"You break it, you buy it!" Now pay!!!
2
Please pass this along...in Australia, after floods or during big outside festivals, the phone companies can set up solar powered cell phone 'towers'. They are on trailers and look like umbrellas. Do we have this technology available to send to Puerto Rico?
10
Does 45 know that Puerto Rico is part of the US?
2
If Puerto Rico is important to the editorial board of the Times, why are we not seeing news coverage from the Times? We, as a nation, are looking at a population group in the millions who will be without power for months if not years, who will be facing devastating food and water shortages, and who will be coping with massive joblessness resulting from a local economy in collapse (companies, farms, businesses -- all require power to function).
And yet, the Puerto Rico headlines have been few and far between from the Times. Today, I had to do a word search to find the latest coverage on the front page.
This may turn into the worst disaster on American soil in a century. And your readers are asking, "where is the New York Times."
5
NYTimes, stay on this story! We need *more* Puerto Rico coverage. By putting the NFL issues ahead of the suffering and devastation of millions of American citizens, you are playing right into Trump's diversion game! If this (hopefully not for the Puerto Rican people's sake) turns out to be Trump's Katrina, it will be up to journalists to let us know. It is the federal government's responsibility to help these poor people. We want to know what they are doing and when. Ask yourself: why you are not covering this like Houston or Florida?
2
If the US does not provide needed aid to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, they may vote to secede and chose to be protectorates of other countries: Cuba, China or a former European colonial power. I am sure that Germany would be interested.
NYTimes, stay on this story! We need *more* Puerto Rico coverage. By putting the NFL issues ahead of the suffering and devastation of millions of American citizens, you are playing right into Trump's diversion game! If this (hopefully not for the Puerto Rican people's sake) turns out to be Trump's Katrina, it will be up to journalists to let us know. It is the federal government's responsibility to help these poor people. We want to know what they are doing and when. Ask yourself: why you are not covering this the way you did Houston or Florida?
9
Surely PR can't hope to compete for presidential attention against the backdrop where NFL players are brazenly taking knees before games, can it?
4
well congress and the administration had an adequate response to harvey and irma but so far totally inadequate in responding to maria. oh i forgot puerto rico has no voting representative in congress and few puerto ricans have a voting residence in the states in order to vote for president; how convenient! this gives us a good glimpse of the kind of people who make up congress trump himself and those who are appointed to his administration: disgusting!
6
Sadly our president is obsessed with racist tinged issues of sports spending most of his time tweeting on this issue pandering to his base. Trump has tweeted nothing about Puerto Rico showing how little he cares for his fellow Americans while indulging his fragile ego wrapping himself in the flag as most tin pot dictators do, not here Don the con.
4
Why privilege American citizens? After all, "no human is illegal." Borders are "a social construct," etc.
Let the Puerto Ricans get in line for Federal dollars behind the Dreamers, right?
Welcome to the new USA, where citizenship is meaningless.
Trump has no interest in the hard work of leading a nation. We get bombast and distraction. Who cares about who stands, kneels or links arms. (And why it gets the coverage level from this paper?!) Symbols will distract us and Trump manipulates to his advantage. While he and his administration sits on their hands, spewing platitudes and self aggrandizements ("We love you" "We'll have the best ever" "It's bigger than any other". Blah, blah, blah). And letting the Americans on Puerto Rico and the USVI suffer from a limpid response. Time for statehood, full rights, restructuring of debt, "drain the swamp" of hedge funds by taking away their preferred status. POTUS, here is your chance to build something instead of tearing down everything that doesn't have your name on it. Show us The Trump Plan and unite America to be its better self by committing to our Caribbean states and American citizens as your signature program.
1
Perhaps the answer to rebuilding the island's electrical grid more sustainably and with more renewables is to make US aid for the Commonwealth contingent on a minimum of the island's power being renewable.
2
Trump! Have you forgotten that Puerto Ricans that live in rhe US have a right to vote? Trump have you also forgotten that many will be moving into US mainland? Not a smart move Mr. PRESIDENT.
My brothers and I are Puerto Rican.
1
Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands certainly need our help.
The USG must step-up big time.
They are our responsibility.
I shall send my donation today.
Question:
Has Texas tapped its 10 Billion "rainy day" fund yet?
Houston and its neighbors need lots of help too.
Or are they saving it for a real emergency.
2
This is a disgrace.
2
Now is the time to look at storm survival in PR as a long-term problem and not just getting them back up and running. Using eminent domain, the country needs to storm-proof the electrical and communications infrastructure. The US mainland needs to provide funding and leadership in this area.
3
By my count President Trump has tweeted 20 times about sports players protests in the last 3 days. Number of tweets about brown Americans in Puerto Rico? Take a guess.
Puerto Ricans are Americans in desperate need but the this President seems to be overly consumed by people exercising their rights to free speech by kneeling. Perhaps you could take a break from that pressing issue for a moment Mr. President to do your duty and help Americans in need.
4
I keep checking the news to see whether the National Guard has been sent to assist Puerto Rico. That they are not there is shameful!
1
Please take Trump's picture off the news feed and replace it with images of the conditions in Puerto Rico which are described as apocalyptic. Not to mention the survivors of Harvey and Irma on the mainland who still desperately need assistance. Someone needs to set the nation's agenda and it might as well be the NYT.
8
The editorial is good, but what is missing from the TIMES' news pages is: where is Trump on this? What is his administration doing regarding Puerto Rico. Is he planning to visit? Put together an aid program?
5
The inability of Trump to help Puerto Rico is akin to murder. People are dying without this aid. Pathetic that he is more concerned with what happens on TV with the NFL.
3
If we let Puerto Ricans die, who else is on the list?
3
Texas and Florida got visits from the president....Puerto Rico gets a phone call. Truly an example of second class citizenship. Shameful.
3
I wonder how quickly the USN would have been ordered there with tankers, hospital ships and heavy-lift helicopters if the inhabitants had all been pasty white (or better yet, orange) with blond hair.
3
The focus is on Puerto Rico, which is the largest and most populous island, but let's include the US Virgin islands (mentioned a couple of times here). My niece lies on St. Croix and captains a boat to take folks out scuba diving. There are many folks in all of these islands whose livelihoods depend upon the now decimated tourism industry. First they need to be safe, then basics (food, water), power & communications. a place to stay, but rebuilding will take a long time. Only after all that will the tourists come back.
4
Puerto Rico, after years of taking advice from Krugman on economic matter, is a totally bankrupt failing territory that people are fleeing. They borrowed because money was cheap ( a Krugman mandate) and used it for operating funds and did this repeatedly. The result is default on bonds, crumbling state organizations, population leaving the area, and no ability to borrow more money. It is an absolute disaster just like all of Krugman's Socialist plans.
5
Has Trump even mentioned Puerto Rico?
Is he going to let them die? Without water or food.?
Is he going to let them die? Without water or food.?
Puerto Rico is America, not American.
Listening to Carmen Cruz, the Mayor of San Juan, reminds us what real leadership sounds like. We will not forget you.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/if-anyone-can-hear-us--help-puert...
2
This needs to be top headline NYT. NK definitely important but this apocalyptic now.....supplies not getting there, no running water, no power, roads impassable, telecommunication down, most cell towers down, cannot NY if was you...Help!
Thanks for this editorial. I haven't seen anything about federal help to PR and have been wondering why. They are a territory of this country. Is it because they are mainly brown people?
1
Puerto Rico is without power and parts are without food and water. This is a humanitarian crisis. These are American citizens. Trump is doing nothing.
1
I find it very unfortunate that the hurricane damage to the US Territory of Puerto Rico is much worse than the deviation in FL or TX and all our president can do is complain about NFL players silently protesting racial inequality and unfair targeting by police. The people of PR will soon be starving and dieing of thirst, especially in the mountain valleys that are now devestated and flooded. Where is the urgency from the federal govt that we saw on the mainland?
2
Our countrymen in Puerto Rico desperately need help from the rest of America. Predictably, our class bully in the White House is too busy shooting spitballs while the rest of the ruling Party and their big-money donors are focused squarely on the destruction of the ACA and tax-giveaways for the ultra wealthy.
2
The bottom line is that Puerto Ricans can't vote in Presidential elections. This means that President Trump doesn't have to worry about photo opportunities or appeals to Puerto Ricans for support. The President is sending his Junior Varsity to Puerto Rico to show the flag. We should be seeing film of USAF transports landing engineering units from all branches to jump start the recovery effort.
1
This is the opportunity for a grand experiment...a humane act with great possibilities! The US has a small island with lots of sunlight and wind and most of its infrastructure and buildings destroyed. Look at the kind of building that withstood the storm. Rebuild that kind of structure. Replace all roofs with solar roofing, not just panels, the actual roofing material. Make each house a power company. Windmills in places where people should not rebuild. Not all roofs are torn off, some people would have had power, at least during the day, if the roofs were all solar. It would all be less to rebuild the next time. I wish I had the kind of funding that the US govt has. The US used to do great things, we could again if Congress didn't keep trying to cut taxes to rich folks. This is not the last time such storms will hit Puerto Rico, see if this kind of rebuilding helps. As the overpriced sneaker commercial says, "JUST DO IT!"
2
Indeed, Puerto Rico was conquered by the US in 1898. It was also conquered by Spain in 1493. Everywhere people have ever been, they have fought over, with only three exceptions so far: Antarctica, the ocean floors and the Moon.
So why is the American conquest of Puerto Rico any different? Besides, anyone who had anything to do with that is dead. Move on! Make the best of it.
So why is the American conquest of Puerto Rico any different? Besides, anyone who had anything to do with that is dead. Move on! Make the best of it.
How we treat our fellow citizens, especially those who are poor, in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands speaks volumes about who we are as a nation. If we cannot or will not help those in desperate need, then we will have no moral authority in the world. Thanks to our current president, we've lost a lot of standing already. Is he going to make us hit rock bottom?
2
My sincere hope that Puerto Ricans & all fellow American citizens come out of these natural disasters stronger and completely agree that all short term assistance should be extended on an equal footing like Houston and Florida.
But couple of points I do want to bring up. When there was Asian Tsunami, US sent a lot of Aid (civil and govt) and US Navy worked around the clock to help out Asian countries. Now that there are so many rich countries in Asia such as Korea, Taiwan, Japan, China I am not sure we are hearing the same level to help out Caribbean islands from them. I would think US will be overstretched to care for three hurricanes that hit in such a short time period and hope partners also step up to help other island communities.
For long term aid though Puerto Rico and Houston/Florida cannot be on the same footing. PR residents don't pay federal taxes unless they have income outside of PR or work for Fed. So clearly more emphasis has to be on PR Govt to develop the revitalization plans. PR residents do pay SS and Medicare but they draw on those benefits as well and those programs pay out more than they take in right now. In fact PR Act 22 encourage high net worth individuals to shield income from US taxes.
So a sensible but fair approach has to be developed for the long term redevelopment of the different regions impacted by hurricanes and not equate all the regions together.
But couple of points I do want to bring up. When there was Asian Tsunami, US sent a lot of Aid (civil and govt) and US Navy worked around the clock to help out Asian countries. Now that there are so many rich countries in Asia such as Korea, Taiwan, Japan, China I am not sure we are hearing the same level to help out Caribbean islands from them. I would think US will be overstretched to care for three hurricanes that hit in such a short time period and hope partners also step up to help other island communities.
For long term aid though Puerto Rico and Houston/Florida cannot be on the same footing. PR residents don't pay federal taxes unless they have income outside of PR or work for Fed. So clearly more emphasis has to be on PR Govt to develop the revitalization plans. PR residents do pay SS and Medicare but they draw on those benefits as well and those programs pay out more than they take in right now. In fact PR Act 22 encourage high net worth individuals to shield income from US taxes.
So a sensible but fair approach has to be developed for the long term redevelopment of the different regions impacted by hurricanes and not equate all the regions together.
2
Very few states pay more than they take in. Based on a Senate Finance report, Puerto Rico would rank 19th worst if it was a state, despite having more poverty. By your proposed standard, using the same report, only New Jersey would have qualified for long term recovery aid. Ironic, considering the vote of the Texas delegation.
4
P.R. is a US colony, war booty. Citizenship was IMPOSED in 1917, just as the US was about to enter the WWI fray in bad need of cannon fodder. Puerto Rican males were then duly conscripted and shipped off to the European trenches.
18,000 Puerto Ricans from the Porto Rico Regiment served in the war and 335 were wounded by the chemical gas experimentation which the U.S. conducted in Panama; however the War Department of the U.S. never kept statistics in regard to the total number of Puerto Ricans who served in the Armed Forces. It is impossible to determine the exact number of Puerto Ricans who served and perished in World War I.
Who cared?
About 60,000 Puerto Ricans were providing security among the Caribbean Islands or serving in Europe during World War II. 23 soldiers of the 65th Infantry killed in action.
More than 750 Puerto Ricans died in Korea.
In the Vietnam War some 48,000 Puerto Ricans served. 345 died in combat.
• A century after the United States extended qualified citizenship to the residents of Puerto Rico....
'Qualified'? We have no vote in Federal elections, no vote in congress, no Senate representation, our laws are subject to US law, our judiciary to the US judiciary. We were subject to the draft.
Unknown, there is an internationally recognized Puerto Rican nationality distinct from the US and, as Spanish descendants, qualify as members of the EU.
U.S. aid always comes with impositions that debase us.
Me? I'm Puerto Rican-CANADIAN – by choice!
22
You make it sound as though PR has gotten nothing from the relationship. Nothing except scores of billions of dollars in federal aid over the years, though PR residents need not pay federal income taxes unless they have US- source income. And the right to live in the continental US whenever they wish, with the same legal and political rights as any US citizen living in any state. Has PR gotten as much federal money proportionate to its population as states have? No. But "not as much" is not the same as "none."
PR residents have long been ambivalent about their relationship with the US. A large portion have voted in referendums to reject statehood and retain territorial status, or opt for independence. Statehood, once granted, is forever. You can't expect Congress to be excited about granting statehood if a large portion of the PR population opposes it. What happens if statehood is granted and then public opinion there shifts modestly so that a majority oppose it?
Want to know what PR would be like if not for its relationship with the US? Check out the Dominican Republic, right next door.
4
Recovery? Or just move?
Picking people up after getting swamped (literally) is a good idea but sometimes you have to step back.
Puerto Rico getting nailed by high winds again is not a question of 'if' but 'when'.
2
So too are the mainlanders of Texas and Florida. Our government is pouring resources at those States and those states have colorful histories with natural disasters . But there is no out pouring of help for Puerto Rico. I bet that Trump and the DC crowd have no intention of helping the people of Puerto Rico. We can argue about why, but I think that it is because the Puerto Rican people are considered to not "as good as" the "real Americans" and most especially the "white Americas". This is racism in action one more time for the people that we elect to public office. Oh not me because I have not voted for any of them---I vote Green.
You could suggest that we experiment first with moving everybody out of Moore, Oklahoma: https://www.weather.gov/oun/tornadodata-city-ok-moore
Puerto Rico is home to 3.4mm people. Where do you suggest they go G.P? Where do you suggest the inhabitants of the rest of the Greater and Lesser Antilles go, while we're at it? I know where you can go but won't suggest it on this forum.
Stop all foreign aid, stop bringing in refugees at our expense
We need to help our Americans in TX, FL, LA and Puerto Rico first
6
@Barb: So you were on board with foreign aid and helping refugees until the hurricanes hit, yeah? If not, your comment is just a transparently thin rationalization for turning your back on people (they ARE, in fact, people btw) that the current administration would be happy to abandon to the slaughter anyway.
I guess we can only hope that some exceptional nation out there can lead the effort to aid refugees while also aiding its own people.
I guess we can only hope that some exceptional nation out there can lead the effort to aid refugees while also aiding its own people.
From another angle. It took a volcano eruption to make the Romans thinking about another alternative when it came to Pompeii.
Rebuild Puerto Rico? Why? Outside of keeping building contractors busy why?
1
Because we Puerto Ricas have fought all your battles and we have lost thousands of PRican men and women. That's why.
Maybe this could be Puerto Rico's "phoenix moment" when the people of PR will obtain new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessors, free from US grip and subjugation.
The time is now.
3
Puerto Rico is a US territory and it's residents are US citizens. The United States should be doing as much as possible to help out in this time of great distress. They deserve our compassion and assistance. We must also remember that Puerto Rico has voted against statehood numerous times. They protested the presence of the US Navy at Roosevelt Roads until that base was shut down removing a good portion of the local economy. Puerto Rico did not get into such an economic predicament by embracing America, it's people, and it's government, only to be ignored.
4
I don't know to what degree the U.S. government will come to Puerto Rico's aid.
But I would like to donate. Can you print the names of some legitimate organizations that are providing relief now?
7
Hello Pamela, unidosporpuertorico.com is a reputable organization set up by the Puerto Rican first lady.
PR needs to become a state. Then it would have two senators and two reps in congress and much more clout in Washington.
12
Yes. And that (should) mean that its citizens will be paying federal income taxes, like any other state, and thus contributing to the cause. As it is, instead, its citizens owe about $73 billion on bonds defaulted on in 2016, to mostly US citizens (or funds that represent them).
I agree that we should provide short term assistance where lives are in peril.
Whether we should provide very expensive long term assistance, is another question. For example, typically most federal aid for helping homeowners with hurricane damage is in the form of loans. (See Texas and Harvey NYT stories).
Given Puerto Rico's track record, how likely would such loans be to be repaid.
If Puerto Rico wants long term US assistance, it's well past time for them to show they want to be a true part of the US and approve statehood -- and start behaving somewhat financially responsibly. (Not that the bar is high, given the likes of Illinois and California, but at least they are rolling over debt instead of just flatly refusing to pay it).
3
The federal government collects more taxes than just income tax, and Puerto Rico pays those taxes. I saw this in a debunking of the statement that Puerto Ricans pay no taxes.
1
They are our fellow citizens. Massive help required from the federal govt. They appear to have been hit harder than even Houston and Florida. No tax cuts at this time, we need all hands on deck in the government to alleviate the distress of all U.S. storm victims. Distractions such as standing or not for national anthem need to be relegated to the back pages.
16
Couldn't agree more, Edward, Puerto Rico for all practical purposes is a state that was hit harder than Houston and Miami by Hurricane Irene. The federal aid should be equivalent to the destruction and suffering of those in Puerto Rico who are without electricity for months on end; and I mean the whole island.
How bout you never Trumpers try coming together in unity instead of focusing on dividing this nation further. Watch and see what this administration does, and if the response in inadequate THEN speak out. This automatic - all things negative is very unproductive.
The response has already been inadequate, compared with the response for Texas and Florida. Puerto Ricans and USVIers were still limping along from Irma when Maria hit. The aid that Trump has promised to Puerto Rico isn't adequate for a population of 3.4 million.
1
"How bout you never Trumpers try coming together in unity instead of focusing on dividing this nation further."
You 'never Trumpers'?
Dividing?
Your America First president starts his term with travel ban, cashes out of the Paris accords, alienates Australia and Mexico, trashes the London mayor, insults the German prime minister, starts up a schoolyard 'double dare ya' with North Korea, then goes to the UN and threatens to totally destroy NK, and is STILL working on his precious wall. Oooh Yeah, he's a real UNITER!
BTW, we are retired and live on a fixed income but still found money to contribute to the relief effort.
What's your president doing?
Pandering to his base at a rally?
Here you go:
TRUMP NEVER
1
Wait and see what the administration does"?
Watch this video
https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/local/weather/san-juan-mayor-there-...
Trump tweeted all weekend about football players but not a word about Puerto Rico.
I never comment on NYT posts, but it has to be said: why isn't Puerto Rico your top story? Except for this brief editorial, you've got nothing. Make it a priority.
37
They are not Nascar (white) Americans and they don't vote. So, do you really think he gives a damn? He went to Houston twice, but he'll never go to P.R.
6
I just called the offices of my Iowa reps, Sens. Joni Ernst and Charles Grassley, as well as Rep. David Young. I asked all three of them to make public statements calling on the administration 1. to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to get power, clean water and emergency relief to Puerto Rico on the same schedule such relief was delivered to hurricane victims in Texas and Florida, and 2. to better inform the American public just what the federal government is doing to help our 3.4 million fellow American citizens living in Puerto Rico.
To think that our government might do less for these Americans than for Floridians and Texans cuts me to the core. I hope I'm wrong, and that right now fleets of relief ships and cargo planes are moving massive amounts of materials and armies of utility workers to rebuild critical infrastructure on the island as quickly as possible. But with a president focused on baiting the North Koreans abroad and sowing racial division at home, and a Congress bent on screwing tens of millions out of health care, it's a struggle to remain optimistic.
Please call your reps and senators. Tell them to get moving. Now.
19
Great for you in calling your senators and representative. But, did you go the extra step to donate any money, even if a few dollars, to relief for PR?
I pay federal taxes and expect my/our government to ante up for the whole enchilada.
@Karen.
I pay taxes too and, just like with Texas and Florida, I expect the people of PR, their local and territorial government as well as their social service organizations to make a every effort to contribute to the recovery.
My federal tax dollars are being used to cover a lot of needs. I expect my tax dollars to be used wisely, not to be squandered to pay 100% of what bleeding heart liberal think should be funded - especially those socialist types who are so good at spending other peoples money.
1
Lack of Puerto Rico's coverage is our fault not the media's. If we clicked on the Puerto Rico coverage more than we click on the NFL-Trimp coverage then Puerto Rico would trend and there would be more coverage. It's simple supply and demand really.
9
An interesting observation and probably true, though not for print media. It's likely truth for electronic media is yet another sad commentary on the state of our society - it's all just algrorithms.
2
This would be one of several excellent opportunities to demonstrate that old American spirit of compassion and helpfulness -- after all, there is Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico to rebuild. But I suspect we are going to have a demonstration of a different sort of spirit -- instead of Greatness there will be a demonstration of Grating on everyones' nerves. What is the beef with the NFL save a distraction from a massive failure to lead where the country NEEDs leadership? This is how the country dies, I fear. Absorbed in petty issues like chunks of navel lint instead of leading.
7
When I was a kid I hardly knew what was going on in the world. Too wrapped up in what other kids were doing. I grew up and now I care deeply about what happens in the world.
Trump reminds me of a kid who is too wrapped up in something insignificant to be concerned with the happenings in the world. He sent one tweet telling Puerto Rico to "be safe" and that was it. Yet he has sent out dozens of tweets, and had a vulgar screaming fit in public, about football players. Trump has told us what's important to him. Like a child who won't grow up, football players are more important to him than the people of Puerto Rico.
18
What ever happened to "America First"?
We are talking about American citizens here.
However, our fake president doesn't seem to like black or brown people.
So it goes.
16
I wonder if the twit even knows Puerto Rico is American... sadly, they fight in our wars but have little else from us...
10
Puerto Rico has 400,000 more American citizens than Houston and was far more damaged by Hurricane Maria than Houston was by Hurricane Irma. The NY Times saw fit to have nearly a week of screaming headlines about conditions in Houston, while the Puerto Rican natural disaster was almost instantly below then fold and quickly relegated to minor items in the inside pages. I wonder to what the difference in coverage can be attributed? A shame the Times fired the Public Editor.
25
Trump and the GOP do not care about these islands because they do not vote here and they are not white. SAD, VERY SAD!!!
9
You are mistaken. Many Puerto Ricans are white or of European descent. Most are mixed with African brought in originally as slaves to work in plantations. Some Puerto Ricans are Asian as well. And there is a trace of Native Americans. Are all Americans white? No. And many think they are white but have traces of other races.
1
Step Up NYT. 45 and his regime are domestic terrorists. Do something about it.
5
Finally NYT! Took you long enough to cover the humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico. Finally.
16
I found it odd that the NYT devoted so much space and front page coverage to the Mex earthquake and bumped PR storm coverage. I want to see more of the situation in PR.
19
The “General Welfare” of all citizens is provided for in the Constitution. Doesn’t matter where they reside. They are citizens. They have experienced a catastrophic hurricane. They are desperate. And they are our neighbors, our fellow human beings.
Perhaps because they are native Spanish speakers our Bully in Chief thinks they are not worth the same as Americans on the Mainland.
Congress must act. For this. For healthcare. For the prevention of war by a deluded sociopath in the White House.
Step up to the Plate!
7
If the people on the island were white, then it would get the full attention and resources of the US. But with this President, unless you're wearing hoods or Nazi symbols, you don't count. Worst President ever to lead this nation.
7
Two Philips, Roth, and Dick, wrote alternative histories where the US lost WWII. What if we had lost the Mexican War and the Spanish American Wars, wars to expand with sham cover stories to, as usual, hide the naked brutal truth.
How about racial slurs like "dirty whiter" and a Mexican president, still head of California, New Mexico, and Arizona, and a Spanish head of state ruling Cuba and Puerto Rico lambasting the filthy white illegal immigrants who sneaked into Mexico, Cuba, and Puerto Rico for better lives.
After decades of living decently, no crimes, they and their kids who were too young to remember any country other than the one they were raised in, some kids in college, some graduates, some doctors, these Anglos with white skin are all deported back to the US, whichever state they left for a better life.
With all those Trump lovers so angry over being betrayed by their "enemies", and hating half the population of their own country, I'd be happy to see them go elsewhere. But, whoops, "ELSEWHERE" views them as filth, and declares them scum and "Illegal" human beings". Trump could leave to since it's SO horrible here according to him, except when bragging about "only he" can save everyone. If only!
1
With a blatant racist surrounded by white supremacists usurping the US presidency, it will be hard for Puerto Rico to be heard. Like Washington DC who should have two Senators and a congressional delegation larger than the one of many Red states, PR deserves a full delegation in the Congress.Remnants of colonialism should be removed while we create a sustainable, environmently friendly economy from the political and environmental rubles. Climate Change is real.Social change must be next.
6
Yes, they deserve just as much help as the victims of Irma and Harvey.
Time for statehood for P.R.
5
Now is the time for Liberals to call for Puerto Rico's statehood. It would guaranty Democrats 2 more Senators, a couple more House members--and at least 4 more electoral college wins. After all...if they can't confer citizenship on 11 million illegal aliens, the next best thing is to make PR the 51st State.
And wait a minute...didn't the Virgin Islands also get hit by a hurricane? Hmmm...52nd state?
1
SELL IT.
1
That would be typical U. S. policy--rape a place and then sell it or abandon it.
There's brown people there who don't vote, come on.
Does the president know that Puerto Ricans are Americans?
5
Right now, the Times has 3 front-page news stories on the NFL and none on Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands.
10
I am shocked by how little prominent coverage the NY Times is giving the situation in PR. You must bump this story up the page and keep it there. Please!!!
6
Finally! Took quite a while for the NYT to wake up and notice Puerto Rico.
5
Hey, NYT ( CNN, MSNBC, FOX, ABC, CBS, NBC, Weather Channel) here is a confidential news tip. Apparently the island of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Island were recently devastated by a huge hurricane- maybe you should go check that out - kinda like you did with Harvey and Irma. I can get the important NFL news from ESPN.
16
AMEN, Editors!
The NYTimes is spreading fake news to, yet again, further their political agenda. And this time at the expense of innocent victims of a tragedy. FEMA is there and working.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/09/23/fema-teams-try...
However, no way should we give them money as the government is too corrupt - it would never go to those in need.
1
And so all the Puerto Ricans AND residents of the US Virgin Islands should die of thirst and hunger? They are all US citizens just like those in Texas and Florida.
The current government is NOT currupt. The last one, under a Republican Governor, was.
Know your facts before you speak (or write).
And yet it is nowhere on the front page of the New York Times.
4
And yet the story is completely absent from your front page. Maybe if you cover the story Puerto Rico can get the help it deserves
6
Link to FEMA efforts in PR and BVI
https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2017/09/23/federal-government-continue...
FEMA news release HQ-17-136
2
Sorry , Puerto Ricans.
You will have to wait.
Our president and the public have more pressing issues to solve first.
Football players are going down on their knees!
We need to make sure they stand on their feet first , only after that we will help you to stand on your feet.
Finally! I am glad you finally make this call! Puerto Rico and the Virgen Islands are part of America and need urgent, vast, long help. No our government nor us can be blind to let them alone now. We, as an ordinary citizens, rushed to make some donations. But I do not see a sufficient respond from The White House. Why the Army Engineers are no there, helping with the dam? Why are they not treated as Texas was? The lack of humanity from this presidency is remarkable!
1
Yes, they are Americans, too. They need and deserve our swift help.
They should be granted statehood (if they want it), additionally.
1
The Virgin Islands AND ESPECIALLY ST. CROIX need just as much help, per capita, as suffering Puerto Rico. 100,000 persons on St. Croix were devastated by Maria, but are largely ignored by the US media. They are largely still without power or enough supplies, from food to heavy machinery. They are hungry, lining up for rationed food from FEMA, some being turned away. The sole source of info is an online serfvice, StCroix ource.com. Cell phone and internet rarely get through.
10
From this devastation is an opportunity to rebuild PR as a model for the future. It is not enough to be resilient Puerto Rico can be transformative.
Puerto Rico with investments from the the US can rethink-rebuild with a vision beyond the 21st century. As a territory or as a state PR can lead US in plan, design and construction for climate change.
4
I was just talking with AD, who was my boss at Fluor Daniel Engineering and Construction in San Juan during the '90s when we were building pharmaceutical plants in Puerto Rico under tax code advantage 936. He reminded me that electricity in Puerto Rico was a function of cheap crude oil from Venezuela and a thriving set of oil and gas refineries along the south coast of the island. Hence, petro-based electrical generation by six or so plants along the south coast of the island with transmission lines over the cordillera to send electricity to the thriving north coast was the extant and economically viable system. Refineries and cheap oil and gas? All gone long ago, hence oil and gas now have to be imported to Puerto Rico and have become quite expensive. Existing electrical generation and distribution on the island? quite likely smashed by the hurricanes. Hence, a perfect economic argument to replace the existing generation and grid, now petro-based, uneconomical, and difficult to hurricane harden, with solar and wind and cogeneration serving small subareas. The problem? Time. Repair, though ultimately far more expensive both by itself and for subsequent electric rates, can be effected quicker to the existing obsolete system than a complete reengineering. (All this is speculation on our part. The island can't be reached: no electricity...)
6
As one reader commented, “Maria will be President Trump’s Katrina”, well this may not be true to the facts since the power grid and power authority in Puerto Rico have been a failing disaster well before President Trump and Maria came ashore.
National Public Radio reported last week that many veteran electrical workers left the island months ago seeking employment in other states due to the financial condition of the power authority.
So part of the conditions in any aid package must include dissolving the current structure of the power authority to insure the rebuilding the power grid can weather future storms.
3
It's devastation. Agriculture decimated, whatever food they need imported from United States. As awful Houston, Puerto Rico much worse. Where's Federal Help? Cruel, just plain cruelty.....
4
As I recall. it was President Ford who first proposed that Puerto Rico be made a steak. But as SNL noted, these are people and should not be treated as meat. Never mind.
2
Least we could do would be forgive their debts to the vulture capitalists on the grounds that the property they held the mortgage on has been severely deprecated. With good credit restored the folks could buy themselves some supplies, also infrastructure.
5
Aid now comparable to Texas; cancel all debt and start over with a balanced budget system that will keep future debt low as a percentage of GDP, i.e. mandated by law.
3
Between TX, FL, the VIs and PR the government is going to have to get creative to perform it's duty.
The US must help via FEMA, but it will be hard to know where/how to begin. While the NYTimes likes to pretend that Puerto Rico is a part of the US, they are not. They are not by their own decision. They do not pay taxes to the Fed, they do not come under US laws. They are independent; they are a territory.
We should send in assistance by the hundreds/thousands of workers to re-build critical infrastructure. We MUST NOT SEND MONEY, under any circumstances. Puerto Rico has it's own government and it's corrupt as any banana republic. To give them money, is like giving NK, Mexico, or any other country money vs. live assistance.
I have no problem helping these wonderful people, but will not fill the coffers of their corrupt government.
1
Rather than sending in thousands of workers, wouldn't it be more economically productive to hire people locally in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands? After all, their main sources of employment have been destroyed
There is not nearly as much press coverage of Puerto Rico, as was given to the hurricanes and flooding in Houston and then Florida. Americans are unaware of the desperate situation there. I hope to see more articles, and information about how to donate and provide help.
6
The greatest generation had the Marshall Plan which was responsible for recovery in Europe after WW2. We should do no less now for the Islands destroyed. Donors should be the colonizers, the USA, France, Holland, England, etc. After recovery we should push for a new nation in the Caribbean made up of these same so- called possessions. The same should be done in the Western Pacific, led by Guam. A pipe dream, almost certainly. Do it and our generation's legacy will also be great.
2
It's not too late to start caring about our very own domestic, environmental refugees. Let's try and start helping Americans first and foremost.
2
There are two problems at hand right now. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have been devastated. They need food, water, medical aid, medicines and fuel as quickly as we can get them there. The longer term of statehood, status quo or independence can wait. Their financial problems have little to do with the immediate issues caused by a Cat 5 hurricane. Our President seems to care more about the triviality of protesting using the national anthem than the health and well-being of 3.5 million Americans. Their status as a territory is irrelevant.
Some comments on this article callously equate their debates about statehood with the current situation. Are people really that heartless? Has it come to this? There was a time where these debates would be had AFTER the disaster, not during and definitely not delaying resources to those who need them. Or, pardon me for stating the obvious, but given the attitude of the current administration toward people of color and Hispanics - could that be affecting both priorities and resources?
2
None of us in the fifty states, including my neighbors in Michigan, would tolerate disenfranchisement and second class treatment while flying the American flag and providing strategic and economic assistance to our country, yet this is what we extend to many, many peoples. I was unaware of the breadth of our Involvement and reliance upon these locales and their residents before researching the matter in response to this NYTimes article. Sadly, I was not even aware of the existence much less location of many locations. And tragically, some feature prominently in the bloodshed of WWII. Others figures in US nuclear testing. I was shocked by the current length of the list: Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, North Mariana Islands, Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Nassa Island, Wake Island, Palnyra Island, Serramilla Bank, Bajo Nuevo, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau. Distance from the US mainland is immaterial. We rely upon them. They deserve fair and equal treatment; surely Hawaiians and Alaskans will agree. It's a time to take a stand in their behalf.
2
Trump is making it abundantly clear that he does not care about Puerto Rico's welfare. Period. One tweet means nothing. Trump made it a point to visit Florida and Texas - and he should visit Puerto Rico as it happens to be a US territory - but here is the sad truth of the moment: By not speaking up for Puerto Rico, President Trump is proving his distaste for brown, Spanish speaking people.
5
Trump and his supporters continue to rage over athletes down on a knee in protest over inequality and injustice as a part of America is in the midst of desperate despair.
FDR called the attack on Pearl Harbor "a day that will live in infamy". It seems to me the day America elected Donald Trump president will be a day that will forever live in our shame.
6
Folks, call your Congressman and Senators. This is not about rebuilding - not yet. It's about food, water, medicine, sanitation, lawful authority. It's about preventing deaths from accumulating day by day due to deprivation and disease, and about preventing the develoment of lawless, survivalist conditions within in the United States.
We all know that if these were white, English-speaking people all the stops would be out. Scream bloody murder to your Congressional representatives and demand they do something. Comments here won't make it happen.
3
There are some major downstream consequences. After labor disputes, Becton Dickinson moved surgical blade manufacturing from New Jersey to Puerto Rico. BD spun off that unit in the midst of lawsuits regarding bundling blades and needles.
http://www.cacrecovery.com/case/hypodermic-products-antitrust-settlement/
BD is the only domestic manufacturer of scalpel blades. You cannot manufacture scalpel blades without power.
1
My Dad, and my brother served in the Air Force. My brother has served in the U.S. Army since he was 20 years old, for over 24 years, and is still enrolled and serving in the U.S. Army. He has served in many wars, including the wars in the middle east, such as Iraq and more. There are many Puerto Ricans serving in the national armed services. I know that National U.S. relief efforts and support will extend to Puerto Rico. I have faith in the name of Jesus, who is Greater, that everyone will pull together and bless and serve those in need.
7
I certainly honor your family's military service but we now have a President who dodged military service with a bogus foot ailment and disrespected McCain for risking his life over North Vietnam and spending 4 years in a POW camp.
Trump's agenda is supposedly to "Make America Great Again" but what he and his supporters really mean is make it great for his base which excludes Hispanics, blacks, or any other minority. Trump has spent more time tweeting about what NFL players are doing during the national anthem than he has spent talking about (never mind doing anything for) the folks needing help in Houston, Florida, and Puerto Rico.
I hope the various parts of the US Government that are intended to deal with disasters will bring assistance to the folks in Puerto Rico who need it in spite of the self-serving morons Trump has put in charge.
"Conservatives" want to cut the budget - except for their Robber Baron brethren contracts to "fix" these things after their insatiable greed caused them.
How about this for a new model of "help"? The tragedies in Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Philippines offer an unprecedented opportunity in these troubled times for world travelers with a conscience. The "monied class" has traveled widely and enjoyed the fruits of the labor of locals. Now some of their favorite "getaways", and most importantly the citizens lives, are nearly destroyed. It is an opportunity those with money always tell we peons to watch for.
Cruise ship lines that make much of their money from taking people to these locations could send in ships loaded with free-passage, wealthy volunteers and donated materials to quickly help rebuild the areas - with NO profit expected or paid. The "monied class" can use some of that stolen wealth they have stashed overseas to evade taxes to pay for it.
Airlines could offer free flights to any American with a net worth over $1 million and carry donated supplies to rebuild interior towns and villages.
I guarantee that this kind of "vacation" would be a Billion times more rewarding than traveling around with your wealthy buddies complaining about the food. Try it. You'll like it.
6
Time for some new US flags. Ones that include the statehood of PR, DC, USVI, and probably Guam. (Guam is only "probably" given their physical distance from the nation. Guam does more, pound for pound, for the US than most if not all the states. At least as measured by military volunteerism.)
Absolutely. Send me a petition, I'll sign.
9
More press and photos of Puerto Rico's devastation and dire need for immediate help.
Less attention to Trump's divisive tweets about the NFL.
Let's get our priorities straight.
24
Hillary Clinton: "President Trump, Def. Sec Mattis, and DOD should send the Navy, including USNS Comfort to Puerto Rico now. These are American citizens."
She released this statement on Sunday, Sept. 24, the day that President Trump used his bully tweet perch to stir the hot pot of racism he is cooking and to mock our adversaries in North Korea. The island awaits a federal disaster declaration for 24 out of its 78 municipalities. Congress needs to step up. This will be Trump's Katrina. I will call my legislators today, for my fellow citizens in life threatening distress in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
21
Have we come so far down the line of insensitivity that we can just ignore the life struggle of the people of Puerto Rico and rationalize it because "they don't pay federal income taxes". They are US citizens, they are members of our community, and their plight is unbearable. We will be judged harshly for this.
10
Trump should frontburner Puerto Rico as our 51st state; extend voting privileges to Guam and other protectorates and remove the last vestiges of colonialism.
3
I would gladly pay a 1% surtax dedicated to rebuilding Puerto Rico.
10
Am I the only one who wonders why the White House didn't activate Navy response for Puerto Rico before the storm hit? They knew the hurricane was likely to hit and could have loaded and/or launched ships before the storm hit. The ships could have been there already with life-saving supplies. No, instead we have these 'tweet wars' started by an incompetent racist in the White House. I think the word 'racist' helps explain why no ships were sent in advance - it's all racism and partisan politics in this White House and the core supporters of this abomination. We're spilling the life-blood of American youth, including Puerto Ricans in order to fight mid-Eastern wars to protect tyrants but cannot provide life-support for an American territory.
16
United States citizens in Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands need help. Communities in Florida and Texas have suffered major damage as a result of weather. The situation between the United States and North Korea is escalating, and North Korea is threatening to detonate a nuclear bomb. Health Care legislation is being pondered that would affect millions of Americans. And the President of the United States is focused on professional football players exercising their fundamental constitution rights -- while at work -- with the consent of their employers, and the consent of the National Football League. . . . . THE WHITE MAN HAS A GOD COMPLEX.
Why does a person have to stand for a flag that represents ideals, and rights, that are denied to certain members of society?
6
Tragically, Puerto Rico may face 6 months without power!
New science can sharply reduce future power failures.
Breakthrough energy technology, can replace fossil fuels fast. 24/7 fuel-free engines will soon power generators of all sizes that need no fuel. A converted Ford engine proved the concept. A second engine has been converted and will be ready for validation by an independent laboratory.
Inexpensive engines are being designed. They can be made of polymers (plastics) since there is no combustion.
The science expands the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Therefore, few believe such engines are possible. A White Paper is available. The work reflects 27 years of effort. See aesopinstitute.org to learn more.
Imagine power generation at every scale operating 24/7 without fuel - homes, buildings & industry.
Cars, trucks, boats, ships and aircraft, having unlimited range, with no need for fuel.
Similar engines will self-power heating and air-conditioning.
Trolls are certain such work reflects fraud and dishonesty, making efforts to find urgently needed small financial support a nightmare. One bold soul can accelerate this potentially life saving effort.
Substantial capital for commercialization world-wide is pending.
Political realities indicate only unusually rapid development of this (and parallel) revolutionary science and technology can improve the odds for human survival on this dangerously warming planet.
Action now can greatly speed this urgent effort!
I am Puerto Rican and hear really racist things said about my people when people do not realize that I have family from the island. Such a sad situation in part compounded by Congress' lack of investment in reforming our tax and trade laws.
3
Climate change is getting very expensive.
2
Not in Trump's America. Brown people aren't really Americans and since these people can't vote anyway. tough for them. They don't even have a NASCAR track, for crying out loud.
He'll see to it that the power doesn't come on for as long as possible so the media has difficulty covering our latest national disgrace. Texas and Florida are a lot more important to the Trump mob.
And. no, I'm not kidding or trying to be ironic. Welcome to Trump's America.
5
Something is so wrong with the leadership today.
2
It's high time that the banks and hedge funds that have imposed austerity and perpetuated Puerto Rico's misery "take a hair cut". All debts should be erased and a massive federal aid program begun. Instead, I fear we shall witness a new iteration of "disaster capitalism", where newly aggressive efforts at privatization shall commence, beginning with the power grid.
4
This US territory was dysfunctional in the extreme even before the hurricane: $74B debt (which have no hope of ever repaying), rampant island government corruption, and with food imports far exceeding exports. With tourist areas closed down for months, the influx of Puerto Ricans to the US must inevitably increase. It makes no economic sense to prop up this island (and it would seem the current Republican government will have little will to fund said propping). Currently, living conditions on much of the island appear to be unsustainable for extended human habitation. A mass migration to the US mainland seems inevitable, so why not simply use any available $ to facilitate such?
2
I agree. There isn’t enough media coverage on this tragedy. Harvey and Irma coverage was non stop. Even Maria coming to PR was covered... once it hit and passed and avoided mainland USA, coverage was all but dropped.
3
Trump and the GOP are not rushing into relief mode for Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands. Are they being blinded by color? That is the most obvious reason but one we are not allowed to 'talk' about?
3
Yes, remember The Marshall Plan, that helped rebuild Germany after WWII. We should be doing that in Mosul.
Of course we can and most likely will ignore the pain and suffering in Puerto Rico.
Tea Party stalwarts are able to ignore storm ravaged states right here in the continental US so they are even less likely to care about a country of brown skinned, almost-Americans.
The thin veneer of a caring and compassionate US has been torn away and we can see this country for what it really is. A country primarily devoted to profit for the very wealthy and suffering for the poor, with a divider in chief in the White House.
5
The hurricane disaster in Puerto Rico puts Trump's white nationalists in quite a bind. One option is an enthusiastic commitment to disaster recovery, including vigorous spending of American tax money in a territory that not only has no federal voting rights but is populated by Latinos to boot - not an attractive option to white nationalists.
The other option is a less enthusiastic commitment to disaster recovery, creating conditions that could drive hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans to move to the mainland United States - where, because they are U.S. citizens, they can register to vote in state and federal elections. The prospect of hundreds of thousands of newly enfranchised Puerto Ricans dislocated by federal inattention is not an attractive option for white nationalists, either.
politicsbyeccehomo.wordpress.com
https://politicsbyeccehomo.wordpress.com/2017/07/28/american-colonies/
7
Puerto Rico does indeed face a crisis of devastation. It is like watching a 3rd world country disappear before our very eyes. Is this their swan song? Has mother nature served Puerto Rico? Is it a choice of leave or die? Is the White House listening? Or more importantly do they even care. Don't look and they will eventually go away. And will they go away? How will we reach out; if indeed we do to assist these people? They are in dire need. Or will they just be ignored and left to die? America do you care any more?
1
Words matter as we are all too aware given the state of our politics in 2017. Your description of Puerto Ricans as being extended "qualified citizenship" is careless, provocative and wrong. The statement by your editorial board is careless. Now you've inserted a word that, if it "sticks", could be debated, changed, or have it's interpretation changed a year, a decade or a generation from now. That this carelessness was generated not by a single reporter reporter but by your editorial board, gives this Puerto Rican pause as, in this instance, you seem to adopt a changing narrative that makes these citizens vulnerable.
1
"Qualified" *is* the right word. Don't be so sensitive! It doesn't mean that anyone from Puerto Rico is any less a citizen than I am, *as long as they're resident in one of the 50 states.* But for so long as they stay at home on Puerto Rico, they don't get to a real voice in Congress - a voice with a vote - and they are disenfranchised when it comes to presidential elections. That's how I interlreted "qualified."
This is Hurricane Katrina all over again.
Except the incompetent Geroge W. Bush was 1000X more competent than is Donald Trump.
In fact, Donald Trump just doesn't care.
Not his problem.
He's at war with pro football.
3
99.9% of mainland Americans don't know that Puerto Rico is not a foreign country and ignore the political status of the island, much less know how it was acquired in 1898 as the aftermath of the US war with Spain. The image of PR is that of a tropical island full of sexy girls singing "Despacito" in dilapidated bars and neighborhoods, with men sitting around doing nothing but smoking and drinking.
PR now is without water, electric power, phone service,medicine, hospitals, schools, basic housing, and are in danger of dying by the thousands as dams overflow. Unfortunately for PR, they don't have a voice in US politics and Trump is not in any rush to help them. He's too busy insulting black football and basketball players.
1
I totally agree with you. As long as people add "fodder" to Trump's comments, he will continue to do so. He forgets that Puerto Ricans and others fought in all of its US wars - not drafted but volunteered. He also forgets that the US was built and made great through the hard work of immigrants who helped each other in times of need. I am very sure that his "ancestors" were immigrants (Germany and Scotland) just like the rest of us and it was his ancestors who made the "millions" to put him in the status that he enjoys but along the way they forgot to instill some humility and compassionate for others that are less fortunate.
So long as our country is headed by this racist President we will see little to no support from the White House (aptly named, isn't it?) for the needs of Puerto Rico. We are in the hands of a cabal of politicians who are focused on increasing the wealth of their supporters through tax cuts and increased spending to mega-corporate America, disguised as "defense". Neither Congress nor the Executive branch is even slightly interested in the disaster in Puerto Rico and the U.S.V.I.
1
Of course they deserve federal aid. Quickly.
Why isn’t Trump leading on helping Puerto Rico ? All I hear and see from him yesterday and today is about football players and their dismissal. Does he even know Puerto Rico is part of the US ? We have no leader in our country, we have a sociopathic narcissist ... and continuous intentional chaos by him ! I’m frightened for my country under Trump.
2
Puerto Rico, being a commonwealth of the US, does pay quite a bit in federal taxes. It's up to Puerto Rico's citizens to vote on statehood. There's really no reason for them not to, since everything essentially is run by the US there today. Having Puerto Rico as a full state would also put additional pressure on Cuba to work with the US on rights and trade.
5
Puerto Rico should be granted statehood if they want federal aid. No one should be able to play both sides. Full statehood and representation in return for federal aid and jobs.
2
The people of Puerto Rico are American citizens. I just want to remind you of that.
1
They already pay federal taxes, this is a nonsensical argument.
You may recall the phrase "no taxation without representation". If you do, then I'm sure you'll understand that there is no way that Puerto Rico should pay Federal Taxes to the U.S. government given that its citizens have no voting representative in Congress and cannot vote for the President.
What would the people of the world think of the the United States and its military if we engaged in disaster relief and used our naval and air force resources to deliver medicines, food, generators, and field hospitals to people whose homes, schools, hospitals, and community resources have been destroyed.
What if people saw US military aircraft parachuting and delivering life giving food and building materials instead of drone missiles delivering death?
And if the Jones Act keeps other people from helping those in need, let's suspend or repeal the Jones Act.
There are many qualified and experienced people trained in international disaster relief. Why aren't our tax dollars being put to good use in helping our own people in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and small neighboring islands as a demonstration of humanity and generosity.
Must every Caribbean island suffer like Haiti because we "just don't want to be bothered to help?"
The world watches. People do not forget.
29
I'm pretty sure all that happened after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. It did soften the world's disapproval of the U.S. after the human-caused disaster of the Iraq invasion.
They would probably think "Why are they using planes and boats that cost 100 times more to operate than regular planes and boats to do this?"
We use military in Houston the Florida Keys and the Virgin Islands. The military is uniquely prepared to respond in rapid fashion to bring in critical infrastructure equipment that is always in stockpile. Once the area is stabilized, private sources can begin their work. If Puerto Rico waits for private help, they will all be date.
The editorial says: "Diaspora Puerto Ricans, struggling to make contact with kin stranded on the island, are already preparing emergency shelter in their own homes and massing donations in mainland communities from New York to Florida." FWIW, this is also under way among Puerto Ricans in Illinois, California, Texas -- throughout the United States. They, too, deserve to be mentioned.
5
Point taken, but the focus should be on those needing aid, not those wanting accolades.
The NYT needs to more critically consider why Puerto Rico, as a U.S. colony, is in the financial condition it is in after almost 120 years of U.S. domination. The policies and practices of U.S. colonization have greatly contributed to Puerto Rico's inability to develop a thriving economy. For example, the U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that repeal of the Jones Act, requiring that all goods transported from the U.S. to Puerto Rico be carried on U.S. merchant marine vessels, could yield an annual economic gain of up to $15 billion. If the U.S. were to compensate Puerto Rico for the additional expense incurred by the island due to this single act of colonial rule, Puerto Rico would have no national debt whatsoever. Other colonial restraints on the island, such as the inability to negotiate or enter into its own international trade relationships, also prevent Puerto Rico from pursuing economic activity that could help it thrive. Given that we're now in the 21st century, the time for the U.S. to get out of the colonization business is long overdue. The U.S. should compensate Puerto Rico for economic damages done as a colonizing power and set the island on a path to independence.
16
Welfare payments alone are more than that. Puerto Rico is considerably better off then neighbors not suffering from "colonization". Except for Cuba and Bahamas, almost all of them would be ecstatic at the opportunity to be so "colonized".
1
They vote against independence every time it is put on the ballot. This is because Puerto Ricans directly benefit from association with the United States by being given access to entitlements programs and federal funds while not having to pay income taxes. And let's not forget that it also allows them to freely move into the United States without having to deal with the hassle of immigration.
As for trade, it's absurd to think, given their lack of economic leverage, that Puerto Rico would get a better deal if they negotiated on their own.
Also, an aid package will soon arrive, funded by U.S. taxpayers for the most recent hurricane. Seems like in addition to everything else, the U.S. provides a nice insurance plan as well. I'd bet Haiti would trade places with P.R. in a heartbeat.
That's not a bad deal at all.
At this time when Puerto Ricans and US Virgin Islanders are struggling for survival while many Americans are watching Ken Burn's "Vietnam", and remembering our struggle during that terrible time, it is helpful to remember that islanders have always served in US military forces from WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Many volunteered to serve and many others were drafted. This is not the time to have a national conversation about the status of the islands, as some have suggested, this is a time of crisis that calls for immediate action to help people get back on their feet. They deserve no less. Talk can come later.
10
Congress just approved a military budget that is even more bloated than usual, and all but 8 Democrats, to their shame, voted for it.
This needs a do-over. The increase in the military budget should instead go to rebuilding Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, both of which have been blown back into the 19th century.
6
"Puerto Rico is American. We can't ignore it now."
But we will.
3
Yeah, because it's football season. And all that matters right now, according to our media, is a song that's played at the beginning of a game.
2
How about that citizens living in PR and the VI pay US Federal Income Taxes then? Currently, citizens living in the territories calculate their US Federal Taxes and remit them to the Governments of PR and the VI, not to the US Federal Government. If they did that I would think that Federal aid would be fair and reasonable. But now, they contribute nothing to the USA through taxes.
Why not make PR and the VI states, or more likely one state, or more practically just make them counties of Florida, and roll them into the USA?
3
If the tax bill determined statehood, then there are a lot of states out there taking more than they contribute that might need to reconsidered, too.
6
That is not what I said - a issue, not the only issue, is that the US citizens of PR pay the equivalent of Federal Taxes to the PR Gov., not the USA Gov. To get really massive, unreserved Federal aid, I would like them to pay Federal taxes - and I do understand that PR would always get more than they paid in, given the needs and the poverty there. But currently they pay nothing directly in Federal income Taxes. The solution is to become a state.
While Trump declares war on those who bend knee during the National Anthem, he disrespects that very tribute by ignoring poverty, suffering and need. What a flag that one flies.
6
Don't hold your breath. There is no chance that the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will get what they need out of a Republican regime in Washington so indifferent to the needs of the rest of the American people that it is intent upon slashing the health care of millions to help lard massive, deficit-ballooning tax cuts on the very rich. The GOP is just fine with suffering and death: if you can't afford it, you don't deserve it.
7
If our country was less dysfunctional—and if we were the America we like to think of ourselves as being—this would all be playing out quite differently. Our leaders would be bringing about an unprecedented national effort to rebuild Puerto Rico, Houston, the Virgin Islands, and to some extent Florida. And, they would not only help them rebuild but also rethink HOW these communities are built, on the assumption that in our era of increased climate change they will all have more of these storms within a few years.
For example, in Houston we’d use canals and other techniques to enable us to wring flood waters out of the area and send them down to the Gulf. Then we’d remap the City and forbid people to rebuild in areas we just can’t protect and are doomed to flood again. In Puerto Rico, we’d do thing like trench all the power cables underground.
But while we’re thinking big, we’d fix the other problem here—and make Puerto Rico the 51st state, and maybe the Virgin Islands the 52nd. And if Guam feels left out, OK, they can get the same deal and be the 53rd.
Of course, we’re preoccupied instead with things like how our football players behave. But even so, it’s fun to dream of how a real America would work.
17
@Jerry S,
What about DC?
By all means, step in. But step in all the way and help the commonwealth impose the discipline they've lacked for decades. The island has staggering physical beauty but the debt and the neglect of the country's infrastructure is criminal. The country has gotten bad deals from the U.S. but also hasn't helped itself. Poverty, drugs, welfare, borrowing against a manana that never arrives, spending beyond its means -- that's where PR is today. It will take generations to fix the commonwealth and a discipline they've yet to display.
3
Residents of Puerto Rico do not pay U.S. income tax.
I was glad to see this editorial, but I do not think that it went far enough. Use your front page to question why Trump has not done more to help Puerto Rico. Call him out on it. News organizations should be conveying a sense of outrage at the slow and miniscule response. Clinton is the only one that I have heard so far who was critical of Trump's response when she suggested that he should be sending in the Navy.
4
Since when have Presidents been motivated to do something for people who did not vote for them and cannot vote for them in the future when it does not also benefit the people who voted for them? Hillary got big donations from PR groups and arranged amnesty for PR terror group members though Bill. She has already been paid.
Citizens of these territories cannot vote, so there is little interest in helping them. Better to go the route of independence, which will free up the new sovereign government to seek international aid without any Federal checks.
2
"The ideal of America starts with taking care of its citizenry in dark times."
That train has left the station. Look at your own Detroit. It is now, I am afraid, an oligarchic USA engineered first and foremost with protecting the well being and interests of the 1% and of big business. Everybody else is on their own.
4
Meanwhile, Trump is focusing on and picking a fight with the NFL. Nero fiddles as Rome burns.
5
We can't afford to ignore Puerto Rico? Well, "we" have done a completely wonderful job ignoring our poorer, shall we say more colorful communities for a very long time. Cast your mind back to Katrina? Remember that?
Think of all the superfund sites and the degradation of the environment in places inhabited by poor people who don't count.
Yes, Puerto Rico is American. But it's not Texas, by gum, not Florida, not important for the purpose of getting reelected in a nice, dry red state.
4
Could not agree more.
1
It is unfathomable that while 3 million American citizens go without power, the president is consumed with how refs are ruining football by calling too many penalties. You can't make this stuff up.
7
If we are really a great nation, we should be able to get power to PR in less than 3-6 months. That is a disgrace.
6
I agree that we all need to rally and do what we can within our means, whether. The need for assistance will not end at year's end. This will be a very lengthy process for Puerto Rico and the USVI, both national treasures. Our fellow citizens from Puerto Rico serve in our military and die for our country, yet cannot vote for our Commander in Chief. We, citizens from the mainland, need to lobby our lawmakers this time next year when all have forgotten the devastation in our territories as they continue to rebuild. A greater issue is how to stop the brain drain from the island to the mainland. Perhaps as someone else has suggested statehood would be a start.
2
National treasure? You could not give it away. You would have to pay some other country probably $100B to take it. That would not even be enough to pay off the huge debts they have run up in good times at the island and agency level.
More prominent coverage would help.
And for people who want to help directly, there are ways to do so. For example,
https://www.unicefusa.org/donate/support-unicef-usas-hurricane-relief-ef...
In disasters abroad, flooding and contamination of water supply have led to disease outbreaks such as cholera. Help needs to be made available quickly.
As a previous commenter pointed out, we need to consider that these extreme weather events (climate change -- shush, don't say it out loud) may become routine. In which case, we will need a more robust housing stock and infrastructure located outside the 500 year and 1000 year floodplains, which may be the five year and ten year floodplains now. Even the three little pigs finally figured out that you don't want to waste money building a house of straw or sticks when the wolf is coming to your door.
4
We must help them. "They" are "us" -- it's our responsibility.
2
Why is this even a question? We wanted Puerto Rico and the USVI as geographic outposts against the horror of communism. We set up tax preferences that built infrastructures and then abandoned them. Because PR was not officially a state it racked up big debt - and then we bickered about whether that was our problem. Seriously! I want my tax dollars to help them too!
2
Trump has more fun tweeting about football and threatening players. It's much harder to think about helping suffering people.
5
The premise of this article is ridiculous. We always ignore Puerto Rico. If not, they would be a state and have representation in the senate. We do the same to D.C..
2
Absurd that we make Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands into a second class region not eligible to vote.
2
I'm here in San Juan, please do not ignore us. We are US citizens but even more importantly this is a colony and we cannot get help from other countries, only the United States.
2
Here are the differences between the disaster in Puerto Rico compared to Florida and Texas:
1. In Florida and Texas, much of the initial rescue and recovery efforts were mounted by individuals and non government entities. You don't hear much about that in Puerto Rico, possibly because everyone was hit pretty hard, not to mention the paucity of communication.
2. Puerto Rico is an island. You can't just send in truckloads of water, generators, etc. Air transport has limited capacity and it takes time to load and send stuff by ship.
3. Puerto Rico has had a corrupt government for some time and that government short changed infrastructure development to fund salaries and pensions for government workers. I also suspect their actions in response to Maria bear more resemblance to Ray Nagin in New Orleans than Sylvester Turner in Houston.
None of this is to imply we shouldn't help Puerto Rico. But the NYT is totally predictable in arguing for more federal spending as the solution to virtually all problems.
3
Thanks for putting this critical issue front and center. Media Matters reported that among the array of Sunday news shows the devastation of the island was barely mentioned.
Although I doubt this president is concerned about a population that can't (and likely would not) vote for him, we on the mainland must advocate strongly for immediate humanitarian aid, restoration and rebuilding of the island. If we can afford an 80 billion increase in the military and proposed massive tax cuts (AKA reform) for the wealthiest Americans, we can finally stop treating Puerto Ricans as the "other" and treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve.
8
Morally and pragmatically, Pureto Rico should be made another state. Realistically, there is a lot to overcome
10
Will NEVER happen.
1) Spanish is an official language...and most Republicans hate brown-skinned bilingual Americans who speak Spanish, even though almost all also speak good English.
2) Since most Puerto Ricans are more liberal than conservative, the Democrats would get two more senate seats. Republicans will never allow this for pragmatic reasons.
Realistically, Puerto Rico is condemned to be a de facto US colony.
2
Puerto Rico will never become a state. There's too much racism on the mainland to let us in. The "English Only" cry would be all over the place. Only 46% of Americans (according to NYT) know Puerto Ricans are even American citizens. Racism and ignorance, not statehood, will prevail.
Thank you for this important editorial. It has been disheartening, if not surprising, to see the extent to which Puerto Rico-related news has been buried not only in the daily conversations of our government but also in the channels of mass media.
Puerto Rico has a population of U.S. citizens that is larger than that of a substantial number of states. Were any of those states confronted with the astonishing humanitarian crisis that Puerto Rico finds itself in, there is little question that their plight would dominate national headlines.
Puerto Ricans have made substantial contributions to American culture for more than a century and have served (in large numbers) in every armed conflict since World War I. The island represents a unique and beautiful asset of this country, and we MUST not take that for granted. It is critical that all levels of governments, as well as private citizens, rally in support of Puerto Rico at this time of need.
20
I'm all for giving aid to Puerto Rico, but its government needs to stop aiding and abetting the rich using it as a tax haven, free from capital gains taxes.
In 2012 Puerto Rico adopted Act 22, which basically exempts most investment income of new residents from Puerto Rican tax. It did this to lure rich investors to Puerto Rico. And because Puerto Rico residents are already exempt from U.S. federal taxes (except Social Security and Medicare taxes) the 1% who "move" there are also exempt from local taxes, and live tax-free. Therefore, the 1% residing in Puerto Rico will contribute $0 to rebuilding after the hurricane.
10
While living in PR during the '70s, the US government was exempting US companies from paying taxes as a recourse to bringing in monetary resources to the island even though we were paying our fair share of US taxes. I can still remember when we had to pay a surtax on top of what was owed to the IRS and PR. Reason why I left PR, I had a college education but was not paid adequately - I was working for an American company. Additionally several companies were already declaring. bankruptcy. So Puerto Rico's economic woes is not new - it was already set in motion. Anyone who has taken an economics course can understand this.
1
What about Texas tax law?
Where is our government now? The are ignoring the needs of Americans! The ideal of America starts with taking care of its citizenry in dark times. These are literally dark times for two islands that are part of greater America so what else is more important?
16
Will Republicans accept Puerto Rico's claim for defaulting on their entire debt as an act of God, if not an act of Maria? Talk about a Republican double standard - increase taxes on Puerto Rico to reduce their debt. I thought they believed in reducing debt by cutting taxes!
Irresponsible loans to the PR government, enabling tax freebies and giveaways to the pharmaceutical industry while they were there profiting off of the Puerto Rican debt is no different than what states on the mainland have been doing by dropping to their knees to industrial extortion - leaving the state if they do not get tax payer subsidies or move to another state that gives them even more money - I am looking at you Amazon.
The difference with Puerto Rico is that the scale of the pharmaceutical industry subsidy off of a small population of low income citizens was huge compared to the overall size of the state - having income and profits siphoned off to the mainland mostly tax exempt or taxed elsewhere. Mainland states - larger and wealthier - can absorb this abuse better, but it is not unlimited. I am still looking at you Amazon!
6
it appears that this administration considers Puerto Ricans second class United States citizens because they are not a state.
10
...and because most of them are not white!
Can we come up with a plan to rebuild PR's energy sector with solar? Home-based and microgrids are a natural for a place with big Sun and a bankrupt utility. The net benefit is a large expansion of individual and collective wealth one the panels are paid for. Use of local labor also seeds economic growth and we all benefit from reductions in co2. Any thoughts on how this can be creatively financed or organized in stages? globalsolarproject.net
16
Did you see the photo of the solar farm that the hurricane destroyed? Solar is not a panacea, it's a tool, subject to wind damage and ineffective under clouds. The outlay for solar is astronomical for impoverished homeowners.
Sounds good, but judging by the photo in the link below, that home-based energy system, would be totally gone if it had been in place when Maria hit PR. :
https://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/locales/fotogalerias/ladevastacionqu...
Await The Donald's return to office to assume a leadership that includes more than pandering to racist in Alabama. Possibly The Crimson Tide will take a knee on behalf of our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico, that might get The Donald's attention.
6
Re: "They dare to hope the sweep of the hurricane’s destruction may provide a .. spark for long overdue modernization on the island.
Yes, it is long overdue, and ever more so when the US withdraw the tax incentives for American drug companies that manufactured there.
In 2013, when Obama was President, The Economist published an alarming article:
" Puerto Rico - Greece in the Caribbean
Stuck with a real debt crisis in its back yard, America can learn from Europe’s Aegean follies "
America never did.
------------------------------
https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21588374-stuck-real-debt-crisis-i...
10
Help the Puerto Rican's and usvi out. They are Americans too.
Unlike Florida or Texas you can't drive a utility truck down there. You have to send ships to house the workers and merchant ships to carry the trucks and gear.
Florida has no power outages. Five days later. PR and usvi are powerless 15 days after Irma.
Governor mapp and FEMA say all the right things. But is it really happening? Or is it smoke?
6
This is the perfect storm for the US. Great calamities and danger have arrived, and a pitiful, hateful and vengeful clown is in power.
12
So send them the foreign aid that now goes to other countries. That's what "America First" means
6
Is it too early to state that Donald Trump does not care about Puerto Rican people?
9
Pointing out the obvious - Trump flies to Florida and Texas to visit the white citizens. Puerto Rico? No. Too many people of color. Better to fly to Alabama and insult and swear at black athletes. Even Bush didn't sink that low.
16
And ye sadly we will ignore Puerto Rico, just has we always have, since the US illegally seized the island from Spain in 1898.
6
To set the record straight, the Treaty of Paris which was signed on 12/10/1898 gave the US full control over all former Spanish military installations as well as some 120,000 acres of land formerly owned by the Spanish Crown on the island. Puerto Rico remained under direct control of US military forces until the US Congress ratified the Foraker Law on 4/12/1900 which brought a civilian government to the island.
I emailed this question to my Representative (NH 2nd district):
What are you doing to help Puerto Rico?
8
Why isn't PR the 51st state?
5
The people of Puerto Rico do not need debate now on the issues of statehood or economics -- for Heaven Sakes, we are talking about SURVIVAL!! Food and water are running out!!! Babies and the elderly, especially, cannot live under these conditions. Please please people who have a voice (i.e. everyone) -- don't wait for the tragedy we are now talking about to turn into one which will shame us all. . .
10
I am still looking for reliable and vetted information on where to make donations for Puerto Rico hurricane relief.
This is not a question of economics or statehood - it is reality. And yes, I agree that we should focus on the needs of Puerto Rico. Right now we have an opportunity to turn things around if the US government "wakes" up and witness to what is happening in their backyard and not just ignore us.
Puerto Rico is not just American, but America.
10
It must be very odd to be an American and not have any vote or representation in Congress. That in itself seems very un-American to me. A sort of second-class limbo.
1
Make no mistake about it, Puerto Rico and the USVI will be trump's Katrina. Yet the suffering and death will be barely noticeable to us on the mainland unless organizations like the Times keeps the story front and center.
172
Correct! Keeping the story front and center requires more from The Times than choosing comments like this as readers picks - we need real reporting, not congratulatory pats on the backs from the paper.
Cuomo has already been in Puerto Rico with a plane full of help> from food to generators. How many FEMA airplanes with provisions have been dispatched by the Federal Govt to Puerto Rico, I would like to know? Declaring the island an "emergency disaster" and promising the funds will flow are good first steps, but where is the immediate, real aid? NYT?
7
too bad the president is too busy turning americans against each other to send aid.
10
I cant believe that this is all of the comments on this article!!!! We need to send aid to help them immediately!!!
9
If we can't ignore it, we will ignore it. The GOP will treat it the same way it treated New Orleans, as a "slum clearance" not worth saving since it lacks Republican voters.
For the indifferent, you might be next, so it could happen to you.
Don't expect "government" to help you, if you vote for a bunch of goons who hate government.
Wake up!
8
During Harvey, the NYT and other media outlets gave us suggestions on where to send donations--Houston Food Bank, for example. We need another round of suggestions for PR.
Try Puerto Rico is ours. We must help it NOW.
2
Time to free the colony of US ownership and give Puerto Rico it's independence.
3
Colonies are bad, and PR should not be one, but RIGHT NOW is NOT the time to debate endless debates. We need help, lots of it, this very moment. I am on the internet because I have a generator, but I will be running out of propane gas in a day or two, even though I run it only a few hours each day. Fuel is scarce, diesel, gasoline and propane are lacking everywhere and hospitals are shutting down. Critical patients are in eminent danger of dying. Distribution seems to be totally tied up. Please tell people to help us, not to debate the end of colonialism.
1
So, kick it to the curb after using and abusing it?
Has Trump even mentioned Puerto Rico?
5
No Trump fan here but yes, he has. Credit where credit is due. Whether or not he stops at that and bypasses visiting the island is a topic for another day.
This should be frontpage news with screaming headlines, instead, it's the idiot Trump vs. the NFL getting all the attention. We need to mobilize to save lives in Puerto Rico and rebuild the island. This is a terrible tragedy, and it bothers me that it's not getting the attention deserving of such a disaster.
13
Sorry but we have over 330 million people in America & homelessness, veterans dying, a HUGE opioid crisis, poverty, inner city chaos, etc. We need every available penny for the 50 states of America! Puerto Rico is NOT a state!
Hard to believe you just said that. Puerto Rico is our responsibility. They are an American territory. And they have no food and water and their crops and tourist economy are destroyed and their water source is nil. What do you want, to see them die and just rot on their island that belongs to the US?
I feel like you're kidding, right? Americans.
At least our President immediately recognized the disaster happening to the citizens in Puerto Rico whose President he is, and traveled to the country to offer support and condolences.
Oh...wait...wrong President...
6
I am starving for more commentary and up to date news about post-storm developments in Puerto Rico. NYT, please resist disaster fatigue and keep PR on the front page, consistent with th scope and scale of newsworthy events as captured in this editorial! Consider also waiving pay walls for related coverage as was done for Texas and Florida content, for the same reasons set forth here.
7
Statehood!
3
Yes! We must help the people of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
7
George Bush fumbled Katrina in such a major way
that no future President would be so stupid
as to make the same mistake.
Enter Donald Trump.
Please,
Please
Please prove me wrong.
Feed and shelter and heal and rebuild
the way a leader would.
8
Puerto Rico has the potential to become a major tourist destination and self sufficient. It is a beautiful, fantastic place to visit, with an interesting history and vibrant culture. All it needs is better infrastructure, a couple of destination highlights (which it already has ... or had, thanks to hurricane Maria) and some good publicity. Get well soon, Puerto Rico!
5
This piece gives brief lip service, almost as an afterthought, to the USVI as well -- but the devastation there is horrendous, and the residents of those islands are just as much US citizens as are the people of Puerto Rico. There is no reason to distinguish between these islands in terms of their need for immediate and long-term support nor in terms of our undeniable obligation to them to provide it.
7
When your neighbor is drowning, you don’t pause to check his citizenship or weigh his sins against his good deeds. You help him, because it’s the right thing to do. This should be our attitude towards Puerto Rico right now, until the island is back on its feet. The close relationship we’ve had with them for over a century now obliges us to this much, at the least.
But afterward, we should announce that Puerto Rico’s half-in status isn’t working for us anymore. They should either become a full US state with all the rights and responsibilities that come with it, or a full sovereign nation, and we should abide in good faith by whichever decision they make. But we should insist that they make that choice.
22
Will - How about you let P.R. decide what it wishes for a status wthout input from Massachusetts?
The islands are unique in having slow and difficult supply chains along with limited resources available to respond to their epic and continuing disaster.
Our military might and resources should be flooding Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands with the Corp of Engineers leading the charge.
But, our politicians spend their time arguing about football and where the military tcan flex their muscle or fight a war.
27
Puerto Ricans do not have "qualified" US citizenship; they are United States citizens.
Puerto Rican residents have very limited* voting rights in US national elections-- but that applies to all Puerto Rican residents, whether they were born in San Juan or Dallas or Chicago. Conversely, native born Puerto Ricans have the same rights as any other Americans to move freely within the 50 states and to establish residency (and voting rights) in another American community if they so choose.
Presenting Puerto Ricans as "qualified" US citizens is a disservice to native-born Puerto Ricans-- and also to other Americans, who deserve to know that what was, and will be again, an incredibly beautiful tropical island is a part of their nation.
*Puerto Rico has a non-voting representative to the US congress, who is elected by popular vote-- as are the Puerto Rican governor and legislature.
11
I wholeheartedly agree.
The Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are as much our responsibility as any of the 50 United States. The way that the USVI in particular has been largely neglected in the media and struggled for relief is outrageous.
What other part of the United States would be expected to be without electricity for perhaps many months and there's barely a nod? St. John in particular, a national treasure, consists largely of one of OUR national parks. It's desperately in need of help having been hit the hardest of any of the US territories.
Relief and rebuild has to come now to the entire country. It's a national emergency, and it's the United States.
24
If St. Johns had oil, gas or minerals, we'd be there in an eye-blink. Never overlook greed.
1
And while PR struggles to provide food, water, shelter and electricty over the coming months and years, the GOP is pushing a $1,500 Billion tax cut for the wealthy and a plan that will take HC away from tens of millions of US citizens.
You cannot make this story up.
26
Perhaps this is the time to have a national conversation about Puerto Rico.
For years, the best educated and most ambitious Puerto Ricans have been leaving the island and coming to the US mainland to pursue their lives and careers. The island's population has been slowly shrinking, businesses have been leaving with the ending of special tax rebates/incentives to locate there, and the territorial government has run up an unprecedented debt of $72 billion. So, the fundamentals about PR are pretty bad all the way around.
Now there is widespread and significant destruction to the power grid, to water and sanitation facilities, communications, transportation - everything you need to not only function on a daily basis, but to get the devastated island back on its feet. This will cost...how much? A trillion?
As with a house that's in a bad location and keeps flooding, rather than keep using Federally subsidized dollars to keep rebuilding it only to have it flood again, perhaps it's time to give up on the physical island of PR and move everyone on the island to the US. The alternative is....what? Spend a trillion $ to rebuild the island so that more people can leave, and render the spending wasteful? Puerto Rico's population of 3+ million constitute 1% of the US population, and could be readily absorbed into communities across the US.
We have an obligation to help the US citizens of Puerto Rico, but we don't have an obligation to only spend our money they way they want.
4
First, it's their money too; Puerto Ricans are tax paying Americans! Second, would your solution also apply to Florida and the Texas coast? Those areas receive much more frequent and more expensive destruction than PR does.
1
following your 'reasoning', why must we give $$ to rebuild Texas and Florida cities that have made themselves prone to environmental disasters?
Why subsidize rebuilding on ocean-front properties and flood plains, bring in sand to enlarge eroded beaches?
You neglected to include coastal Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida on your list.
Thank you for your editorial. Let's see if it does any good. On the ground, Puerto Rico is destroyed, with an estimated $50 Billion in damages.
It is ironic that over the past few years the large majority of islanders relocating to the mainland to flee PR's economic problems chose Texas and Florida for their new home. And when disaster recently struck Texas & Florida, federal aid has been endless & bottomless.
Disaster has now struck Puerto Rico. The island is decimated. The people have little or no food. Water is scarce. Power is gone for months. But our Governor and our non voting member of Congress must beg for help, both from FEMA as well as the Dept. of Defense. In response, President Trump has confirmed he will visit.
We don't need a visit. We need help and we need it desperately and we need it NOW.
(It has never been more difficult than now to be a second class citizen.)
23
It seems to me that the idea of statehood for Puerto Rico doesn't move anywhere. Its a neglected territory that has added so much to the fabric of the US over the last century. A radical readdressing of the governance of the state is needed. Maybe a conversion on making Puerto Rico a part of Florida should be talked about. So many Floridians are of Puerto Rican decent, so many have recently moved to Florida, that maybe it can be the one way to give hope to the people of Puerto Rico and its future.
3
As a member of the Puerto Rican diaspora, recently relocated to Georgia, I feel tremendous concern about the situation in the Caribbean. It is not only that the infrastructure is destroyed. Years of neglect had it functioning at a third world level already before Irma and Maria. The main source of revenue, tourism, will not be operational for months. Limited federal aid on the way is not sufficient for 3.3 million desperate people.
The US Virgin Islands and PR have great debt per capita and stripped "state" resources. Brain drain will get much worse in the short term when those that can will board planes the mainland. Most will not be able to return to rebuild. Puerto Ricans have fought in American wars and died at higher rates than the majority population. It is time for Americans to reflect on their responsibility. The present administration would like to ignore the world refugees. Will they forget US citizens as well? President Trump owes the Puerto Rican people 30 million he borrowed from the PR Government Bank for a failed project. Many other outside investors also owe significant amounts. They were able to declare bankruptcy but Puerto Rico could not. I pray for a change for all territories. After revolting after their colonial master successfully, our founding fathers would be ashamed of how the US treats its colonies.
134
Why do the citizens of Puerto Rico keep turning down statehood?
That would give them full representation in Washington.
They can not continue to be unwilling to pay Federal Income Taxes, and expect to be treated as if they do.
5
Why do you think the residents of Puerto Rico have turned down statehood? Please see plebecites held in PR. Second, why do you think the residents of PR have the ability to simply vote to become a state? Please see the New States Clause in the US Constitution.
2
Congress has to pass a statute to admit a new state. Even assuming that this is what the majority of Puerto Ricans want (it's unclear, though last referendum was pro-statehood), how likely is this Republican Congress to want to give 2 Senate seats and a few House seats to the Democrats?
Danny, could you please enlighten us mere American citizens with a more specific -- and possibly less patronizing -- response? Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands need help NOW.
Thank you for highlighting this important issue as well as the current crisis in Puerto Rico.
Unfortunately their plight has been drowned out by the inordinate amount of coverage of Trump's latest rants and racism, an ongoing theme starting years ago that has been been all consuming in the news, and as the waters have receded in Florida and Texas so has the attention being paid to those disasters too.
Kudos to the Times for reporting on how we are ignoring our brethren in Puerto Rico but we also need to remain focused on the catastrophic events around the rest of our country that so desperately need our continued
attention and action.
5
Commendable editorial. But why hasn't coverage in the Times' news pages matched the huge amount of space devoted to the disasters in Texas and Florida?
1
Another reason based this time on mere survival that Puerto Rico should finally become another state in our union.
1
I believe that Puerto Rico should be a state. The reason it isn't rests on arguments that are trivial next to balance Puerto Rico would receive by statehood.
2
"West Side Story" revealed the racism evident in our cousin's facts of life. As the decades show, there has been no relevant improvement. We take their young to fight our battles in the military but deny them the independence they try to vote for. It's time to pay the piper. His bill is past due.
3
The US government will certainly help our fellow citizens and that "Puerto Rico cannot vote for president and has no voting representatives in Congress." is true but left out "they pay no federal income tax".
Tragedy aside, words matter and the governor of Puerto Rico continues to call people in shelters "refugees" which they are not, as they did not flee a county, they fled flood zones in the same county.
3
Agree with this completely. Where is the President on this? PR and USVI need immediate, massive assistance. I simply don't understand the reaction by Trump or Congressional leaders. Someone, please, lead!
5
Our government has ignored it, successfully, so far... I actually expect this "administration" to continue that routine.
1
I wish that your editorial would have provided links to well respected relief agencies to which your readers could mail donations.
I belief that it is past time for all media to call out the Trump Administration for its poor response to the devastation in the Virgin Islands and in in Puerto Rico. We should be sending massive aid supported by our military, if need be. It will be a national disgrace if we do not step up to this task. I feel that it is the media's responsibility to continually focus our attention on this situation.
4
Check the Hispanic Federation's website for info on their aid plan and fundraising.
I'm old enough to recall that when the Soviet Union blocked road passage to Berlin, President John Kennedy launched a chain service by air to supply Berliners' needs for essential goods. Earlier President Lyndon Johnson and his agriculuture secretary, Orville Freeman, had lined up a train of ships to rush foodgrains to India when that country faced famine due to failure of monsoon rains. Now when we have parts of our own country, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands, devasted by the hurricanes, our ultra patriot president, Donald Trump, has chosen to distract the country into the NFL versus the national anthem controversy.
Some responsible administration! Some super patriot pol!!
5
The problem is that in the American imagination Puerto Ricans are not citizens unless born in the States. Many Americans even view them, or think of them as immigrants.
2
Let's hope that whatever financial aid that is given to PR doesn't end up in the Grand Cayman Islands or Panama.
5
The President has no moral compass, a Dotard with no compassion or even common sense. This is what we bought for a few pieces of Gold or what we "won" in a phoney war (1898). Of course we must pay up now to give succor to our fellow citizens. This is a National disgrace which will live in infamy forever more. And we have a President who threatens Nuclear War with the flick of his pen, while shaming a group of athletes for exercising the most precious of our rights, the freedom to speak about injustice, while he screams fire, where none exists.
3
No kidding. Instead we have a president more concerned about football and basketball players exercising their rights as citizens than more important matters
5
Some people can walk and chew gum at the same time. Trump can't do either one.
Just to emphasize your point. I am retired and living in Panama City, Panama. I have been searching the internet for information on volunteering to aid PR in the hurricane relief effort from Panama or by traveling to San Juan. I have yet to find a website with viable information on how to do that.
2
Regardless of the politics, Puerto Rico needs rebuilding NOW. We can debate the rest later. God help us if we don't.
3
Thank you for your interest. We need more people like you!
Please visit www.PRxPR.org and share!
This is jingoism, masked as selective charity. We shouldn't ignore any distressed people, of any color, in any part of the world.
1
We must respond to and fix Puerto Rico and USVI hurricane disaster effects as any other part of the USA, rush to do it, or destroy what it means to be the USA. The last straw of the ongoing incredibly rapid destruction of our national soul is to abandon the nation itself in the name of the essentially racist and classist version of a so-called nationalist agenda. The first step is for the press and the people to demand it. I hear nothing from this president about this genuine crisis and it's concretely real solutions, even as he stumps and wishes to require improved professional football player loyalty to, apparently, himself.
3
It would have been much clearer if the Puerto Ricans had not selfishly turned down statehood to save a few dollars.
The article doesn't mention that Puerto Ricans can be drafted into the U.S. military if the need ever arose. That's 'drafted', not volunteer. An obligation comes to a people when you can pull their children away to fight wars.
Anyway I find this editorial a bit infuriating. When hurricanes Harvey and Irma struck the NY Times had banner coverage they offered for free. For hurricane Maria, a strong cat 4 storm that hit the island directly, the story was relegated to "btw this is also happening" coverage, for a price.
So now this editorial says that Puerto Ricans, as Americans, deserve the same federal support as people in Texas and Florida. But not, apparently, the same media attention.
5
I have been reading about US relief efforts and they are underway - obviously, logistics is very different compared to mainland. Perhaps it would help if the cable news networks were covering this in the same name as Harvey and Irma - I have not seen any of the cable news networks reporting from PR. Resources are scarce but when has that ever stopped reporters from doing their job?
3
CNN has reporters on the ground. Saw the mayor of San Juan on for an extended period on Friday (15 minutes). Saw Gov.Rosello on CNN this morning. They're covering it.
If for not the right reasons, Republicans should help Puerto Rico for their own selfish cause.
Puerto Ricans have U.S. Citizenship. If the island becomes unlivable for them, they WILL come to the United States, primarily to Florida. They are generally Democratic voters. More so once they see a Republican administration and Congress failing them in their hour of greatest need.
What say you Paul Ryan?
4
Imagine if Conneticut or Iowa were completely destroyed by a bomb from North Korea, essentially razed to the ground. What would be the reaction of the Federal government??? Imagine the images of the survivors begging for water, food and news from loved ones. Imagine that they could not leave to adjoining states and were trapped in that destruction and misery. The federal government would mobilize the entire nation the next day to aid them. Well, Puerto Rico has as many US citizens as those states and has received a similar destructive blow from nature rather man. As Hillary Clinton has recommended and as was done for the Texas and Florida a full military operation with marine helicopter carriers and one of the Navy hospital ships is urgently needed. We shouldn't have to be begging for this response almost one week after the disaster, it should have been prepositioned and available the day after the storm hit. This is without a doubt a worse performance than Katrina.
3
Please keep attention on Puerto Rico, get them on their feet. The Jones Act does not serve the people of PR. It is morally wrong. Absolve it. It is most cruel and absurd that this act works against them because they are Americans.
3
To many things can be said about Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands and how their economy strive and not strive. The truth is the experiment that was Puerto Rico and its controlled economy from congress is a failure. Only people who made money were bond holders. However once congress started closing the investment incentives for Puerto Rico the local government could not change with the times. I saw give the ownership of the power company to the bond holders, I am sure they will write off as loss and PR can starta new one form ground up.
Puerto Rico presents a tactical challenge to FEMA....any state of the union that suffers a catastrophic damage will get helped by FEMA coordinating crews form nearby states. Puerto Rico is 3 hours by plane so sending crews down there is mayor coordination. Help has to shipped from US mainland. When I left after IRMA just waiting to board my flight the airport was buzzing with take off and landings or air force cargo planes I counted 6 going by in one hour plus I saw Osprey flying out and landing these were used to supply the Virgin Islands. SO FEMA after IRMA was bringing help to PR and coordinating help to Virgin Islands from San Juan. Now after Maria things are worse than before, it will be a slow process, FEMA has to do what they do and not being interfered by cheap politics and opinions. The best we could do now contribute to a non government organization like Red Cross for hurricane relief or volunteer and help.
1
Puerto Rico is important and Puerto Rico matters for many reasons! The obvious is humanitarian and because it's a territory of the US, but it also matters strategically!
Continuing to ignore Puerto Rico is a foolish mistake! Why? Castro Cubans and Venezuelan Chavistas have been courting Puerto Rican politicians who have affinity towards Cuba. They need excuses to begin touting independence from the US ...a lax US response to hurricane Maria would be excellent in that capacity...but it's not just Puerto Rico the Cubans are after.....The UN representative from the Dominican Republic appears to be sympathetic to the Chavez revolution. He has voted repeatedly against the US and in favor of Venezuela's Maduro. Indeed, many Chavistas owns lavish properties in the DR and Maduro reputedly plans to retire there. Venezuela is now in the hands of our enemies....it is teeming with Castro Cubans, Iranians, Syrians, Russians, radical Muslims and members of Hezbollah!
So, that's why Puerto Rico is important and Puerto Rico matters. Addressing its current crisis goes without saying, but granting Puerto Rico its long overdue statehood would be the best way to stave off enemy predators and help shore up the island's crippled economy!
2
We, the US, and we the people of the US, really need to help Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. They are such lovely places and we all benefit from them.
2
Congress needs to get on this yesterday. These Americans don't even have power! The governments paltry response thus far is shameful. This is an all hands on deck emergency if ever I've seen one.
2
Haven't heard one peep out from the Trump Administration about the people in PR. Obviously, there are completely racist overtones to everything Trump does, and he doesn't fail to disappoint with PR.
3
It will be interesting to see how Puerto Rico is treated compared to Florida, and Texas. Perhaps more interesting will be how the U.S. Virgin Islands fare relative to Puerto Rico.
2
Instead of depending on electricity, think outside the box-- kerosene lanterns, propane stoves (doubt if there's sufficient wood and besides it's dirty. When Frank Lloyd Wright originally designed Taliesin West there were NO windows and canvas roofs. Given these water disasters I am beginning to think that plasterboard and lathe is NOT appropriate for building in these climes. Surely someone can create a waterproof plasterboard -- and the lathe can be coated to shed not absorb. Tents might bet better than trailers -- wooden platforms beneath.. Think.. The definition of lunacy is dong the same thing over and over again with the same results.
What does the NYTimes mean by modernization?? Perhaps, it's time to look backwards ... Cars in their present iteration are not th future. Google cars are.
3
Instead of tweeting attacks on free speech Trump should be organizing a massive relief effort for our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico.
1
Why are there so make articles being written and talking heads pontificating about football, Ivanka's latest business deals, Jared's emails etc. when the people of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have seen the land and livelihood decimated? These people are running out of food, water, shelter and food and their President can only criticize football players and tweet personal insults at foreign dictators.
202
Just checked the major cable and network news web sites. Geraldo Rivera is now reporting live from PR.
1
Unfortunately, the "talking heads" must pontificate about Trump's football attack, Ivanka's self-dealing, and Jared's private email because the Trumps et al keep taking unethical, even criminal, actions and then lying about them. So sorry, but not the media's fault. Further, I have seen/heard/read a lot about the disaster zones.
New York Times we are so grateful for your sensitivity. So many dreamers come to the USSA as bright, hopeful students. We are supposed to be an inclusive nation based on benevolent humanitarian multi-racial,cross cultural belief systems. Many Puerto Ricans are devout Catholics. Playwright Dr. Larry Myers of St Johns University and director of the Playwrights Sanctuary theater foundation is going to Puerto Rico after Florida. As after Katrina, Sandy and Harvey he was a volunteer. This resulted in a jihad of a "Hurricane Everyman" series. Volunteers were exuberantly packing supplies at East Village firehouse on Second street and avenue C. Last eek the Intrepid was packed with Harvey packers. Myers just returned from Houston and is in Mexico in December--walk on water Catholics walk the talk. Not a promo here just a shout out. An example of what can be done with service.Every able bodied soul above ground needs to chip in.
1
This paragraph caught my interest - “...to disagree well you must first understand well. You have to read deeply, listen carefully, watch closely. You need to grant your adversary moral respect; give him the intellectual benefit of doubt; have sympathy for his motives and participate empathically with his line of reasoning. And you need to allow for the possibility that you might yet be persuaded of what he has to say.”
Our beloved President doesn’t exhibit even one of these stated qualities, and, like it or not, leadership does have a trickle down effect
2
trump sees Puerto Ricans as non-voters so help will come slowly.
3
I would agree, except that I don't think Trump sees Puerto Ricans, period. I'm a middle-of-the road white guy, but even I have come to the conclusion that brown and black people do not exist in Trump's world, except as red-meat targets to feed his base. On the other hand, if you are a white Canadian or Russian hockey player playing for the Penguins.... I was in Puerto Rico and Vieques recently, and I fear what will happen to the wonderful people there.
Puerto Rico , St. Thomas and St. John appear to be getting the slow boat, or no boat at all from this administration.
They are at heart anarchists who enjoy the struggle of others.
Especially when they're votes don't count.
PR would have been better off sticking with Spain as the USVI would have been remaining with England.
The US Navy should have sailed there days ago.
Our Caribbean territories are the jewels in our crown but are being treated like unwanted relations.
2
It is going to be a long cold winter in Puerto Rico - not literally, but figuratively. No power, no water, no jobs for the most part and this winter may continue for a long time. PR needs two things: immediate physical and monetary aid and a long term rebuiding and economic plan. Can our government pull this off. I dunno.
68
Any of you folks read the work of James Howard Kunstler? He calls this disaster a practice-run for a "World Made by Hand."
I agree. The coming decades will feature continual and long-term disruptions to critical infrastructure we have chosen not to maintain. Climate change will only be part of that picture of a continual crumbling. And we'll keep cutting taxes, like a willful spiral into collapse.
Whether most Americans, save for a few wealthy enclaves, end up back in the 1930s or 1730s remains an open question.
30
Yes, before long this neglect will break us. We could fix this by enacting a 90% tax on income of the ultra-rich, (who would still remain ultra-rich) and tax most financial transactions. But everyone hates taxes, so to smooth their feathers, we could allow those who have the biggest incomes to build a bridge or repair a freeway, put solar panels on every roof in their county, or some other fine fix instead of the high tax.
I know this seems like pie-in-the-sky because our government will not enact such a throwback to the 1950’s. But if more and more people get behind a Progressive agenda, we just might gather up enough macho to pull something like this off.
I assume that you are getting ready by becoming masterful in the mechanical world instead of the digital world. You'd better. THEY are not walking through that door, and if they might, it won't be soon enough for you. So learn the basic trades.
As for PR, there is much discussion about allowing people on the mainland to keep insuring and rebuilding homes that are damaged or destroyed, and worse, getting federal money to do so.
If there is meaningful legislation regarding this insuring/rebuilding then places like PR need to get their acts together to insure themselves. And sometimes is IS best to leave a place that regularly gets pounded for a safer location.
America, to its credit, was not all that comfortable being a colonial power even though at the time of the the 1898 Spanish American War, it flirted with the idea of being a rising power and obtained a few colonies in the Pacific and Caribbean.
Where has Trump been when it comes to offering masssive support to Puerto Rico and USVI in rebuilding but even more importantly offering moral support? Is he too busy ranting about NFL players not standing for the national anthem and Steph Curry not showing up at the White House?
54
To answer your question: number of Trump's tweets on 9/24 about the NFL: 3. Number of tweets about the situation in Puerto Rico: 0.
That should give you a good indication of what his priorities are.
I am not clear what the US legal association is with Puerto Rico. Obviously aside from that, simply on humanitarian grounds, these people need help. As has Haiti on several occasions. Look at that country today, forgotten about. What may have been better in Puerto Rico's case was, every time they voted for statehood, they turned it down. So that begs the question, to what financial obligation, for a country already bankrupt, who's bond holders will flee, does the US have an obligation. Only US military hospital ships and US military food supplies can help at this point. With Puerto Rico status as I understand it they could come to the US for care no immigration restrictions.
1
Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States and as such, its residents are full American citizens and serve in the US military.
1
There were no questions asked when we took it from Spain.
It is the same legal responsibility that they have for any US citizen in any state. The statehood vote doesn't mean the people are renouncing their US Citizenship. It is more complicated than that and does not matter at this moment. There will be a mass exodus, potentially 1 million people going to cities like Orlando, Tampa, Miami, New York etc. How are those cities going to pay for those "refugees". Puerto Ricans are not Syrians that you can just "ban" from entering the states. We either, help them there on the island or we will help them here in the mainland. Either way it will cost a lot of $$$
1
Puerto Rico should become a State. The people there have the right to demand it. More than a century after its invasion by the U.S., Puerto Rico is one of the few classic colonies still in existence. Its “commonwealth” status is a thin veneer for a one-sided, abusive relationship.
The island is currently a pill factory – the world’s largest shipper of pharmaceuticals, accounting for nearly 25% of total shipments. 16 of the 20 largest-selling drugs in the U.S., are produced in Puerto Rico.
The profits made by these drug companies, roughly $35 billion annually, are greater than the combined budgets of every government in Puerto Rico – including all three branches of the central government; every public corporation, utility, and highway authority; and every municipality.
The people deserve much more.
46
In my lifetime Puerto Rico was given the opportunity to vote for statehood more than once. Its choice: statehood, independence or commonwealth status. They have always chosen to remain a commonwealth. My correcting you does not mean I don't want my tax dollars going the help Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. We must as an ethical caring nation (at least some of us) help them to get back on their feet.
1
@Mark - The people of Puerto Rico have voted 5 times since 1967 on statehood (including recently, in June), and have failed to want it. When only 97% of 23% of total Puerto Rican voters support statehood that's not enough because it means that 77% of total voters do not want statehood.
More than 3 million American citizens are suffering with no relief in sight. If they were on the mainland (or in Alaska or Hawaii) this country would demand a relief effort on a scale of the Marshall Plan. We should demand no less for Puerto Rico.
39
These are our territories, both Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. We are responsible for their welfare. Who else do they have but the United States? We were quick to go to the aid of both Texas and Florida, which is to the government's credit. But I half-heartedly give our country a nod because I believe its prompt actions were selective. After all, these are two of our states, both "beloved" by this administration. So, the question I pose is exactly when will we save these territories not only from these recent disasters but also from their poverty. With Puerto Rico in particular, it may some day be our 51st state. Right now, however, and unlike Alaska and Hawaii, the powers-that-be see nothing in it for them. There is no oil to be found there nor does it have the tourism of our Islands of the Pacific. As with the necessity of recently helping our neighbors south of our borders (barely), the onus falls on the US to help Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands rebuild and provide these populations with some form of a quality of life.
197
Hear, hear!
PR, the USVI, and the BVI are all devastated and urgently need substantial support. The federal government, which denies PR in particular the full rights and privileges of statehood, has a moral imperative to rebuild immediately.
23
The Federal government does not deny the residents of Puerto Rico statehood. In none of the referendums conducted on the issue have a majority of the eligible voters expressed a desire to become a state.
2
That is 100% untrue. If you read the comments on Congressmen one hundred or so years ago, Puerto Rico WAS denied statehood because they were considered savages, incapable of conducting the administration required of a state. It was racism, pure and simple. For smug, "white" Americans like you to justify why PR isn't a state by claiming they do not want to be is laughable. Read history.
I wonder if the time is not now right to bring the residents of PR and VI permanently to the US mainland. The cost to essentially rebuild from scratch these entire islands but at least in PRs case leave a completely dysfunctional system of government in place seems to be throwing good money down a hole. On the mainland their votes would mean something and they'd have the strength of a state to support them.
6
That's a really good question. However it will not see the light on day as long as the model of government is that of the New York Times Editorial Board, which will always push for more taxes to pay for more spending, even if it does this again and again on the same place, the same people, the same problem.
@ Evan
• I wonder if the time is not now right to bring the residents of PR and VI permanently to the US mainland.
No, there is never a time to "relocate" populations. This is instead a time to stay, work and rebuild.
• On the mainland their votes would mean something ....
Which is precisely why the U.S. will never allow PR to become a state. With a local population of 3,5 M and another 4M today in the Puerto Rican diaspora on the mainland, Puerto Rico would overwhelm the congressional political clout of at least 23 states in congressional representation which is determined by population and membership in the House is limited to 435. I t would take a vote of two thirds of both houses of congress to raise that number. As things stand, at least 23 states would be obliged to give up representatives to accommodate Puerto Rico. Do the numbers. I don't think so.
Even if PR demanded statehood it would still take two thirds of both houses of congress to admit PR as # 51. The US is under no obligation to do so. No, the USA will NEVER accept PR as a state.
1
These are our fellow citizens. Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Florida, Louisiana, Texas et al hit by Harvey, Irma, and Maria need a Congress willing to sacrifice millionaire tax cuts for a robust infrastructure package--and stop denying our new normal of climate change. These disasters will become more costly the longer we deny. Financially and in human suffering. Let's get smart about rebuilding for resiliency. Or else... We just think this is rock bottom. We ain't seen nothing yet.
23
Well said but it would have been nice to see you include the Us Virgin Islands in your headline instead of a brief mention later in the article.
The US bought our islands from Denmsrk in 1917 and we are US citizens too! Almost three weeks after Irma there are people still living in desperate conditions, waiting for tarps to put on damaged or non existent roofs, waiting for hours for food, water and gas.
Please don't forget us
33
So glad that you focussed on this issue. I'm disappointed that there has been little said by the president concerning this tragedy.
13
Puerto Rico has an age 15 - 64 population of about 1.1 million (if I read Wikipedia correctly). What would happen if, say, 20% of that population moves to the mainland and settles in a purple state. Could all those new voters tip the balance from Republican to Democrat? Republicans might want to get aid down there fast.
13
The leaders (including the Control Board) in Puerto Rico have proven that they are incapable of managing anything. We need the army corps of engineers there to get basic services up and running, such as dams, electricity, clean water, and waste. There is a vast need of medical services, that the island clearly cannot meet. Roads, bridges, schools and houses will need to be rebuilt. Washington needs to put a REAL team in to manage all of this; hopefully nobody will die because of the incompetent administration in Puerto Rico.
6
We the people must insist on making immediate aid available to our fellow citizens in PR and Virgin Islands. It's time to call your representatives to demand fair treatment to our island citizens. Do it now.
8
This is a tragedy that can come to empower Puerto Ricans. The obvious reason there is no grass roots mutual aid (like in TX & FL) is that PR is an island. The federal government must therefore act even more swiftly and comprehensively to sustain life. Meet exigent needs.
Next, POTUS must direct FEMA & partners (Army Corp of Engineers, for example) to plan for the modernization and building of a world class electrical and communications network on the island; including FREE public internet everywhere. This capital program, in one fell swoop, will make the whole of the island a first-world environment. It will stimulate development, business, and education for PRs. Nothing short of a technological Marshall Plan is needed.
PRs on the island should be the FIRST to get any job for which they are qualified. PRs OFF the island should be next as long as they are willing to relocate to the island. Finally, for any PRs who are still not employed in the capital program, there should be paid apprenticeships to learn a skill set, if not a trade.
POTUS can use his influence and executive authority to incentivize mainland corporations to invest to meet these challenges with tax incentives. The incentives may only be used OUTSIDE of PR (in the 50 states). A credit earned in PR used elsewhere. The greatest incentives for non-service sectors.
Congress needs to give PR a fresh start and help it extricate itself from crushing debt. Let the tenacious life clinging on the island flourish.
8
A second capital program of rail transportation around the island is also needed. It is faster, cheaper, greener, and easier to move cargo around, on and off the island. The rail system should terminate at intermodal locations, especially for cargo shipping. Passenger service, of course, is a must. Business and industry will find this very attractive for establishing and maintaining a presence on PR. More of the island will flourish.
A third capital program of airport modernization & expansion for the existing airports.
With state of the art electric, communications, and transportation, associated with tax incentives applied off the island, as well as a literate, educated, bilingual workforce, a development like this https://nyti.ms/2xd16BD might just happen.
2
This article implies that Puerto Rico residents should not receive federal disaster aid. Although Puerto Rico residents do not pay federal income tax, the US federal government imposes a tariff-like-tax on every item that is shipped to Puerto Rico. This means the price of all goods sold in Puerto Rico is a lot more expensive due to the tax-tariff that imposed by the US federal government. This is known as the Jones Act. This tax is why some Puerto Ricans feel the pain of "taxation without representation", which was one of the factors that caused the American colonies to fight for freedom from England.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_Marine_Act_of_1920
8
Among my fellow puerto ricans, I have been excoriated many times for my stated beliefs that far from being an island of enchantment, my ancestral home was a catastrophe waiting to happen, with an entrenched corrupt and incompetent government and an utter absence of any kind of infrastructure planning. Sadly my criticisms have been laid bare by the cataclysm the island now faces, months in the dark and years of rebuilding..yes, it will take billions, but one hopes along with the suffering and strife there might at last be a rethinking of the islands American political status as well as a long overdue structural overhaul. For myself, I just want to reach my mom, whom we haven't heard from in six days...
19
I couldn't agree more and I hope your Mom is OK.
Here we have American Puerto Rico in dire straights, with no major Federal plan to come to the rescue. Cost is no doubt keeping our prudent legislators, particularly Republicans, from acting rashly. Just kidding, they don't care.
Meanwhile, a Google search for "cost of one us soldier in Afghanistan" returns numbers between around $1-2 million. I have read that a gallon of fuel for an armored vehicle there costs $1000 once you include the various related costs. This country is hopelessly backward in it's priorities. The rich enslave the middle class and have them trained to be afraid to protest inequality. The banks and international corporations and Wall St. think people are chits in a game, because they are chits in a game.
10
The United States must recapitalize the infrastructure of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
The majority population of these islands descended from slaves and slavery in the Caribbean was the worst kind of slavery.
The devastation of these people by two hurricanes was nuclear in scope. The islands are almost totally dependent on tourism and tourists will not visit wrecked islands.
The US, having taken these islands under its wing for political and strategic reasons, owes them a good faith rebuilding investment.
14
Republicans and Trump are too concerned about tax cuts to the rich to worry about the 3.3 million American citizens in Puerto Rico.
16
Puerto Rico is an unfortunate example of where this country is heading. What we are witnessing is the result of overpopulation. Puerto Rico is a very small island with few resources unable to sustain its population. As an American territory since 1898, it has depended on supplies brought in from the mainland to sustain a quality of life that is even more expensive to maintain than any other city or town in the US. Everything has to be brought in by American ships only (by Federal Government law), and by airplanes. Therefore, everything costs much more: food, cars, equipment, materials to upgrade infrastructures, etc., than in the mainland. So does Hawaii. But PR doesn't have the protection and political influence Hawaii has as a state. This lack of resources has increasingly impoverished the island sinking further into debt. Corporations and immigrants from other countries have exploited Puerto Rico through the years. And corruption doesn't help when many cheat the system and do not pay local taxes. There is corruption in the mainland as well. The quality of life declined in cities like Detroit when the manufacturing economy declined. Now the mainland depends on products manufactured in other countries. And a potential natural disaster can destroy the outdated infrastructure since in the United States it needs upgrading as well. The US is a big country with natural resources. But for how long if the population and manufacturing dependence keeps increasing? PR is an example.
7
And somehow Cuba makes it.. In Brazil bread is made with Carioca not wheat which cannot be grown there.
Greed and corruption will do y'all in everytime and everywhere.
2
Arne - your remarks remind me of the British policy toward Ireland in the 19th Century.
Yesterday I searched the net for reporting on what aid have sent to Puerto Rico, and what plans we have to get the island back on its feet. With power out island wide, no cell towers, no phone lines, no power for wells or refrigeration, you have to assume that the catastrophe is catastrophic.
So what have we done? What steps have we taken to get food there, to get water there, to restore power, to clear rubble, to assure that goods can be distributed?
This isn't an accusation of uselessness of our government - it is a question about reporting. I found a piece form the Guardian, but otherwise, silence. I know that Steph Curry is feeling surreal; I know now that most Americans don't know the definition of "Dotard"; I don't know if friend's relatives will have access to food, water and a phone to say they are safe.
Whenever the President gets into a useless Twitter war, I wonder what the WH is attempting to distract us from. Is it that we can't react to three separate US catastrophes fast enough?
32
The least expensive way for the federal government to deal with Puerto Rico is to do little and let the island depopulate and its people relocate to the mainland and crash with relatives. Since Puerto Ricans lean Democratic, they will get little sympathy from the current administration, and the island has about as much chance for statehood as D.C. does.
The island has one piece of luck in that risk-tolerant investors have been buying up assets in recent years, and are people the current administration will listen to. When they ask the government to rescue their play (as such investments are called), they will meet sympathetic ears, particularly if they spread some money around.
14
That sounds like what Bush did to New Orleans after Katrina. It was not a good plan.
Should we have Florida depopulate? The Texas coast? New Jersey when they needed help?
18
Mark, some of those areas will eventually depopulate, but it will not be an orderly process. Think "Camp of the Saints" for what we will be facing in our children's lifetimes. And they'll curse us for our lack of action.
4
I have found over the years, people will live where they want to live. Hurricanes, Fires, Floods, and not least of al,l sky high taxes, as is the case on either coast. So large populations in Florida and Texas, and the ruling class huddled in the Northeast and California.
1
I agree with the editors; but I’d go one better.
It’s time that PR becomes a state. It’s also time that we modify our bankruptcy laws for governments, which currently don’t provide for the bankruptcy of states; and that PR, as a state, declare bankruptcy and restructure its debt. This could serve as the model for Illinois and, very soon, New Jersey and other states, as well. We need such a model desperately, in order that our most fiscally fragile states develop hope of being able to move forward again economically.
55
Exactly. Time for statehood.
Lack of bankruptcy privileges investors. They've abused that. There is no reason their "plays" should never include loss.
17
Agree Richard. Illinois, Jersey etc. will continue to tax their citizens until folks just cannot live there. Seniors in my home state of Illinois have told me absorbing all the taxes on fixed income is unbearable. Pay taxes then get your food stuffs at the Food Banks.
3
@Dan Green at Palm Beach - If your home state really is Illinois, do you really not know that Illinois does not tax retirement income? Also, if income is lower, seniors can apply to freeze their property taxes at current levels going forward once they reach age 65 (if that's not available, there is a senior exemption that's quite helpful). And there are many places outside of the Chicago area that are much more reasonable as far as cost of living.
1
I imagine that that a presidential visit to Puerto Rico and/or St. Croix is just plain out of the question. The Donald just wouldn't be able to anticipate receiving a rousing ovation at either place once his plane hits the tarmac.
25
If Trump comes with money, he'd be hailed as a hero just about anywhere.
11
@stu freeman - Sorry to say that you're wrong. The President declared Puerto Rico eligible for disaster relief through FEMA on September 21, and a visit has already been announced. I'd like to add that I'm not a Trump supporter, but fair is fair, and in my opinion you should check your facts before criticizing what you "imagine".
7
In his 8 years in office, Mr. Obama made one 4 hour (!) visit to Puerto Rico on June 14, 2011. As for "rousing ovations, that visit included attending a Democratic National Committee event in which Mr. Obama raised 1 million dollars for his campaign.
1
Thanks for your editorial - the devastation in Puerto Rico, whose citizens are American, is woefully absent from our news and consciousness. When Houston was flooded by Hurrican Harvey, media coverage was non-stop, and places to donate money for flood relief were everywhere - on the news, in my email, Facebook and websites. But the total devastation in Puerto Rico is surpassed by the NFL and Trump's latest tweets, even in the NYT. Nowhere have I seen appeals for donations to agencies providing disaster relief, and don't even know who is trying to provide relief on the ground. Puerto Rico deserves the assistance as much as Texas and Florida.
87
Please go to donate at unitedforpuertorico.com. This effort is organized by the First Lady of Puerto Rico( the governor's wife) and every penny will go to relief efforts that are so desperately needed. There are many other fund raising efforts but I know this one will reach the needy.
Thank you for this. Maria impacted us directly as we tried to reconnect with family, finally succeeding with colossal luck, despite public communications with PR remaining very poor. Meanwhile, the US media report from all over San Juan with disaster video, a few interviews, but little about the progress of recovery efforts.
It’s clear from the web that despite all the destruction, internal communications survive, and that much of PR is not as physically devastated as the worst scenes from the hardest hit places suggest. Newspapers are on line (they were a lifeline), radio stations are on the air, and official communications largely work. We need the mainland media to give the whole picture. If they tapped into PR’s internal network they could pass on to us how communities outside San Juan are faring, how their recovery might progress, and how soon their people can expect to contact the outside world. But this isn’t happening, they are losing interest, and many people on the mainland and the island are being let down.
One more thing. As you say, (unrepresented) people in PR and the Virgin Islands are as American as those on the mainland whose lives are upended by hurricanes. They are just as deserving of help; but I have this creepy feeling that obstacles will be put in their way and that they will be sacrificed on the altar of tax “reform”. That one of our parties is even thinking of tax cuts for the wealthy at this time is the ultimate obscenity.
59
One other thought. The Caribbean islands get much of their income from cruise passengers, but the cruise lines obviously profit very handsomely. Since some ships will be unable to ply their usual routes, let the cruise lines give something back by providing a vessel or two as temporary accommodation for displaced islanders.
57
This is a good job of highlighting the failures of reporting on PR. That sets up all the rest of the troubles, by hiding things from view.
13
To mancuroc: It is the responsibility of the government, not of the cruise ship lines, to provide aid to its citizens.
2
While horrifying and disastrous, we need to take this unfortunate time to rethink Puerto Rico, its need for full citizenship, and a massive financial restructure (receivership) for an extended period of time (10 yrs?). Massive add and long-term solutions to a terrible economy.
37
@Bill - The citizens in Puerto Rico don't seem to want statehood. Five votes on it since 1967, the latest recently only had support from less than 23% of the population.
3
So as I read this, you're advocating dumping Puerto Ricans, US citizens, in their time of need because of economics? This idea is heartless.
Wrong. 97% voted for statehood in the last referendum.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/11/us/puerto-ricans-vote-on-the-question...
All of the Caribbean islands whose peoples have hosted Americans on their winter holidays that have been devastated by climate change amplified hurricanes should receive American support in rebuilding their communities.
Let the US military provide food, medicine, shelters and generators and, if necessary, restore order.
We Americans who intervene everywhere in the world should help our neighbors in times of natural disasters.
43
But please remember that the people of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are Americans.
Although the citizens of Texas and Florida affected by the ravages of the hurricanes are certainly deserving of our assistance, I am personally sending my donations to those charities aiding Puerto Rico and the other Caribbean Islands as I feel they are being neglected.
The U. S. has a ragged history when it comes to supporting its territories and it is sometimes an out of sight out of mind mentality. Now, they need all the help they can get and a great deal more, and I pray they are not overlooked once more when they need us most.
80
What kind of reporting is this that "there will be no food in Puerto Rico" because crops and livestock were destroyed? It's been more than half a century since P.R.'s is NOT an agricultural economy. P.R.'s is a failed industrial economy dependent on corporate investment to create jobs and welfare to sustain the extraordinary rates of unemployment. More than half of the P.R. population has emigrated to the US (since they are citizens, no problem with emigration). P.R. imports most if not all theft it consumes. This is not the Dominican Republic nor Haiti, nor even Cuba. The economy will be affected in a different way, and food access too, but no because of the loss of crops or livestock. There is no even organic agriculture with all the unproductive land in the island. Please, have your reporters check with an expert before you report and contextualize news.
27
Thanks TDB for catching this for those of us who know little of the island.
BTW, no need to call an expert -- a quick check of facts on the island (wikipedia) shows that less than 1% of GDP comes from agricultural products
2
Puerto Rico is not an agricultural economy but it does produce a substantial portion of what is consumed on the island. Your facts are outdated and wrong.
1
Have you been to Puerto Rico? Obviously not because you have no idea of the extent to which the population depends on local produce, from plantains to coffee. The problem is compounded by a sort of embargo established by a 1917 law, that only allows American vessels to bring merchandise into PR. So today, if Spain or Mexico or any other country wanted to send help, their help would have to pass through US mainland first. Puerto Ricans are thus stuck with the destruction of the few crops they had plus a law that is nothing but red tape and keeps them from receiving prompt assistance from the rest of the world.
1
Who can disagree with the editorial author except for the very true reality that Puerto Rico's problems began years before Hurricane Maria's arrival including a decayed infra-structure where public funds disappeared; bloated corrupt public utilities for electric and water; huge unpaid debts; a failing public education system that makes the worse of the worse in the US look like star school districts; an underfunded pension system that has depleted any and all reserves. We should not be asking what more can we federal tax payers do for Puerto Rico? Rather, when will the corrupt politicians there be held accountable and spend time in a Federal Prison where most of them belong.
18
When?
About the same time as corrupt public officials on the mainland.
1
Interesting that you leave out the "very true reality" that it was the US Congress who destroyed the economy of PR through tax chicanery. Time for us to take responsibility for the mess WE made.
3
Answer: Probably when the ones in D.C. are put in prison.
At risk of reiterating the obvious: Of course our President has much more important tasks at hand, such as lecturing football and basketball players, and the owners of their teams, on their duties as US citizens. He has no sense of his range of responsibilities as President, other than to whip up his base. So too bad, Puerto Ricans: like John McCain, you put yourself in a position to be captured (by horrendous wind and rain). Gives us a keen sense of what and whom Trump assumes his base is concerned about.
52
I haven't heard a peep from government about what is being done to help Puerto Rico. I suspect FEMA is working on it as they should, but what about leadership? Instead, Trump is busy drawing attention to himself about patriotism and football. What's wrong with this picture?
238
FEMA sent its first team as a reconnaissance team, just yesterday. So no, they are doing almost nothing, even though they knew the hurricane was coming.
1
Parts of the US have been harmed. As a nation, we must help our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; anything less is unacceptable. No matter the mayhem, earthquakes in Iran or humanitarian assistance to Syria, we help; it is the human thing to do. If we can spend millions on the President's trips between Washington and his resorts in New Jersey and Florida we can funnel aid to the US Virgin Islands and PR.
55
The 1917 Jones Act prohibits ships from a country other than the US from bringing in supplies into the island. Please tell congress to waive the law so friendly countries that want to help don't get caught up in red tape that will delay much needed assistance. It is our responsibility to facilitate the recovery by lifting this outdated law.
123
No, the Jones Act prohibits only voyages between US ports. Ships from other countries can bring aid from their countries.
9
More than meets the eye here. In brief, the Jones Act requires that American flagged, owned and crewed vessels carry cargo from one U.S. port to another U.S. port. Vessels sailing from non-U.S. ports can carry cargo directly to Puerto Rico. The relief supplies arriving in the recently opened port of San Juan are mostly aboard U.S. vessels (cargo ships, container ships, tugs and barges). Plenty of supplies are being amassed at the port. The bigger problems are the island's long neglected infrastructure and other logistical issues. Not much shipping assistance as yet from foreign countries, their carriers or shippers.
The Jones Act is a cabotage law with far-reaching national security ramifications. Many nations have their own cabotage laws for the same reasons.
1
This is the most important email here! The Maritime act makes it illegal for large foreign vessels to unload cargo and water in PR, yet the federal government is not listening.
I am deeply troubled by the lack of apparent interest by the administration in the welfare of our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. John. If some calamity had wreaked similar destruction in Iowa and left Iowans with little prospect of electricity or even fresh water for a period of months, you can bet that their plight would grab the attention from this administration and Congress, as well as massive federal assistance, and rightfully so. Yet more U.S. citizens live in Puerto Rico than Iowa and as this editorial points out, they are in desperate need of assistance. One wishes that President Trump would focus at at least as much attention on public welfare of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as he does on sports figures who peacefully protest on the sidelines of football fields.
126
Aid for US territories affected by the disaster have already been approved for federal assistance through FEMA in addition to private fundraising through the Red Cross and other charitable foundations.
1
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/09/23/fema-teams-try...
Hurricane Maria could well turn out to be Trump's Katrina.
True, Puerto Rico has been a part of the United States since 1898, assigned to a colonial or pseudo-colonial status. The island has never been able to realize its potential, constrained by all sorts of regulations. Now, the utter devastation caused by Maria exposes all sorts of problems created by this bizarre relationship between the US federal government and Puerto Rico.
Infrastructure is so fragile on the island that support from the federal government is necessary, urgent and inevitable.
The bottom line--people on the island are suffering. Communications are so bad that people here have not been able to verify that their relatives on the island are ok. Puerto Rico needs massive financial and material support just to return to where they were a month ago.
I, for one, would like to see some TrumpTweets about embracing Puerto Rico as we should have decades ago.
32
I suspect there are those in the media are using this opportunity to make it look like it's Trumps Katrina. The media isn't covering this story - no reporters on the ground - how do we even know what's going on in PR?
1
In what sense exactly "Puerto Rico Is American"?
I have no doubt that there are many Puerto Ricans on the Island and in the North American diaspora that rightly feel themselves Usans. But the linguistic and cultural orientation of Puerto Rico sets it aside from the rest of the US, perhaps even more so than New York City not being a typical US city.
Needless to say, all the aid that can be, should be, given to the island after Hurricane Maria.
The name Maria chosen for the hurricane is unfortunately juxtaposed to the beliefs of some in the divine protective qualities of Maria, Mother of Jesus.
6
“In what sense is puerto rico American?” In all relevant senses. Puerto Ricans are all full American Citizens by birth. Puerto Rico is a commonwealth which is a part of our nation, and has been a part of the U.S. for more than 100 years. While it is not a state, 97 percent of Puerto Ricans voted for it to become a state in the most recent referendum. As far as “culture”, Hawaii is much farther away and has a more distinctive culture from the mainland than PR. Alaska could say the same. Moreover, your premise is false: there is almost nothing culturally common between, say, New York and Texas, or California and Kansas, or Minnesota and Alabama, or Louisiana and Idaho. yet we can all co-exist. Admitting Hawaii to the Union didn’t cause the country to collapse; nor did allowing in California, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alaska, etc. Racism against Puerto ricans and partisan politics is no reason not to allow full statehood to a place that has been part of our country for a century, and whose citizens are American citizens, whether the ignorant like it or not. The disaster merely shows how untenable it is to continue to treat PR as a commonwealth rather than a state with full voting rights in congress. Your rant about “maria” is indicative of the incoherence of your position. They are Americans.
5
They have been an American territory since 1917. There are 14 territories besides the 50 states, and all of those people are American citizens. So yes, they are Americans.
5
Ironic because ant that many people say the same thing about people from Evanston.
1
Rebuild the island, and once and for all, have a referendum on statehood or independence endorsed by Congress. Then, allow our fellow American citizens in Puerto Rico to either join the Union or become independent. The problems associated with being a colony are on display for the world to see in Puerto Rico right now. For the sake of everybody involved, end American colonialism once and for all.
33
@What is Truth - Extremely low voter turnout in the last election on statehood in Puerto Rico unfortunately ensures that they will not become a state anytime soon. Only 23% of eligible voters participated in the most recent vote on statehood, not enough to even get to a simple majority in favor of A larger proportion is apparently unwilling to take that step (which is their right).
2
As a Puerto Rican, I say amen to what you wrote above!
And while Congress is at--statehood for DC, too.
Puerto Ricans are Americans. In Puerto Rico there are over 3 million American citizens right now without electricity and struggling for a warm meal. The US invaded Puerto Rico in 1898 during the Hispano American war, and the Island became a US territory after Spain surrendered to the US required conditions. PR has has an important relationship with the USA over more than a century, providing soldiers to fight patriotically, wearing the American uniform and defending American interests. Puerto Rico for decades served the US as a valuable geopolitical presence for democracy and the "American way of life"in the Caribbean and South America, balancing the influence of the Soviet Union and Cuba. Puerto Rico has also provided for many decades territories for US military bases and exercises. Right now millions of Puerto Ricans, all American citizens, need fast and precise help, they need the economical and logistic aid of the Federal government.The Navy needs to be sent there for help. A military hospital-ship needs to be sent there right now. Engineers need to be sent there right now. This is an emergency. The USA can not leave over three millions Amercan citizens stranded under dangerous conditions. Action is required from Washington.
164
Thank you. So clearly stated, "Action is required from Washington." Right now.
PR won't be the last lost opportunity to staunch the flow of good will and governance.
We proceed apace losing our friends, our territories, and ourselves.
11
Half of other Americans don't even know that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens even if they are born on the island. That suggests to me right at this moment, many of our fellow Americans are talking about us as if we were immigrants or aliens or whatever term they use to disparage someone different from them.
I will be shocked and amazed if the current Republican-controlled government, from Trump on down, will do anything for Puerto Rico, except perhaps launch some kind of Twitter tirade against us.
33
President Trump has already approved funding assistance from FEMA for Puerto Rico, which entitles them to everything states are entitled to (and FYI, I disagree with much of what he proposes and didn't vote for him).
4
Good, as well he should. He is still wasting too much time on Twitter attacking the NFL. It makes him look like natural disasters befalling his fellow citizens are taking the back burner.
Rather than try and repair some rickety old power grid wouldn't now be the time to provide a massive infusion of solar and wind power?
17
I’ve been thinking that providing households or neighborhoods with small ‘rooftop’ solar panels would be a good way to meet people’s immediate needs. They might not (or might be) a permanent solution, but they would provide some power while waiting weeks or months until the centralized grid can be restored.
5
Since many, many roofs were blown away or severely damaged, now is the time to provide roofs with integral solar power panels.
6
@Adrianna - Wouldn't roofs with solar panels also blow away in a category 5 hurricane? Storms of such magnitude are capable of damaging/destroying any system.
1
Many Puerto Ricans will likely prove to be strong, resiliant, brave and determined enough to stay where they are indefinitely. But a large number are currently bereft of places to live and people to take care of them and will doubtless have no choice other than to come the U.S. They are the ones I am most worried about. The ones who will need to be made to feel welcome here.
8
Well, at least Trump hasn't put them on his travel ban list yet.
We would be happy to welcome them here! Many of our communities in the Northeast US need more people to keep our towns alive. Let them come here!
1
@ A. Stanton
• But a large number are currently bereft of places to live and people to take care of them and will doubtless have no choice other than to come the U.S.
In 1829, 6 years after James Monroe first stated his 'doctrine' under the 'fake' aegis of Manifest Destiny – the belief that the U.S. was destined by divine design to expand from coast to coast – SIMÓN BOLÍVAR, liberator of what today makes up Panamá, Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador famously warned:
"Neither should you go with your family to the United States, WHICH IS TERRIBLE AND OMNIPOTENT AND WITH TALES OF FREEDOM WILL PLAGUE US ALL WITH MISERY."
1
Agreed that we as Americans should do as much for those devastated in Puerto Rico as in Texas and Florida.
Yet, in all three instances - the US should NOT be paying to build new or re-build in those areas that were devastated as a result of being in coastal or riparian flood zones that are prone to be flooded again and again. In fact, the US government, states/territories and localities should take this opportunity to re-claim to the people developed land that can now be returned to nature and act as effect storm and flood control measures.
If we are really going to start being serious about fighting the impact of climate change, we have got to stand up and tell people enough is enough, get out of these danger zones and move to higher ground.
9
Puerto Rico was not devastated by being on flood zones. It was devastated by a direct hit from the eye of an exceptionally powerful hurricane that went right over the center of the island.
15
@Mark Thompson
You're parsing. For communities regularly in the path of hurricanes - like most of the Gulf and Atlantic coasts as well as the Caribbean - that is all the more reason for such communities to have appropriate building codes and building restrictions in areas that are prone to storm surges, like the coast, and to mud slides, such as mountainous interior regions.
As to the near criminal mismanagement of PR over the decades (by Democrats BTW), most specifically of its utilities, that is now compounding their crisis by having vital electric and water services failing, is a whole other topic.
4
Please save your very justifiable anger about rebuilding in flood zones to the wealthy states of Texas and Florida. Puerto Rico has never had the opportunity to recover from being a mistreated US colony and it needs tremendous aid to restructure its economy and fix a terribly corrupt and failed government. Right now Puerto Ricans are our fellow citizens living in the poorest part of our extended nation, and they need our help.
1
I was born and raised in the island and though I live in Los Angeles, my heart remained in San Juan. It has been harrowing to witness from afar what has happened. I consider myself lucky as I am able to communicate with my parents and sporadically with aunts, uncles, and cousins. The Puerto Rican spirit is strong and resilient, yes, and yet we are facing and continue to face seemingly insurmountable challenges. I can't do much from here except post like a mad woman on FB every few minutes about news from PR or updates or supermarkets that just opened or areas where people can get WiFi. Sometimes my mom and dad call to ask me what news and I put my cell phone next to my computer so they can hear the Governor of Puerto Rico give a speech. I sent care packages yesterday to family members but who knows when they will get there? I am begging my parents to come stay with me in Los Angeles and they finally said yes and I pray all goes well on their way to the airport via flooded roads, with little gas, with countless others trying to leave as well. My heart is broken and continues to break because of ramifications of the devastation. I am heartened by every celebrity, every musician, actor, athlete, every politician, every journalist who has said "Presente!" and has shown up for us. We will never forget you! Please don't forget us when the next tragedy occurs elsewhere. Please remember us- this is going to be a long road ahead.
51
Thank you for including the USVI. I hope this means we'll see more coverage on the recovery and rebuilding in St Thomas and St John soon.
35
I can't say this about the American people, but the American government has shown itself to be largely heartless towards its own people. With no representation in Congress and no votes to count, there was no help to be had as financial troubles multiplied. Instead we just turned our collective backs on them. The Federal austerity measures imposed on them reminds me of the austerity imposed on Greece by the EU. Well, they are moot at this point. Its time for FEMA and the government to do the right thing and rebuild PR. Anything else is a moral outrage.
18
Even before the hurricanes hit, Puerto Rico very much needed a Marshall Plan. Instead the Fiscal Control Board offered up a Treaty of Versailles. Now that the Hurricane Maria has devastated the island, may it also sweep away the Fiscal Control Board, whose ignorance of macroeconomics is astounding. I have no doubt that they will stick to their guns---austerity--- just as climate change deniers think it insensitive to talk about Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Inasmuch as austerity is utterly impossible and totally counter-productive, let's get rid of the Fiscal Control Board now.
14
Puerto Rico is a territory of the US. Imagine a state of the union allowed to deteriorate to such a state, and then suffer such a catastrophe. The nation and the world would be transfixed. It's unconscionable that Congress refuses to do more to aid the island, and to help resolve it's economic problems. Also short sighted. Perhaps this event will be the impetus for better policy, but with Republican control, I have to doubt it.
15
Why do you assume that "Congress refuses to do more"? The conditions in Puerto Rico are such that it is currently impossible for aid workers to safely get access to areas that are still flooded to assess damage, not to mention the uncertainty of whether or not the damaged dam will fail. Parts of Texas and Florida suffered the same problem because of rain and flood surge, and it will take years for some areas to recover. Disaster relief has already been approved for Puerto Rico, in addition to millions more being raised from other sources: https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2017/09/21/federal-aid-programs-common...
As far as your comment regarding "help to resolve its economic problems", even if Puerto Rico was a state of the U.S., there would not enough assistance to solve everything. If you think that states receive enough money to fix every problem, you are very much mistaken. In many states federal dollars received are much lower than what citizens pay. In my state, for every dollar we pay only 45 cents is returned. Other states receive much more than they pay in tax, and even within states, distribution is not equal -- the greater Chicago area generates most of state tax revenue which helps less populated areas in the rest of the state.
4
I am a professional Puertorrican that left my island15 years ago to pursue my dream and now work to help create a better community for all my fellow Hoosiers. Some of us struggle with identity... I am a proud US citizen, love my country but also never forget about my people, who as any of us are not perfect, but beautiful human beings. It breaks my heart to see what is happening to my island. A major disaster just happened on top of the worst economic situation in decades and I feel that Puertorricans are treated not as any other American. Make me believe that the sacrifices that my people, including my father who went to Vietnam in the draft and was injured, or others who gave the life for this country are worth the same as any other... Houston, New Orleans, Miami.... Puerto Rico...we are all the same. If we do not do something it will become a catastrophe.
199
Most Puerto Ricans don't struggle with identity. They are proudly Puerto Ricans, and proudly US citizens. Just like Texans are proudly Texans and proudly US citizens. What they struggle with is ignorance and discrimination from their fellow citizens in mainland US, who wrongly believe the island should not be entitled to the same help as the rest of the country, and who believe that Puerto Ricans are not American citizens. All Puerto Ricans are entitled to US citizenship and passports, and should be entitled to the same rights, at least in emergency situations. Voting would come next. There is no such thing as being "half American" or "not American enough."
2
We should not spend a trillion dollars or more to rebuild a Puerto Rico that the best of PR - like Juan - have voted against by leaving. We should invest in relocating the island's residents - US citizens - to the mainland, rather than spend money that will - given every trend and all the evidence - be wasted.
It all comes down to this - if even in better times the Puerto Ricans didn't want to be there, why should we pay dearly to fix it now?
1
Because 3.5 million American citizens who do not want to relocate remain there. Just because of that.
Congress spent 5 months legislating for Puerto Rico last year when they went through multiple iterations of the law that finally became Promesa. Congress is very, very aware of the conditions in Puerto Rico.
Speaker Ryan is organizing a trip for members of Congress to visit the island and President Trump promised to come after Hurricane Irma struck and has repeated that promise.
It would be very beneficial if Pres Trump waived the 25% match for FEMA funds as Pres Clinton did in 1998 when HC Georges struck PR. Or at a minimum allowed the Commonwealth to pay over time.
Congress also needs to address Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico which faces a decline in funding from $1.6 billion a year to $400 million because a provision of ACA expires. This is central to maintaining health services on the island.
Puerto Ricans are strong and caring people. They have often felt neglected by DC. So far the fed govt, led by FEMA, has done an excellent job coordinating with Gov Rossello. I expect this to continue. Hopefully the support the mainland provides to PR convinces them they are our fellow Americans and that we will do everything in our power to get them back on their feet.
79
"They have often felt neglected by DC."
Why of course. Not until Puerto Ricans forcefully demand a final and swift resolution to their political status, will DC or anyone pay them any attention. In other words, a decision needs to be made very soon on whether the island permanently joins the Union or cuts the cord for good. Not until Puerto Ricans begin paying Federal taxes in earnest will they begin to be taken seriously as U.S. citizens by their fellow U.S. citizens. Until then they will continue to be treated like the bastard children of the US. The time for change is now.
I doubt that the Republicans, who control both Houses, will bother themselves much about Puerto Rico. They are indifferent to the suffering of ordinary people, especially minorities. They will complain about government spending and overreach while Puerto Ricans are ground down in poverty and their environment is further degraded.
What this will lead to, of course, is more immigration from the island to the mainland, where these climate refugees will wind up swelling the ranks of the poor in our cities, especially on the east coast. There will be no jobs, because economic
"growth" mostly benefits the wealthy, so there will likely be an increase in crime and other inner city social problems.
As usual, governance by and for the oligarchs benefits no one but them.
242
Florida seems capable of absorbing many Puerto Ricans, but Tampa Bay, Orlando, and Miami are America's poorest large urban areas. Their economies provide jobs, but at minimal wages.
I expect that Congress will be more interested in debt payments than economic recovery. Perhaps a bit like the British Parliament in (not) dealing with the Irish famine in 1845.
25
The analogy to Ireland is spot on. Seems that Congress is more interested in cutting revenues at the very time we need extra funds to help the victims of three hurricanes. Whatever happened to fiscal conservatism and spending first to take care of American citizens?
20
PLEASE do not forget that even though we do not have the privilege of voting for U.S. President and our representatives in Washington do not have a vote and have no voice; the citizens of Puerto Rico serve in the Armed Forces. They served valiantly in WWI, WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam. We have no representation!
3
The way in which Puerto Rico was both misgoverned and as a territory of the United States neglected by administrations and Congresses say from 2000 on is startling and discouraging and saddening to me. A wonderful island and people ill-used for years and ill-use allows for an accentuation of the sort of natural calamity the island was just subject to.
152
Thank you for writing this editorial. While a debate about the merits or demerits of Puerto Rico may be in order at some point, the issue now is the rescue of real living people. Vieques, the island I am proud to live in, is part of Puerto Rico, thus part of the United States. But It is physically separate. Currently 9000 people are trapped there. There is almost no contact, no federal ship arriving with food, nothing but the resources of the people there and those of concerned citizens trying to get help to their people one small private boat or plane at a time. This is an emergency. And because the need of the main island of Puerto Rico is so huge, the island of Vieques is getting even less help. Right this moment, a wholesale federal effort needs to arrive with food, water, medicine, generators, and communication. Please help National Emergency services, an isolated island directly hit by Maria is part of our country and in immediate need.
8
As we in the Western Hemisphere all are, from Canada's Cape Columbia on Ellesmere Island in Northwest Territory to Patagonia shared by Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America; LEST WE FORGET.