MOXOMUMD
Well-Known Member
Thank you. Ventress is my favorite character to come out of the animated Clone Wars. I liked how they worked her storyline.
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Peter's thread of random, interesting, thought-provocative and sometimes entertaining stuff
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Gabe1
Ivory Tower Squabble EST 2011. WINDMILL SURVIVOR
I can't put PR in the same category as Detroit. Detroit is paying federal taxes part of a state. If we take PR on as a state it is for now a financial burden on all 50 states. Not ready to take on that responsibility. PR just took on the idea of statehood while tanking. Till then not so much. It was a PR move during election to entertain. Election over and back burner. And you still think Disney should jump into kettle and help PR?
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PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
One more thing, then I promise to move on to other subjects. I just want to explain why I'm suddenly interested in what happens in PR. I've been chatting with someone on the net from there for about two years already. When we were first talking, she and her family were living there. She, like many other families there, made it a rule that only English were allowed to be spoken in their household. She showed me pictures of her town. To me, they looked very third world-ish. She said, despite the heat, public schools there were not air conditioned. Then, after like a few months after we started talking, her family abruptly decided to pack up and spontaneously leave PR permanently for the mainland USA, moving to PA, then later to NJ. When they got to PA, she bumped into old friends from the island who also got the same idea (to move). Everyone in her family had no problem finding jobs.
The thing that got me thinking is that Puerto Ricans, as American citizens, have the right to move anywhere in the USA - no questions asked. Supposedly, more Puerto Ricans live on the US mainland than do Puerto Rico. As the economy doesn't seem to be improving there, more and more make the exodus to the mainland. If the economy gets better, less people would find it necessary to do that.
Imagine if we tore down the barriers for Mexicans to get into the US and automatically granted them citizenship. That's basically what's going on right now with PR. That's one more reason why we need to help them and grant them statehood status.
The thing that got me thinking is that Puerto Ricans, as American citizens, have the right to move anywhere in the USA - no questions asked. Supposedly, more Puerto Ricans live on the US mainland than do Puerto Rico. As the economy doesn't seem to be improving there, more and more make the exodus to the mainland. If the economy gets better, less people would find it necessary to do that.
Imagine if we tore down the barriers for Mexicans to get into the US and automatically granted them citizenship. That's basically what's going on right now with PR. That's one more reason why we need to help them and grant them statehood status.
englanddg
One Little Spark...
I mean they are better than the US Virgin Islands. I'll take Tortola over St. Thomas any day.
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
They already are an equal financial burden. The Federal government recently spent tens of billions of dollars to build a subway (part elevated) metro system for San Juan. They are all entitled to the same benefits as everyone - food stamps, health care, social security, welfare, etc. If a hurricane ever hits, FEMA is still responsible. If we can get their economy going and they become a state, then, at least, they will at least contribute in the form of income taxes for all the services we give them that are now "free". That's why the anti-statehood movement there would rather not change things!
Gabe1
Ivory Tower Squabble EST 2011. WINDMILL SURVIVOR
I'm not that big of a day dreamer. Best case it be decades for PR to pull their financial weight as a state. Meanwhile we are still struggling as a nation so taking on PR would mean our states would get less to bail out PR and or higher taxes for the states with no upside for me or my family town county or state. People want to transfer burdens. I don't want it likely Disney doesn't.
Gabe1
Ivory Tower Squabble EST 2011. WINDMILL SURVIVOR
So they are a burden OK I'll give you that. Government is supplying all that OK what good came from that? Do I want PR voting on funding for my kids schools or my medical care or my retirement pension? Not so much.
Edit. Do you realize how many states in the USA do not have air conditioned school's PR isn't the only people who struggle without a/c
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PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
There are things that could be done short of bailing them out. Let me be clear, I'm not advocating a bail-out. Their constitution (which would stay the same unchanged if they become a state) says paying interest on their debt must be priority number one in every budget cycle. So, they are constitutionally obligated to take care of themselves. There are tweaks in the laws we can do too to help them. Right now, they're considered as a foreign port of trade and their import/exports are double-taxed. This turns off a lot of investments. I'm with you when you say it could take decades, but there are things that can be done to speed the process up short of a bail-out.
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
I didn't know that (about AC). I don't want them to be a burden either. Living with the status quo guarantees that they remain a burden. Granting them statehood gives them a real chance to fix their economy on their own without a bailout. It also forces them to pay income taxes. A better economy paying income taxes, or the status quo with its stagnant economy getting all the benefits without paying taxes for it... Which is more of a burden?
EDIT - Voting on pensions is a state thing, not a national thing, so nothing would change there. State issues will remain state issues and PR would not be involved in your state's issues.
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Gabe1
Ivory Tower Squabble EST 2011. WINDMILL SURVIVOR
You're overlooking Federal Employees and Departments. Think of all the Fed offices during the shut down. That is how many Federal jobs that will have to be created in PR if they become a state. Will PR not have Federal Employees when they become a state? Federal employees benefits and pensions are not controlled by states either is the military, post office, Federal Courts, Federal Prisons, countless Federal public employees that are not state or local employees. When the Federal budgets are created and voted on for everything from schools, roads, grants, airports. The Federal Government partially funded state projects last year with $561 billion dollars. Once PR becomes a state they too will have elected officials that will decide how those funds get distributed, equal voice. In my lifetime it is unlikely given the economy of PR that if it is a state they will be collecting Federal Taxes anywhere near what will be funneled back to PR.
My school district is 80% locally funded with state and feds making up the difference. Some districts are less than 50-50% locally funded. To bring the PR schools up to the level of my school district and PR then included in the Federal No Child Left Behind requirements for states, how much Federal funding will be required from the 50 states to do so for PR and what percentage of that pot of money will be taken away from the other 50 states? The Federal code alone for States Educational requirements is a telephone book full of codes that must be adhered to. Education is just one aspect of a Federal Budget. It unrealistic to believe that PR could collect enough Federal Taxes to cover their own Federal Employees and projects that they would as a state be entitled to. It less expensive to fund PR as we currently are then to add them as a state.
Being an elected official I know how budgets are created. If the pie has more slices and the "new money" coming in (PR Federal Taxes) doesn't equal what is budgeted the other slices of the pie will become smaller.
When we think of PR emotionally it would be nice for them to join the US as a state. If it is analyzed as business decision PR becoming a state is not a sound investment. If PR in its current condition was a sound business investment private industry, including Disney would have exploited the heck out of PR already.
If that was the case the 33 percent of PR residents that voted they wanted to be independence from the US would likely be higher. The referendum was a 2 part question and a good chunk of residents did not vote at all on the second question. When the statistics for both questions are put together PR didn't have a clear majority of what direction the majority wanted to move forward to become. If we were not a kind nation, the most practical business solution to PR would be to cut them loose, keep an airbase/port there and let them form their own independent nation. Problem solved, they could collect their own taxes and develop their own economy. It would stop the influx of people and funding going to PR. That would be the coldest decision, but the best business decision over making PR a state and then funding it as a state. What is missing in your projections is PR will not be able to collect enough state and local taxes to support themselves as a state so the Feds would have to make up the difference and the 50 states would all be Federally funding the aspects of government that normally states fund independently. I understand the emotional aspect of PR becoming a state but our elected officials have to decide if we as a nation want to take that financial burden on.
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
I ended the conversation by liking Gabe1's last post. I thought it was a very intellectual conversation. No tempers were flared and I enjoyed it (unlike some of the monorail "discussions" from the past).
Let this be a model on how to engage in debates here, while remaining civilized, intelligent, and without tempers flaring!
alissafalco
Well-Known Member
Ok enough about PR, I want to know more about this movie you're making.
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
After I defrost.... If I was in PR right now, this wouldn't be a problem! Lol
Brrrrrrrrr
alissafalco
Well-Known Member
Oh please you live in Florida! No sympathies from me
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
There's actually a more serious movie I've been writing in my head for the past couple of years. It has nothing to do with Disney, but I think it could be a winner at film festivals, if I make it. It's about 45 minutes long. Involves just four characters outdoors on a single set. It's story and character driven and would keep you in suspense from beginning to end. It could be made with almost no money, if I can find volunteer actors. I'll write, produce, and even direct it myself. It will be shot in 3D. I already bought a few 3D HD digital video cameras and I built and designed my computer for video editing and sound production.
As I put my story in the form of a screenplay on paper, I would love for everyone to read the drafts of it and to discuss it. Hopefully, I'll have an even better script with everyone's input!
As I put my story in the form of a screenplay on paper, I would love for everyone to read the drafts of it and to discuss it. Hopefully, I'll have an even better script with everyone's input!
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
You're used to it! So was I, but you get spoiled...Oh please you live in Florida! No sympathies from me
alissafalco
Well-Known Member
Any new developments on the Disney movie?