Hulshof (Mo.), Kelly (N.Y.), Kim (Calif.), Klug (Wisc.), Kolbe (Ariz.), Lazio (N.Y.), Leach (Iowa), McCollum (Fla.), McInnis (Colo.), McKeon (Calif.), Mica (Fla.), Morella (Md.), Oxley (Ohio), Pombo (Calif.), Portman (Ohio), Redmond (N.M.), Riggs (Calif.), Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.), Saxton (N.J.), Shaw (Fla.), Skeen (N.M.), Smith (N.J.), Tauzin (La.), Thornberry (Tex.), Walsh (N.Y.), and Young (Alaska).

This included 21 Republicans who, on final passage (Roll Call no. 37, 3/4/98), voted against statehood (208-209). These 21 were: Ballenger (N.C.), Barton (Tex.), Camp (Mich.), Campbell (Calif.), Castle (Del.), Cook (Utah), Ehrlich (Md.), Ensign (Nev.), Fox (Pa.), Gibbons (Nev.), Greenwood (Pa.), Hansen (Utah), Hostettler (Ind.), Houghton (N.Y.), Hulshof (Mo.), Klug (Wisc.), McInnis (Colo.), Oxley (Ohio), Portman (Ohio), Shaw (Fla.), and Thornberry (Tex.).

Wes Pruden points out (The Washington Times, 3/10/98, p. A4) that those six additional House seats to be assigned Puerto Rico under statehood (along with two seats in the U.S. Senate) are likely to come from Republican districts in Mississippi, Connecticut, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.

Depending on the way redistricting works out, it could involve a net loss of 12 seats in the House of Representatives for the GOP. That could be fitting recompense for the Machiavellian maneuvers regarding Puerto Rican statehood.

Excerpted from Howard Phillips Issues & Strategy Bulletin of February 28, 1998

As reported in The Washington Times (3/5/98, p. 1), "The House last night adopted the Puerto Rico statehood bill by a single vote in a raucous session after first killing an amendment that would have made English the official language of the United States...."

"[S]tatehood proponents celebrated their victory last night. ‘This is one small step to bring justice to America and to the Puerto Rican people,’ said Rep. Don Young, Alaska Republican and sponsor of the legislation that would allow Puerto Ricans to decide whether the commonwealth becomes a state."

"Carlos A. Romero-Barcelo, the nonvoting delegate from Puerto Rico, hailed the victory as the right answer to a fundamental question: ‘Do we cherish our democracy enough to put an end to 100 years of colonialism?’"

"The bill, backed by President Clinton and House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Georgia Republican, would require Puerto Ricans to vote by Dec. 31 on whether to join the United States."

"Voters would have three choices: statehood, independence or commonwealth status. It mandates a vote every 10 years until statehood or independence gets a simple majority. If a majority of Puerto Ricans choose statehood, the president must submit to Congress a plan that lays out a transition from commonwealth to statehood....

"Asked whether the House Republican leadership erred in bringing the plebiscite bill to the floor, House Republican leader Dick Armey laughed heartily, then walked onto the floor...."

"The most hotly debated issue was an amendment by Rep. Gerald B.H. Solomon, New York Republican, that would make English the nation's official language – and applying to Puerto Rico if it achieved statehood....

"Mr. Solomon's effort failed as members voted instead 238 to 182 for a bipartisan amendment that would simply ‘promote the teaching of English.’..."

"Rep. John Linder, Georgia Republican and chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee, said the leadership had no choice but to allow the bill to the floor. ‘Hey, it's come through the system. It's what you have to do. It's also been in the Republican platform since 1964.’

"Mr. Gingrich told the conference in Williamsburg last month that the House would vote on the plebiscite bill. He has said it provides an opportunity for the party to make inroads with Hispanics."

In the debate, GOP statehood proponents quoted President Ronald Reagan as having said "We've always been a land of varied cultural backgrounds and origins and we believe firmly that our strength is our diversity. There is much Puerto Rico can contribute to our nation which is why I personally favor Statehood. We hope you will join us."

George Bush was quoted as having said "In my first State of the Union Speech as President, I supported Statehood for Puerto Rico. I am certain that Puerto Rico will be welcomed as a State."

There are many arguments against the wisdom of making Puerto Rico a state, including the fact that most Puerto Rican residents do not speak English, and the likelihood that the two U.S. Senators and six U.S. Representatives to be elected by Puerto Ricans would vote on the left wing of the political spectrum.

One of the factors in the victory for statehood proponents was the active participation of former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed. As reported by Don Lambro (Washington Times, 3/5/98, p. A15), "Political consultant Ralph Reed, a leading proponent of the Puerto Rico statehood bill, has been working as a strategic adviser to the bill's GOP backers in the Caribbean commonwealth.

"Mr. Reed, who resigned last year as executive director of the Christian Coalition to form a political consulting firm, met with top-level GOP leaders and businessmen in Puerto Rico last month to plot legislative strategy for the bill, close associates said yesterday.

"Mr. Reed, who has more than a dozen clients in House, Senate and governor races, argues that it would help the GOP to broaden its base among Hispanic voters at a time when the GOP's share of their vote has been shrinking....

"‘The Hispanic vote in American politics is increasingly the swing vote in American politics,’ Mr. Reed said in an address on Feb. 5 before the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce.

"Mr. Reed, who one day hopes to manage a presidential campaign, noted that Hispanics were ‘the swing vote in one-third of the Electoral College,’ in states that included California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina."

Particularly troubling to many conservatives was the "sneak attack" fast action on the proposal, which had not been subjected to serious national scrutiny or debate. Many believe that the reason House Speaker Gingrich was pushing this measure was so that the United States would be in compliance with the United Nations resolution requiring that all so-called "colonies" be given their independence by the year 2000.

Among the Republicans who voted (H.R. 856, Roll Call 37, 3/4/98) to put Puerto Rican statehood on a "fast track" were: Boehlert (N.Y.), Bonilla (Tex.), Burton (Ind.), Buyer (Ind.), Calvert (Calif.), Cannon (Utah), Cooksey (La.), Davis (Va.), DeLay (Tex.), Diaz-Balart (Fla.), Ehlers (Mich.), English (Pa.), Foley (Fla.), Forbes (N.Y.), Franks (N.J.), Frelinghuysen (N.J.), Gallegly (Calif.), Gekas (Penn.), Gilchrest (Md.), Gilman (N.Y.), Granger (Tex.), Kelly (N.Y.), Kim (Calif.), King (N.Y.), Kolbe (Ariz.), Lazio (N.Y.), Leach (Iowa), McCollum (Fla.), McKeon (Calif.), Mica (Fla.), Morella (Md.), Parker (Miss.), Peterson (Pa.), Pombo (Calif.), Quinn (N.Y.), Redmond (N.M.), Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.), Saxton (N.J.), Skeen (N.M.), Smith (N.J.), Tauzin (La.), Walsh (N.Y.), and Young (Alaska).

Excerpted from Howard Phillips Issues & Strategy Bulletin of February 15, 1998

According to The Washington Times (2/16/98, p. A3), "House Speaker Newt Gingrich and House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt are co-sponsors of a Puerto Rican statehood bill that has divided both parties while outraging many conservatives."

"The bill calls for a first-ever federally authorized plebiscite in Puerto Rico before the end of this year, but some Republicans see the bill as a transparent and inept attempt to woo Hispanic voters."

"‘It is absolutely pandering to the Hispanic vote, and we don't need to do that,’ said Rep. Gerald B. Solomon, New York Republican. ‘We need to be honest and forthright.’

"Under the measure, Puerto Ricans could vote to become a state, declare their independence or opt to retain the island's commonwealth status. If a majority favors change, the president has six months to submit a 10-year transition plan to Congress.

"If Congress approves, the plan goes to Puerto Ricans. Two years before the end of the transition, the president must present Congress with an implementation plan, which Congress and Puerto Rican voters must again approve.

"Manase Mansur, an aide to Rep. Don Young, the Alaska Republican who is the chief sponsor of the bill, said that ‘2010 would be the earliest Puerto Rico could have a new status.’ Sen. Larry E. Craig, Idaho Republican, is the chief sponsor of a companion measure in the Senate."

"Republican supporters see the Puerto Rican statehood issue as a shovel with which to mine electoral gold among the growing ranks of Hispanic voters in the U.S. electorate.

"‘It is clear that the key to winning the Latino vote is to find issues that specifically appeal to them. Puerto Rico is just such an issue,’ said GOP pollster Frank Luntz, who does polling for the pro-statehood governor of Puerto Rico...."

"House Majority Leader Dick Armey declined to lend his name to the bill, but House Minority Whip Tom DeLay of Texas is a co-sponsor....

"Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, Illinois Democrat, opposes the bill because it ‘doesn't truly offer self-determination.’ The ‘outcome is predetermined [by] the authors of this bill, politicians who have made it clear that they are sympathetic to the statehood option...."

"Mr. Gutierrez argues that the bill warns voters if they choose commonwealth status over statehood, plebiscites will be held again until the outcome desired by the bill's authors is reached: statehood."

"For pro-statehood Puerto Ricans, however, there is a strong economic incentive.

"Carlo Romero-Barcelo, the Puerto Rican delegate to Congress, argued that, as a state, Puerto Rico ‘would be absolutely assured of enormous amounts of federal money the island needs in order to come to grips with its many problems.’..."

"Mr. Romero-Barcelo has said that Puerto Rico ‘wants statehood, but that neither our language nor our culture is negotiable.’...

"Ralph Reed, the former executive director of the Christian Coalition, supports the Young bill.

"‘For the first time in 100 years, the people of Puerto Rico will have the opportunity to decide their political future in free and fair elections,’ he said in a speech to the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce. ‘Let Puerto Ricans freely express their status preference and if they choose, let's welcome them as the 51st state.’"

The pandering pachyderms are at it again. Not satisfied with the fiascos they have caused by supporting Bill Clinton on the line-item veto, the $2 trillion budget, NAFTA, WTO, MFN for Red China, subsidies to Planned Parenthood and the homosexuals, extension of the Legal Services Corporation and the National Endowment for the Arts, expansion of the Federal role in education, creation of a new socialized medicine entitlement, yielding to the tax claims of the U.N. General Assembly, and so much more, now they propose to make Puerto Rico a state.

What a nitwit idea---not least of all, because of the language difficulties which would be involved.

Sam Francis says this lunacy is not accidental. It springs from the brain of the "evil genius" Speaker Newt Gingrich.

According to Sam Francis (8/12/97), "Writing in The New Yorker of August 4, Joe Klein quotes the Speaker as expatiating on the Tower of Babel in the nation's schools. ‘Do you realize that there are two hundred languages spoken in the Chicago school system?’ Mr. Gingrich asked. ‘That's an asset, not a liability. Let's pair up the kids. You get Sally to speak Cambodian and Sally gets you to speak English. If they succeed we give each of them a thousand dollars. We'd have kids practicing language seven days a week.’

"It's hard to believe any grown man would utter this kind of foolishness. In the first place, the numberless languages now being chattered in American school systems are a liability by anyone's definition. Administratively, they make communication of simple classroom instructions almost impossible. Financially, teaching immigrant children to speak English costs millions of dollars that could be spent on more useful matters. Educationally, teaching English as a second language takes teachers away from dealing with the more serious learning problems of other students. Culturally, the explosion of multilingualism threatens one of the most fundamental instruments of a common nationality – the ability to talk to each other and to share the literary and linguistic heritage of a common civilization....

"It tells us that Mr. Gingrich has essentially signed up with the ‘diversity myth’ that Bill Clinton and his administration and its apologists in the media and cultural elites have been weaving. Behind Mr. Gingrich's delusion that polyglot school systems are an asset lies the more basic delusion that a common nationality is obsolete and that whatever serves to disintegrate nationality is progressive."