Puerto Rico is an ‘American Territory.’ All 3.5 million people are American citizens. They are in danger of becoming the forgotten people of the United States.
There is no urgency in Congress to rescue American people. On July 1st, two billion dollars in debt payments and interest is due, and Puerto Rico will default unless a form of bailout is enacted by the House and Senate.
It is a travesty that when the banks and auto industry needed tax payer money to survive our government acted quickly, but when it’s for people who are far from wealthy, our legislators act in a lackadaisical manner.
The Senate is waiting for the House to act first. Mitch McConnell said: “We know it needs to be dealt with and we’re in discussions with them about what ought to be done,” McConnell said.
His attitude appears to tell the people of Puerto Rico that ‘someday they’ll get around to the issue.’
The difficulty for Puerto Rico was exacerbated by Congress, and now they must repair their mistakes. In 1984, Republican and racist Senator Strom Thurmond led a movement to disallow Puerto Rico rights under Chapter 9 bankruptcy laws. Now there is no financial way out for the small island with the exception of an influx of funds.
At one time Puerto Rico was flourishing. Congress granted tax breaks to businesses who would move to the island instead of taking their companies overseas. When the tax breaks were removed, nearly every company in Puerto Rico moved away.
Our government assisted in this financial crisis, and they must find a way to fix it.
Wall Street decided that it was more important to pay stockholders dividends than contribute to necessities for the Puerto Rican people. Power is being cut to hospitals; one doctor each day is leaving the island, and there are over 450 cases of the Zika virus.
The situation has moved beyond critical, and the well-being of more than 3.5 million American citizens is in the balance. Congress finds funding for the personal projects and presents blank checks to the military who wastes half of that money, now it must find a way to care for Americans in need.
Republican control of Congress has served special interests and ignored the American people. Time for change. America can be better, but only if Democrats remain in the White House and regain control of the House and Senate.
The “Freedom Caucus” must be demolished; we need Americans in our government, not fascists.
Op-Ed
By James Turnage
Photo Courtesy of Edgard86
Read James Turnage at http://www.amazon.com/By-James-turnage/e/B00LOCJ2Z2
The Truth With No Restrictions 