Dr. Ricardo Rosselló - YDA College Tour III

Presidente de Juventud Demócrata de PR lanza reto a Partido Republicano en la isla Reta a los Republicanos en la isla a votarle en contra a Romney

Presidente de Juventud Demócrata de PR lanza reto a Partido Republicano en la isla

San Juan,PR - El Presidente de la Juventud Demócrata de PR Phillip Arroyo le lanzó un reto ideológico al liderato del Partido Republicano en la isla a que sean consistentes y le voten en contra a Mitt Romney en la primaria republicana a llevarse a cabo en Puerto Rico en marzo. Y es que el candidato Mitt Romney expresó durante una entrevista en el día de ayer que se mantuvo neutral sobre el asunto del voto presidencial para los puertorriqueños y durante el debate anoche del Partido Republicano, ante la pregunta sobre si apoyaba la estadidad para Puerto Rico se quedó mudo. .

Tradicionalmente, los candidatos y Presidentes Republicanos como Ronald Reagan y George H. Bush han apoyado abiertamente el voto presidencial para Puerto Rico en el pasado. "Nuevamente, Mitt Romney demuestra que no esta comprometido con nuestra isla y su consistente cambio de postura lo exponen por lo que es; un oportunista político. Ni siquiera parece importarle los votos de los republicanos puertorriqueños en la isla, quienes son estadistas en su totalidad. Cuando sus asesores se den cuenta de la metida de pata que hizo, seguramente lo veremos cambiando su posición nuevamente; pero este pueblo es sabio. Si Romney hipotéticamente fuera una pregunta de examen de Derecho, de seguro seria uno de selección múltiple pero donde para el todas las contestaciones y posturas son correctas. ‘‘expresó el líder demócrata y estudiante de Derecho.

Las expresiones de Arroyo surgen cuando la nominacion Republicana para la Presidencia de Estados Unidos se encuentra sumamente cerrada y en donde ahora Newt Gingrich, quien consistentemente ha apoyado el voto presidencial desde hace decadas, pudiera aumentar su apoyo en la isla a raiz de la timidez de Romney en abrazar la estadidad para Puerto Rico.

''Veamos a ver si el Partido Republicano en la isla decide respaldar a un candidato como Gingrich que al menos verbalmente ha expresado apoyo a la estadidad en el pasado ó deciden apoyar a Romney, quien en el día de ayer le dio la espalda a los republicanos en la isla, como hicieron sobre 177 congresistas Republicanos cuando le votaron en contra al Proyecto de Status HR 2499 de nuestro Comisionado Residente Pedro Pierluisi, ‘‘añadió Arroyo.

"El Congreso Demócrata llevó a cabo sobre 3 vistas publicas, se aprobó el Proyecto de Status Pierluisi por un histórico margen, el Presidente Obama radicó un Informe de Status abarcador y prometió acatar los resultados del plebiscito en noviembre. Ya Romney descartó por completo apoyar abiertamente el voto presidencial, prometió derogar la reforma de salud que tanto ha beneficiado a los puertorriqueños, prometió no apoyar el Dream Act y peor de todo ni siquiera lanzó alguna promesa para atender seriamente el asunto de status como muy bien hicieron Obama y Hillary Clinton en su Primaria del 2008," expresó.

La entonces Senadora Clinton oficializó su apoyo al voto presidencial durante su campana en la isla y el Presidente Obama prometió acoger la voluntad del pueblo durante este cuatrienio respectivamente.

Las encuestas nacionales proyectan una victoria arrolladora del Presidente Obama contra Newt Gingrich de 51% a 39%, sin embargo proyectan una contienda mas cerrada entre el Presidente Obama y Romney, quien solo se encuentra abajo por dos puntos porcentuales con Obama arriba 47% y Romney con 45%.

Fuente:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/president_obama_vs_republican_candidates.html

Las Elecciones Congresionales del 2010

Por: Phillip Arroyo

Veinte y seis dias….. twenty six days. Eso es lo que resta para el momento de la verdad. El momento durante el cual nuevamente nuestra nación dará cátedra de lo que es y representa la democracia. El tres de noviembre se llevarán a cabo las elecciones congresionales, cuando el pueblo acudirá a las urnas para escoger a su liderato legislativo nacional. Durante los pasados meses hemos sido testigos de numerosas contiendas primaristas dentro de los dos partidos principales del continente, el Partido Demócrata y el Partido Republicano. En las primarias del partido demócrata, o el “partido del pueblo”, como comúnmente se le reconoce, no surgieron muchas sorpresas ya que la mayoría de los incumbentes o nuevos candidatos lograron victorias ya pronosticadas. La sorpresa real y hasta preocupante fueron las victorias de candidatos identificados con el movimiento “Tea Party”; una facción extremista creciente dentro del Partido Republicano.



El movimiento “Tea Party” es un movimiento político cuyo liderato promueve políticas públicas de naturaleza ultra derecha y ha emitido expresiones institucionales controversiales que han llegado a ser interpretadas por algunos como discriminatorias en contra de las minorías. Como modo de ejemplo se encuentra su apoyo a la recién aprobada Ley de Immigracion del estado de Arizona. Dicha ley consiste en concederles el derecho a las autoridades de ley y orden de ese estado en parar o detener a cualquier ciudadano que posea “rasgos de extranjero” y exigirle que demuestre que es ciudadano americano. Obviamente, este tipo de ley se inclina a discriminar en contra de hispanos, ya que la población de minorías mayoritario de Arizona es el demográfico hispano específicamente de oriundo mejicano.



Es decir, si un “portorro” visita Arizona de vacaciones y posee un “tan quemaíto” natural que nos caracteriza como puertorriqueños, es muy posible que sea detenido y su ciudadanía americana sea cuestionada. Señores, esto es inconstitucional. En mi caso particular, quizás pueda pasar desapercibido a raíz de mi tez blanca o como dirían algunos de mis amistades, mi “hinchera”. Pero seguramente, si utilizo el lenguaje que he seleccionado para la redacción de este articulo durante mi estadía en Arizona, posiblemente se me aplicará el mismo procedimiento policiaco. Precisamente por el ejemplo que acabo de mencionar es que esta nueva ley de inmigración estatal es claramente de corte discriminatoria. La realidad es que las personas que legislaron esta ley no entienden y quizás nunca entenderán la diversidad de nuestra nación y la diversidad dentro de la misma raza puertorriqueña, mejicana, argentina, en fin, todos los hispanos; donde contamos con ciudadanos de múltiples colores, dialectos y culturas.



Sin embargo, es importante entender y atender el problema de inmigración ilegal en nuestra nación americana y Puerto Rico. Ciertamente es un asunto que hay que controlar. Pero se debe de hacer de una manera sensible, cuidadosa y meticulosa. La realidad es que si bien existen algunos imigrantes que llegan a nuestras costas y las del continente para entrar en actos delictivos, es mi opinión que la abrumadora mayoría llegan a la nación para trabajar, aportar y para echar sus familias hacia adelante o “pa’ lante” como diríamos en nuestra isla. Muchos imigrantes salen huyendo de los abusos o los regímenes anti democráticas de sus países de origen; en muchas ocasiones arriesgando sus vidas para lograr alcanzar la tierra prometida o llegando a dar la vida para que sus sus hijos e hijas la alcancen.

Si analizamos la historia de los estados unidos de américa podemos anotar que la nación se fundó precisamente a través de la inmigración.



Los primeros imigrantes en America eran personas que huyeron de la persecución religiosa a la cual fueron sometidos por Inglaterra. Mjummm, que interesante la similitud con los inmigrantes de hoy. El Presidente Obama ha expresado que pronto se estará presentando legislación para atender el asunto de la inmigración con una política publica titulada como la “Reforma Inmigratoria Comprensiva” Dicha política consiste en tomar medidas firmes para controlar y regular la entrada ilegal de extranjeros a nuestra nación, pero a la misma vez ofreciéndoles un proceso eficaz y facilitador para integrarse a la nación como ciudadanos americanos a través de la naturalización a aquellos que llegan a nuestras costas y al continente. Consiste en acelerar y facilitar el proceso de estos obtener la ciudadanía americana si demuestran que están dispuestos a aportar, cumplir con sus responsabilidades contributivas responsablemente y trabajar. No me queda la menor duda que la mayoría de estos llegan a la nación para precisamente cumplir con lo anteriormente mencionado.


El Partido Republicano a su vez cree en tomar medidas excesivas y extremistas para “sacar” a cualquier inmigrante ilegal y enviarlos de regreso a su país, independientemente si se encuentran trabajando y generando actividad económica en los estados unidos. Muchos de estos al no poseer la ciudadanía son victimas de abusos laborales en sus lugares de trabajo recibiendo salarios dramáticamente por debajo del mínimo salarial federal bajo amenaza de sus supervisores en alertar a las autoridades sobre su status ilegal en el país si se atreven reclamar igualdad salarial. A pesar de esto, estas personas continúan trabajando para proveerles una mejor calidad de vida a sus familias. En adición, el partido Republicano ha llegado a proponer levantar una muralla para resolver la problemática immigratoria entre Mejico y estados unidos para “proteger la frontera”. Este tipo de idea es el ejemplo simplista, hueca, primitiva y absurda del Partido Republicano . Es curioso escucharlos atacar a nuestro Presidente por sus “gastos excesivos” en la recién aprobada e histórica reforma de salud o el famoso estimulo económico que ha beneficiado a millones de ciudadanos americanos como los puertorriqueños que lo hemos bautizado como “el cheque de Obama”. A pesar de estos ataques, no mencionan el costo exorbitante que representaría levantar una muralla entre Mejico y estados unidos que saldrá del bolsillo de los contribuyentes!



Por otro lado, probablemente al leer esto, los ya “mayorcitos” se recordarán de otra famosa muralla que se levantó durante la guerra fría entre Estados Unidos y Rusia, una época oscura de la humanidad; cuando se levantó digamos, la muralla de Berlin! Es irónico que dicha muralla fuera derribado precisamente bajo la Presidencia de un Republicano, Ronald Reagan. Alguien me puede explicar la contradicción en todo esto? Reagan se tiene que estar revolcando en la tumba junto a Abraham Lincoln. Estas son las políticas del Partido Republicano de hoy que ha sido tomado de rehén por extremistas del Tea Party y liderados por personas como el controvertible reportero Glen Beck que ha acusado a los estadistas en Puerto Rico como “socialistas” con una agenda para añadir sillas demócratas al congreso a través de la estadidad. Este caballero ha llegado a tildar a la administración del Presidente Obama como una parecida y cito, “Al planeta de los simios” o Planet of the Apes” y después alegan que el sector liberal de nuestra nación estamos exagerando o sobre reaccionando cuando señalamos ataques racistas.



Sin embargo, es imperativo señalar que debemos evitar caer en la tentación de generalizar. Existen muchos lideres Republicanos que se han apartado de las acciones y expresiones del movimiento “Tea Party”. Lideres Republicanos como el ex asesor del Presidente Bush, Karl Rove que se ha expresado fuertemente en contra del movimiento demostrando coraje e ira cuando la candidata al Senado federal Christine O’ Donnell derrotó al congresista incumbente Mike Castle que llevaba cerca de 18 anos en el congreso! Castle era considerado como el Republicano moderado y de “establecimiento” y O’Connell como la Republicana radical y partidaria del movimiento Tea Party.



El pasado candidato Presidencial John McCain expresó recientemente según alegaciones de personas cercanas a el, que este movimiento “is going to fuck up the party”, utilizando su común verbo florido cuando esta en privado. Cabe señalar que McCain es considerado como un Republicano moderado o tildado por algunos como liberal. Otro ejemplo es el Gobernador Republicano de Puerto Rico, Luis G. Fortuno que ha apoyado e impulsado una reforma de Salud estatal que se nutre de la Reforma de Salud propuesto por el Presidente Obama. En adición, nuestro Gobernador Luis Fortuno fue de los poco Gobernadores Republicanos en apoyar e utilizar los fondos ARRA en beneficio de la generación de actividad económica de la isla y la nación entera. De hecho, cuando el Gobernador Republicano de Florida Charlie Crist hizo lo mismo, las fuerzas ultra derecha de su partido le pidieron la cabeza y como resultado hoy se presenta como candidato al Senado federal como candidato independiente para evitar una derrota primarista a manos del carismático candidato cubano ultra derecha Marco Rubio. Personas como Crist y Fortuno son los Republicanos decentes que representan las voces de conciencia dentro de su partido, que ciertamente va por la ruta equivocada. A ellos le doy el crédito por ser valientes.Tienen mi respeto.



Por eso son tan importantes estas elecciones en noviembre. El sector conservador extremista de salir airoso en los comicios electorales y obtener control de la Cámara de Representantes o el Senado, seguramente convertirán esos cuerpos legislativos en entes obstaculizadores de la agenda del Presidente y la administración demócrata. Obstaculizarán los futuros presupuestos, paralizarán cualquier intento de echar hacia adelante la reforma imigratoria comprensiva e incluso podrían intentar enmendar la reforma de salud federal que ha logrado que ningún paciente se le niegue atención medica si este o esta no cuenta con seguro de salud y ha sido un fuente facilitador para aumentar 200,000 beneficiaros del seguro “Mi Salud” en Puerto Rico implantada por nuestro Gobernador Luis Fortuno.

Fue precisamente las aseguradoras y las fuerzas corporativas que objetaban la reforma de salud, los que llevaron al hoy Senador Republicano Scott Brown a una victoria en Massachussetts arrebatando la silla senatorial del hermano del Presidente John F Kenny, leyenda y portaestandarte del Partido Demócrata Ted Kennedy.



Ciertamente, la candidata demócrata en reemplazar a Kennedy, Martha Coakley ejecutó una pobre campana al incurrir en el grave error político de sobre confiarse, pero no hay duda que los millones de dólares provenientes de los grandes intereses entrando a la campana de Brown fueron un factor influyente en su victoria histórica.



Por eso es importante que contactemos a nuestros familiares en el continente para que se movilicen, que participen, y que hagan que sus voces sean escuchados. Es importante que incluso viajemos los puertorriqueños para defender la agenda del partido demócrata y su mayoría legislativa ante la amenaza de un movimiento conservador cuyas políticas públicas no benefician al hispano. Recientemente el Tribunal Supremo de los estados unidos dictaminó que corporaciones podrán emitir contribuciones políticas ilimitadas a cualquier partido o candidato. Dicha decisión fue severamente criticada por el Presidente Obama durante su primer Mensaje de Estado de la Unión, ocasionando el famoso movimiento de cabeza en desaprobación del Juez conservador del Tribunal Supremo Samuel Alito. En estas estas elecciones y las del 2012 los grandes intereses se desbordarán en aportaciones multi millonarias ilimitadas a favor del Partido Republicano.



En el 2008 fuimos airosos porque millones de ciudadanos de la clase pobre, media y trabajadora aportaron pequeños donativos en grandes cantidades nunca antes visto en la historia política de nuestra nación. La campana de Obama logró esto a través de su página de internet en el 2008 que redundó en el nacimiento de la practica de “campanas políticas y recaudaciones cibernéticas”. Podemos demostrar una vez más que el poder del pueblo siempre vence la influencia del dinero.



Por eso, la Juventud Democrata de Puerto Rico, organización que he tenido el honor de presidir por el pasado ano, estaremos viajando a Orlando, Florida para ayudar en la campana de reelección del Congresista Alan Grayson. Alan ha sido un buen amigo de Puerto Rico, habiendo votado a favor y haber sido coautor del proyecto de status de nuestro Comisionado Residente Pedro Pierluisi que fue aprobado en la cámara por un margen histórico. En adición, fue un aliado del Comisionado Residente para lograr mayores fondos de la reforma de salud para Puerto Rico que redundó en la nueva reforma de salud en Puerto Rico “Mi Salud” o como a mi me gusta describir como la reforma de salud antigua con esteroides!



El 28 de octubre saldremos una delegación de la Juventud Demócrata para poner nuestro granito de arena para defender la esencia de nuestra nación americana; la diversidad. Defenderemos el derecho de todo ciudadano en obtener y mantener un seguro de salud de calidad, defenderemos el derecho de todo h inmigrante trabajador y responsable en obtener un trabajo digno que aportará a nuestra economía y que le dará una mejor calidad de vida a sus familias, defenderemos el derecho de todo estudiante universitario a obtener una educación de calidad y económico, defenderemos el sueno del reverendo Martin Luther King que expresó que todo los hombres son creados iguales, defenderemos el desarrollo de métodos biotecnológicos como el “stem cell research” o investigación de células madres para salvar vidas, defenderemos el derecho de toda mujer en decidir su planificación familiar y no el estado, defenderemos y lucharemos por aquellos ciudadanos que son discriminados por su orientación sexual y finalmente, defenderemos la igualdad del pueblo puertorriqueño y la oportunidad de definir nuestra relación política con nuestra nación americana a través de un proceso de libre determinación para acabar con las cadenas coloniales que mantienen a nuestro pueblo estancado.



De eso se trata estas elecciones companer@s. Nuestro Presidente Obama expresó recientemente que cuando uno esta en su carro y quiere ir en reversa, tira el cambio a “R” si desea conducir hacia adelante, tira el cambio a “D”. Asi que si nuestra nación quiere ir en retroceso, que voten por los “R”epublicanos. Si deseamos continuar moviendo hacia adelante que voten por los “D”emocratas!



Palabras con luz!



Veinte y seis dias…. Twenty six days…..

PR Young Democrats meet with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

The Young Democrats of America Puerto Rico Chapter (YDAPR) welcomed US House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer to Puerto Rico where they participated in a roundtable breakfast meeting to discuss important issues relevant to the island alongside many leaders of the Democratic Party in Puerto Rico.

During the meeting, Congressman Hoyer acknowledged and welcomed the participation of the organization and emphasized the fundamental role that YDA plays in political and social change. The Majority Leader finalized by expressing how the principles and values learned during his tenure as Vice President of YDA are still instrumental today in his political career.



YDAPR State President Phillip Arroyo, YDAPR Treasurer Josean Feliciano, YDAPR Dsitrcit Rep Anthony Carrillo and YDA National Committeeman Francisco Domenech were present at the event.

VP Joe Biden 4th of July Speech 2010

"America is that rare place where citizens are not defined by their ethnicity or by their religion, not by their nationality, but what they are committed to, their ideas and ideals"

-Joseph Biden, Independence Day 2010

REMARKS BY THE VICE PRESIDENT
AT A NATURALIZATION CEREMONY
FOR U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS

Al Faw Palace
Camp Victory
Baghdad, Iraq

10:45 A.M. (Local)
THE VICE PRESIDENT: General, all the general officers, Command Sergeant Major, all our military men and women and all the civilians here helping to free and make secure this great country -- I have to tell you, this is the second year in a row I’ve gotten to do this, and this is among the biggest kicks I’ve gotten since I’ve been Vice President of the United States of America. What an incredible honor.

And I have to say it again, what -- the thing I love so much about today is the irony. Here we are in the hunting lodge of a dictator who subjugated a people; who, in fact, stood for everything that we don’t stand for. And we’re in the middle of this marble palace, making a lie of everything that he stood for. I find it delicious that that’s happening. (Applause.)

I can think of no better place to be sworn in. We hold these truths self-evident, that all men -- all men, all men -- are created equal.

You’re a remarkable bunch of women and men. I’ve said this in every country and conflict that I’ve been in since I’ve been a United States senator -- was elected to the Senate 37 years ago. The one lesson every country has to learn, in my humble opinion, particularly as we deal with the resurrection of failed states around the world, is what you symbolize here today. And that is, until people understand that there is strength in diversity and not division, it makes it awfully difficult to unite a country.

Our Iraqi brethren are learning that right now, as they held a free election -- Sunni, Shia, Kurd, Indo-European, Arab. Ladies and gentlemen, their future lies in what you demonstrate, and I’m confident they’ll achieve it.

General, thank you for the introduction and, of course, for your extraordinary service, and I mean extraordinary service, to our country and, quite frankly, to this country, Iraq. And all of you, all of you, thank you from the bottom of America’s heart for your service and, I might add, for choosing us, for choosing America.

What a sight you are today. And what a powerful symbol -- what a powerful symbol you represent to those who yearn for freedom all across the world.

I can’t think of a more stirring example of patriotism than men and women volunteering, as the general pointed out, volunteering to fight for their country, to put their lives on the line, and some of your brethren, having lost their lives and limbs, to fight on foreign soil for their adopted country. You’re remarkable.

On this Fourth of July weekend, I’m reminded that you have carried the torch of our Founding Fathers, the one that they lit 234 years ago, you carried it around the world, in this case into a nation that’s not your own, in a uniform representing a nation that, until now, was not your own.

You hail from over 60 -- almost 60 countries, different countries, from Brazil to South Korea, and many more in between.

You came to America at different points in your lives. You came with parents aching for a better life than the ones they knew; others, to give a better life to their own children.

Your stories may all be different, but today you write a common chapter in American history. You’ll each raise your right hand in a moment, and in one proud moment together, you’ll recite the oath to be a citizen of the United States of America.

The general said he lived essentially in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty. All of us up here, we spend our time, some more laboriously than others, tracing our roots as to how we got to this status of citizenship.

My wife and I, we were kidding, I may be Irish, but I was smart enough to marry an Italian. I married Dominique Gioccopa’s granddaughter. But we were going back and looking. On my side of the family we are Irish, we are English, we are German, we are French. We are all a mixture. And you’re just adding to that rich, rich, rich culture.

It’s the reason -- I would argue it’s the reason -- it’s the reason why we are who we are, because we have a document called the Constitution that ensures that that mixture will result in the incredible, incredible strain that we have spread all around the world; about freedom.

And for that, I congratulate you, and I welcome you. I know your service here has not been easy and as the general pointed out, some of you, it’s the third, fourth, fifth time you have served here in Iraq. Not long ago, Iraq was a country on the brink of civil war. This is my 15th, 16th, 17th trip in. And every time I come -- this is four times or five times since I’ve been Vice President -- every time I come, because of an awful lot of brave Iraqis who gave their lives and tens of thousands of Americans who risked and/or gave their lives, it gets better, every single time I’m here.

I was telling the general, last trip in, we were coming in, landing at night, coming in the on the helicopter because we were going into the Green Zone, and I looked down, I thought, what a wonderful thing -- there was a traffic jam. There were traffic jams. First time I flew in here, right after the war, there was nobody, nobody, nobody on the road.

This nation, once embroiled in sectarian strife and violence is moving toward a lasting security and prosperity with a government that represents the interest of every member of the community in Iraq, because until they get that straight -- and they’re getting it straight -- there’s no real shot they can become what they’re capable of.

And the United States is committed, we’re committed to cement that relationship through economic, political and diplomatic cooperation, not just by the use of arms.

Last year at this ceremony, I made what I was criticized for saying a bit of a bold statement. But I was confident then as I am now about other things that are going to happen.

I said last August of this year that we will have achieved two goals. We will have helped Iraq’s leaders set the conditions for a sovereign, stable and self-reliant nation for future generations of Iraqis within a year, and we will have ended our combat mission here after more than seven years. And I’m proud to report that because of you, and tens of thousands of our sons and daughters, including our son, we’ve made good on that promise.

Iraq recently held its second national election. You know the story, guys. The first election is not the one that determines, is not the most important election in a country’s history. It’s the second election -- the second election.

Now there’s a new parliament that’s been seated, and when the new government is formed, it will mark something absolutely extraordinary -- a peaceful transition of power encompassing all the people of Iraq, maybe for the first time in their history. We’re keeping -- we’re keeping our commitments.

Last year we pulled American combat troops out of all major cities on time and, on August 31st, the American combat mission in Iraq will end. We’ll go from 140,000 troops the day I was sworn in as Vice President with the President of the United States to 50,000, who will remain.

And of those 50,000 American, those forces will train and assist the Iraqi national security forces and be prepared to deal with exigencies that they may face.

But even as we draw down our forces, as I’ve said before, we are ramping up -- we are ramping up our engagement with the Iraqi people and the Iraqi government, diplomatically, politically, economically, culturally, scientifically, in the hope of building a long and strong relationship and partnership with Iraq.

In the meantime, for those of you who remain, your safety and security has been and always will be the number one priority for the President and me and for the general officers of this United States military. And we promise, we make the commitment that we will keep, that everything you need to complete your mission will be available to you. And while you’re here, rest assured that your families at home will be honored and cared for as well.

And when you return home, all of your needs as veterans will be attended to as well. I’ve often said that the United States has only one -- and I mean this sincerely -- only one truly sacred obligation. That is to care for those who we send to war by giving them everything they need and making sure that everything that they need when they return home is available to them.

That’s the only sacred -- we have many obligations. Quite simply, we owe you. We owe all of you. And we owe your families. There’s that famous expression: “They also serve who stand in wait.”

My wife Jill was quite jealous of me the last four trips that I was in here. Our son was here, and she didn’t understand why she couldn’t come then. And so she is here with me now because she’s going to be meeting with an awful lot of the families here as well. But the point is, your families, we owe them as well, because they’re making a real, genuine sacrifice for the United States of America.

Quite frankly, folks, without you we wouldn’t survive. Without new blood and without those of you in uniform, we would not survive, we would not prevail. You represent what America has always stood for: strength, resolve, sacrifice and diversity.

America is that rare place where citizens are not defined by their ethnicity or by their religion, not by their nationality, but what they are committed to, their ideas and ideals, as stated in our Constitution.

Oh, I know everyone doesn’t -- can’t refer to the Constitution. When you ask people what it constitutes to be American, try it out. Literally try it out when you get back home. No one -- no one -- unlike any country in the world, will define it in terms other than ideas. They will not define it on what their race or religion is.

That’s our strength. That, coupled with our diversity, creates a way of life that most of the rest of the world aspires to if they haven’t already achieved it.

So what I see in front of me today is people of a different color, different stripes, of different backgrounds, of different beliefs -- all wearing the same uniform. And that uniform you wear is the ultimate symbol of what it means to be an American.

For me, this ceremony is only a formal declaration of what the President and I and your fellow countrymen believe to be true. You are already Americans.

But let’s go on now and make it official. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the service. It’s an honor to be with you. May God bless you and all may God protect our troops. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

END 10:57 A.M. (Local)

PR Young Democrats headed to DC for YDA Summer Meeting

San Juan-The Puerto Rico Democrats have confirmed their presence for The Young Democrats of America National Summer Meeting to be held next July 16th - 18th 2010 in our nation's capital Washington, DC. During the meeting, young democrats from across the nation will converge to attend political and organizational workshops, caucus meetings, political training sessions, participate in voter registration and will also elect YDA's National Committee members to the DNC. Puerto Rico Chapter founder and Past President ,Francisco Domenech and Stephanie Hausner are up for re election. Puerto Rico State President Arroyo has signaled the island's support for both candidates during the meeting's General Session.

"I will be voting for Francisco and Stephanie. They've got the job done. It's an exciting moment for young dems across our great nation. It's always great to network with young democratic minds, learn new political strategies and promote our party's principles, but its even better to have Washington, DC as our setting", expressed Puerto Rico Chapter President Phillip Arroyo. The island's local chaper has been focused on boosting membership and creating an effective fundraising mechanism to assure increased chapter participation in national meetings.

"Fundraising is key in order to guarantee our participation and representation at this level, that is why we have been busy hosting various events with the help and collaboration of our party's leadership in Puerto Rico in order to meet our goals," concluded Arroyo.

The island's local chapter has scheduled their final fundraising event before the national meeting for July 7th, 2010 with the participation of Puerto Rico's Secretary of State and State Party National Committeeman Kenneth D. McClintock. For more info on how to contribute feel free to visit their website at http://www.ydapr.net/ , their Facebook page at http://m.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2418413105&reedd1a0f&refid=46 or contact the chapter's state treasurer Josean Feliciano at 787-604-0702.

Hate Crime Committee established in Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- A special committee to investigate hate crimes has been created in Puerto Rico, where advocates say gay and transgender people are the victims of an "epidemic" of violence.

The announcement by the attorney general was cheered Saturday by activists who complain the government has yet to invoke 2002 legislation establishing harsher penalties for crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

"I think this is a step in the right direction to start to collect statistics that are vital to curb the crisis of violence against the gay community in Puerto Rico," said Pedro Julio Serrano, a native of the U.S. territory and spokesman for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
Serrano said 25 slayings of gay and transgender people in the past eight years may have been motivated by bias - including the decapitation in November of gay teen Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, whose killing inspired vigils as far away as New York and Chicago.

The new government committee involves agencies including the U.S. Attorney's Office in San Juan, police officials and the island's civil rights commission, according to a statement release by the attorney general late Friday.

"With the creation of this committee, we will document the extent of hate crimes," said Attorney General Guillermo Somoza Colombani, who added that the data will help develop policies to attend to the victims.

Puerto Rico is known as a welcoming place for gays, particularly in comparison with more socially conservative Caribbean islands where homosexuals often live in hiding.
A recent string of high-profile slayings, however, has put pressure on the government. Some of the cases have received broad local news media coverage, including the April killing of a 31-year-old transgender beauty salon owner.

"It's sort of an epidemic," Serrano said. "It's too much to be ignored."

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/12/1676977/puerto-rico-panel-to-investigate.html#ixzz0qqkIl5ui

Puerto Rico-Demócrata o Republicano?

Por: Kenneth McClintock, Secretario de Estado de Puerto Rico

La principal razón por la cual la mayoría de los republicanos le da la espalda al proyecto HR2499 es su temor que la eventual admisión de Puerto Rico como el estado 51 es que añadiría 6 votos demócratas en la Cámara, dos demócratas al Senado y ocho votos consistentemente demócratas al Colegio Electoral.Desde los 14 me identifiqué como demócrata moderado (más conservador en política exterior y militar, moderado en lo económico y más liberal en lo social).

Sin embargo, creo que el error más grande que comete todo el mundo es creerse que Puerto Rico sería un estado sólidamente demócrata.Del lado social, los puertorriqueños son mucho más pro-life que el continental promedio. Somos mucho más "church-going". No tan solo tenemos "family values" sólidos, sino que nuestra definición de "familia" es mucho más sólida y amplia que la del continental. En el continente, "familia" queda definida por sangre y matrimonio. Acá es por sangre, matrimonio y bautizo, creándose el concepto del compadrazgo, donde el compadre y la comadre usualmente es tratada como si fueran primos o hasta hermanos.

Del lado económico, tendemos a ser más liberales, favoreciendo los programas de ayuda social propulsados por los demócratas. Sin embargo, si muchos republicanos tuvieran una tercera parte del ingreso per capita nacional, desde esa posición de pobreza relativa ellos serían los primeros defensores de esos programas. En la medida que, con la Estadidad, la economía mejore y la dependencia económica a esos programas bajara, el apoyo a tales programas disminuiría.Del lado de relaciones exteriores y militares, el puertorriqueño tiende a ser muy apegado a lo militar. Nos referimos a nuestras mejores carreteras como "la militar". Participamos ampliamente en la milicia, no tan solo cuando había servicio militar obligatorio, sino como voluntarios, y nos distinguimos en ese servicio. Las continuas expansiones del Cementerio Nacional de Hato Tejas son el mejor y silencioso símbolo de esa aportación y apego.

No sería el primer error que cometerían analistas políticos con el comportamiento electoral de un territorio en vías de convertirse en estado.En el caso de Alaska y Hawaii, dos de las más grandes figuras senatoriales del siglo XX se equivocaron desastrosamente. El Portavoz de la Mayoría Lyndon B. Johnson se oponía a la admisión del territorio republicano de Hawaii, mientras que el Portavoz de la Minoría Republicana Everett Dirksen se oponía a la admisión del territorio demócrata de Alaska.

Después de sus respectivas admisiones, Alaska consistentemente ha votado republicano y Hawaii ha votado consistentemente demócrata!¿Que le hace pensar a McConnell, Boehner y Beck que ellos se la saben mejor que Everett Dirksen, el gigante del republicanismo del siglo XX, quien se equivocó con Alaska y Hawaii? ¿Con que seguridad contradicen a TODOS los presidentes republicanos por los últimos 36 años que, sin excepciones (Ford, Reagan, Bush y Bush), han endosado la admisión de Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico sería un "swing state" donde los issues y los candidatos serían los determinantes de cómo votarían los boricuas a nivel nacional. No sería un estado de comportamiento electoral predecible que los candidatos de ambos partidos ignorarían , uno porque darían por sentado su apoyo, y el otro por no perder tiempo en una causa perdida.

Prelude to Equality

(Me, behind Congressman Jose Serrano in blue tie)

By: Phillip Arroyo

On Tuesday, April 27th, 2010 I took a 1:54 am flight from San Juan to our nation's capital Washington, DC with the objective of visiting congressional offices to urge members to support H.R. 2499 The Puerto Rico Democracy Act. The bill was scheduled for a vote the next day, but was then pushed to Thursday. The night before, I stayed up reflecting and looking back on the path our deconolization movement had taken until then. I began to think of the fathers of our decolonization movement, Jose Celso Barbosa and Luis A. Ferre and the fight they dedicated their lives to; the fight for equality. I remembered when I moved to Puerto Rico from North Carolina and saw how my father was stripped of his ability to vote for President, despite of serving in our nation's military proudly.

At the age of 16 I also remembered watching on T.V. as HR 856 The Puerto Rico Self Determination Act passed by one vote back in 1998 and how it later died in the Senate thanks to the likes of ultra conservative anti hispanic Republican senators like Trent Lott. And yet, here I was on my way to our nation's capital to join our Governor , our Resident Commisioner and dozens of volunteers to finally help push H.R. 2499's approval and put an end to our island's unfair and undemocratic colonial political status.

I was glad that God had given me the opportunity to travel to Washington, not only to witness history, but to help garner democratic votes as a part of our Resident Commisioner Pedro Pierluisi's Democratic Party lobbying team. I left my wife and daughter behind, yet I knew this journey would be for a noble cause. It would be to assure that my beautiful 1 year old daughter will one day grow up in Puerto Rico enjoying the same rights, resposibilities and priviledges as the rest of our brothers and sisters on the mainland. I owed it not only to her, but to every single child of our great Puerto Rico.

Upon arriving to DC, we began visiting offices right away alongside Francisco Domenech, the Young Democrats of America National Committeeman. As suspected, democratic members of congress were in favor of the bill, and those who were undecided informed us of the member's inclination to support it. Ever once in a while, a staffer would present questions or doubts in regards to the fairness of the voting mechanism offered by the legislation. " Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez has told us that this bill excludes the current political status on the island," expressed one legislative assitant. It was at that moment that I realized what we were up against. We were now facing a discredited campaign of lies whose premier architects were congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and congressman Luis Gutierrez.

I was in awe at how these two hispanic members of congress were actually going against not only the will of the people of Puerto Rico, but against what our beloved Democratic Party stands for! They would argue that H.R. 2499 was a statehood bill geared and designed to create an artifical support for statehood when in reality this bill was a civil rights piece of legislation. Obviously, they were terribly mistaken, and they knew it. It was truly shameful to watch them join forces with some of the most conservative ,radical and anti hispanic republicans in the house against letting the people of Puerto Rico to decide their final political status.

I stood in disgust when I approached a Republican Congressman from Alabama. I spoke to him about the Puerto Rican soldiers who sacrifice their lives for our nation and yet cannot vote for our Commander in Chief. He replied by saying, "Son, your preaching to the Choir. I agree with you." In response I expressed, "Then we can count on your vote, right?" The congressman, a bit befuddled, timidly answered," Now, I didn't say that son. Politics is politics." This answer pretty much sums up what the Republican Party represents, a party of divisive nature, political interests and unwillingness to support the hispanic agenda. It was at that moment that I realized that we would not have a significant amount of support among Republicans, regardless of whether or not our Governor was Republican. It seemed the race barrier was very much still alive within the GOP.

Returning to the topic of the Puerto Rican members in Congress, we all know in Puerto Rico, that Velazquez and Gutierrez have been allies of the local colonialist party in Puerto Rico headed by Hector Ferrer. Everyone knows that Congresswoman Velazquez owes her congressional seat to the colonialist party in Puerto Rico. She was director of the Puerto Rico federal affairs office during the term of Governor Rafael Hernandez Colon of the colonialist party in the 1980's. This move was cleverly planned to insert a Puerto Rican "colonialist" that would later respond to that party's ideological interest in Congress.

So it should be no surprise to anyone that Velazquez betrayed our democratic party's principles by opposing H.R. 2499, because she was never a democrat! She was and still is a "Popular" or "Populete", a term used to describe members of the local colonialist party on the island.

Finally, as the day dwindled and our visits were done, all that was left was expectation and hope. H.R. 2499 would finally be brought to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives the very next day. Years of advocacy and efforts were now behind us and all of Puerto Rico awaited the outcome. That night, I remember being exhausted and yet I could not sleep; I kept staring at the ceiling, obviously due to the expectation, but also anxious, and hoping that the will of the Puerto Rican people be respected. The Puerto Rican people had waited too long for the opportunity to put an end to almost 112 years of colonialism and it would be a disgrace if due to political maneauvering and trickery by the opposition, their voices be silenced.

The next day, I remember waking up to a beautiful sunny morning in DC. I took a cab to the capitol and during the ride I remember being quite nervous. The driver asked me where I was from and after I answered, he indicated his awareness on the Puerto Rico Political Status issue. I told him there was a Bill to be voted on that very same day to possibly begin a process to end colonialism on the island. As I paid the fare, the driver bid me farewell and wished me goodluck, not before expressing enthusiastically, "Equality for Puerto Rico!" I winked at him and said, "You're damn right!"

After an intense and fiery debate on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives between supporters and opposers of the Puerto Rico Democracy Act, the final passage vote was announced. Members of Congress would have 15 minutes to cast their vote while the eyes of our nation observed via C-SPAN. We would need to reach the 216 vote threshhold for final passage. One by one, the votes started to come in and were displayed in the House Gallery. With each vote in favor, a feeling of proudness overcame me. I was proud of the members of congress who decided to do the right thing and vote in favor of our cause.

On thursday, April 29th, 2010 at around 6:35pm, The Puerto Rico Democracy Act received vote number 216......... H.R. 2499 was finally approved on a final 223 to 169 vote..... I remember sitting in amazement as my eyes began to water. We did it..............

Only one amendment was approved, inserting the current political status of Puerto Rico in the second process alongside the other options: statehood, independence, and free association. Among all members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus presided by Nydia Velazquez, 22 voted in favor and only 2 opposed the bill.

Care to guess which two voted nay? That's right, Nydia Velazquez and Luis Gutierrez. As a matter of fact the only 2 hispanic names on the Nays list were them! It's a shame these 2 members of Congress joined forces with the conservate right in an attempt to derail self determination for the 4 million American citizens of Puerto Rico. But our voices and efforts prevailed and the U.S. House of Representatives sent a clear message to the U.S. Senate stating the importance of permitting the people of Puerto Rico to finally decide.

In past days, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources has announced a public hearing to be held next May 18th, 2010 to immediately attend H.R. 2499. It is now the duty of all democrats in Puerto Rico and the mainland to continue to advocate and promote the passage of this bill in the Senate. Our moment of destiny is now. Years from now, we will be able to say to our children, that at this very moment, at this time in our history, a group of young men and women of our generation assumed their historical responsibility to put an end to colonialism in Puerto Rico and achieve full equality for all Puerto Rican Americans.

We stand before the beginning of the end of our journey. A journey paved away by the fathers of our movement for equal rights in Puerto Rico. The approval of H.R. 2499 is our "Prelude to Equality". The time has come......

Puerto Rico Young Democrats censure letter sent to Cornell by PDP Youth

by Xavira Neggers Crescioni
xneggers@prdailysun.net

PR Daily Sun

A former president of Cornell University’s Puerto Rican Student Association, Manuel Natal Albelo, denounced Gov. Fortuño’s slated speech on Puerto Rico Monday evening at Cornell University, saying Fortuño is not an appropriate envoy to discuss this since his statehood stance is not representative of all Puerto Ricans and his administration’s policies have caused many problems on the island.

Fortuño was scheduled to speak before Cornell students at the invitation of Cornell College Republicans.

“I have spoken personally with the current PRSA leaders as well as other Latino organizations and I have asked for them to be the spokespeople for Puerto Ricans. In the past few weeks I have sent them different news articles about the firings of thousands of public workers, rising crime, and decisions by the Supreme Court — in sum, the call of a people,” said Natal, who is studying law at the University of Puerto Rico.

Natal said his aim was not to sabotage the activity, but to create consciousness within Cornell, where there is a diversity of opinion on Puerto Rico, adding that Fortuño would be asked hard questions that he has avoided by failing to attend similar activities at the UPR.
“While I was PRSA president we organized countless activities to educate people about Puerto Rico’s situation. The activities and forums were impartial and featured a diversity of opinion, including representatives from the different political ideologies. This activity is aimed at promoting statehood and not the cause of the Puerto Rican people and for me that is unacceptable,” Natal said.

After news of Natal’s comments came to light, the Popular Democratic Youth jumped on the bandwagon, sending two letters to the Cornell Daily Sun and Cornell College Democrats denouncing the governor’s visit and Pedro Pierluisi’s federal status bill for a congressionally binding plebiscite in Puerto Rico as undemocratic.

“[Fortuño is attending with the aim] of creating the impression our people overwhelmingly support statehood by speaking to the students as a representative of all Puerto Ricans, hiding the historic opposition of the country to his ideal,” Popular Democratic Youth said in a press release.

This in turn prompted the Democratic Youth of Puerto Rico and National Committeeman Phillip Arroyo to send a counter letter saying the vast majority of young Democrats in Puerto Rico favor Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi’s status bill.

Arroyo called Popular Youth “hypocrites” for identifying themselves as Democrats when they are members of a party that supposedly opposes the presidential vote for Puerto Rico.

La Fortaleza declined to enter the fray, declining to comment on the controversy stirred up by the governor’s visit to Cornell, while issuing a written statement on his visit with snippets from his speech. The speech includes “an outline of the fiscal and economic challenges he found upon assuming his post last year, and initiatives he is taking to put Puerto Rico once again on the route to economic growth and progress,” La Fortaleza said.
In his speech, Fortuño was to say that island’s current status creates inequality for those who live in Puerto Rico, adding the best way to resolve this matter is through Pierluisi’s status bill.

“The matter of what place Puerto Rico has at the family table of what we call America … is the great unfinished task of American democracy,” Fortuño said, according to prepared remarks.

“My own preference for the best and most apt final status for Puerto Rico is well known. I believes in equality. Our people are ready, ready and waiting, to assume full rights and full responsibilities of the citizenship that we share. As I see it, looking for other solutions or doing away with inequality is to do away with the natural destiny that guides us to U.S. citizenship.”
“I see a Puerto Rico that achieves its potential for economic, social and political development and by doing this contributes to enriching the entire nation. That is my vision of Puerto Rico and America, and a more perfect union. I hope you share it. I hope you accompany me in the fight for it,” according to Fortuño's statement.

In the morning, Fortuño met with Cornell President David Korton and professors from the National Astronomy Center that operates the Arecibo radio telescope and is headquartered at the university to discuss future funding for the local observatory, La Fortaleza said.