HR 2499 calls for a Puerto Rico vote: Puerto Rico Statehood

The U.S. Natural Resources Committee has moved to bring HR 2499, a bill regarding Puerto Rico statehood, to the house floor. HR 2499 is not directly a vote for Puerto Rico statehood, but it does require a vote to be taken in Puerto Rico. Statehood is one of the possible outcomes of this vote. So why is Puerto Rico statehood such a contentious issue? It has something to do with tax debt, something to do with autonomy and a lot to do with questions of representation.

The history of Puerto Rico statehood
The history of the question of Puerto Rico statehood goes back many years. While Puerto Rico was first colonized by the Spanish, it became a United States colony in 1898 during the Spanish-American war. In 1900, the Foraker Act created a civilian government, separate judicial system and nonvoting member of the United States congress. In 1917, all Puerto Ricans became U.S. citizens. In 1947, Puerto Rico was officially made a commonwealth – not quite Puerto Rico statehood, but not an independent nation. Instead, residents of Puerto Rico are U.S. Citizens without voting representation in Congress or the necessity of giving instant money to the IRS.

HR 2499: A vote on Puerto Rico statehood
HR 2499 is a bill in the House of Representatives that calls for the fourth plebiscite – national vote – regarding potential Puerto Rico statehood. The other three plebiscites held have not come out strongly for or against Puerto Rico statehood. The pro-statehood and pro-commonwealth parties in Puerto Rico have about equal support, and the pro-independence party has about 5 percent support. HR 2499 would create the first congressionally-sanctioned plebiscite about Puerto Rico statehood.

The Puerto Rico statehood vote
There would be two votes if HR 2499, the bill raising the question of Puerto Rico statehood, is passed. First, a vote will be held on the question “Should Puerto Rico maintain its present political status.” If the majority of votes are “no” on that question, a second vote would be held. The second vote on Puerto Rico statehood would actually offer three options:

1. Independence – breaking all ties between the U.S. and Puerto Rico, creating a separate nation
2. Associated Sovereignty – eliminates the U.S. citizenship and Territorial Clause controls of Puerto Rico, but maintains ties with the United States
3. Puerto Rico Statehood – makes Puerto Rico the 51st state of the United States, with six congressmen, two U.S. senators and eight presidential electoral votes

There are many good arguments both for and against Puerto Rico statehood. Some say Puerto Rico statehood would offer equal representation to a group of people who are subject to federal laws. However, others argue that Puerto Rico statehood would break up the unique and balanced system that has developed over the last 50 years. What do you think?

Sources:HR2499.org
             PR Statehood.com
             No Puerto Rico Statehood.com
             Wikipedia

Manuel Noriega, Panama's ex-dictator, jailed in France

Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega (Photo By AP)

By PIERRE-ANTOINE SOUCHARD


A French judge ordered former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega jailed Tuesday pending a trial for money laundering, a decision made only hours after Noriega was extradited from the United States following two decades in a Miami prison.

His arrival in France opens up a whole new legal battle for the strongman, who was deposed after a 1989 U.S. invasion and went on to spend 20 years in prison for drug trafficking.

After finishing his U.S. sentence, Noriega was extradited from Miami and arrived Tuesday in Paris, where he was immediately served with an arrest warrant.

Hours later, he went before a French judge and pleaded to be sent home to Panama, citing his prisoner of war status. Noriega spoke little during the hearing and appeared tired. Wearing a white button-up shirt and black jacket, his black hair thinning, he periodically rested his head in one hand during the proceedings.

The judge denied Noriega's request, saying he posed a flight risk if released. The judge ordered Noriega jailed in Paris' La Sante prison pending further judicial action. Noriega was escorted out a side door of the court by armed guards.

His lawyers said they would appeal the decision.

Noriega could face another 10 years in prison in France if convicted on charges that he laundered $7 million in drug profits through French banks and purchasing luxury apartments with his wife in Paris.

Noriega has already been convicted in France on the charges, but in absentia. France has agreed to give him a new trial if he was extradited.

French Justice Ministry spokesman Guillaume Didier said Noriega could face a new trial within two months.

Noriega's French lawyers say his detention and transfer are unlawful.

Panama also has an outstanding request for the former dictator's extradition. He was convicted in Panama in absentia and sentenced to 60 years in prison on charges of embezzlement, corruption and murdering opponents.

Noriega was Panama's longtime intelligence chief before he took power in 1982. He had been considered a valued CIA asset for years, but as a ruler he joined forces with drug traffickers and was implicated in the death of a political opponent.

Noriega was ousted as Panama's leader and put on trial following a U.S. military invasion ordered by President George H.W. Bush. Noriega was brought to Miami and was convicted of drug racketeering and related charges in 1992.

Source: AP

Eugene Terre'blanche's sex abuse scandal: Vatican blames him

Picture of Late Eugene Terre'blanche

ROME. Having previously tried to pin Catholic priest sexual abuse scandals on homosexuals and Satan, the Vatican today issued a statement indicating that from now on the blame will officially rest with Eugene Terre'blanche. "Think about it," said Vatican spokesperson Hippocritas Kidifiddler. "There hasn't been a single new abuse allegation since he died." 

According to the official Vatican City report Terre'blanche acted alone and was responsible for the whole of the Catholic Church's long and murky history of sexual abuse stretching back over two centuries.

Kidifiddler said that some of the Church's most revered lawyers and accountants had worked their way down a lengthy list of potential perpetrators, weighing up how plausible they were and considering whether or not the Pope had previously condoned their actions and failed to shred documents with his signature on them.

"After the public didn't seem to buy our original stabs at atheists, fags and Satan, we considered blaming R 'n B, microwave pizzas and Twitter," Kidifiddler said.

"But then someone mentioned this Eugene Terre'blanche, and we just thought: sweeeet."

When asked how Eugene Terre'blanche had managed to abuse children on at least three continents simultaneously, Kidifiddler shrugged and said, "I dunno, he had a fast horse. Who am I, Poirot?"

Kidifiddler stated that the Catholic Church was happy and relieved to have cleared up "this irritating little mystery."

"Now we can all forget about this small matter and get back to doing God's work," he said.

Asked what God's work entailed, he explained that it mostly involved "counting enormous amounts of cash and helping women in the developing world to be pregnant non-stop from puberty to menopause".

Meanwhile South African homophobes and homosexuals alike have reacted angrily to the allegations that Terre'blanche's murder was the result of a sexual encounter that turned lethal.

"To suggest that Eugene Terre'blanche had a secret gay life is deeply offensive to the homosexual community in South Africa," a statement from gay rights group Twinkly Rainbows read yesterday. "As if we would have let him on to Somerset Road with a boep like that. Shudder."

The AWB has also furiously rejected the rumours.

"If our beloved Leier had been having gay sexcapades with anyone, it would of been me," said new leader Andre Visagie, struggling to keep back tears.

"He only had to say the word and I could of touched him on his studio all night long."

Source: www.hayibo.com

Related Posts:

• Terre’Blanche killed after sodomizing youths.
• Semen found on Terre'Blanche's 'private part'

Guyana cops look into teen's death after exorcism

AP - Friday, April 02, 2010 5:06:10 PM By BERT WILKINSON

A 15-year-old girl has died after neighbors and a local pastor tried to treat her convulsions with an exorcism at a church, and Guyanese police said Friday they are investigating.


Sangeeta Persaud began to convulse Sunday as she drank tea for breakfast at her grandmother's home in Canal Number Two, a farming village west of the capital, Georgetown, the grandmother told The Associated Press.

Chaitranie Ramotar said she became worried and called the girl's mother, who brought the pastor to the house.

"I experienced the same thing at age 12," Nankumarie Jaikissoon, the teen's mother, told the AP. "That is why I did not rush her to the hospital. My heart did not tell me to rush her to the hospital."

The pastor, Ewart Cummings, said he decided to take the girl to his small, concrete church, where he and several elders spent five hours praying for her as they pressed on her stomach and head. They also made her drink an anointing oil, he told the AP.

At times, the teen would bark and make other strange noises, Cummings said.

"I did nothing wrong," he said. "I just responded as pastor of the church. ... Ungodly people would not understand certain things like driving out spirits."

Cummings said he drove the girl to the hospital around 5 p.m. because she had calmed down but was weak. She died at 10 p.m.

Police Commander Colin West said results from a preliminary autopsy were inconclusive but an investigation continues. No one has been charged.

On Thursday, Cummings presided at the girl's funeral as the child's mother, father and other relatives shouted accusations at one another and at the pastor. Police were summoned to the funeral and ordered the pastor to issue a quick prayer to end the service.

Cummings said he had previously prayed for the girl's mother and grandmother because they complained that evil spirits disrupted their sleep and tried to injure them.

Persaud, who turned 15 in mid-March, was the only girl among four siblings. She was temporarily sharing a bed with her grandmother in a wood shack as her mother waited for plumbing and electricity to be installed at their house.

Jaikissoon said her daughter had suffered from a bad cold for several years and was recently tested for tuberculosis. The teen was supposed to go back to the hospital April 19 for results from blood tests and X-rays taken of her chest.