Nm
I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t work (second Law of Thermodynamics or something). You need to drink someone else’s spit.
It’s no worse than out current 50-star pattern alternating 5 and 6.
I’m genuinely mystified by all the flag talk, here.
If it’d otherwise be bad for the US to have Puerto Rico become a state, I can’t imagine we’d even mention stars-on-the-flag challenges; and, if it’d otherwise be really terrific for the US to have Puerto Rico become a state, I figure that odds are we’d talk excitedly about making it happen without caring all that much about a 51st star.
It’s only in some odd Venn-diagram overlap that this makes any sense to me: it’d almost have to be the weirdly-specific case that making Puerto Rico a state would otherwise be in the best interests of the United States – but only if it provides so hilariously small a benefit that the cost of putting a 51st star on the flag means we maybe wouldn’t break even; it’s that close a call.
Do I have that right? Is that, necessarily, the implied context of the ‘stars’ issue?
The mayor of San Juan loses it* (more politely than I would; I’d’ve blown through my stock of F-bombs) over acting Secretary of Homeland Security’s claim that the Puerto Rico hurricane relief efforts are a “good news story”.
- Warning: Typical CNN autoplay video with annoying ad lead-in. Also text.
No, sigh, there’s another and far more obvious reason that needs multiple cover stories. It’s pretty much the same one that kept Hawaii out for over half a century.
Then why the heck are folks on both sides of this acting like the stars-on-a-flag question is serious business? It seems like so ludicrously implausible a point of contention that I don’t see how anybody can advance it with a straight face, or how anybody can reply to it as if it’s not meant as a joke.
(And I don’t mean that as some kind of pejorative; I mean as a literal joke. If you remember when Steve Martin’s opening line upon coming out on stage involved saying “I’m Steve Martin, and I’ll be out here in a minute” – or explaining that the comic couldn’t make it tonight, so have a safe ride home – it’s like that: it’s structured like something that somebody would normally say in such a situation; but a moment later you catch yourself and note that, while it seemed like a routine thing to say right when you’d expect one, it was of course only ever meant as an are-you-paying-attention goof.)
If there’s one take away from the last few weeks, it’s that Americans get really weird about their flag.
Uh … How are Puerto Rico’s economic problems not ours? It may not be a state, but it’s still a territory, Puerto Ricans are legally American citizens, and whatever problems Puerto Rico has are the nation’s problems, not just Puerto Rico.
If Puerto Rico’s economic problems become as bad as Venezuela’s, our nation is going to have a huge problem on its hands.
Nitpick: You should have capitalized “Democratic.”
I just watched this excellent John Oliver piece about the Puerto Rican financial crisis. It’s an old piece from Spring 2016 and I must admit this was all news to me.
Short version is that Puerto Rico was remade as a tax haven for corporations and wealthy individuals, on the theory that economic growth would compensate for all the tax breaks. It didn’t work. Disaster ensued. The devil is in the details, though. Take 20 minutes and watch the piece. At the end you’ll be rewarded by Lin-Manuel Miranda ( creator and star of Hamilton ) rapping about the situation.
The link is to a Rolling Stone article about the piece. The video of the episode is at the top of the story.
The Trump Administration may be counting on Puerto Rican economic issues being simplified by the deaths of thousands of the island’s residents:
Outbreaks Begin in Puerto Rico While Trump Tweets ‘Amazing Job’ (published today, 30 September.)
The Trump administration has cut hurricane aid to Puerto Rico in half:
“Reason? We need a reason for cutting aid to brown people?”
I remember when I lived in the US and held a green card, my neighbour went on a “immigrants are lazy” rant. I jokingly reminded her that I was an immigrant, and she responded, “oh no, not like you. I mean those Puerto Ricans.”
Presumably I was OK because I am western European descent. Never did point out that PR people are American.
Whoa whoa whoa there fellows, hold on, the administration’s a bunch of clowns BUT the legislative language did authorize “up to” 4.9 billion in available credit for all jurisdictions affected by the hurricanes to cover quantified loss of revenue and unforeseen expeses. It was not a guarantee to be upfronted in full (and meanwhile there’s over $16 Bn specifically committed to PR disaster relief and recovery in other appropriations). It’s up to the governor to make his case that more of it should come forth.